Education Getting Overlooked Again

The issue of education, which is of the utmost of importance to our nations future, has struggled to make the headlines during this election cycle.  Despite the lack of attention, Barack Obama delivered a key address in Dayton today outlining his educaiton policy. In typical big media fashion, the AP jumped on just one line of the meaningful speech, saying that Obama plans to double funds for charter schools. Obama’s speech calls for more innovative schools (Innovative Schools Fund) and accountable for-profit charter schools. He said, “successful charter schools need to grow and charters that arent will get shut down.” Building on that concept, he called for quality afterschool programming, summer school and extended school days.

These are truly innovative ideas that will help the U.S. play catchup with the rest of the world. We have to play catchup because the Bush Administration neglected the education system and turned their cheek by passing No Child Left Behind. The election needs to be about real issues and not cosmetic biographical fodder. Obama has a plan for education and it should be a reason to cast a vote for him in November.

Lowering the Drinking Age

What has become an age old debate amongst my peers may now recieve more attention in the national spotlight. The conservative age of 21 for consuming alcoholic beverages is hardly enforced on college campuses, and now University Presidents appear in favor of lobbying for drinking age to be 18. I am in favor of a compromise age limit of 19 years old, similar to the law in Canada. This will hopefully lower harmful binge drinking and keep booze out of High Schools. Its somewhat ridiculous to think Americans won’t drink until 21, when they can already be veterans of the U.S. Army, cigarette smokers and voters. With the beer and circus like atmosphere at many big schools, its hard to fit the current law into context.

Redemption 2008

Get hyped for football at The Shoe!!! Go Bucks!!!

I Love OSU

Can you believe I go to school here?

Enjoying A ‘Normal’ Campus Experience
Photos

“The Name on the Door is Cleveland”

What does it mean? The Cleveland Browns Official website tells of the long path back towards a credible NFL Football team:

DT Shaun Rogers makes a statement everytime he comes through the door

“We started trying to put a statement together and emphasize that we were working to do great things on the field and off the field, that there was kind of an ultimate goal out there.”

Savage believed he had plenty of willing people. He thought they wanted something to buy into, something to rally around and share with the community.

At some point during the conversation, Lerner uttered the phrase: “The name on the door is Cleveland.”

That, Savage thought, was something.

So now, more than two years after Savage handed out credit-card sized cards with the phrase and a mission statement printed on the front to every Browns employee in an organization-wide meeting, the name on the door is branching out to the city it’s named for.

Its just for a winning theme, and with names like Cribbs, Thomas, Lewis, Wimbley, Anderson, Edwards, Jones, Winslow, McDonald, Steinbach and Tucker, the Brownies are loaded long term AND Cleveland is far from a QB controversy. Both these guys are good.

Not every pass has been on the money. Not every practice has been crisp. But those things happen during camp. Derek Anderson is noticeably bigger and more confident, and a DA with a little swagger might be a dangerous thing. Brady Quinn is grasping the offense and though he doesn’t throw the deep ball as well as Anderson, he’s thrown some beauties down the seam and to the sideline. During one drill on Sunday, chants from the overflow crowd of “DA! DA!” and “Brady, Brady” didn’t seem to faze the targeted parties. So Ken Dorsey threw one on the money and gave the crowd a playful fist pump. Sure enough, the chants of “Dorsey, Dorsey” followed soon after. This is Cleveland. We love football, quarterbacks and chants. Lots and lots of chants.

Im just excited for football season in general, but when your team wins its so much more fun. Except Browns fans are so much more than that… LETS GO CLEVELAND!

If your trying to get in on the action hit up the Stadium this Friday Night, Aug. 1 $5 admission fireworks ect.

“The Greatest Scandal” in WSJ Misses Point

An editorial in the Wall Street Journal today shows how the issue of education can be twisted to blame our public schools and then offer them no help at all:

The profound failure of inner-city public schools to teach children may be the nation’s greatest scandal. The differences between the two Presidential candidates on this could hardly be more stark. John McCain is calling for alternatives to the system; Barack Obama wants the kids to stay within that system. We think the facts support Senator McCain.

