Controversies
World Vision Takes Billion Dollars in Government Funds, but Doesn’t Hire Non-Christians
World Vision, an international Christian humanitarian organization, does not hide its employment policy. To work for the billion-dollar charity, except on a temporary basis, one must be a Christian. This religious-based hiring preference has drawn... read more
California Legislative Committee Becomes First in U.S. to Support Legal Marijuana
For the first time in legislative history, a group of lawmakers in the U.S. have approved a bill legalizing the recreational use of marijuana by adults. By a 4-3 vote, the California Legislature’s Assembly Public Safety Committee approved AB 390, ... read more
5 Suggestions for Upgrading Airport Security: Clifford D. May
The United States should take advantage of the near-miss terrorist attack on Christmas Day and seriously consider large scale reforms to airport security, says Clifford D. May, president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. May offers up ... read more
Is “Negro” the New “Nigger”?
Just as it did in 2000 and prior decennial periods, the federal government this year is using the term “Negro” on forms for the 2010 Census. But the word is creating opposition among younger African-Americans who consider Negro not just outdated, ... read more
Utah Fights to Keep Out Foreign Radioactive Waste
The state of Utah wants nothing to do with 1,600 tons of low-level nuclear waste from Italy that a local U.S. corporation is trying to bury in a landfill. EnergySolutions Inc. has been trying for two years to import the radioactive waste, but Utah... read more
Police Arrest Bystanders Who Use Phones to Video Arrests of Others
Use a cell phone to videotape a police arrest and go to jail. That’s what has happened to some Massachusetts residents who have tried to capture images of police apprehending criminal suspects.
Jon Surmacz pulled out his phone to record police... read more
Federal Reserve Tries to Block Release of Names of Bailed-Out Lenders
The Federal Reserve continues to block attempts by the business newswire Bloomberg to obtain the names of banks rescued by the federal government since the beginning of the financial crisis. Bloomberg won a lower court ruling that instructed the F... read more
Despite Supreme Court Ruling, Texas Still Executes Mentally Disabled
A U.S. Supreme Court ban on executions of mentally-retarded murderers has not stopped Texas from keeping such convicts on Death Row. In Atkins v. Virginia, the high court in 2002 left it to states to decide their own definition of retarded, creati... read more
Goldman Sachs Sued by Shareholders for Breaking Own Rules on Executive Pay
Ken Brown, a shareholder of Goldman Sachs, claims the firm is supposed to spend about 50% of its net revenue on salaries and bonuses. But in 2008 Goldman dished out $4.82 billion in bonuses despite earnings of only $2.32 billion..In the first quar... read more
More than 10% of Minors in Federal Detention are Sexually Victimized by Staff
As required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, the Department of Justice conducted its first-ever study to determine how many minors are being sexually assaulted in prison. After surveying more than 26,000 incarcerated youths (91% male, 9... read more
Childhood Lead Exposure Contributes to Adult Criminal Behavior: 30-Year Study
Exposure to lead at an early age can result in higher risks of committing crimes as an adult, according to researchers in Cincinnati, Ohio. Experts from the University of Cincinnati spent 30 years working on their study, following the offspring of... read more
Federal Judge Orders Yemeni Released from Guantánamo…Confession Tainted by Torture
Saeed Mohammed Saleh Hatim, imprisoned at Guantánamo Bay since July 2002, has been ordered released by a federal judge who said Hatim’s confessions of being a terrorist were tainted by torture. U.S. officials have insisted Hatim was part of al-Qae... read more
Cities Increase Revenues by Shortening Yellow Lights, but Risk More Accidents
When local governments need more cash, cities and counties look for new ways to raise revenue. Some municipalities have turned to shortening yellow lights at intersections in order to catch more people running red lights, and thus generate more tr... read more
Bad Year for Panthers in Florida
Today, there are only 100 panthers left alive in the state of Florida. The precariously low total makes the death of any of the native cats a cause for concern, which is why one conservation group is especially alarmed about the number of panthers... read more
In Portland, Most Funds for Minority Businesses Go to…White Men
In 1997, the city of Portland, Oregon, launched a program to award more construction contracts to minority-owned businesses. Twelve years later, an audit of the Sheltered Market Program found that the biggest recipients were white men, who receive... read more
Expect Long Waits on IRS Phone Help Line…If They Answer At All
For the third year in a row, the Internal Revenue Service is expected to answer fewer calls from taxpayers seeking answers about their taxes. In 2007, IRS customer service representatives managed to answer 83% of all incoming calls—in 2008, the ra... read more