Zooming in on climate change

Friday, February 5, 2010 | Juan Pawiroredjo and Justin cox
in

How do you talk about global warming when there's a snow storm? Climate change has been a hot button issue for the past decade. Do people know what it is? Does the media know how to cover it? What can we do to prevent it from getting worse? These are just a couple of the questions that need to be answered. Below, students discuss their views on climate change.

The American Observer will be live at next week's American Forum on the Climate Change Generation. Find out more about the event and read opinions on the issue from young people here: Precursor to the American Forum.

Engines rev at Washington Auto Show

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 | By: Justin Gibbs
in

Photo by Justin Gibbs, American ObserverPhoto by Justin Gibbs, American ObserverThis year's Washington Auto Show was no place to discuss the industry's recent woes. Instead, representatives from Ford to Fiat peddled their latest and flashiest sets of rides, even shying away from answering business-related questions. 

Still, some auto show connoisseurs noted that this year's event was scaled down, compared to some shows prior to the major auto industry flop.

The net neutrality debate: A user's guide

Wednesday, February 3, 2010 | Evan Banks
in

Net neutrality has been called many things, from “a solution in search of a problem” to “vital for the functioning of democracy,” but a quick Google trends search (pictured) shows that the matter still takes a back seat in the public’s eye when compared to other issues du jour, such as climate change, censorship, privacy and even the role of the federal reserve bank.

Despite a mostly uninterested (or uninitiated) public, paid and pro bono proponents for and against neutrality have been extremely vocal in their concerns, objections, and support of neutrality mandates.

But just what is it that gets these policy geeks and techno-wonks so fired up?

Government has history of funding news, study says

Monday, February 1, 2010 | Ladan Nekoomaram
in

Journalism experts are challenging the myth of the fourth estate, the news industry completely free from government funding in the United States, and are calling for fresh ways of funding new media through the government.  

A recent report from the USC Annenberg School of Communication revealed the U.S. government has a tradition of funding independent media through postal subsidies, public notices and tax breaks.