The WSJ breaks it down to the school voucher system to be the “golden ticket” to educational success. The editorial goes on to praise school choice programs in D.C. (Opportunity Scholarship Program) which is a federal initiative and Philly (EdisonLearning) a private company run effort. The numbers behind the success?

A recent Department of Education report found nearly 90% of participants in the D.C. program have higher reading scores than peers who didn’t receive a scholarship…

The number of students performing at grade level or higher in reading at the schools managed by private providers increased by 6.1% overall compared to 3.3% in district-managed schools. In math, the results for Edison and other outside managers was 4.6% and 6.0%, respectively, compared to 3.1% in the district-run schools.

These figures are made to sound exemplary, but the gains are marginal at best. Then the Journal paints Obama and the Democratic Party as threatening to kill those “successful programs” at the bequest of “uniformed teachers unions.” To top it off, the editorial points out the fact that the Obama’s send their kids to expensive private schools, not willing to wait for fixes to public education.

Not only is the articles evidence shortsighted (kids respond well to good schools that are safe and have excellent resources) but it is out of touch with reality. The issue of improving public education cannot afford to be sidestepped. The Democratic Party is in favor of increased federal funding, improved teacher salaries and more early childhood education, where the real differences are made in closing the achievement gap. While vouchers and school choice systems can help with certain students, its not a magical solution, and its most certainly in need of standards reform and better accountability standards (even the Ohio Grantmakers Forum, a large school-choice support agrees on pg 37-42 in “Education for Ohio’s Future”). The WSJ is missing the point on the debate about public education… there is no one size fits all solution and shallow observations about Obama’s children prevents the real issues from being discussed.

The New Organizing Institute

Check out this seminar I am attending on Monday (July 28th). I think it might be a step towards my forthcoming education blog.  I love Catchin Feelings, but I want to focus attention to issues important to society, especially education. The New Organizing Institute (NOI) is a great example of civic engagement in action.

Their blog will also be added to my blogroll: neworganizing.com/blog (haha I am lovin this lingo)

Their advisory board – Check out the various org’s on a search engine and let me know if there is anything interesting

NOI on Facebook and Myspace (as a 28 year old female?!)

Why isn't the 'Buckeye State' in their logo?

Cultural Control Under Review

The 15-year old Army policy is back in the news this week as congress is conducting hearings to examine both sides of the controversial ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ debate. Essentially, the military doesn’t want any displays of homosexuality getting in the way of performing the duties associated with being a soldier. However, ones sexual orientation is not allowed to be discriminated against in any other job, aside from an unspoken rule in all major men’s sports, so the fact that it is formalized in the U.S. Army is quite curious.

The debate in Congress is focused on how DADT effects recruiting and troop unity & trust. The debate seems to circumvent the real issue, one that has taken the conservative U.S. by storm since the 2000 presidential election. With many statewide bans on gay marriage enacted, some states have done the opposite, allowing legal unions between gay couples, while the entire nation confused about how to regulate sexual behavior. In my opinion, the U.S. is in danger of undoing the entire sexual revolution of the 60′s.  Sexual orientation does not impair one’s ability to perform tasks. The reason the founding fathers created the separation of church and state was so no one group’s religious beliefs could be imposed upon the rest of the population. The simple existence of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is a violation of that separation and should be changed immediately (or as soon as Bush leaves office).

Op-ed: Policy ‘Outdated and Harmful’

Elaine Donnelly, of the Center for Military Readiness, argues for the continuation of the policy

Training Camp Part 2

I tried to unload as much as I could about NFL Training Camp in my last post. So much more is about to transpire that I needed to add to what I’m looking for as camps open around the NFL this week:

Get Familiar... with Brandon Marshall

Denver QB Jay Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes this past offseason. Brandon Marshall, the Bronco’s breakout #1 WR last season, crashed through a glass table, was arrested for misdemeanor battery (charges mending) and a traffic violation. So if Cutler can step up in his third year now that he is getting proper treatment and Marshall can put all distractions aside (maybe they stem from his ‘small’ contract?), then these Broncos may be ready to emerge out of the AFC West. Then again if their chemistry is off because Cutler hasn’t gotten over his displeasure with Marshall, then things might head south. This in addition to the RB battle, there should be enough fireworks in Englewood, Colorado to last through the end of summer.

