Discrimination at work again, or is it?

Mathew L. Wald of the New York Times gives us some insight about the difference policies that apply to humans and pets when they are given radioactive drugs. People have to freedom to go back and rest while under this type of medication while animals such as cat and dogs are required to be locked up in the hospital.

In October, Representative Edward J. Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, complained to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that its policy on human thyroid patients was creating dilemmas for patients, some of whom are sent home immediately after radiation treatment to households with children or pregnant women. 

While it is understandable that humans are generally more civilized and can conduct themselves properly to keep the spreading of  radiation down to a minimum if not at all, the possibility still exists. It is true that cats and dogs are less obedient and stationary by nature and that their curiosity creates trouble. In this sense, I believe it is rightful to keep pets in a place separated from their respective owners. Whether or not this may traumatize the pets is another issue. Unless a system is developed so that a specialized pet home is required to be bought or something similar to this type of separation, bringing home radioactively induced pets is unwise.

Hackers trying to help WikiLeaks

Cassell Bryan-Low of the Wall Street Journal gives us some insight about hackers toying with many corporations that have disgraced WikiLeaks. Although these hackers have been mainly attacking enemies by slowing down the loading speed of the companies' website pages.

 The Swedish Prosecution Service said Wednesday that its website had been flooded overnight by denial of service attacks. The prosecutors' office said it reported the incident to Swedish police. The website for Claes Borgstrom, the lawyer representing the two women making the accusations against Mr. Assange, also crashed.

 Although believing in a cause such as WikiLeaks is a worthy personal trait, exacting revenge in this day and age on such a wide scale is pure recklessness and stupidity. Especially when the targets are big named and incredibly powerful such as MasterCard and PayPal. While the offense may only be minor, since the hackers were just causing unnatural web-traffic, the shear amount of victims make up for that.

Mental Health Break

China's Youku surges to attention

Lee Spears talks about the sudden jump in prosperity of the Chinese version of Youtube, Youku. Youku is one of China's largest online video viewing companies and have no plans to be stopped.

Youku.com Inc. surged in the biggest gain for a U.S. initial public offering in five years and E- Commerce China Dangdang Inc. almost doubled in its debut, the latest sign of booming demand for Chinese Internet companies. Youku.com, China’s largest online video company, soared 161 percent to $33.44 today, after completing a $203 million IPO.

This is fairly significant for investers because of China's special conditions. In China, videos from American video viewing websites are blocked such as Youtube. Therefore, domestic websites such as Youku and Tudou are able to take the lead in that sector. Because of this special policy, China is able to keep their viewers dedicated to domestic companies as well as a steady surge of online users as its population grows.

Pay for your Actual Milage

Mark Glover discusses the new Pay-as-you-go insurance policies being offered in the new future in California. This will save many vehicle drivers a lot of money and charge for what they actually drive.

State Farm now has about 3.3 million policyholders throughout California, which accounted for $2.5 billion in premiums in 2009. The insurer estimates that 25 percent of its policyholders will select the program, resulting in an annual savings of $31 million.

By offering many more insurance plans available for customers, insurance companies, not as popular as AAA, will have a chance of reeling in potential customers. This new idea is especially efficient for the older community who drive only when needed and are currently paying prices for milage they do not drive. The only bad aspect of this idea is that one must implant a device that records one's milage. This can be a small breech of privacy as no one really knows if there are cameras or even microphones secretly slapped into the device as well. One possible conflict that could arise is that there are those who are going to try to tamper with the device to lower their milage reading.

2012: Palin vs Obama

Michael O'Brien of The Hill explains how Sarah Palin has finally sent out her resolution to win the next presidential election. She has had interviews with ABC and at Fox news. She declares:

"I’m engaged in the internal deliberations candidly, and having that discussion with my family, because my family is the most important consideration here," to the New York Times

While she may has gathered a number of supporters, her credentials are definitely the first obstruction to her campaign. Because she is a paid contributor to Fox news, the interviews seem less harsh and demanding of Palin. They were simply asking her very broad and easy-to-answer questions. Nevertheless, she does have the public speaking skill to drive her campaign, but is still weak when matched up with Obama. The advantage that she has is that the Republicans have control of the majority of the Senate and this may prove to be a source of influence and convincing point for her campaign. Overall, it is really up to Palin how to present herself in the campaign, how well she can say her policies, and keep herself from making ground-breaking mistakes during her campaign.

