“I refuse to turn my back on what is one of the greatest threats and greatest opportunities America faces,” said Hillary Clinton on her position on climate change, generating approval from environmental activists. Yet, she has also received criticism for her refusal to talk about the Keystone XL Pipeline project. When asked if she supported the project, Clinton replied, “If it’s undecided when I become president, I will answer your question. This is President Obama’s decision. I’m not going to second-guess him.” She cited that she is “in a different position than any other candidate,” because she played a part in putting the project together during her role as Secretary of State. This statement caused many to criticize her for her wariness to offend different parts of the democratic party. Should Clinton stop avoiding the topic and state her position?
Is Walter Palmer’s apology statement for killing Cecil the lion sincere?
American Dentist Walter Palmer has sparked outrage after the news came out that he is responsible for killing the beloved lion Cecil. Palmer flew to Zimbabwe and paid $50,000 to a couple of locals to help him lure the lion out of the park sanctuary. The dentist then shot the lion with a crossbow, a method of killing that lead to a slow death. Palmer has since released an apology for his action, which you can read here. Do you think Palmer’s apology is sincere?
Tom Brady's Deflategate suspension upheld! Right decision?
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has upheld the four-game suspension of New England Patriots QB Tom Brady. Goodell writes that “Brady engaged in conduct detrimental to the integrity of, and public confidence in, the game of professional football.” In his comments, Goodell suggested that a key reason for upholding the suspension was that Brady destroyed his cell phone - which was considered to be evidence - shortly before meeting with NFL investigators. Do you think Goodell made the right move in upholding the suspension?
Is Mike Huckabee's new position re. Iran sincere or trying to make headlines?
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee expressed his dislike of the Iran Nuclear Deal in an interview on Saturday. He compared his forecast of the deal to the Holocaust, saying that Obama’s deal will ultimately “take the Israelis and march them to the door of the oven.” Huckabee’s stance against the Iran Deal is very different from his foreign policy back in 2008 when he was also running for president. At that time, Huckabee had argued for engaging with Iran rather than confronting the country. He argued that the US should approach containment when it came to Iraq, because if “we do not put other options on the table, eventually a military strike will become the only viable one.” Huckabee’s new position on approaching Iran makes us wonder - do you think Huckabee is sincerely making these comments or just trying to make headlines?
After the rejection of #Boston2024, does the US have a chance of hosting the Olympic Games in 2024?
The bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics to be held in Boston died on Monday. Read more about the “accumulation of mistakes and missed opportunities” that lead to the collapse of the bid here. Do you think the US still has a chance of hosting the Olympic Games in 2024 by choosing a different country?
Should all universities and colleges drop testing requirements for freshman admission?
George Washington University announced on Monday that it was dropping testing requirements for its freshman admission process, meaning that students are no longer required to submit their SAT and ACT scores when applying for the university. Dean of Admissions Karen Stroud Felton explained their decision, saying “Although we have long employed a holistic application review process, we had concerns that students who could be successful at GW felt discouraged from applying if their scores were not as strong as their high school performance.” By removing the testing requirements, Felton hopes that the university will attract “outstanding students from all over the world and from different backgrounds - regardless of their standardized scores - to recognize GW as a place where they can thrive.” Do you like the idea of all universities and colleges adopting this policy?
Mike Huckabee compared the Iran Deal to the Holocaust. Should he apologize?
Mike Huckabee likened the Iran Deal to the Holocaust, saying that the deal will ultimately “take the Israelis and march them to the door of the oven.” In following interviews, he did not back down from his comments. Saying that he had received support from the Jewish community for his Holocaust comparison, he also explained on Fox News, “Three times I have been to Auschwitz… When I talked about the oven door, I have stood at that oven door. I know exactly what it looks like.” In the interview, co-host Geraldo Rivera told Huckabee that his comments had “offended many, many people in the Jewish community.” Rivera also said, “I’m begging you to apologize,” citing that “You cannot compare the slaughter of six million Jews to anything… You cannot compare it to a negotiation over a deal like this." Do you think that Huckabee has gone too far and should apologize?
Should all 16 GOP candidates be allowed to participate in the first Republican debate?
The first Republican debate is a week and a half away, and according to the rules declared by Fox News, only the top 10 candidates (as determined by the five most recent national polls) will be allowed on stage. There are currently 16 Republican presidential candidates, which is a historically high number. While logistically, this decision seems smart and will allot enough speaking time to the chosen candidates, many argue that the rule is unfair. Cur Anderson, a consultant on Bobby Jindal’s campaign, has voiced his disapproval, stating that “The Republican Party should be looking forward instead of backward - and seeking every opportunity to feature its roster of excellent candidates, rather than trying to find ways to constrict the field." His employee, Jindal, happens to be one of the candidates that probably will not make it onto the stage. What do you think about this debate policy?
Which Comedy Central show will you miss more?
It has been announced that comedy show “Key & Peele” will end after its current season on Comedy Central. Jon Stewart’s last day as the host of “The Daily Show” will be on this coming August 6th. Which will you miss most?
Boyan Slat has an idea to clean up the oceans. Is this the next big thing for the environment?
Engineering student Boyan Slat has come up with a way to clean up the oceans. Specifically, he is trying to clean up the eight million tons of non-biodegradable plastic that ends up in the ocean every year (The New York Times). Slat is aware that this trash circulates in five systems of rotating water currents (otherwise known as gyres). He has come up with the idea of taking advantage of the gyres by creating a shipless system that allows floating borders (anchored in place in attachments to the bottom of the ocean) to catch any trash pushed in by the currents. This system would also allow sea life to pass safely below. Slat’s Ocean Clean Up Foundation raised over $2 million by June 2014, but the first of Slat’s floating structures will not be released until 2016. Do you think Slat is onto something?