Studying the History and Evolution of the Social and Political Aspect of Hip-Hop Culture

A study by the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash College involving hip-hop performers, writers, producers, and critics explores the growth of hip-hop from dance music to a social and political platform.

Hip-Hop and Rap Music has roots dating back to the early 1970's. Since its inception, numerous studies have been made on it. Scientists have studied the brain activity of performers and find that performers (most notably freestyle rappers) uses areas of the brain that control motivation, language, mood, and action during a performance.

Sociologists have also noted that young adults expand their vocabulary by listening to hip-hop music. Some words and phrases not found in mainstream language but are popularly used by young adults have roots in these songs.

The latest study focuses on hip-hop music and the culture as a social and political platform. They also trace the timeline and development as it evolves from a form of entertainment to an instrument for expression and change.

Socioeconomic Factors and Food Industry Practices Major Influence to Prevalence of Obesity

A video released by Academic Earth (embedded below) focuses on the economic cost of obesity. James Hill, director of the Center of Human Nutrition at Colorado Health Sciences University, believes that socioeconomic class a more accurate predictor for obesity than biological and genetic factors. Policies such as food subsidies, have had a direct role in driving the obesity crisis.

A study by Eric Finkelstein, Ph.D., associate research professor in the Duke Global Health Institute and Deputy Director in the Health Services Research Program at Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore, shows that by 2030, 42% of the U.S. population could be obese by 2030 and would translate to around $550 billion in medical spending over the next twenty years.

Obesity

Obesity is a disorder where a person has too much body fat. It is a medical condition that can lead to a reduction in the quality of life and more serious disorders such as diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity starts when the regular calorie intake of a person is more than what the body burns. The unused calories are stored as fat by the body.

STEM Jobs Act Giving Green Cards To Foreign Students Hit a Snag

The STEM Jobs Act authored by Texas Representative Lamar Smith(R) would give US Green Cards to around 55,000 foreign born students who are taking up STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses in US colleges and universities.

Its goal was to keep these students in the United States which would increase the country's brain trust and also have a highly skilled workforce for industry and technology. For the students and graduates, it was an easier way of acquiring citizenship in the United States.

The STEM jobs act was simplified as an act of "stapling a green card to their (foreign students) diplomas."

The proposed bill would also help bring the US back to the forefront of science and technology by utilizing foreign students studying in the country was rejected by the US House of Representatives.

Sadly, the bill came up short when it was voted on. Only 30 democrats voted on the bill with all but 5 republicans gave their approval bringing the positive vote to 257. But because the bill was brought to the floor under special consideration which suspends House rules, the required vote needed for the bill was 274 votes.