Author: Adam Clare

Funny Look at Media Ownership

Mainstream media is owned by only a handful of corporations, and those corporations also own many subsidiaries.Find out who owns what at the Columbia Journalism Review. Lots and lots of people have argued that media conglomeration perpetuates self-censorship of news outlets, therefore depriving people of reason and intellectual analysis of current events.

The folks at Saturday Night Live (owned by NBC, who is owned by General Electric)made a funny animation showing this, the video was never aired after it’s original airing.

Wal-Mart Wants to Sell E85

E85 is a blend of ethanol mixed with gasoline, the mixture is arguably less damaging to the environment than using just oil. It looks like Wal-Mart, who has questionable practices, is questing whether they should sell E85 at their Sam’s Club stores.

“It’s the single largest commitment to renewable fuels in the history of the auto industry – a good move for the automakers, and for the planet, too.

That’s because running cars and trucks on E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, could turn out to be a cost-effective way to reduce the carbon emissions that cause global warming and curb our dependence on imported oil”

Hope Spreads Faster than AIDS

my faceToday I was at the International AIDS Conference happening here in Toronto (previously). I was there representing TakingITGlobal, whom I work for, of course there were plenty of other wonderful organizations. Conviently, there is a list of every organization there, but one organization that had a really creative booth was CUSO.

CUSO setup a series of “rooms” where you had the chance to express what you really wanted to say to whomever. I wrote a message to those jerks who hold back HIV/AIDS medicinebecause I hate how they put profits before people. Despite my short tirade, other people had novel ideas and heart-warming messages.

It is just fantastic to see that so many people care about HIV/AIDS, and that they are doing something about it! TakingITGlobal has conveniently made an online resource of what you can do!

If you are in the Greater Toronto Area I strongly urge to get to the conference! There is a free section called the Global Village where many organizations have information booths.

New Way to See Dinosaurs

A new scanning technique has the potential to provide a much better look at dinosaurs. Paleontologists say that research into dinosaur eggs will allow them to look at the evolution of dinosaurs in an entirely new way.

“We are looking at the dawn of life,” said lead researcher Phil Donoghue, a paleontologist at Bristol University in England. “Because of their tiny size and precarious preservation, embryos are the rarest of all fossils. But these fossils are the most precious of all because they contain information about the evolutionary changes that have occurred in embryos over the past 500 million years.”

Next step: Jurassic Park!

ER for Violence Prevention

CIIAN LogoThe Canadian International Institute of Applied Negotiation (CIIAN) has create a new fast-reacting Early Response Unit (ERU). Essentially the ERU takes a holistic approach to analyzing potential conflicts to look for solutions before violence breaks out. This is a really good idea. They follow the thinking that even a little bit of prevention can go a long way to preventing conflict.

CIIAN’s President and the Director of the ER Unit, Dr. Ben Hoffman, states “I believe the new ER Unit is greatly needed in our world of increasingly volatile environments. Ethnic and religious strife, land occupations, labor strikes, dysfunctional workplaces, and troubled schools can become violent unless timely action is taken. We have the expertise to recognize early warning signs that these environments may become violent and the experience to deliver an appropriate response aimed at prevention and stabilization.”

Thanks, Evan!