Journalist dangers in Russia

Independent journalist in Russia, Novaya Gazeta, is described in an article of The Wall Street Journal by Elena Milashina. Gazeta describes the dangers that journalists such as herself must watch out for in Putin's reign in Russia.

 Over the past 10 years, five of Novaya Gazeta's journalists have been murdered. One of the victims was our star correspondent and my mentor, Anna Politkovskaya, who was assassinated in 2006 after tirelessly exposing brutal human-rights violations in Chechnya.

Shown to them by the daring reporters and journalists who freely expressed their freedom of speech and press in America, Russian journalists try to mimic this verbosity. However, the government obviously has many flaws that it wants to contain and keep from the public and the world. Gazeta can consider herself lucky because she is one of the few that is able to still report the misdoings of the government and has not suffered the punishment of assassination. Articles such as these are brought to light in America and rightfully so. As a country we can deem the killings of these journalists unmoral and hopefully offer the ones living sanction.

Mental Health Break

Dealing with Global Warming needs Cultural Change

John M. Broder from the New York Times describes how Americans must move away from the Scientific innovations and statistical data in order to find solutions and work towards changing the way people in our communities think about Global Warming. Quoting Andrew J. Hoffman, an advocate and professor at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business and School of Natural Resources and Environment:

“It requires a shift in our values to reflect what scientists have been telling us for years,” he added. “The certainty of climate change must shift from that of being a ‘scientific fact’ to that of being a ‘social fact.’ ”

This way of thinking by John M. Broder and Andrew Hoffman is absolutely what must be done now. As a country, we must change the way we view the problems of Global Warming and put as a top priority. Change will only come about only when the majority of the citizens and politicians advocate issues such as the Civil Rights movement and in Broder's view, the connection between the smoking of tobacco and the banning of smoking indoors. It is because there were so much resentment that the change socially and politically is even possible. The same concept will apply to Global Warming. Either the nations of the world start changing their cultural views on this matter and begin a global movement or there will be a great disaster that will occur and force us to change prematurely.

Indonesia starts recovering from Natural Disasters

Indonesia has recently suffered a series of devastating natural disasters such as the 7.7 magnitude underwater earthquake, the 10 feet high tsunami wave created by the earthquake, and the volcanic eruption of Mount Merapi located on Java. The worst-hit part of Indonesia was the earthquake in the Mentawai Islands. Aubrey Belford of the New York Times goes on to describe the statistics:

Ade Edward, the emergency head of the Disaster Management Agency in West Sumatra Province, said the tsunami had killed at least 272 people and left 412 missing. About 16,000 people were displaced, officials said.

Not only were the Indonesian islands hit by a high-magnitude earthquake, but also with the eruption of their volcano as well. The biggest problem in helping victims of this crisis is that the weather has been horrible and that the waves of the sea has been unrelenting. This situation has become the worst of both worlds. Indonesia was hit by destructive natural disasters and now environmental conditions have been altered to the worst by these natural disasters to slow down the help. One of the reasons for the higher death rate was because Mbah Maridjan, a trusted elder of the village, convinced the people that there was no reason to leave Java. It is because of backward villages such as this one which was influenced by only one man that causulties are increased.

Mental Health Break

Millinocket brings Students from China

In the New York Times, Abby Goodnough describes how Stearns High in Millinocket, Maine has developed a transfer program for Chinese students from China. Their intent is to invest in this project which includes building a dorm system and weekend programs, and hopefully become firmer and more stable financially. Superintendent Kenneth Smith has already gone on frequent trips to major Chinese cities for recruitment. He has also invited Ms. Fox, who has experience working with Chinese transfer students, to help his faculty learn new ways of teaching these transfers.

There is one hitch. Under State Department rules, foreign students can attend public high school in the United States for only a year, a system that Dr. Smith considers unfair, given that they can attend private high schools for four years. He is pressing Maine’s Congressional delegation to seek a change, but in the meantime, he intends to recruit a handful of Chinese students to attend Stearns next year.

This is attempt can only be seen as a desperate last resort by Dr. Smith in order to revitalize his outdated school. Facts such as small size of the town, lack of high quality diverse educational classes, as well as minimal low-quality school materials all work against the logic of this idea. However, if this plan does succeed and if Chinese students are willing to transfer over to this school, then the profit would be substantial since the boarding, room, and tuition fee would be $27,000 a year.