The interception of the year from 2007

The San Diego Chargers came close last year to the top, but injuries slowed them in the playoffs. Now that Rivers has had the offseason to heal and develop a relationship with WR’s Chris Chambers and Vincent Jackson, things should improve in San Diego. Legedu Naanee should step into the WR3 position nicely and Antonio Gates should make it back for week 1. If these guys can gel, watch out. On the defensive side of the ball, ILB Brandon Siler looks to fill in for suspended LB Stephan Cooper, along with Shawne Merriman, Shaun Phillips and newcomer Anthony Waters they make up a terrifying corps. The defensive backfield is strong with breakout DB Antonio Cromartie and Quintin Jammer, but the Chargers still felt compelled to spend a 2nd round pick on DB Antoine Cason. If a few extra players step up during camp, then the Chargers should be excellent on both sides of the ball.

The oft-injured Shockey looks to begin anew in New Orleans

So Drew Brees threw over 650 passes last season (over 40 a game) and nearly 4,500 yards in New Orleans, but to who? Ok so Marques Colston is an unquestioned #1, but David Patten is aging, Lance Moore and Devery Henderson are on thin ice and someone has to step up. Enter Reggie Bush, Robert Meachem and recently traded Jeremy Shockey. Bush caught a remarkable 73 balls last year and looks to have a continued role in that capacity this year. Robert Meachem is looking to have a great camp after missing all of last year and looks to find his way to the #2 role. Shockey should be motivated on his new team, after feeling left out of the Super Bowl team and displeased with management. If he can control himself he could also contribute to a career year for the Pro Bowler Brees. Let’s not forget about Deuce McCalister coming off his 2nd ACL injury. The Saint’s camp will be one more to watch.

Training Camp Begins!

Ahhh, we finally have some football to watch, even if it is just the start of training camps across the nation this week. There are plenty of unanswered questions, injuries waiting to happen and breakout players set to emerge. The drama of training camp, stunningly documented in HBO’s “Hard Knocks” last summer, is definitely worth paying attention to, if not attending in person. Here are some of the most interesting story lines (not named Brett Farve) this summer:

Gonzo can make a name for himself this season

Will the Colts be able to return to form with Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Dwight Freeny and Bob Sanders coming off injuries? While none of these guys will be in training camp, other players will need to step up to fill the void. Enter 2nd year WR Anthony Gonzalez. He proved last year that his precise route running and quick burst can be a load for defenses to cover. If he can improve upon last years numbers, the Colts will be deadly on offense. As for the D, the Colts just need to come out of camp healthy and they will be just fine this season with Freeny and Sanders expected to be ready for the season opener.

Raiders fans hope there isnt a curse for NCAA 2009

Can a promising handful of rookie RB’s step into the fray as consistent contributors? Immediately Darren McFadden comes to mind in Oakland, where he will be relied upon to deliver the woeful Raiders back to their winning ways. Other than him a number of RB’s should get a good long look in train camps this summer. Jonathan Stewart is expected to challenge DeAngelo Williams in Carolina, Kevin Smith can win the job over Tatum Bell in Mo-town, Ryan Torain might emerge in RB heaven in Denver, and Matt Forte might have to battle newly signed Kevin Jones in Chicago. Other rookie RB’s looking to make an impact are Felix Jones of the Cowboys and Rashard Mendenhall of the Steelers. While both have quality starters ahead of them, they look to get 10-12 touches a game this season. This years class of RB’s should be fun to watch.

Beer-bongs have become synonymous with Mr. Leinart

Whats training camp without a few QB battles? This summer a number of teams head into the 2008 season without a starting signal caller solidified in the lineup. Non-playoff teams such as the Jets (Clemmens vs. Pennington), Ravens (Boller vs. Smith vs. Flacco) and Dolphins (Beck vs. Henne vs. Mcknown) all have QB issues to settle. This decisions can make or break the franchise and will all play out over the next few weeks. Perhaps most intriguing QB issue is how beer-bonging legend Matt Leinhart responds to the pressure of his 3rd season in the NFL. Its time for him to step up or step off, as the weapons in the Cardinals offense should not go to waste.

