Woodie Guthrie had a lot to say about Congress in general and how it handled the national debt in particular. In his early version of “This Land Is Your Land,” he ended it with his narrator surveying a line of hungry people lined up “by the relief office” and then asked, “Was this land made for you and me?”
The Conversation
Covid’s Total Cost to US Economy: $14 Trillion by Year’s End
The economic toll of the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.S. will reach US$14 trillion by the end of 2023, a team of economists, public policy researchers and other experts have estimated.
You Shed Identifiable DNA Everywhere, Raising Ethical Questions About Privacy
There are myriad ethical implications relating to the inadvertent or deliberate collection and analysis of human genetic bycatch. Identifiable information can be extracted from eDNA, and accessing this level of detail about individuals or populations comes with responsibilities relating to consent and confidentiality.
Luddites Then and Now
It’s not clear whether Ned Ludd was a real person, or simply a figment of folklore invented during a period of upheaval. But his name became synonymous with rejecting disruptive new technologies – an association that lasts to this day.
Deconstructing Tupac’s ‘Dear Mama’ and Hip-Hop’s Relationship with Motherhood
Of the long list of lyrical tributes to mothers that rap artists have recorded over the past 50 years, perhaps none has had as an enduring impact as Tupac Shakur’s “Dear Mama.”
Comstock Laws Make a Comeback
Anti-abortion groups are looking for new ways to wage their battle against abortion rights, eyeing the potential implications of a 150-year-old law, the Comstock Act, that could effectively lead to a nationwide abortion ban.
Behind Record Low History Scores for 8th Graders
While one top U.S. education official described the scores as “alarming,” the decline actually began nearly a decade ago. From the perspective of education reform and policy, the latest history and civics test scores were a predictable outcome.
Sexual Abuser: The Verdict Against Trump
The Trump attorneys’ line of questioning reinforced common myths about sexual assault that have been perpetuated in other high-profile sexual assault cases, such as those of comedian Bill Cosby and Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.
How Your Dog’s Behaviors Can Impact Your Quality of Life
Dog ownership has several benefits for people’s psychological and physical health. However, relationships with dogs are complex and can involve some conflicts. Undesired dog behaviors such as aggression and barking are the leading reason people give up their dogs.
Israel Is a Powder Keg Waiting to Blow
Even as Israeli society tears itself apart and investors pull their money from the country in response to the proposed overhaul of the justice system, many members of the government remain ideologically committed to neutering the courts – no matter the cost.