Archive
Bitter Chocolate
There are so many things to consider on Valentine’s Day: the reason you and your beloved were first attracted to each other, the amazing date you’ve planned, the perfect gift to express your affection. And, if you’re like most Americans, you’re thinking about buying chocolate. U.S. consumers purchase hundreds of millions of dollars of chocolate for their sweeties in the week leading up to February 14. With that in mind, here’s one more thing to consider: Child slavery.
A Worthy Goal: Feeding all our Children
The Obama administration has pledged to end childhood hunger in the U.S. by 2015. Meeting that goal will depend on whether Congress expedites or undermines this ambitious endeavor. And it has to act soon.
Save Winter: Stop Tar Sands
Unfortunately, as the excitement of the winter games builds in Canada, that country is also pursuing an energy policy that could have a huge impact on winter sports by accelerating global warming—and the U.S. may soon start taking part.
U.S. Glass
Seeing China from the New World Trade Center
For example, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City were crashed to the ground on 9/11. But now, a new tower is rising from those very ashes—a soaring steel and glass monument to the American spirit, a powerful symbol of our national resilience. Well—except for the glass. A company named Beijing Glass got the government contract to provide the window panes that’ll cover the first 20 stories of the tower. Yes, the monument to our national spirit is being sheathed with made-in-China glass.
As Death Nears, Be Prepared to Suffer
Have you heard about the Belgians? They now allow assisted suicide. Takers have quickly risen to two percent of the failing population. The Swiss too have developed a relaxed view of dying. Their immediate goal is to keep from becoming a one-way destination for sick Englishmen, where terminal pain is just part of the stiff-upper-lip image. But even that fine old tradition is now shredding, as a poll shows that 74 percent of Brits favor death with dignity. Of course mere popular support is often insufficient impetus to change such an ancient pointless policy.
Wall Street Gets It
I don’t know why people, even smart people, keep saying that bankers and the rest of the Wall Street crowd don’t get it.
The Kids are All Right
Being a young American today can be discouraging. Things don’t look so good for us, even since Bush left office, leaving behind an awful lot of cleaning up for us “Millennials” to do.
Boondoggle Sidetracks Crops for Renewable Energy
The U.S. Department of Agriculture skipped the crop establishment program and instead launched a minor provision intended to help develop new collection, harvest, storage, and transport methods by matching the price paid for delivered biomass, up to $45 a ton. The USDA didn’t draft rules or put them out for comment, but instead issued a simple notice of funding availability with few restrictions.
Record Bank Profits and the American Dream Foreclosed
All of us will be hurting for years because Washington is refusing to make the banks eat the debt bubble they created. Instead, the bailed-out banks are walking away with record profits and fat bonuses.
