Blog posts about big news stories and issues (i.e. not local news)
The English poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, paints an ironic image of the world’s water shortage: “Water, water every where,/Nor any drop to drink.” (121-122).
Investors are always looking for the next big thing to make them rich. Fresh water has become the new gold, oil, etc. Here are a number of sites to check out. Find out about a precious commodity we all take for granted.
In January, we posted a video by poet Richard Blanco following the announcement that he would be the poet for Barack Obama’s 2nd Inauguration. I came across this video of Blanco reading his poem, “One Day,” which he wrote for the inauguration. If you want to read the full text of the poem visit, One Today: Full Text and video
One Today: Dreamies® American Poet Richard Blanco
Dreamies® American Poet Richard Blanco from Bill Holt on Vimeo.
Not only are we in the midst of flu season, but this year’s strain is particularly bad. There are outbreaks hitting across the US (see PBS Newshour, More Than 40 States See Widespread Flu Infection, from January 9th).
There are many myths floating around that the flu vaccine is not really necessary, but these myths are just not true. The flu can be very serious especially for children and older adults. Here’s a short video from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health talking about some of the myths.
With the terrible aftermath of the December 14, 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the gun debate has resurfaced. Thousands of articles have been written, cable news has spent countless hours dissecting this issue and radio talk shows have been inundated with calls. Perhaps some MVCC students will research this controversial topic for a persuasive speech or a research paper. The Moraine Library has numerous books and database articles available to help you with your research.
You may also want to check out this site:
Elisabeth Fosslien’s Charts Will Make You Much Smarter In The Gun-Control Debate
Over the weekend, the news of Aaron Swart’s suicide broke. This is tragic news, which should cause us all to pause.
Swartz was originally from Chicagoland. At the age of 14 he wrote some of the code upon which blogs and social media are currently built. In recent years, he has been a vocal leader in ensuring that information is open and free for all people. Many of us in the library community were great admiring of Swartz since we often shared a common cause. Aaron Swartz often took stands on issues that impact all of us even though most of us did not understand the issues.
Here are some links for more information and with remembrances:
Computer Activist Accused of Rogue Downloading Commits Suicide
Is clean water a right or a privilege? Today in Filmblogland, we look at the documentary film Tapped. This film explores the question of bottled water as a commodity. Should access to clean water be a basic right or should it be sold just like any other commodity? The film looks at those that privatize water and those that need clean water.
Tapped not only covers the subject of water, but the debate on how harmful BPA is to your health. For those of you that haven’t heard about the issue, BPA is a substance found not just in water bottles, but in many other plastic containers. Scientists find that high doses of BPA are linked to obesity, prostate cancer, breast cancer, diabetes etc. (Tapped The Movie 2012). For a trailer of the documentary, view the video below.
For more information about the film, go to www.tappedthemovie.com