Hip Hop Heats Up w/T.I. and Luda

Cover of "Paper Trail"

When I posted “Hot Summer Albums” on July 2nd, my top 5 list of summer releases did not include two major artists dropping studio albums early this fall.

T.I. – Paper Trail

Ludacris – Theater Of Mind

Both artists are currently working on movies, and have frequently ventured onto the silver screen. You might remember Luda in the Academy Award winning “Crash” (Crash, the TV series drama premiers this fall on Starz) and T.I. as one of Denzel Washington’s brothers in “American Gangster.” Ludacris also recently signed a multi-million dollar deal with AT&T for an upcoming marketing campaign for the U.S. phone company. However, the music these two put out this fall will generate a lot of attention and keep the rap game going strong. Be sure to check out T.I. songs off the new album (No Matter What, Swing Your Rag, and Whatever You Like) and the upcoming mixtape by DJ Drama and Ludacris The Preview coming later this summer.

Xeritown: Maximum Sustainability

We live in a world in which human populations impact the environment more and more with each passing year. Thinking outside the box means that we need to approach the entire scope of ”living” in revolutionized ways. Case in point: Xeritown, Dubai. The 60-acre town is built by Dubai based architecture firm X-Architects & SMAQ, and in desert climate is designed to use a minimal amount of water. The town’s goal is sustainability, by re-using water as much as possible, constructing buildings to direct cool breezes and deflect hot desert wind, and providing clean energy from abundant sun via photovoltaic cells (PVC) panels.

Notice the solar panals also provide shade

A great step in the right direction for urban design, and media attention to promote awareness about energy efficient living. I hope that other firms, companies and government take notice and attempt to develop ways to implement this philosophy in existing communities.

Why are Poverty and Racism Still in America?

The idealistic, liberal 22 year-old that I am is curious as to why the richest and most powerful country in the world has such issues adjusting to the 21st century. Maybe not all people are made to fit into our capitalist system, or some people have hate constantly flowing through their veins regardless of who its directed at, but when the media and government still show blatant signs of backwardness, its quite perplexing. So much so, that our entire value system has to be called into question.

Yesterday, the Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg spoke out against the federal standard that measures poverty in the U.S. It was brought to my attention some years ago in an introductory sociology class, that the federal method used an outdated formula from the 1960′s, the Orshansky Formula, to determine if a family or individual is below the “poverty line”. This model has undoubtedly been underestimating the number of impoverished people in the U.S. for quite some time due to the raised comparative standards of living, increasing transportation and childcare costs and a broken health care system. Bloomberg outlined a new formula that New York City will use to more accurately assess the scope of the problem. It is my hope, the the federal government will also change its archaic policy for one that better reflects the bare essentials of life in America.

C'mon are you serious?

Perhaps more troubling this week, is the cover of the New Yorker Magazine, depicting Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, as a pair of unpatriotic, radical Muslims. While the magazine claimed it was trying to depict the satirical side of the right-wing attempts at undermining the Democratic presidential candidate, it is clearly a racist depiction. Both campaigns, the newspapers around the country and most Americans will agree that the cover is tasteless and offensive. The truth is that we have a black man with a very good shot and becoming the next president, and many people are secretly terrified, shocked and outraged. People look at him as a black man first, and everything else second, masking the severity of the real issues our country is facing. Until we can drop the past and accept the fact that all people are the same biological species, then we are doomed for failure.

America has came a long way, from the times of forcefully removing Natives from their ancestral lands and the slave society, to today, where CEO’s receive hugely disproportionate incomes and moms drive kids around town in their 12 mpg SUV’s. We still have quite a ways to go if we want to remain on top of the world’s power structure and it should start with a critical self-examination as soon as possible.  If we want to keep the American Dream alive, we should value all Americans equally and make this land a becon of freedom for all.

