Before we begin I would like to note that these are in no particular order, number one by no means is of greater importance than number ten. So now that that is out of the way lets get to it.
France Wants Manufacturers To Inform Consumers How long Appliances Will Last
France’s new law came into effect on March 2nd 2015. The law will allow France to fine companies up to 15,265 Euros if they do not inform the customer on how long the product will last. France hopes that this new law will stop companies design strategies to limit the lifespan of appliances, so that consumers will have to replace them. The new law is a fairly new concept to help combat these strategies and if it works well it could see implementation in other countries.
San Diego Police use Body Cameras
Since the San Diego Police force has been using body cameras, it was found that there was a 40.5% reduction in complaints and 46.5% reduction of force. The department hopes to equip over 1,000 officers by the end of 2015. Body cameras seem to be improving law enforcement and other departments are looking to implement them as well.
German Plane Crash
On March 24th, 2015, German co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz, crashed a Germanwing plane into the French Alps. Lubitz locked the pilot out of the cockpit and flew the plane into the ground, killing 150 people. After finding the black box and searching Lubitz house, it was found that he looked up suicide methods and wanted to end his life. Many people are worried about how easy it was for him to lock the pilot out of the cockpit. The crash has raised a lot of questions about the screening method for pilots and safety measures on the plane.
FEMA Will Deny Funds to Global Warming Deniers
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), says it will no longer provide aid to states whose governors do not believe in man-made global warming. This could put some governors in a bind, as they refuse to acknowledge man-made climate change. The change hopes to help states start combating climate change.
University Of California Students Protest Tuition Hikes
University of California (UC) announced tuition hikes in march for the fall semester. This enraged students and they are now protesting the school. UC however shows no sign in backing down as President Janet Napolitano says “we don’t have to listen to this crap”. There looks to be no resolution in sight as students continue to protest high tuition prices.
End To Daylight Savings Time?
Washington state and Oregon state Senators are proposing bills to end daylight savings time. They are calling for an end to daylight savings time because it is seen as an outdated practice to help save energy. The senators state that when the switch happens it causes a rise in fatal car accidents, heart attacks and there is no savings in energy. The Senators are calling for an end to an outdated practice and other states have caught on as well.Florida is looking into drafting a bill as well. This could mark the beginning of an end to daylight savings time.
University Of Phoenix Loses Half Its Students
As college tuition prices rise more and more people are forced to drop out or not attend. The University of Phoenix has felt the loss of students the most as the school use to have 460,000 students in 2010 and is now down to 213,000, a loss of over half the student population. Research shows that it is not only the University of Phoenix that is suffering but majority of for-profit colleges as they tend to have the higher tuition prices and give the least amount of aid to their students. As more for-profit colleges lose students, it might be time to change and evaluate their methods of business.
RadioShack Auctions Off Customer Information
RadioShack has recently gone bankrupt; this has caused them to auction off their customers’ personal information. It is estimated that over 65 million customer names and addresses as well as 13 million email addresses will be sold. RadioShack did promise to keep all customer information to itself and could face legal action, however, this raises the question of ethical business practice and you should be careful of who you give your information to.
Costa Rica Powers Itself For 75 days Only Using Renewable Energy
Costa Rica is setting an example for the world and has been running off renewable energy for 75 days. Mostly powerered by hydro, Costa Rica says it now has burnt any fossil fuels since December of 2014. Costa Rica is setting the example for the rest of the world to follow and showing that it is possible to run a country off of renewable energy.
People Call for Congressmen That Sent A Letter To Iran To Be Charged With Treason
On March 9th 2015, 47 republican senators sent a letter to Iran saying that any nuclear deal struck with President Barack Obama would not be valid unless it had congress approval. This letter has sparked much controversy and has been seen as an attempt to undermine negotiations with Iran. A petition has started in response to the letter and now has over 100,000 signatures calling for the 47 senators to be tried for treason. As tensions mount in Iran, many are looking for a peaceful resolve.