A few months ago I wrote an article on why reinstating the draft would only degrade the quality and effectiveness of the U.S. armed forces. As a member of the armed forces, I firmly believe that keeping the military an all-volunteer force is in the best interests of this country. So I was not only shocked by the amount of responses I received, but also caught off guard by the number of people who said they were in favor of the draft. The main reason given was that people thought it was generally unfair that so much of the nation's burdens fall on the shoulders of just those in the military.
The latest issue of Rolling Stone hit newsstands today, but most Americans already know about the stunning feature inside of it: the profile of General Stanley McChrystal, former commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
The now-infamous article features harsh comments critical of the Obama administration made by McChrystal and some of his aides. The general was called to the White House for a meeting on June 23, where President Obama accepted his resignation and nominated General David Petraeus to be McChrystal's replacement.
The final pick of YPNation's "Young Professional of Color" series is Tina Wells, CEO of the New Jersey-based Buzz Marketing Group, the number one resource for all things involving youth marketing. Wells has more than a decade of expertise in youth trends, and an impressive portfolio of more than one hundred partnerships.
The ordeal of the American college girl, Amanda Knox, who was convicted this week of murdering her roommate while studying abroad, can serve as a harsh reminder to all young professionals (YPs) of the value of protecting their reputations. It seems to be a consensus among the legal pundits across the spectrum of the networks that it was Knox's reputation in the Italian media, rather than hard physical evidence, that resulted in her conviction.
Late last night, the House approved by a narrow margin of 219 to 212 sweeping changes to the nation's health system. It was the final showdown of a long, bloody battle--one that sharply divided Congress, and even the nation. But the conversation about health care reform has really only just begun, as we implement the reform, witness its impact and build upon its foundation.
In anticipation of Sunday's vote, YPNation contributor Ryan Lynch, 28, and a consultant at the non-profit Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, asked of the YPNation team what they thought the impact of the insurance mandate would be.
Small farms have been on the out for decades as younger generations leave town for urban lifestyles with more financial promise. But as we have seen recently in Michael Pollan's books (The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food) as well as the work of so many others, the tragic consequences of agribusiness have spurred a reactionary movement, which is now in full swing. The demand for sustainably produced and organic food is going up, and as a result of this increasing awareness, young people are moving back to the farm. And they're changing how it's done.
Tammy Tibbetts, 24, is the founder of She's the First, a call to action to promote the importance of educating girls who live in developing countries and would otherwise not have the opportunity to go to school. The organization brings together smaller, local educational non-profits in a directory of schools and sponsorship programs, making it easy to donate online. According to its website, She's The First inspires girls to "break barriers" and realize their dreams through its mission of promoting global education.
YPNation is rounding out Black History Month by spotlighting an outstanding "Young Professional of Color" each day this week. Today's pick is Jamail Larkins. Having accumulated more than 1,500 hours of flight time, Larkin's career, which took off at the age of 12, shows no signs of landing.
Last Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of the Recovery Act, also known as the "stimulus." In the midst of the political gridlock that has stalled health care reform, it is easy to forget that President Obama started off his term with what undeniably was a major legislative accomplishment. In fact, the Recovery Act was one of the largest progressive achievements of our time, and one wonders whether Obama would still be considered ineffectual if it had been broken down into smaller pieces and passed individually throughout last year, rather than all at once. The media, after all, has a very short attention span, and tends to forget success quite easily.
Last week President Obama announced $8.33 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear construction projects in Georgia, after three decades of an ad hoc nuclear moratorium across the country. For all of the coverage last week, the media frenzy missed an important part of the story--the destructive processes at the front end of nuclear power.
Internships-the vast majority unpaid-have become a staple of the college experience. In 1992, only 9 percent of graduating students had participated in internships; by 2006 that figure increased to 83 percent. Internships are often good for both the student and the employer. Yet the current system is fraught with problems. In a previous entry, I discussed how unpaid internships put lower-income students at a substantial disadvantage compared to their better-off peers who can afford a summer of lost wages and the high living expenses of city life. Students who can't afford an unpaid internship don't get the valuable leg-up they need in searching for employment after graduation.
Before the special election, I stated that Martha Coakley would emerge the victor by a mere few percentage points in Massachusetts, enough to leave the impression that no Democrat is "safe" in his or her seat for the midterms in November. Many of the Republicans I spoke with could not quite fathom the idea of Ted Kennedy's seat turning red. Some even rolled out half-baked conspiracy theories of the Service Employees International Union counting the votes or even--a la Minnesota--"discovering" ballots in the trunk of a car.
General Stanley McChrystal, by way of his civilian-centric strategy for the war in Afghanistan, is experimenting. Thirty-nine female Marines are poised to deploy as "attachments" with an all-male infantry for the express purpose of gaining the trust of Afghan women. After training at Camp Pendleton, located just south of Los Angeles, the Marines will travel to rural villages in Afghanistan's most violent province.
Last week Gallup published results from a study on how a lack of an emotional bond between coworkers can lead to lower productivity and mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression. Gallup interviewed millions of workers in hundreds of companies around the world and found that no social reward can quickly translate into a lack of interest in doing work. Employers may want to take notice--worker health issues can have direct economic consequences.
With any disaster comes opportunity. And while it is difficult to see any silver lining right now through the oil-slicked, devastated waters of the Gulf of Mexico, something good may come of the spill. It may help stop a highly problematic piece of legislation--the American Power Act, better known as the cap-and-trade bill.
This Wednesday, YPNation is hosting a panel discussion on the sustainability of our fiscal future; I will be one of the three speakers. My post today is a preview of my argument for how we should approach the topic of our fiscal future, and what our policy goals should be.
Less than half of Millennials, Americans age 18 to 29, believe when they are their parents' age, they will be better off, according to the "Survey of Young Americans' Attitudes Toward Politics and Public Service" (pdf) from Harvard University's Institute of Politics.
Zazu, referred to by its creators as "the smartest damn alarm clock," is an application for smart phones. It is the brainchild of four young entrepreneurs, all under the age of 25, who despite busy schedules and school obligations have taken on the daunting task of launching a company. If the name sounds familiar, it's because it happens to be the same name as the famous bird from "The Lion King," who serves as King Mufasa's assistant. Associating their product with a friendly and relatable character was important in branding the company.
The 2010 Nuclear Posture Review Report (pdf) has been anything but a strategic watershed for U.S. nuclear policy. A congressionally-mandated review that establishes the nuclear policy, strategy, force posture, and capabilities of the United States for the next five to ten years, this NPR aggressively promotes the Obama administration's vision for realizing a nuclear free world. But rather than proscriptive policy for definitive action on real issues, the review is more about political posturing and ideological blustering leaving U.S. policymakers without the necessary suite of options for hedging against nuclear risks and addressing the multi-faceted set of challenges this nation faces.
t's been one month to the day since mother earth's voice vibrated through the capital of Haiti, and humanity banded together to muster support in the face of this boundary breaking natural disaster. As the chaos slowly settles, concerns are now arising about whether donations are reaching those for whom its intended. Cell phone companies have experienced backlash from costumers demanding that Haiti donation text message fees be waived. Financial institutions had a similar push back with online donation fees. The prominent aid site YELE HAITI came under scrutiny for their past handling of funds. E-mails circulated asking that donations not be made to the American Red Cross, citing previous glitches in Hurricane Katrina relief.