India uses Cheap Ineffective Vaccines

Jacob Puliyel from The Guardian responds to the article Why fear of vaccination is spelling disaster with the developing world by Vivienne Parry. He agrees with most of what Parry is trying to convey, which is the fact that India is utilizing cost-reduced ineffective vaccines for Hib, or Haeomophilus Influenzae. Puliyel believes that many of these funds could be directed to better welfare programs and other basic needs in India such as clean water. Vaccines for pneumonia would also be viewed as a higher priority.

Treating the four cases of pneumonia in India, using WHO protocol, would cost $1. The pneumococcus strains prevalent in India are nearly all sensitive to inexpensive antibiotics like penicillin. In the US, which has been using the pneumococcal vaccine, there has been a strain shift – strains covered in the vaccine are being replaced by more antibiotic resistant strains. Vaccine has simply made the problem of pneumococcal disease worse. Yet this vaccine is being pushed in Africa and Asia.

Many companies who urge these useless vaccines are marking an increase of profit simply because of false advertising. By making it cheaper than domestic vaccine values, they are able to persuade the locals of India to buy this seemingly helpful vaccine. Puliyel puts out great statistical data that there have been multiple experiments which have disproved the actual healing of the Hib disease. Jacob Puliyel gives a valid point that the statements by Inidan Lobbying groups are absolutely false and that these groups are only looking for economic profit.

Chilean Miners Resurface

In the Times Magazine, Tim Padgett reports on the resurfacing of the 33 Chilean miners that were trapped in a gold and copper mine 700 meters underground. Since August 5, these miners had to stay in a safe-house and organize themselves and daily lives in order to survive as long as possible. After 69 days of being trapped underground, the first of the miners resurface. There is an outstanding amount of people gathered at this location filled with joyous tears and satisfied hope. The celebrations is described as:

Chileans, not known for exuberance, unleashed deafening cheers and chants through the chilly air above the San José mine — "Tonight we bring them back!" — along with confetti and balloons bearing the Chilean flag.

Is it purely amazing how these men were able to control their claustrophobic fears and contain their sanity while spending so many days encased in a room. This event has become one of the most significant points of Chilean history. It is important not because men were trapped underground due to mining in unstable foundations, but rather the nationalism that occurred in country. Everyone was rallied toward this event and the survival of these men meant everything to them. The Chileans are now more unified than ever because they were able to keep hope and miracles, such as the survival of all 33 men, kept the unification together.

US and China go GREEN

Elaine Kurtenbach reports in the Times Magazine that the Shanghai and the US are trying to cooperate and create a greenhouse gas emission limitation agreement. While both sides had their fair share of accusing the other side of emitting more carbon dioxide, these two countries have finally set aside their differences in order to help Earth. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has to say:

We regulate greenhouse gases in the U.S. We monitor and require emissions to be reported in the U.S. We have rules that are phasing in, slowly, regulations for reducing emissions from stationary sources

Now that China has put into progress their 5 year plan starting 2011, a foundation has been laid as an example of progressive movement into reducing greenhouse gases being emitted into air. China, the world's most productive country at the moment is willing to give up their factories that spew out carbon dioxide and change for a better cause, the survival of Earth. Now it is up to other countries to decide, will they progress alongside the US and China, or will they be left behind and in the near future be at the mercy to these progressing countries.

Political Party Quiz

The following are your scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 10
You are a social progressive. You generally consider yourself a humanist first. You probably think that religion and patriotism go too far in society. You probably consider yourself to be a citizen of Earth first rather than a citizen of your country.

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 5
You are a Moderate Capitalist. You support an economy that is by and large a free market, but has public programs to help people who can't help themselves or need a little help. Pretty much you believe in the American economy how it currently is.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 7
You're a Moderate. You think that we all have certain inalienable rights that must be protected, but that sometimes laws need to be made to protect the majority's lives or quality of lives. You might think that the 2nd amendment isn't necessary anymore because letting everyone a gun is extremely dangerous to the community. You might also be against illegal drug use or public pornography because of its possible harmful effects to society.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 4
You're a Moderate. You think that in very rare occasions, the United States should invade a country in order to make the world better by spreading democracy or ending a tyrants rule. You also think that defense is very important, and we shouldn't lower the defense budget. You think that, while the Iraq War probably was a mistake, that we can make the world a better place by sticking with it and spreading democracy in the middle east.

