The United States Space Force just unveiled its new flag. This is the first official flag of a new American military service in 72 years. The creation of the Space Force now requires the recruitment of bright and energetic Americans, who will bravely defend the country and ensure national security. The United States is the…
Author: Tawsif Anam
EVOLUTION OF CELLULAR PHONES
I remember, in the 1990s, when cellular phones started gaining popularity, the competition among companies was to make the phones smaller. Many years later, things have reversed. The competition now pertains to how big and bold can the phones, especially the screens, be. There was a television commercial in the mid-90s, which I enjoyed watching…
WOULD COVID19 CHANGE THE AMERICAN FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY FOREVER?
Hollywood touches every life. No matter what genre or generation, we all watch movies as a form of entertainment or even education. Unfortunately, this is one of the industries deeply impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. When film production finally resumes, would matters go back to normal, or would there be new health and safety protocols…
“COVID19 SURCHARGE” – A POSSIBLE ADDITION TO YOUR RESTAURANT BILL
Some restaurants are adding a “COVID19 surcharge” on the bill. Reportedly, this surcharge would help offset the rising cost of food during the pandemic. Whether restaurants should add this fee is open for debate. Restaurants have been extremely adversely affected because of the global pandemic. They were forced to close their doors to dine-in customers….
THE FUTURE OF BLOW-DRYERS AND HAND-DRYERS IS UNCERTAIN
Reportedly, future of blow-dryers at salons and barbershops is uncertain. It is believed that blow-dryers can help spread droplets in the air, and may lead to the spread of viruses, including the life-threatening coronavirus. Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut announced that hair salons in the state could re-open on May 20, but the establishments would…
ARE DRIVE-IN MOVIE THEATERS MAKING A COMEBACK?
As the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the importance of social distancing, drive-in movie theaters are starting to gain popularity again. I have watched the movie Twister, featuring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, many times. One of the most memorable scenes is the one showing a drive-in movie theater. In that scene, everyone seems relaxed. Cars are…
A HUG SYMBOLIZES FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE
The word “hug” symbolizes friendship and love. A hug is extremely powerful. And yet, in this age of social distancing, people are not hugging each other, fearing the spread of the coronavirus. People hug each other upon meeting up, when saying goodbye, when mending broken ties, to congratulate, or to help alleviate one’s sorrow. A…
WRITING ONE’S STORY IN SIX WORDS
It is widely believed that the legendary author Ernest Hemingway wrote six-word stories about his life. This is in sharp contrast to the conventional view of long autobiographies that are published in the form of books. While these are no substitutes for full-length biographies, six-word stories do in fact have a tremendous impact. First, a…
POST-PANDEMIC, WE WILL BE STRONGER AS A NATION
I believe that life will be very different, following the coronavirus pandemic. But I also believe that as a nation, America will be stronger than ever before. The coronavirus pandemic has deeply impacted us. Not only did this virus infect well over a million people in America, it also claimed tens of thousands of lives….
TESLA SUES ALAMEDA COUNTY, THREATENS TO MOVE FACTORY TO BUSINESS-FRIENDLY STATES
I applaud Tesla’s decision to sue Alameda County over the county’s directive that the automaker should not reopen its factory in Fremont, California, as long as the lockdown remains in effect. Businesses, large and small, are already in tremendous pain over these lockdown orders in many states across the country. Some businesses have hit rock-bottom…
COVID19 LOCKDOWN HURTS PEOPLE WITH DENTAL HEALTH NEEDS
Wisconsin is suffering from a shortage of dentists. At the same time, dental health needs are severe. The pandemic, which resulted in widespread shutdowns including dental offices, would make the crisis even worse. In Wisconsin, there are unmet dental health needs. Reasons include from lack of insurance coverage, significant out-of-pocket costs, and long wait lists…
WAIVING THE ROAD TEST IS A FLAWED POLICY DECISION
The State of Wisconsin decided to waive the road test requirement for obtaining a new driver’s license. The reason for this change is to contain the spread of coronavirus. This flawed policy may have unintended consequences by contributing to more accidents and possibly deaths by unintentional injury. Beginning May 11, individuals aged 16 and 17…
VESPA MANDARINIA – IT’S HERE AND IT’S THREATENING US
“Hornet” sounds scary enough. “Murder hornet” sounds really very scary. In fact, as the name explains, it can be life-threatening. Unfortunately, murder hornets are now here in the United States. New York Post reported over the weekend that these murder hornets (scientific name being “Vespa mandarinia”) have found their way from Asia to America. These…
WOULD THE DIRECT PRIMARY CARE MODEL GROW IN AMERICA?