Basketball Set to Become ‘World’s Game’

Yao Ming?

There is no doubt of soccer’s supremacy in worldwide popularity, but basketball is not far behind these days.  Have a look at NBA rosters to see the influx of foreign-born players. Small nations such as Cape Verde, Mali, and Singapore all have national teams. The game is being played on all inhabited parts of the globe.

A global study, conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide in April ’97 based on 35,000 interviews, showed that 11% of the world plays basketball (Today, Over 450 million people play basketball). Basketball has even replaced football as the most popular sport in areas like Asia and Australia and is on the way to surpassing football worldwide.

-Fiba.com

This past month the NBA created NBA China to coordinate their expanding operation in the world’s most populous country. Over 300 million people play basketball there, and Yao Ming is a national hero. Basketball is also looking to expand in India, the world’s second largest country, as newly formed leagues and NBA camps have grown in popularity. Basketball’s birth nation, the United States, has watched the game spread to unexpected places.

The Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium

Team USA, who finished a disappointing third in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is fighting to reclaim their billing as the world’s best. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul look headline a superstar roster less than a month from now in Beijing. An excellent look inside their journey and into the world game of basketball will be showcased in a documentary entitled “Road to Redemption” airing this month and next on ESPN2. Starting tomorrow (July 14-20), the FIBA Qualifying tournament kicks off in Athens. Then starting August 8th, the Olympic Games in Beijing will mark a high point for world basketball, as the top teams face off on the highest stage. This summer one of the world’s greatest sports takes center stage… and you can bet millions will be watching.

Education Update

Many of you who know me know of my passionate interest in education policy. I plan on opening another blog this fall devoted to that very topic. In the meantime I am going to give the occasional education update of news stories and research that strike me as unique and pertinent.

Ohio GI Promise
The newly expanded GI bill promises free in-state tuition for military veterans, but Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland took that measure a step further. Strickland promised any returning vets (from Ohio or otherwise) in-state tuition to the states colleges, covering the difference between out of state tuition and in state tuition, in an effort to attract more students to the state. In essence, this measure provides free college in Ohio for any U.S. military vets after 2009. Since all vets are guaranteed in-state rates, the rest will be covered by the federal GI bill. Officials hope to retain more college grads to populate the state with an educated and productive workforce. While this will entail extra costs for Ohio’s universities, the plan is well worth it, not only for Ohio’s future, but also for the sacrifice soldiers have made for their country.

California 8th Grade Algebra Test
The California Board of Education voted this week to make proficiency in Algebra a mandatory requirement for 8th graders across the state. The night before the vote, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger who appointed the majority of the board, issued a forceful letter urging the new standard. The law is set to take effect three years from now, but critics are already claiming that it is an unrealistic expectation. While just about half of Californian 8th graders take Algabra, less than a quarter pass the end of year tests. These figures are even worse in inner-cities and for minority students. I wonder how a huge increase in math proficiency is expected without a significant increase in resources for disadvantaged students. This may not have been the best first step for California, but we will have to wait and see.

World Bank: Women’s Education Key to Slowing Population Growth
On the eve of World Population Day, the World Bank issued a statement calling for the developed world to provide more education for girls and women in the developing world in order to curb exploding populations and high rates of sexually transmitted diseases. In addition to more education, contraception should be promoted without hesitation or gimmicks and further education should include the dangers of AIDS and other STD’s. While there are a variety of programs devoted to this very topic, not enough emphasis is placed on the women by developing nations. Lester Brown, author of Plan B 3.0 and president of Earth Policy Institute, argues that an estimated $10 billion beyond what is spent today on is need to achieve universal primary education. He also argues that an additional $6 billion will help launch school lunch programs in developing nations, providing the key draw that education systems lack in poor areas of the world. Compared with the negative repercussions from the lack of education, the amount of money needed is minuscule and the benefits will have a lasting impact on the global society.

