I grew up in what I believed was a clear example of a nuclear family: two parents and three children settled in a suburban neighborhood of Pennsylvania. I never assumed the term meant “cookie cutter”, perfect, condensed, or idyllic; my limited understanding presented the simple definition as two partners and their children. With an incomplete […]
Living in the Shadow of a Nuclear Reactor
My friend and I were in the backseat of the car, humming to whatever catchy pop song was on the radio. We looked up and saw that we had arrived at our destination. The arcade reflected along the Hudson River beautifully, with its bold lettering and four-story rope course hovering by. It was part of […]
The Empire Strikes Back
The United States of America does not traditionally evoke the label of ‘Empire.’ However, its domain over world affairs may warrant a modern review. An empire is defined as ‘an extensive group of states or countries under a single supreme authority.’ While the United States has only technically declared war 11 times over 10 different […]
Nuclear Waste in an Elementary School?
Squat brown brick exterior, flat roof, small parking lot filled with teacher’s cars, a flagpole with a waving American flag grounded outside large, and a mid-sized marquee sign announcing that Jana Elementary School is hosting parent teacher conferences in October. It looks like every other suburban elementary school across the nation. Except for one thing […]
What J. Robert Oppenheimer Can Teach Us About China
On December 3, 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a memo installing a “blank wall” between J. Robert Oppenheimer and any government operations, cutting him off from any future classified research and his atomic project. This communique was the conclusion of a months-long audit filled with anti-communist fear-mongering rhetoric. Led by Lewis Strauss, commissioner of the […]
The Prometheus Effect: Unleashing Nuclear
Human innovation often smolders gradually in the embers of advancement. Sometimes, though, we ignite in a sudden blaze of progress and development. It is said that Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gifted it to humankind. In doing so, he sparked the conception of civilization as we know it. Fire brought people, but it […]
Does the Death Penalty Really Deter Crime?
For the first time in United States history, more Americans believe the death penalty is applied unfairly than fairly – 50% versus 47%, according to a recent Gallup poll conducted on October 2, 2023. While 53% of Americans currently favor the overall use of the death penalty, this is a dramatic drop from the 60% […]
Missouri’s State of the State
On January 24, 2024, Missouri Governor Mike Parson gave his final State of the State address. Parson became governor in 2018 in the wake of Eric Greitens’s resignation amidst various scandals and won reelection in 2020. Now Parson is ending his time in office, as he will retire at the end of his term in […]
Pie in the Sky: The Jackpot Illusion
More than 100 billion dollars will be spent on lottery tickets this year. That’s more than what’s spent on movies, video games, music, books, and sports teams combined. People are desperate, and the lottery feels like an easy way out. But behind that colossal jackpot lurks a depressing truth; this is a predatory game, one […]
Consumers, Beware of Buy Now Pay Later
Seemingly overnight, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) companies invaded online marketplaces. From Walmart to local bookstores, consumers now have the option to split the price of a purchase into a few monthly installments, sometimes for no additional cost. A $170 treadmill can become $15 for 12 months, a $300 TV $50 for 6 months, or […]