“If we don’t have […] the sort of subscribers that are willing to pay for what we’re doing, we have no future” – John R. MacArthur

     According to John R. MacArthur, president of Harper’s Magazine, free content is ruining journalism. In a recent episode of The VICE Podcast, MacArthur attributes the abundant free news from the internet with the “[dumbing] down” of magazines and newspapers.  The surplus of information has caused the price consumers are willing to pay for content to drop, leaving writers struggling as publishers ask even prestigious journalists to work for free. Popular online news sources such as The Huffington Post have become little more than compilations of information from external sources. MacArthur argues that for the quality of publications to revive, free content must cease– only when publishers are supported financially by their subscribers will writers be able to be compensated properly; giving them more incentive and allowing journalism to once again to be a viable career.
While economically this makes sense, it contrasts with the internet’s composition– information shared and accessed from different sources. Harper’s has managed to stay afloat even though they’ve been largely absent online– only time will tell how far their success will go, when information is more readily accessible than ever.

Watch/listen to the full podcast here.

Sources:

http://www.vice.com/read/the-vice-podcast-is-free-content-ruining-journalism

http://mashable.com/2013/07/08/harpers-magazine-digital-revolution/

Google recently revealed Calico, a new medical venture aimed at tackling issues of aging and death.

  Technology giant and pioneer Google has recently announced that they were investing a large section of their resources into a new medical company, Calico, whose goal is to fight aging, and to eventually “solve death”. However far fetched this goal may seem, the technology being investigated is in demand by a market that is growing larger by the second. With the quality and length of life becoming better and larger than ever, demographics are shifting dramatically. In areas of high recent economic growth such as Hong Kong, the percentage of the population over the age of 65 is 14%, and is expected to reach 40% in 2050. While efforts have been made by the Hong Kong government with success to improve their health care to accommodate the aging population, less developed countries such as China, with their one-child policy, are struggling to keep up. With the one child policy, demographers are seeing what they are describing as the 4:2:1 problem, where for each person of working age, there are two aging parents and four dependant seniors. Google’s developments in this field will hopefully mean better technology in helping aging citizens stay healthy and productive for longer than ever.

Sources: http://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminshobert/2013/10/03/todays-best-business-opportunity-global-aging/

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/03/tech/innovation/google-calico-aging-death/index.html?hpt=hp_c3

Wild banana vs. modified banana

  Environmental lobbyist group GE Watch from Comox Valley has recently made the news for their aim of having the government of BC have all genetically modified foods labeled or even banned from the province. Pointing to studies around the world that have suggested links between GMOs and human health concerns such as autism and cancer, the group has  spoken to multiple municipalities on Vancouver Island and is quickly garnering support.

  However, is their plight realistic or is it based solely on pseudo-science? Critics have retaliated by stating that there is no legitimate proof that these modified food products have had a direct danger on humans. While that is unlikely to be a consoling factor for fearful parents or the health-conscious shopper, it is important to point out how simply banning genetically modified foods could pose as a roadblock to future developments. Scientists have recently managed to “grow” the world’s first lab created meat product, something with the potential to make improvements to the current wasteful meat farming practices. Perhaps it is time for businesses to conduct and release more research on the human health effects of their products to regain the trust of the public.

Sources:

http://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/223322821.html

http://www.canada.com/City+hears+radically+opposing+views+food+controversy/8906467/story.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/scientists-to-cook-worlds-first-in-vitro-beef-burger/article13584655/

http://www.trbimg.com/img-4ffe22e0/turbine/la-sci–banana-02.jpg-20120711/600

  Canadian gold mining company Belo Sun Mining is being prosecuted by the Brazilian public ministry for their Volta Grande gold mine, located in the Amazon forest. According to environmentalists and federal authorities, Belo Sun has failed to release studies that  address the cultural and environmental damage their operation would cause to the area.

  In addition to  lack of research, the questionable intentions of Belo Sun are highlighted from the discrepancy between initial mineral reports, reported as 37.8 million tonnes and current reports which are listed as 88.1 million tonnes leading us to further question Belo Sun’s intentions, as a larger operation would create more damage than initially projected.

  The Amazon  is home to more than ten million species of plants and animals, many of which are exclusive to the area or endangered. The rainforest, which spans more than 2.5 million square miles, is estimated to produce more than 20% of the world’s oxygen. While it is full of untapped resources ready to be exploited, the repercussion that may follow the disruption of such a delicate ecosystem will be far greater than Belo Sun and the local population.

Effects of gold mining in the state of Para where Volta Grande is set to begin production in 2016.

Sources:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/latin-american-business/brazil-prosecutors-seek-to-block-canadian-gold-mine-in-amazon/article14259270/

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130911-710760.html

http://www.unique-southamerica-travel-experience.com/amazon-rainforest-facts.html

http://phys.org/news/2012-05-gold-latin-america-amazon.html

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