Early Fantasy Football Surpirses

Many so called "experts" have AP as #2 overall on their draft boards

As football season is right around the corner, I would like to comment on some of the player rankings I have seen thus far. Things change year to year, players retire, change teams and make amazing turnarounds. A few names that have caught me offgaurd on various website’s rankings are as follows:

QB’s
Ben Rothlisberger: despite a run heavy offense in past years, new coach Mike Tomlin proved his commitment to the pass last year and that was reflected in Big Ben’s numbers. Many sites have him as a top 5 QB this year.

Jay Cutler: the Bronco’s signal caller has put up ok numbers the past few years, but many are predicting big things out of this third year QB. He is ranked in the top 10 on many lists.

RB’s
Adrian Peterson: I guess its not that surprising that last year’s runaway offensive ROY is ranked only behind LT on virtually everyone’s draft board. Still, for a second year player, the expectations created by last year’s amazing rookie campaign is quite the shock.

Frank Gore: Why is this guy still rated so high? Many sites have him as a top 5 or top 10 back, despite an injury riddled and unproductive season last year. I am just not buying the value of a guy on such an awful team.

Jamal Lewis: I’m not sure how this guy is rated consistently behind rookie Darren McFadden (who has not even played an NFL snap), Michael Turner (not only on a new team, but one of the worst) and Willie Parker/Rashard Mendenhall. Ok so the guy is old, but didn’t he look fresh last year for the surprising Browns? Keep in mind that a potent offense will get him lots of goalline touches and at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 10 scores.

WR’s
Steve Smith: The #1 rated WR going into last year surely left many owners disappointed. His offense lacked any cohesion and Jake Delhomme showed his age. So why, after nothing really changed on the Panther offense, is Mr. Smith still a top 7 or 8 WR?

The Colt’s Wideouts: With Peyton Manning under center, you can expect the WR’s in Indy to thrive. The inconsistency shown by fantasy sites in rating Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez and Marvin Harrison is remarkable. Some have Wayne as high as #2, Harrison as low as #45 and Gonzalez anywhere in between. It may be hard to predict who is going to emerge, but your better off trusting your gut.

Santonio Holmes: During his second season with the Steelers last year, Holmes broke out for a big year in only 13 games. This year, many have him in the top 15 of WR’s expecting him to build on last years success. Quite a rise for the guy out of The Ohio State University.

NFL Training Camp is right around the corner

ESPN’s fantasy draft kit

The Iran Problem

Yesterday, as the US and the Czech Republic signed a new missile defense agreement, Iran hardened its stance towards the west yet again. The radar and interceptor missiles are set to be deployed in central Europe to guard against attacks from “rouge states”.  Missile defense sites have been an area of controversy between not only the U.S. and Iran, but also Russia who said that “elements of the US strategic arsenal close to Russian territory could be used to weaken [their] deterrent potential,” vowing to use military force against U.S. installations.

Iran responded by test firing 9 ballistic missiles, some with nuclear capability, to warn the the US, Israel and EU that any attack against Iran would be met with a fierce counter attack. An aide to Iran’s supreme leader was quoted as saying that “Tel Aviv and U.S. ships will burn” if Iran is attacked. One of the missiles has a range of 1,250 miles, able to strike Athens, New Delhi and all of the Arabian peninsula. While officials in Iran maintain that their current nuclear program is for energy purposes only, many suspect that they are attempting to build nuclear weapons.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (left) and King Abdullah

This comes ahead of this month’s negotiations with western diplomats over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. Many leaders have called for the suspension of all nuclear related activities in Iran. Known for its hardline stance against Israel and the U.S., the fears of a possible unprovoked attack by Iran are real indeed. The oil-rich nation of 70 million is controlled by a select few ultra conservative religious leaders and has moved into public enemy #1 of the U.S. since the fall of the regime in Iraq. Despite tense relations, reports this week show that exports from the U.S. to Iran increased ten-fold during Bush’s presidency. Republican presidential candidate John McCain even joked that increasing cigarette exports to Iran “may be one way to kill them.”