The Direct Primary Care (DPC) model is a promising way to improve access to medical care for Americans of all ages. The American Academy of Family Physicians defines DPC as a “practice and payment model where patients/consumers pay their physician or practice directly in the form of periodic payments for a defined set of primary…
DONATE HAIR FOR THOSE IN NEED
During the coronavirus pandemic, hair salons and barbershops in many states are closed, causing inconvenience for people. However, people can use this as an opportunity to grow their hair, and once the lockdown is over, they can make a hair donation to organizations that make wigs for those who lose hair due to medical reasons….
THE INVISIBLE COST OF THE PANDEMIC
The coronavirus pandemic has cost lives and jobs. The ‘invisible’ cost of this outbreak is the mental health toll on America’s population. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. Additionally, many children suffer from identifiable mental health problems. The Centers for Disease Control and…
PANDEMIC BRINGS AMC’S “THE WALKING DEAD” TO A HALT
The coronavirus pandemic has brought The Walking Dead to a halt on its path. This is just another example of the widespread impact of the pandemic in people’s lives. The highly popular television series is broadcasted on AMC on Sunday evening. For many years now, The Walking Dead, a series based on a post-apocalyptic world,…
WILL CASES OF COVID-19 INFECTIONS INCREASE IF LOCKDOWN IS LIFTED?
As governors of various states are extending the stay-at-home orders, protests are starting to brew because people are frustrated with not being able to lead normal lives. At the center of all this is the question of whether or not cases of COVID-19 infections would increase if lockdown is lifted. Federal guidelines recommended social distancing,…
DOES DENNIS QUAID, IN SUPPORTING TRUMP, REPRESENT HOLLYWOOD VOICES?
Dennis Quaid recently praised President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, during an interview with The Daily Beast. In particular, the actor expressed that the Republican president is doing a good job trying to bring the American states together in the fight against this deadly virus, while also managing the economy during this crisis….
WHAT DID GOV. ANDREW CUOMO JUST SAY ABOUT 2020?
The hashtag #CuomoForPresident has been spreading among liberals on Twitter, as Democrats desperately look for an alternative to Joe Biden, after Biden’s gaffe-filled campaign and awkward television interviews reduced the support he has within his party. Joe Biden has been in Washington for decades. He served in Congress and also as vice president for eight…
TAKE EXEMPLARY ACTION AGAINST PRICE-GOUGERS
Many attorneys general from across America are demanding action on price gouging. Given the nature of the consumer market, and the volume of business that take places online, companies such as Amazon and Facebook must step up and ensure that they prevent sellers from unfairly inflating prices amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Americans are not only…
A “SEA WALL” IN NEW YORK? NOT FEASIBLE.
The proposal to build a six-mile-long “sea wall” in New York, costing $119 billion and requiring 25 years for construction, is not feasible. Scientists study the history of the Earth, analyze geological and atmospheric changes, and try to predict weather patterns. Even with current technology, we have seen that weather forecasts are often wrong. That…
ARE FLYING CARS THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION?
The concept of a flying car that Hyundai is developing with Uber, was introduced at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, this month. This raises the question about the future of transportation. At a time when American communities need transportation funding to fix crumbling roads, due to exposure to snow, ice, salt, extreme heat, etc., the…
TWO WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE AMERICA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
In the United States of America, cost of health care is rising, and utilization of health care services is increasing. This means that our health care system must be efficient and effective in responding to the needs of the population. Here are two ways that our health care system can better serve the people of…
WISCONSIN’S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOULD BECOME MORE CONSERVATIVE
The electorate is changing – children grow up, foreign-born individuals become naturalized citizens, many develop passion for politics, people move in and out of cities and state, etc. Wisconsin’s second congressional district leans towards Democrats. However, the support for conservatives could gradually grow. Dane, the largest county in the district, has major employers and entrepreneurial…
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED STATEHOOD
Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and other Democrats, are advocating to make the District of Columbia a state. Current proposal calls for the election of two U.S. senators and one House representative from Washington D.C. I believe the District of Columbia should not be granted statehood. The District of Columbia is not a state,…
ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE NOT FIT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE
