This month we witnessed the largest beef recall in the history of the United States, when the farming habits of the Westland/Hallmark Meat Company were revealed to the public via an undercover video released by the Humane Society. After seeing the video, I can say it is not for the more sensitive beef consumer: It is very troubling.
As Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign marched through 2007 and into 2008, an e-mail traversed across the Internet bearing his name. Though the e-mail paid no praise to the candidate, rather it aimed at passing a tarnished image of Obama to the reader.
Last week, while speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Sen. John McCain received a mixture of scoffs and applause. It seems that the right side of the country has yet to unify behind the one who appears to be the next Republican candidate for president. Though what may seem like a division within the Republican Party could actually be a symptom of something else entirely, a symptom of Republicans taking back their party after years of it being co-opted by others.
Before the Florida primaries, presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain threw words at each other in an attempt to gain the support of voters and diminish the image of their rival. Amidst the trashing, both candidates used the dirtiest and most offensive word in the conservative-Republican vernacular arsenal: “liberal.”
“Recession!” is what they are crying these days. It seems that between interest-rate cuts, housing-market tribulations and the talking heads of cable news, the gloom of economic hard times is, perhaps, hanging over the U.S. horizon.
Have you started to wonder why television entertainment has been lacking as of late? Perhaps why the most advertised and talked about programs have been shows like American Gladiator? I mean come on, it was campy and fun when we could watch re-runs of feathered-haired guys with oddly greasy tans and silver jumpsuits courageously throwing tennis balls at people. But now, who are they kidding?
Late last year, House Bill 2007 passed through Oregon’s legislative process, granting domestic partnerships to same-sex couples. As always, this drew the attention of the usual spread of anti-gay groups, who spared no time in hitting the streets to gather enough petitions to halt the bill.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas these days. To the average Joe or Jane, this conjures thoughts of snow and gussied-up trees, Santa Claus and sleigh bells, or a cozy warm fireplace inside while it’s chilly outside. Nice nostalgic impressions of an annual tradition of goodwill.
They stand in the early morning cold. A line of beasts panting into the air, their breath is like the steam shooting up from a coffee maker. As they remain in their cramped rows, a few stamp and grind their feet, pounding the ground. They could stand like this for hours, and they have.
Thinking about nuclear power, your mind may turn to images of tall cooling towers that reach into the blue, billowing swells of steam off into the sky. Some may think of detrimental radioactive waste tucked away in every nook and cranny until every nook has been crannied, and the fear of possible harmful contamination strikes. And some, including me, may think of the danger posed by Homer Simpson manning the safety monitoring station at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant.
When Al Gore recently won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in raising awareness for global warming, it was received with both validation and condemnation. It was yet another moment in the debate over global warming held in the venue of public opinion.