Taylor Wiles's blog

Political Partisanship, the Internet and Presidential Approval

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on April 27, 2010 - 4:32pm

Are death threats and regularly broadcasted rage throwbacks to similar times in American history, or is it a new phenomenon that a quarter of the Republican party thinks our president is, without exaggeration, the Antichrist? I recently took a turn through Gallup's Presidential Approval Center to get some answers about how today's political and cultural climate truly differs from the past.
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Bonding with Coworkers and Productivity in the Workplace

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on April 7, 2010 - 7:22am

Last week Gallup published results from a study on how a lack of an emotional bond between coworkers can lead to lower productivity and mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression. Gallup interviewed millions of workers in hundreds of companies around the world and found that no social reward can quickly translate into a lack of interest in doing work. Employers may want to take notice--worker health issues can have direct economic consequences.
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Big Business Looking to Reduce Energy Use

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on April 5, 2010 - 5:28am

Last week a new Pew report provided some good news on how businesses in the United States are beginning to respond to our changing environment. The report was prompted by recent shifts in how corporate leaders perceive climate change in relation to the their own business’s energy costs. Two years in the making, “From Shop Floor to Top Floor (pdf)” offers advice for businesses hoping to cut back on energy use.Read more

The Health Impact of Climate Change

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on March 25, 2010 - 6:58am

As with any bill jerked around for half a year in the democratic process and packed with side-deals, last week’s momentous health care legislation has its perks and its flaws. There's still no public option, but recent college graduates will soon be able to ride their parents’ insurance until they turn 26.Read more

A New Direction for an Old Way of Life

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on March 22, 2010 - 7:17am

Small farms have been on the out for decades as younger generations leave town for urban lifestyles with more financial promise. But as we have seen recently in Michael Pollan’s books (The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food) as well as the work of so many others, the tragic consequences of agribusiness have spurred a reactionary movement, which is now in full swing.Read more

Adding Women to the Afghanistan War Strategy

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on March 11, 2010 - 11:23am

General Stanley McChrystal, by way of his civilian-centric strategy for the war in Afghanistan, is experimenting. Thirty-nine female Marines are poised to deploy as "attachments" with an all-male infantry for the express purpose of gaining the trust of Afghan women. After training at Camp Pendleton, located just south of Los Angeles, the Marines will travel to rural villages in Afghanistan's most violent province.
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Shocker: Gallup Says Unemployed Are Discouraged

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on March 2, 2010 - 8:31am

Okay, so more than 19 percent of Americans are underemployed—which means either unemployed or looking for full-time work. For the first time, Gallup has endeavored to discern how underemployed people feel about their situation. It's not surprising there are more discouraged people without jobs than there are hopeful people.Read more

On Nuclear Energy: The Hidden Costs

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on February 24, 2010 - 7:30am

Last week President Obama announced $8.33 billion in loan guarantees for nuclear construction projects in Georgia, after three decades of an ad hoc nuclear moratorium across the country. For all of the coverage last week, the media frenzy missed an important part of the story--the destructive processes at the front end of nuclear power.
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Utah Lawmakers: What Climate Change?

Submitted by Taylor Wiles on February 16, 2010 - 8:55am

Last week, Utah--reaffirming its status as reddest state in the nation--took another jab at the vast international community that is trying to halt global warming when its House adopted a resolution that questions climate change, and criticizes federal programs aimed at curbing emissions.
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