From atop the lecterns at the Democratic presidential debates and the White House, a common trope is dismantling and rejiggering how health care is delivered in America. For the left, the emphasis is on expanding who can access government-backed health insurance programs while cutting off the role of the private sector. On the right, President […]
Control of the Net must go
In authoritarian regimes across the world, government control and regulation of the Internet is a given. Here in the U.S., we’ve managed to keep our online world relatively free from any bureaucratic oversight. That changed in 2015, based on a mandate from President Obama, when the Federal Communications Commission voted to classify Internet Service Providers […]
Is the Education Lottery a Racket?
There is nothing more precious than playing the odds and winning. On any given day, Gaston residents queue up at gas stations and grocery stores to gamble an average $4 of their weekly pay in hopes of getting lucky and winning big in the State Education Lottery, celebrating its sixth anniversary on March 30th. For […]
Little Hollywood: Military Access, Incentives Drive N.C. Film Industry
Military access, incentives drive N.C. film industry The cities of Belmont and Gastonia can boast of their role in an award-winning television series. Broadcast on the cable network Showtime, the series “Homeland” won two awards at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, one for best actress and another for best drama series. The local connection stems […]
Separation of Sport and State: Does Military’s Relationship with NASCAR Cost Taxpayers?
Does military’s relationship with NASCAR cost taxpayers? It is a sport which has never been ashamed to cater to nationalism. Sundays at a NASCAR race are awash with American flags donned on T-shirts, race cars and beer koozies. Thousands of fans camped out at the racetrack proudly fly the stars and stripes from the flagpoles […]
Lines drawn in same-sex marriage debate
It is a new battle for civil rights, say opponents of the gay-marriage ban slated for a popular referendum. Proponents, however, view it as the last defense in the fight to protect traditional marriage against the whims of a future Legislature or activist judge. Two months away from the vote on Amendment One, the opposing […]
Why Gaston cops lost their ‘eye in the sky’
Gaston County Police officers were ecstatic when they unveiled the department’s shiny drone aircraft to the public in 2006. Equipped with low-light and infrared cameras, the unmanned aerial vehicle known as the “CyberBug” was promised to deliver sweeping surveillance, tactical operational support during raids, extensive crime scene photography and a bird’s eye view of hidden […]
New Gaston Gazette Articles This Week
The following are the three articles I wrote this week for The Gaston Gazette. Study: Vending Machines in Schools Not to Blame for Obesity N.C. Congressional Delegation Split on Insider Trading Bill No-Snow Winter Would Be First in History for Region Check out my Gazette page to catch up on all contributions thus far.
No-snow winter would be first in history for region
If the skies fail to yield any frozen precipitation in the next six to eight weeks, the greater Charlotte region could experience its first-ever winter without any snow. This is a stark contrast to last year’s abnormally snowy season, which left children celebrating multiple school closings and parents fretting dangerous and icy road conditions. According […]
NC congressional delegation split on insider trading bill
As Congress takes up legislation to ban insider-trading by its members and employees, local constituents will be paying special attention to their representatives’ votes on the bill, set to come up for a vote in the House of Representatives by next week. The bill, known as the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, is aimed […]