President-Elect Trump took an important step towards uniting our country last Thursday as he negotiated with the CEO of United Technologies, a major defense contractor and the parent company of furnace-maker Carrier. Appearing to fulfill a campaign promise to keep Carrier from shipping jobs to Mexico (but which Trump later explained he didn’t remember saying
Recently, the New York Times reported that international trade is down. Global trade was flat in the first quarter of 2016 and fell slightly in the second quarter, with the value of American imports and exports falling by more than $200 billion in 2015. While this may merely be a temporary lack of demand for
After another child fatality, bringing the total number to six, home goods giant IKEA has issued a recall of 29 million MALM model dressers, in addition to other models of chests and drawers. When not properly anchored to the wall, the recalled models of both chests and dressers remain unstable and pose a serious tipping
What a time to be alive! Assisted by profligate use of fossil fuels and inspired by generous subsidies, we are awash in cheap carbohydrates. Commodity corn is used to make corn syrup, to fatten feedlot beef, and as the main ingredient in all kinds of junk food. At the same time, we’ve become far more
In August 2015, contractors working for the EPA were attempting to clean up the Gold King mine near Silverton, Colorado. Acidic water, laden with harmful metals like lead and arsenic, was backing up inside the abandoned mine. The entrance to the mine had been plugged on the cheap, and the force of the backup of
Those of us who are of a certain age will remember the Cola Wars. In the 70s and 80s, soda rivals Pepsi and Coke went head to head to capture the brown, sweet fizzy water market. “Taking the Pepsi Challenge” meant participating in a blind taste test of the two drinks. There were loyalty programs, endless
The First Amendment’s clause regarding the freedom of the press is crucial to maintaining a well-informed electorate and a world-class republic. Within a small social unit, such as a family or neighborhood, it’s possible for everyone to know everyone else, but in a polity as large as the United States, we rely on media outlets
A barbershop in Ypsilanti, Michigan is spreading some much-appreciated goodwill throughout Washtenaw County by offering discounts on haircuts to any child who reads aloud while getting clipped. With a wide selection of books to choose from in the shop, all of which depict positive stories and images of African-Americans, the Fuller Cut is making a
St. Jude Medical, Inc. is a global company that designs and manufactures health management solutions, including heart devices. On October 11, 2016, the company issued a field advisory to physicians, patients and caregivers warning that the company’s Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, ICD, and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Defibrillator, CRT-D, device batteries may prematurely fail, and a recall
It’s bad enough when you have to leave your home and family to go fight in a war. It’s even worse when that makes you a target not just for enemy fire, but also for American scammers. Cheating the troops is a profitable industry, since they are often distracted by duty, economic circumstances, and inexperience.