Overall, you would most likely fit into the category of Democrat

Currently, after 69443 submissions, the average Conservative/Progressive score is 5.98, the average Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score is 6.72, the average Libertarian/Authoritarian score is 5.51, and the average Pacifist/Militarist score is 4.58


1. Are our gun control laws too strict? - 28% said yes, 72% said no
2. Should gay marriage be legalized? - 64% said yes, 36% said no
3. Should we consider invading Iran? - 24% said yes, 76% said no
4. Should intelligent design be taught in public schools alongside evolution? - 50% said yes, 50% said no
5. Does the US need a system of universal health care? - 60% said yes, 40% said no
6. Should marijuana be legalized? - 57% said yes, 43% said no
7. Should we repeal [or substantially change] the Patriot Act? - 58% said yes, 42% said no
8. Does the US have a right to stop countries we do not trust from getting weapons? - 51% said yes, 49% said no
9. Should we end (or reduce the use of) the death penalty? - 40% said yes, 60% said no
10. Should there be a higher minimum wage? - 67% said yes, 33% said no
11. Does affirmative action do more harm than good? - 64% said yes, 36% said no
12. Is the United States spending too much money on defense? - 55% said yes, 45% said no
13. Should embryonic stem cell research be funded by the government? - 59% said yes, 41% said no
14. Should flag burning be legal? - 44% said yes, 56% said no
15. Should all people (rich and poor) pay fewer taxes? - 60% said yes, 40% said no
16. Should the US begin withdrawing from Iraq? - 77% said yes, 23% said no
17. Is it sometimes justified to wiretap US citizens without a warrant? - 34% said yes, 66% said no
18. Should the government be involved in reducing the amount of violence/pornography in tv/movies/games/etc? - 25% said yes, 75% said no
19. Should the United States only start a war if there is an imminent threat of being attacked ourselves? - 76% said yes, 24% said no
20. Should stopping illegal immigration be one of our top priorities? - 56% said yes, 44% said no
21. Is outsourcing of American jobs justified if it allows for cheaper goods? - 29% said yes, 71% said no
22. Are all abortions unethical? [with the exception of risk to mother's health] - 38% said yes, 62% said no
23. Should social security be privatized? - 55% said yes, 45% said no
24. Should the United States ever go to war even if the UN is against it? - 52% said yes, 48% said no

Free-Speech in China

In the Time Magazine, Christopher Bodeen discusses how Communist Elders are advocating the right of Free-Speech. A letter was posted online by these retired political figures stating how invalid the some of the newer rules and regulations were because they restricted China's 1982 constitution which gives the people of China the right of Free-Speech. Parts of the letter directly challenges the of the goverment:

"If the constitution is violated, the government will lack legitimacy. The people must assert and exercise their legitimate rights,"

For many years, regulations upon regulations have covered the fact that the Chinese, in fact, do have the basic freedoms of speech. However, after so many years the people have grown accumstomed to the fact that free flowing opinion is not accepted in society and definately abhored by the government when it is being challenged. This movement by the earlier generation of leaders shows great provocative intentions for the government because they are bringing back what they most treasured in their years of political influence. The next would have to include the involvement of the common people. These leaders must rally their opinions to match what is morally correct in order for this movement to be successful.

Farms gain MONEY

Scott Kilman compiled a very statistical analysis of how the growth of farms economically are increasing in the Wall Street Journal. On a more interesting scale, the American farm belt is doing fairly well even though the American economy as a whole is still struggling out of the recession. Globally, the Asian economic bloom is supporting the American farming sector with Asia's exports. Even the cotton belt owned by America is starting to see a betterment economically. These cotton farms are able to sell for more while producing more products with newly bought machinery.

Overall, the USDA projects net farm income to climb 24% this year to $77.1 billion, the fourth highest ever. In September, farmers were being paid 62% more for hogs than a year earlier, and 32% more for milk.

 This unexpected growth in the farming industry of the United States can only benefit the efforts in trying to bring the overall American economy back on its feet. The main fact is that the American producing sector is doing well. The production unit of America is the base foundation of a good economy. A producing country that is able to escape the hole that drags nations into becoming a consuming nation, aka present day US, can finally look towards gain instead of lose. Hopefully the farm belt will continue growing positively and start bringing other sectors of production in America economy back up.

