U.S. and the World

1 Million People a Day Use U.S.-Funded Tools to Avoid Internet Censorship by Dictatorships

The programs, though, are becoming victims of their own success. So many people are accessing the online tools that slowdowns occur, causing bottlenecks in the system. Advocates want the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which funds some initiatives, to expand funding from $10 million a year to somewhere between $50 million and $100 million. The BBG says it may not be able to make such an increase, not when Congress has demanded it trim its overall budget by $50 million. read more

Entrepreneur “Seeds” Ocean with 100 Tons of Iron Dust, Outrages Scientists

Russ George was anointed the world’s first geo-vigilante in The New Yorker this week for dumping 100 tons of iron sulfate off the coast of British Columbia in July, triggering a 10,000-square-kilometer plankton bloom that the California businessman hoped would pull carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and take it to the Pacific Ocean’s depths. read more

U.S. Bombing of Fallujah Led to Enormous Rise in Birth Defects

The U.S. Army first occupied Fallujah, a city of more than 300,000 people about 45 miles west of Baghdad, in April 2003. But it was the following year, following the dismembering of four U.S. mercenaries, that the Americans launched their deadliest attacks, which included the use of white phosphorus. The authors of the study found children with birth defects had five times the level of lead in their hair than healthy children. Also, mercury levels were six times above normal. read more

U.S. Fast Food Companies Avoid Paying Taxes in U.S.

What McDonalds and Burger King do is classify food items, like the Whopper, as intellectual property and charge franchises a fee to sell them. But instead of collecting the fees in the U.S., where the Internal Revenue Service would demand taxes, the fast food operations house the fees in low-tax countries, like Switzerland. The scheme has allowed Burger King to pay the Swiss an effective tax rate of 2% to 12%, instead of a 35%-39% rate in the U.S. read more

Oakland Sues Obama Administration over Loss of Tax Revenue Due to Medical Marijuana Crackdown

In what may be a first, Oakland, California, is suing the U.S. Department of Justice for cracking down on a medical marijuana dispensary in the city. Federal law enforcement began forfeiture proceedings in July against Harborside Health Center, which has operations in Oakland and San Jose, causing losses of $1.4 million in business taxes. read more

For the First Time, U.S. Designates a Street Gang an International Criminal Organization

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has designated the MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, street gang with Los Angeles roots as an international criminal group, with membership at 6,000-10,000 nationwide, allowing the federal government to target the finances of a gang for the first time. read more

40% of Detroit Residents Want to Leave

A recent poll of Detroit residents shows that 50% of them would live elsewhere if they could and 40% want to leave within 5 years. If all of them actually exit, Detroit would be left with only 428,000 residents. More than half of those polled said crime is their biggest daily challenge. read more

U.S. Government Employee Wins Nobel Prize in Physics

An obscure office within the U.S. Department of Commerce collected another Nobel Prize in physics this week, giving it four in the last 15 years. David J. Wineland, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), won the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics. Wineland has worked at NIST for 37 years. read more

Fewer Illegally Crossing into U.S., but More are Dying

In small Brooks County in South Texas, the remains of 50 immigrants were found in 2011. This year the number has already reached 104. Most of the victims came from Central America. The main reasons for the increased death toll this year are thought to be extreme heat and drought conditions, as well more aggressive border enforcement that has forced human smugglers to venture into more hostile terrain. read more

61 Nations Require Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods…but not U.S.

Informing consumers about foods containing genetically engineered (GE) ingredients is required in 61 nations. The United States has resisted calls from advocates for mandatory GE food-labeling laws but with Proposition 37, advocates hope California will spearhead a new movement for labeling. read more

Surprise: During Recession, Congress’s Wealth Went Up 5% while Rest of Americans Lost 39%

While the American median household net worth plummeted 39% in the Great Recession from 2007 to 2010, the median estimated wealth of lawmakers increased 5% during the same period, according to The Washington Post. For the richest one-third of Congress, their wealth expanded 14%. read more

Dallas Lowers Crime Rate…By Making it Harder to Report Shoplifting

Police in Dallas, Texas, have claimed a 12% drop in crime, which coincided with new rules making it harder for businesses to report shoplifting. The Dallas Morning News found that almost a third of the crime reduction could be attributed to a new policy discouraging the reporting of shoplifting cases under $50. read more

This Year, Lockheed Donated to Election Campaigns of 386 of 435 Members of House of Representatives

Lockheed Martin has really been spreading the campaign contributions around the U.S. House this year. So far, nearly 90% of representatives have received money from the largest defense contractor in the country. Of the 435 House members, 386 accepted such Lockheed-related contributions. read more

Million-Dollar Foreign Donation to Pro-Romney Super PAC Raises Legal Questions

Foreign businesses and individuals are barred from contributing to U.S. election campaigns. But what about an American firm that’s foreign owned, such as the one Restore Our Future gave Mitt Romney $1 million? read more

Obama Administration Claims It Can’t Be Sued over Indiscriminate Wiretapping

Claiming immunity from civil action, the Obama administration is fighting one lawsuit claiming AT&T helped the National Security Agency eavesdrop on them and another on behalf of all Americans who have been subjected to illegal spying by the government. read more

FDA Says Most Online Pharmacies Are Frauds

As part of a new national campaign, the FDA contends that almost all Internet drug stores are frauds that often sell counterfeit drugs and Americans should not do business with online pharmacies located outside the United States. read more