Articles by Steven Gilchrist

I n a Presidential Proclamation on October 1, 2012, Barack Obama declared the month of October as National Energy Action Month.   During his presidency, Barack Obama has encouraged federal agencies to make improvements in economic, energy, and environmental performance.   “As demand for energy increases worldwide, our nation must continue to lead the world in a rapidly evolving energy market by pursuing safe and responsible domestic energy production, promoting efficiency, and developing clean energy and renewable fuels,” President Obama said in his October Presidential Proclamation.   Energy consumption and sustainability will be an important topic of discussion in the future.   America has a vital role to play in creating energy resources not only for its own citizens but for the rest of the world as well.   With a population of approximately 315 million people the United States has less than 5% of the global population.   However, the U.S. cons...

BOSTON – O n May 22, 2012, a ceremony was held on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway in honor of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.   During the ceremony, the Armenian Heritage Park was dedicated to honor the 1.5 million Armenians who lost their lives during the Armenian Genocide and all genocides that have followed.   The park consists of two main sections.   The Abstract Sculpture is a split dodecahedron that is perched on a reflecting pool.   This sculpture represents the varied experiences of immigrants to Massachusetts and to the United States.   The following inscription appears below the Abstract Sculpture: “Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have offered hope and refuge for immigrants seeking to begin new lives.   This park is a gift to the people of the Commonwealth and the City of Boston from the Armenian-American community of Massachusetts.   This sculpture is offered in honor of the one and one half million victims of ...

F or twenty-three years Americans have celebrated the month of September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.   The purpose of Recovery month is to educate Americans about mental health services and addiction treatment programs that can help people struggling with substance abuse.   Recovery month also raises awareness about specific challenges that people in recovery face.   Although drug and alcohol addictions are complex problems with the correct treatment and support people who struggle with these addictions can recover. In a Presidential Proclamation On August 31, 2012, President Barack Obama declared September 2012 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.   In his proclamation Obama said: “Over the past 3 years, we have worked to strengthen substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, and to support Americans in recovery… Drug and alcohol abuse continue to take a tragic toll on millions of lives across our country. ...

O n Thursday night at the University of Denver, Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama had their first debate of the 2012 Presidential election season.   For the majority of the debate the candidates discussed their views about the economic and jobs outlook for the future of America.   It is clear that the effects of the most recent recession are still lingering.   Watching the debate made me think of the resources that Americans have depended on during the worst economic situation since the Great Depression.   These resources include Social Security and Unemployment Insurance (UI). August 14, 2010 marked the 75 th anniversary of the Social Security Act.   The act was signed into law on August 14, 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.   The act has various provisions for workers who retire, suffer a death of a family member, lose their job, become disabled, or need welfare assistance.   The federal Social Security Act encouraged sta...

E arlier this year on April 6, 2012 thousands of people in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina paid special tribute to the 11,541 people who lost their lives during the longest siege of a city in modern history.   The nearly four-year Serbian siege of Sarajevo began on April 6, 1992. The 380,000 residents of the city were under the constant threat of mortar and gun fire.   Additionally, residents lost electrical power, water, and heating for 3 years, 8 months.   Children, men, and women died in the war.   Associated Press reporter Aida Cerkez described the beginning of the war in a news article that appeared in The Boston Globe on April 7, 2012.   “On the fateful day of April 6, 1992, about 40,000 people from all over the country – Muslim Bosniaks, Christian Orthodox Serbs, and Catholic Croats – poured into a square further down the red street to demand peace from their quarreling nationalist politicians.”   The spark that ignited the conflict occurred wh...

A ccording to a report created by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and U.S. Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) there is a national crisis in American dental care.   On June 7, 2012 Cummings and Sanders – the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging, introduced legislation to address the inefficiencies in the American dental care system.   Approximately 130 million Americans do not have dental insurance.   ¼ of American adults 65 and older have lost all of their teeth.   More than 75% of American adults over 30 have gum disease.   Additionally, about 17 million low-income children do not go to the dentist every year. On June 26, 2012, PBS aired a documentary about the U.S. dental care system on the investigative news program FRONTLINE .   The 50 minute documentary, Dollars and Dentists , analyzes current economic trends and patient access in the dental care industry.   The documentary is a joint investigative pie...

H ave you ever imagined a world without trees?   Trees are a vital part of the earth’s ecosystem.   Trees offer protection for farmland, provide shade for homes and streets, and trees also help fight the greenhouse effect.   There is a national recognition day that celebrates the importance of trees to the environment. National Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday in April. Julius Sterling Morton (1832 – 1902) founded Arbor Day.   Morton was born in Adams, New York and he graduated from the University of Michigan in 1854.   Later, Morton and his wife Caroline Joy French moved to Nebraska.   Morton served as acting governor of Nebraska from December 5, 1858 to May 2, 1859. President Grover Cleveland appointed Morton as the 3 rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, a position he served in from 1893 to 1897.   In addition to being an agriculturalist, Morton was a journalist.   He was the editor of the Nebraska City News – Nebraska’...