The End of "Don't ask, Don't tell" in the Service?

In an article in the New York Times by John Schwartz, Judge Virginia A. Phillips of Federal District Court for the Central District of California enforced the banning of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy for those serving in the military sector. This new rule by Judge Phillips has a very high probability of being repealed by the United States government. Judge Phillips states:

the 17-year-old policy “infringes the fundamental rights of United States service members and prospective service members” and violates their rights of due process and freedom of speech.

Even though this act by the judge is not agreed upon by the majority of Americans, this is still a big step forward for the United States. Just as Christian Berle, the acting executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, states, by mixing heterogeneously in the military sector, the United States is able to scout only the best, and not exclude the exceptionally talented based on their sexual orientation. However, the main concern comes from the opposition in opinion from the high-ups of the military and inside the government. There is no doubt that the overall case will be repealed. Many traditionally sentimental military leaders also feel that this separation should be clearly defined. Until moral barriers are broken among the power-holding decision makers, the end of "don't ask, don't tell" is far from us. Nevertheless, it is up people such as Judge Phillips who are willing to take the heat and journey into unquestioned. Without these outspoken advocates, change is not likely to happen.

Fuel from Carbon Dioxide??

What if there was a way to use our environmental output hazards, carbon dioxide, and reuse it in a cycle that utilizes it to make fuel?

This is a very interesting concept and one that may give the solution to the reduction if not elimination of fossil fuels for energy. By using alternatives such as water and wind powered generators, this energy can be used to fuel the reaction to make the carbon dioxide fuse with hydrogen to produce usable gasoline for everyday life. However, the most promising elements that can be an important ingredient to fuel these reactions is solar power. The sun is always present and is constantly being supplied unlike limited conditions to generators such as windmills. Arun Majumdar presents his view:

Turning CO2 into fuels is exactly what photosynthetic organisms have been doing for billions of years, although their fuels tend to be foods, like sugars. Now humans are trying to store the energy in sunlight by making a liquid fuel from CO2 and hydrogen—a prospect that could recycle CO2 emissions and slow down the rapid buildup of such greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

With these possibly viable sources of "new technologies get commercialized, those jobs always end up in the U.S." as Alan Weimer theorizes.

 

 

Florida Orange Trees on the Decline

Florida orange grooves are on the decline as affected by Citrus Greening Disease as well as Florida hurricanes. Jane Sutton report on the effects it has on the tenders as production is slowed down and new trees are currently being planted.

Florida's orange production dropped 18 percent to 133.6 million 90-pound (41-kilogram) boxes in the 2009-10 season, from 162.5 million boxes a year earlier. It was the smallest crop since the 2006-07 season, when several hurricanes ripped through the central Florida groves.

 Many farmers are now selling their land, hoping to still keep their long saved amounts of profit and escape possible complete crop failure or even debt. Though this is very unlikely, the hurricane and citrus greening disease combo does not reassure anything but possibly more work and lower net profit. The main concern right now is the citrus disease. Although it does not spread very quickly, there is still a higher chance, in Florida, of the disease completely ruining a section of one's crop yield. This fear has run among the smaller companies that already gain less money compared to their more elite comrades and has forced them to sell their precious land.

Bleaching the Coral Reefs

Even today, a minority of critics doubt the existence of Global Warming. Corals Reefs do not lie, they bleach or turn fluorescent when it experiences heat increases as they are doing...Right Now! Justin Gillis, New York Times writer, reports on this extreme heat condition for the coral reefs of the world.

"What is unfolding this year is only the second known global bleaching of coral reefs. Scientists are holding out hope that this year will not be as bad, over all, as 1998, the hottest year in the historical record, when an estimated 16 percent of the world’s shallow-water reefs died."

Coral Reefs Bleaching

From Thailand to Texas, these coral bleachings are occurring everyday and some have even died. There is no doubt this is one of the final signs that the disasters of Global Warming are starting to occur more and more frequently. When these coral reefs die, more than one fourth of marine species will be in danger. If the coral reefs do not reform into another specie of coral and die instead, an abundance of species of coral dependent marine life will be terminated, or even worse, extinct. Though there may not be a sure cure for this phenomenon, this is definitely a warning for humans to brace for more to come.

