Beyond achieving a policy goal: The far-right’s obsessive romance with cruelty for cruelty’s sake
Politics has always been cruel. Political candidates can be brutal in trying to discredit, or even destroy, their political opponents. Congressional leaders will at times act harshly when trying to whip party members into line. And as is true in any profession, there...
Carbon waste byproducts: Why “hairdryer math” gets bizarre when applied to global warming
Most people know that a hairdryer draws about as much power as your average modern outlet will give it. Typically around 1000 watts or, at 110 volts, just shy of 10 amps. Plug in and turn on two hairdryers from the same outlet and you will usually blow a circuit...
Federal funding to help Wisconsin communities boost investments in solar and clean energy solutions
Communities across Wisconsin are funding a variety of solar projects after the $1.7 trillion bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Act earmarked more than $255.7 million for Wisconsin. Sun Prairie is receiving a hefty $3.2 million in federal funding that will go toward a...
Tammy Baldwin’s third term? Why Democrats may have a more difficult time in 2024 to keep the Senate
Democrats celebrating a successful effort to keep control of the U.S. Senate will soon confront a 2024 campaign that could prove more challenging. The party enters the next cycle defending 23 seats, including two held by independents who caucus with Democrats. That is...
Students in Ukraine face daily threats as Russia’s brutal war forces improvisation of education
By Kristina Hook, Assistant Professor of Conflict Management, Kennesaw State University Svitlana Popova’s students did not realize she was leading their online math class while outside the charred remains of her home in Ukraine until they saw a news video about it on...
A parasitic industry: Understanding why America does not define healthcare as a basic human right
Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives, and already have their sights set on forcing major cuts to “entitlements” like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. One of the promises McCarthy made to become speaker was to force a vote on dialing...
Racial battle fatigue: The cumulative effects of hostility that Black people experience in White society
By Geremy Grant, Assistant Professor of School Psychology, Alfred University When William A. Smith, a scholar of education and culture, introduced the term “racial battle fatigue” in 2003, he used it to describe the cumulative effects of racial hostility that Black...
America’s homeless population remains about the same as before pandemic despite increased local efforts
President Joe Biden’s administration announced in December that it was ramping up efforts to help house people sleeping on sidewalks, in tents, and cars as a federal report confirmed what was obvious to people in many cities: Homelessness is persisting despite...
Reinforcing Redlining: Why Wisconsin’s outdated zoning codes adds to housing shortage difficulties
Wisconsin’s housing shortage is expected to worsen by the end of the decade, and outdated zoning codes could make it harder for municipalities to address the issue. A recent report from Forward Analytics, the research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association, found...
Nonprofits face challenges in making transportation accessible to aging Wisconsinites with disabilities
On an unseasonably warm October morning in northeastern Wisconsin, Steve Maricque crisscrosses Brown County in a gray minivan. Orange-red foliage draws the gaze of passengers as overnight rain gives way to clear skies. A smart tablet guides Maricque along his route. A...
Story of Nearest Green: When a Black distiller was credited for teaching Jack Daniel how to make whiskey
By Stefanie Benjamin, Assistant Professor of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management, University of Tennessee When you hear the name Jack Daniel, whiskey probably comes to mind. But what about the name Nathan “Uncle Nearest” Green? In 2016, The New York Times...
Graves of Black ancestors: How government officials and developers worked to erase the Moseley Cemetery
Nobody working to bring a $346 million Microsoft project to rural Virginia expected to find graves in the woods. But in a cluster of yucca plants and cedar that needed to be cleared, surveyors happened upon a cemetery. The largest of the stones bore the name Stephen...
