Doomsday Prepping: To What Extent Should We Depend on our Government?
Back in the wonderfully uneventful era of the early 2010s, my family and I enjoyed a National Geographic series called “Doomsday Preppers.” The fascinating people featured in the show were preparing for the apocalypse, or something close to it. We would sit in front of the TV and laugh at those who were convinced that a pandemic, wipeout of the electrical grid, severe climate change, solar flare, or political unrest would lead to an apocalyptic event in the near future. We looked on in entertainment as they hatched their apocalypse strategy: stockpiling food, weapons, and generators. Perhaps, in the midst of a pandemic, political unrest, and weather related power failures, they are having the last laugh.
Can Better Classrooms Lead to Empty Cells? An analysis of school funding and incarceration rates
Incarceration rates within the United States have been the subject of heated debate for multiple decades. In spite of its status as a highly developed country, the United States has by far the highest incarceration rate in the world with 737 prisoners per 100,000 members of the population.
Giving In Light of Eternity: A Call to Christian Charity
“Darkness is cheap, and Scrooge liked it.” In the opening stave of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, A Christmas Carol, that line sets the scene, communicating Scrooge's light-less surroundings and miserly priorities. However, by the end of the story, the cost of...
The Politics We Wear
The release of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s new clothing line has of course sparked plenty of social media controversy. Yet, politically affiliated clothing is hardly novel. The political nature of AOC’s apparel is little different than President Trump’s MAGA hats.
Finding the Motivation to Learn
Although remote learning caused by COVID-19 has been lauded as more efficient and affordable than previous modes of instruction, and has potential to alleviate student debt in the future, one of the most common obstacles to success posed by online school is a lack of...
The Lockdown Paradox
The pandemic is now well into its third wave, with new cases topping 200,000 per day and deaths at an all-time high. FDA approval of two vaccines promises an eventual solution, but for the moment, many governors have resorted to tightening restrictions. At the same time, the mind can only maintain crisis mode for so long before defaulting to normal, and Americans have developed intense lockdown fatigue.
Mercenaries: A Battleground in Public Discourse
The First American Volunteer Group (AVG), also known as the Flying Tigers, fought in the Pacific theater of World War II prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. They were hired by the Chinese central government (and indirectly supported by the Roosevelt administration) to wage war against the Japanese without the official involvement of the United States military.
Can Nuclear Energy Save Us from Climate Change?
If you want to understand the economics of the climate crisis, look no further than France and Germany. Despite its projected $580 billion investment in renewables by 2025, Germany records ten times higher greenhouse gas emissions than France. Meanwhile, French...
Obstacles to Justice in the Ethio-Egyptian Nile Dispute
The recent construction and filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile has erupted in disputes between Ethiopia and its downstream neighbor—Egypt. These dispute have led to everything from Tik Tok battles and malicious hacking to failed diplomatic talks, bomb threats, and the mysterious murder of the GERD’s chief engineer. However, a cursory review of the dam’s limited impact reveals that the conflict has little to do with water. What, then, can explain the atmosphere of vitriol in this African affair?
