Education Gap Growing Between Rich and Poor
new studies are showing the education gap between rich and poor Americans is growing to record levels. According to the New York Times, one recent study found the gap in standardized test scores between affluent and low-income students has grown by about 40 percent since the 1960s. Another study from researchers at the University of Michigan shows the disparity in college completion by income bracket has grown by 50 percent since the late 1980s.
Apple Supplier Pegatron Accused of Labor Abuses
Apple is facing a new round of accusations about labor abuses at factories in China that make its products. Following reports of employee suicides and excessive hours at plants run by Foxconn, Apple has increased its orders to another supplier, Pegatron. But the group China Labor Watch says it found scores of violations at three Pegatron factories, including underage labor, insufficient wages and average shifts amounting to nearly 70 hours per week. The group’s executive director said: “Our investigations have shown that labor conditions at Pegatron factories are even worse than those at Foxconn factories.”
[Boycott Apple products]
Climate Change Happening 10 Times Faster Than at Any Point in the Past 65 Million Years
The planet is undergoing one of the largest changes in climate since the dinosaurs went extinct. But what might be even more troubling for humans, plants and animals is the speed of the change. Stanford climate scientists warn that the likely rate of change over the next century will be at least 10 times quicker than any climate shift in the past 65 million years. If the trend continues at its current rapid pace, it will place significant stress on terrestrial ecosystems around the world, and many species will need to make behavioral, evolutionary or geographic adaptations to survive.