The tension between Iran and the West is only expected to escalate in the coming years. The regime in Iran is known for its state run media, brutal secret police enforcement and lack of personal freedoms. This is nothing new, as Iran has been supporting multiple terrorist organizations, such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al Queda for quite some time. Its seemingly ironic that the money from the west from oil sales often goes directly into the hands of the murders the U.S. military has spent hundreds of billions of dollars trying to eradicate. The hypocrisy that is the oil economy and Iran is one of the ugliest black eyes our civilization has dealt with to date, and there is no end in sight.

EU’s New Emissions Guidelines Overshadow G8 Deal

Protesters dressed as G8 leaders hold balloons representing the carbon their countries emit per capita.

The members of G8 backed a deal today endorsing emission cuts by 50% by the year 2050, but did not set goals for the near term. The agreement also urges nations to become more energy efficient, use clean technology and help developing nations build green infrastructure. These recommendations are not binding and are not new ideas in climate change policy. In addition, the G8 nations did not specify how to meet emissions reductions or pledge to reduce emissions below 1990 levels, as many environmental leaders say is necessary.

I believe the more important climate change story of the day came out of the European Parliament. Members of the Parliament overwhelming voted to include aviation emissions cuts in their Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), developed under the Kyoto Protocol several years ago. This is the first time that the aviation industry has come under regulation in the EU’s revolutionary ETS. Airline companies in the U.S. and Europe issued protest saying it was outside of the EU’s jurisdiction to regulate flights outside the 27 member nations and that it will raise costs for travelers. However, it is my opinion that we must pay for the pollutants we emit into the atmosphere and the aviation ruling is a step in the right direction for world climate change policy. Encompassing the entire transportation sector will make people aware of the real impacts of global warming and hopefully translate into a similar ETS policy worldwide (including the stingy U.S.).

Google Phone and Android… Worth the Wait

Rumored design of an Android phone

As the $199 3G iPhone is set to debut this week, we enter yet another phase of cell phone technology. With the iPhone and Blackberry (RIM) owning the majority share of the smart phone market, Mac takes the first step into the next generation. The Blackberry 9000 Bold 3G is not going to be far behind with an expected late July or early August launch date. These phone are sure to be the hottest selling smart phones for the duration of the summer and beyond.

However, lets not forget about a little thing called the Google Phone, which is set to debut the Open Handset Alliance Project, aka Android. Rumors appear to be swirling that would still suggest a late 3rd quarter launch despite reports that cite delays. Whenever the launch, the Google based phones are sure to set the mobile market on fire. Sprint is already working with Google developers and others on the 4G network and the next phase in cell phone technology is sure to come before the end of 2009.

Google plans to invade the mobile phone market like none other. Entering China, the U.S. and Europe are easier said than done, but it should be worth the wait. While Google did not succeed as they had expected in this years FCC 700 Mhz Auction one thing seems for sure, Google Phone service (due to its open nature) will be significantly less expensive than iPhones or Blackberries. With seamless Google applications, along with unprecedented mobile phone designs, I think I will wait for the iPhone/Blackberry 3G craze to die down before I dive into the smartphone arena.

Android developer challenge. (Check out the round 1 slideshow)

3G iPhone

3G Blackberry Bold 9000

Jay-Z Breaks Yet Another Barrier

This past week at the worlds largest greenfield music and performing arts festival, Jay-Z became the first American rap artist to preform at Glastonbury.

London Bridges are fallin down, not bridges but britches when Jigga’s in town!

Despite critism from numerous musicians and music critics, Jigga rocked the festival with about 180,000 in attendance throughout the three days. Moving away from white rockers of the past and towards a greater mix of music, Jay stole the show opening with his own cover of Oasis’ “Wonderwall”. The fact that rappers have made their appearance at the worlds major music festivals shows its prevalence among the music culture today. I grew up a Hip Hop head and always felt somewhat left out of the music scene. I am white and supposed to listen to white music, but our generation has bucked that age old trend. This is evidence of the diversity with which surrounded me from a young age and will hopefully be a piece of dispelling racism in our country. With my idol Young Hov rocking stages all over the world and mixing it up with all kinds of musicians, Hip Hop is truly here to stay.

Check out his entire set available for listening or download at datpiff.com