Innovation is excellent, it is what keeps the world moving forward. But sometimes, traditional ways of doing things are preferred. That is my conclusion after reading a news article about an electric vehicle for police that ran out of charge during a chase in northern California. There are benefits to using gasoline over electricity. First,…
LET’S NOT TEAR UP OUR ECONOMICS TEXTBOOKS
Robert J. Samuelson’s article – “It’s time we tear up our economics textbooks and start over” – has a provocative title, but the concluding remark that “textbooks must be up to date” is reasonable. Having read Gregory Mankiw’s (and other economists’) publications, I understand that laws and theories in textbooks must be accompanied by real-life…
WISCONSIN NEEDS BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION FUNDING PLANS WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN SPENDING
In his letter, published on June 5, 2019, Mr. David Lendved of Lodi referenced a letter I had written last month. He disagreed with me after I argued that the state gas tax should not be increased. He concluded that borrowing funds for transportation projects is unsustainable and placed blame on Republicans. My letter did…
PROTECT THE SENIORS, PROTECT THE UNBORN
We must protect the unborn, as we show our commitment to not just children, but also the seniors. The willingness to protect unborn children goes well beyond the political debate of pro-abortion vs. pro-life. It is about recognizing that human lives are precious. On the spectrum of life – the unborn are on one end,…
FEW REASONS WHY STATE GAS TAX SHOULD NOT BE RAISED
With potholes, and uneven and buckled surfaces, Wisconsin’s roads are in need of repair. According to a recent study, Wisconsin is in the list of ten states with the worst roads in America.[i] Governor Tony Evers has proposed increasing the gas tax by 8 cents per gallon to raise revenue for transportation projects. As a…
CONSERVATIVES ARE READY TO WIN IN 2020
After attending Republican Party’s state convention in Oshkosh in May 2019, I believe that conservatives in Wisconsin are energized, heading towards 2020, in spite of major loss in statewide races in 2018. Conservatives from around the state attended the convention with hope and determination. Over the last few months, many expressed frustration with the outcomes…
EFFORTS TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD HELP HIM GET RE-ELECTED
Various Democrat elected officials have called for President Donald J. Trump’s impeachment, since he first took office. Most recently, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan from Wisconsin’s 2nd congressional district called for impeachment inquiry into President Trump.[i] The nation was shocked when Republican congressman Justin Amash from Michigan also called for the president’s impeachment.[ii] While such calls…
ON MOTHER’S DAY, A TRIBUTE TO MY GRANDMOTHER
If birth and death are the start and end, respectively, of earthly life, then every day is Mother’s Day. Many are blessed to be nurtured and cared for by the mother as they grow up, some are not. Many are blessed to recognize and honor the love they receivefrom the mother, while some are forgetful…
REPUBLICAN PARTY CAUCUSES AND LINCOLN DAY EVENTS – MY THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATION
Two states, eleven counties – both urban and rural – and a strange mix of frustration and enthusiasm. I saw anxious eyes, witnessed expression of joy, and heard words of determination at various Lincoln Day events and Republican Party caucuses in 2019. There are many challenges ahead for conservatives, but the grassroots energy is growing….
REMEMBERING STEVEN HERMANSON
It was a weekend. My mother and I just finished our meal at Pointer Cafe in Mineral Point. For those who may not know – it is a small city in Iowa County, in southwest Wisconsin. We were on our way back from Shullsburg, further south in Lafayette County, after an eventful morning. Restaurants and…
TAX PER MILE – MORE GOVERNMENT, LESS FREEDOM
In Illinois, a state legislator has proposed imposing tax on the number of miles a person drives, clearly showing that efforts to increase government intervention in the lives of people are probably not going to come to an end anytime soon. Government controls nearly all aspects of a person’s life – from healthcare to agriculture,…
PHYSICIAN BURNOUT: A PROBLEM THAT WE MUST ADDRESS, NOW
Not too long ago, a physician left his job at a large health system. It was a loss for the medical community, because of how excellent a doctor he is. He travelled out of state for a few months, only to come back to his home state and restart clinical practice in a different city….
AN AGING POPULATION AND THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH CAREGIVING
We see them everywhere – at restaurants, gas stations, post offices, on the road driving vehicles, at the park, at malls, golf courses, and so on. They are those who belong to the Silent Generation (people born in the years 1925-42) and the early wave of the Baby Boomers (the Baby Boomer generation was born…
CHOOSING BETWEEN FREEDOM AND DEPENDENCY
On November 6, 2018, Wisconsinites need to make a choice between freedom and dependency. The decision must be a rational one. Each voter needs to ask him/herself: What is it that I want? More money in my pocket, or more power in the hands of the government? More opportunities in the market, or seeing businesses leave…