With both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions taking place in the coming weeks, it begs the question, is it much ado about nothing? From an independent perspective, the partisan presidential conventions can seem like a gigantic echo chamber.

On Sunday Julian Assange stood in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to deliver a ten-minute speech condemning the actions of Britain, Sweden, and the United States for their treatment of the WikiLeaks founder.

Rasmussen Reports just released a survey in which 47% of American voters said that media bias was a bigger problem in our political system than campaign contribution laws. The Report did not break down the results based on partisan lines.

Adding to the general sentiment of distrust:

Helix Wind, a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine manufacturer, has had its assets bought by another VAWT company after it collapsed financially. While such turbines have a visual appeal and take up less space, making them ideal for rooftop installation, they are not as efficient as traditional horizontal axis turbines. Plus, decreased wind flow due to buildings being nearby cuts efficiency even more.

Voters are becoming more independent of conventional partisan politics, and young voters in particular are getting harder to squeeze into a red or blue box.

Among the guests who will be speaking at the Republican National Convention this August is Rep. Artur Davis, who crossed party lines in 2010, abandoning the Democratic Party in favor of the GOP. The announcement came as a shock to some, as Davis was a co-chairman of President Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Not only are the political and media class pushing Todd Akin out, but a deadline for a decision looms.

According to Roll Call:

The current political spotlight is on Rep. Todd Akin after he made an ill-advised comment on Sunday regarding pregnancies as a result of rape. He outraged many on the Left and had Republicans quickly distancing themselves from him, including the Romney/Ryan campaign.