Author: Chris Gorrie

Walmart’s recent venture into the world of “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) services at its self-checkout kiosks has triggered a heated discussion about the consequences for consumers and the retail landscape as a whole.  Being the pioneer among major retailers embracing this controversial payment method, Walmart finds itself on a journey fraught with convenience and concerns regarding financial responsibility. Self-Checkout Revolution Source: LAUISAOM vusk OWMD 200/Wikimedia Commons The self-checkout revolution, while convenient for some, has brought forth a cascade of challenges.  From customers feeling burdened by the responsibility of scanning items to the unintended consequences of increased shoplifting, the shift…

As Donald Trump emerges victorious in the Iowa caucuses, much speculation is in the air.  Many are wondering about the potential implications of another Trump presidency, especially for certain sectors in the stock market. Trump’s Victory in Iowa Alex Hanson/Wikimedia Commons Securing 51% of the vote, Trump’s significant lead positions him as a strong contender for the GOP nomination. According to MSNBC.com columnist Sarah Posner, Trump’s triumph in the Iowa caucuses wasn’t due to his GOP leadership but stemmed from being the “leader of the Christian right.” Posner contends that endorsements from faith leaders have lost significance, attributing Trump’s success…

William “Sandy” Darity argues that state and local efforts are missing the mark when it comes to reparations for the descendants of enslaved people. The economist and public policy professor at Duke University argues that a federal program could achieve much more. What is the Racial Wealth Gap? Farnoosh Abdollahi/Unsplash The racial wealth gap refers to financial disparities within a nation between different ethnic and racial groups. More specifically, it is about a lack of access among various ethnic and racial groups that arise from economic factors, such as financial literacy, that affect the well-being of these groups. For example,…

NASA has been planning to send astronauts back to the moon for the past decade. The last moon landing occurred in 1972 with Apollo 17, the final mission of the Apollo program. The project, named Artemis 3, includes a plan to send four astronauts in flight around the moon and a plan for a human moon landing. NASA originally wanted to send the astronauts in late 2024, but the flight has been bumped to September 2025 and the landing to September 2026. Why Has NASA’s Moon Landing Project Been Delayed? Norton Gusky/Wikimedia Commons The delay of Artemis 3 is due…

Mao Zedong, infamous 20th-century Marxist theorist and founder of the People’s Republic of China, was apparently also a poet. Whether wondering where the yellow crane had disappeared to, describing the cries of geese, or pondering the mountain passes, Chairman Mao seems to be a lover of nature in his poetic persona. The Poet Turned Nation Reformer Dr. Raju Kasambe/Wikimedia Commons It is certainly, then, a strange contrast to think that he also created a kind of “war against nature” during his reign that resulted in the deaths of 1 billion Eurasian tree sparrows. What’s more is that the campaign against…

As a storm recently loomed over New York City, officials made the decision to house migrants living in tent shelters into James Madison High School overnight. This use of the high school forced students into a remote learning situation the following day, which drew backlash from parents and others, including Elon Musk. What Elon Musk Says About Sheltering Migrants in Schools @elonmusk/X Musk took to X to write a foreboding message about the move to his nearly 170 million followers. His message received over 53 million views and nearly 78 thousand reposts. In response to a Libs of TikTok video…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to ground Boeing’s 737 Max 9 planes after a disaster on a recent flight. During a January 5th Alaska Airlines flight out of Portland, Oregon, a plug door, or self-sealing door, and its surrounding wall detached at 16,000 feet. FAA’s Response to Alaska Airlines Incident Leaflet/Wikimedia Commons The FAA has decided to issue an immediate grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9s currently operating in U.S. territory. This accounts for 171 of the 218 Max 9 airplanes in operation throughout the world. These planes will require detailed safety inspections before any of them…

A gas station in Anderson County, South Carolina was going about its business until its pumps were recently shut down by the state’s Department of Agriculture. Department officials went to investigate the gasoline quality at the station after they received some complaints. After inspection, it was determined that the gasoline was contaminated. Gasoline Fails Inspection P5693852/Wikimedia Commons The batch of gasoline in question had been delivered to the Sav-Way station by MPLX Terminals LLC via Belton, SC. After the Department of Agriculture completed their inspection, they were forced to issue the Sav-Way a “fail” result. They had discovered water in…

At the Shum Laka archaeological dig in Cameroon, researchers recently found the skeletal remains of four children. The DNA was remarkably intact, and its analysis has led scientists to completely rethink present conceptions of early humans within the region. In fact, they believe they have uncovered a new “ghost population.” Finding DNA in the Desert Source: Freepik It is highly unusual for archaeologists to uncover well-preserved DNA from ancient, fragile human remains, especially in Central Africa. With unforgiving sun and relentless humidity, few bones from the far past have survived. Since Africa is the origin of modern Homo sapiens, our…

Picture this: supercontinents are slowly breaking apart, and from these fissures spill forth “fountains of diamonds.” Sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, right? Believe it or not, it’s a real, mind-boggling phenomenon that scientists are exploring. Let’s dive into the fascinating world of geology and diamonds, and explore the origins of this strange natural marvel. The Movement of Tectonic Plates Adrignola/Wikimedia Commons To grasp this completely, we have to take a closer look at how the Earth’s lithospheric plates operate. Over millions of years, these colossal puzzle pieces shift and slide, molding the Earth’s surface.  Sometimes, these plates…