Friday, October 22, 2010

CQ RESEARCHER REPORTS IN OCTOBER

Animal Intelligence October 22
Do animals think?

Australian scientists recently reported that octopuses were the first invertebrates to be observed using tools. In January, in a laboratory, a crow became the first bird to show “insight” — grasping the solution to a problem by mental activity, not trial-and-error behavior. Today virtually all animal scientists agree that animals — down through the insect kingdom — have amazing powers of mind.

States and Federalism October 15
Is the federal government usurping states’ rights?

Arizona enacted Medicaid cuts early this year only to have the action countermanded by the Obama administration's recently passed health care law. Arizona is now one of 20 states challenging the new law as unconstitutional. Meanwhile, the state is also tangling with the federal government over national immigration policy. The cases highlight the recurrence of high-profile clashes over federal power and state prerogatives.

Journalism Standards in the Internet Age October 8
Are the news media sacrificing news ethics online?

Press critic A.J. Liebling of The New Yorker wrote in 1960 that “freedom of the press is guaranteed only to those who own one.” A half-century later, everyone with an Internet connection owns a virtual press. And many of them scorn the journalism standards that have guided America's mainstream media since before Liebling penned his famous aphorism.

Preventing Obesity October 1
Do Americans face too many obstacles to healthy eating?
The number of obese Americans has increased dramatically over the last 40 years, and in 2001 the nation's surgeon general went so far as to call obesity an epidemic. One-third of children and two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, posing a daunting public-health challenge.

The last report of the month will be Democrats’ Future.

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