Global Food Shortage

The United Nations has recently brought attention to this global crisis, or is it? While is it a fact that many countries are low of food, for example, grain, and prices are skyrocketing, the United States, Europe and Australia make up for the supply.

“People still remember what happened a few years ago, so it is a combination of psychology and the expectation that worse may come,” he added. “There are critical months ahead.”

 -Abdolreza Abbassian, an economist at the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization

 Although it is true that the food prices have been lowered to 30% when compared to the stats of 2008, it is surprising that many less fortunate countries are already resorting to food riots. Maybe Abbassian is correct, as a whole, all the countries have the ability to advert this crisis with minimal damage to the economy, locally and globally, but will the countries around the world be able to psychologically handle the crisis. It can be done, but I believe it is up to the lower tier countries to contain themselves a bit longer and that will be the key in pulling through this shortage.

Is going Organic ACTUALLY better?

Karen Kaplan discusses an article about how beneficial organic strawberries really are. While scientists have indeed shown results of heightened nutrition and other beneficiaries, many critics argue the profitable means of the Organic Strawberry business.

"We eat considerably more potatoes, apples and bananas per capita annually," Clark said. "Changing what people eat — increasing fruits and vegetables and decreasing meats, fats and total daily calories, for example — could have a more profound impact on public health and longevity than switching from conventional to organic strawberries." 

-Sean Clark, a professor of agriculture and natural resources at Berea College in Kentucky

While the issue of eating organic foods because one doesn't believe in eating pesticidal  fruits and vegetables is still valid. When compared statistically with the nutrition actually gained and the amount of fruits, in this case, strawberries, is actually decreased. In addition, it takes more money to grow organic fruits which results in a lower overall yield.

Going Green means going Overboard?

In Thomas Friedman's book, Hot, Flat, & Crowded, he discussed how the nation as a whole must be invigorated with the "Green" idea.

San Francisco resident, Dr. Elizabeth Kantor, and advocator of "Going-Green," had decided to plant the commonly used New Zealand Christmas tree in her front yard. Since, then, she has paid PG&E many fees for them to fix her sewage piping as well as having them cut this treetop, preventing the tree from damaging the power lines to her home.

600 dolars later and some hard work convincing the Department of Urban Forestry as well as San Francisco's Board of Appeals, she finally was able to remove the troublesome tree.

"There are nearly 5,000 Metrosideros excelsus trees still out there. The penalty for removing one without fighting the city for permission is $1,641. Merry Christmas, indeed." -Scott James, The New York Times

 Although we as a nation must support these Green ideals, instances such as these really question advocators the possible risks that might appear when we, as a nation, actually try to pursue these ideals and make them into reality.

Banks "Mine" for Money

Since the well-known recession of 2008, banks have looked at fossil fuel mining companies. Starting the trend, Wells Fargo have used round about ways in funding mining companies that use "mountain top" mining techniques to reach  coal.

"Blasting off mountaintops to reach coal in Appalachia or churning out millions of tons of carbon dioxide to extract oil from sand in Alberta are among environmentalists’ biggest industrial irritants. But they are also legal and lucrative."  -Tom Zeller Jr., The New York Times

 The minings companies lack money as well so funding from wealthy banks was always welcome. But that was 2008. Today, which many new Global Warming awareness campaigns and programs, this might lead to a very big conflict very soon. Not only are the banks reaping in money, they are doing so while trying to dodge risky questions about their contributions in increasing the carbon dioxide levels through these mining companies that can supply more coal, not to mention the malpractice of "blasting off mountaintops."

No Jobs? What's the REAL problem?

Gerald F. Seib of The Wall Street Journal posts a very interesting proposition.
He summarizes that there are two facts that politicians cannot ignore today:

"Fact One: The unemployment rate is the most important of all leading political indicators.

Fact Two: If the August unemployment number to be announced Friday tops 9%—which seems highly likely—the jobless rate will have been above that level for 16 straight months. Already, the U.S. is mired in the longest such stretch of 9%-plus joblessness in more than a quarter of a century." -Gerald F. Seib, The Wall Street Journal

This may very well lead to the beginning of many debates to come of whether the democrats, or the Obama administration, is on the right path. There is no doubt that even though we can advocate protectionist programs for the environment as well as international policies, we must solve the problem on the home-front, unemployment, before we can get out of this recession.