The Vanderbilt Torch

Lonely nights at U.S. Treasury

When there is a crisis whether in government, business or life the best action to take is to devote oneself to addressing the crisis as quickly as possible, making every sacrifice necessary to find a solution. When faced with a financial crisis companies and employees can expect to work their hardest to keep the company operating; starving off competition and financial ruin.

Consumer Report: How does a Varsity Market compare with CVS?

Among Vanderbilt students exists the widespread belief that the goods in the Varsity Markets around campus are priced higher than the exact same items sold at independent retail stores off campus. The belief is so prevalent that I recall during freshmen orientation a Dining representative acknowledging the very same products sold at Varsity Markets could be found at supermarkets for lower prices. The representative then went on to claim that compared to comparable retail outlets and convenience stores, the pricing is practically the same, arguing that the pricing was due to the size of the markets.

Can the U.S. continue to be the world policeman?

The United States Joint Forces Command welcomed New Year by revealing some disturbing news analyzing global threats to the United States: The rapid collapse of Pakistan and Mexico could be the largest threat to U.S. security in 2009. The report was only meant to highlight possible threats, with the collapse of the two nations the “worst-case” envisioned in the report.  However, even though the report is only speculative and unless things seriously deteriorate both nations will remain relatively stable, there is a reason to pause at the idea of a collapsing state. After almost six years in Iraq and seven in Afghanistan, and the prospect of the worst recession in two decades the question begs to be asked: Can the U.S. continue to be the world policeman?

High-Speed Train Plan Moving Too Fast

On November 4 California voters passed Proposition 1A, authorizing $9.5 billion dollars of bonds to be sold by the State of California in order to start financing the California High Speed Rail system which, in its first phase, would run from San Francisco to Los Angeles via the Central Valley. The project entails the state undertaking a massive construction project, covering over 800 miles, to build the first large scale high speed rail line in the United States.  The project managers, the California High-Speed Rail Authority, have already spent years and millions of dollars to start the preliminary planning work entailed in a project of this size. Its supporters have heralded the project as the genesis of a modern rail network in the United States, comparable to the TGV system in France, the ICE system in Germany, or the Shinkansen network in Japan.

Obama's Magic Money Pot

I am not a person who likes attack ads or the mind numbing tit-for-tat back-and-forth that presidential candidates inevitably get involved in over the course of elections.  I personally do not care if Barack Obama is elitist or if Sarah Palin is folksy.  I only care about issues that actually speak for the competence of the candidate and their moral fortitude, and sorry Sarah, being elitist does not count.  That being said, obviously I believe that the candidate should be a person who respects the law and engages in practices that do not allow for him or herself to circumvent the law or allow others to.  Unfortunately Barack Obama does not meet this requirement.

Pakistani Peril: A Country at a Crossroads

On Saturday, September 20th the President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari gave his first address to the Pakistani Parliament.  The president began by briefly paying homage to his late wife and the former prime minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, who was killed on December 27th 2007 by an Al – Qaeda attack during one of her campaign rallies in Northern Pakistan.  He then addressed the body and proceeded to outline how his rule would be different than that of General Pervez Musharraf's, the previous president and dictator of Pakistan who resigned from office on August 18th.

Banking on Disaster

On Sunday, September 7th 2008 Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. announced the seizure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two largest mortgage finance companies in the United States. A few months ago, the federal government pledged to assume as much as $29 billion of debt in acquisition of Bear Stearns by JPMorgan Chase & Co.  As this article is being written, Lehman Brothers, another venerable Wall Street firm with a storied history, has lost almost 95% of its market value and is actively searching for buyers.  Clearly, all is not well in an economy in which two of the most reputable firms have collapsed or are on the verge of doing so, and two government-sponsored entities (GSEs) required a massive federal bailout.

Beijing: Olympic-Sized Problems

I am not one for superstition usually, but the fear of Friday the 13th may have some merit.  To be clear, I am speaking of Friday, July 13th 2001, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) met in Moscow to decide the host city of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past seven years, in the second round of voting the games were awarded to Bejing, the capital of China. Yes, Beijing, the capital of the biggest communist nation in the world and the city that is known for its orange, polluted skies.

Change Constant for USA

Looking at the news recently, it is hard not to pick up a paper and read about how America has failed as a nation. Listening to the presidential candidates debate over the past few months it seems like all any of them speak about is bringing change to this country. Looking to the economy, all there is talk of is about the eminent, or current recession, and the failure of the large investment firms, losing billions selling loans to those that cannot afford it. We hear of the increased budget deficit and how more and more foreign nations are buying American companies.

Election 2008: Health Care

Listening to the presidential debates, one might gather that there is a consensus that America does not provide health care for its citizens. Every major candidate in both parties has some position on how to reform America's healthcare system and many Democrats are touting their universal health care plans. Figures are thrown around in debates about the 40 million or so Americans that currently are without healthcare insurance, and every so often one of the major news networks will run a story on someone who is suffering because they cannot afford to get the treatment they need. Liberals in America frequently put France, Italy, England and other nations with socialized medicine on a pedestal, hoping one day for America to join their ranks.