“Super” Cows Threaten The World

 

Okay, so it’s not that bad…No 200 foot cow is going to walk off of the plains of West Texas, take a stink on Dallas, and suffocate an entire metro population.  However, news of “super cows” in Britain showed up in the Daily Mail today and are being seen by some as a threat to the nation’s food supply.  These cows promise to deliver 70 pints of milk per day and could lead to a source of cheaper food.

 The Problem?  The cows are second generation clones…embryos from a cow that is a clone of a champion dairy Holstein.  Only one has been born so far, but it has four “brothers” rumored to be on the way.  As one can imagine, this development has raised quite a stir in Britain; a country that has been fearful of even accepting genetically engineered U.S. grain products in the past.

Concerns raised vary from quality of life of the animal to “purity” (if that’s the correct word) of the food product itself.  Clones have shown to have shorter life spans than traditionally bread animals and seem to suffer from imperfections that lead to early arthritis and other ailments.  Although adverse effects on human populations eating food that is cloned (or genetically engineered) have not been proven, there are those who are concerned about the possibility.  The positive effect of allowing cloned or genetically engineered food to be used for human consumption is simple:  cheaper food.

Higher food supply will lower the cost of food on the world market.  This could allow countries to feed their own populations and have some left over to help feed other populations that are starving.  More supply on the world market would lead to a reduced cost in the effort of doing so.  If the food continues to prove benign, why wouldn’t we allow it to be used to help feed those who don’t have enough?  It seems to make perfect sense to continue along this path and see if it leads us to a larger food supply for a growing world population.

Songs of the States

 

A few of my friends and I were sitting around one night after one or two drinks and discovered something.  Please keep in mind as I tell you this that we were not exactly in our right minds, many of us had been traveling to various states as of late, and most of us are originally from different parts of the United States.  What we discovered was, most of the titles listed as official state songs were lame.  Thus began the debate:  If you were to pick new songs for states, what would they be?

We came up with several titles for various states (Examples are listed below) some retained the official state song, other states had so many suggestions that debate has continued as to which would be most appropriate.  And so, after much consideration, we open the floor to the readers of The Report Card.

To nominate a song, or to vote for one previously nominated, please visit the Songs of the 50 States page.  

Examples:

Alabama

Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Obviously the appropriate song for the state.

Alaska

Ice Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice – Hey, I felt that Ice Ice Baby should be in here somewhere; what other state would be better? 

Idaho

My Own Private Idaho – B52’s – An obvious choice due to the title and the lyrics

Iowa

American Pie – Don McClean – Written about the day that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper died in a plane crash in Iowa.

Kansas

Southbound 35 – Pat Green – A great song about why living in Texas will always be better than living in Kansas City.

Kentucky

My Old Kentucky Home – Stephen Foster – The current state song, it would be a shameful to change it.

Oklahoma

Theme song from the musical OKLAHOMA – An obvious choice, but still appropriate

South Dakota

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee – Indigo Girls – The state is known for it’s history as part of the Western Frontier.  Wounded Knee is in Southwest South Dakota.

Tennessee

Rocky Top – Felice & Boudleaux Bryant – The current state song, and still good to listen to.

Texas

Songs About Texas – Pat Green – A song about all the songs written about Texas

Vermont

I kissed a girl – Jill Sobule – 1st State to allow gay civil unions