Controversies
Profanity Spreads on TV and at Earlier Hours
It’s getting to the point where perhaps even the “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television” might start making regular appearances someday on network TV. Back when comedian George Carlin first performed his famous bit about the Federal Communic... read more
Bison vs. Cattle Ranchers in Yellowstone
Bison by the thousands have been slaughtered by the federal government this decade to appease Montana ranchers, prompting a lawsuit from conservationists. About 3,500 bison have been killed in and around Yellowstone National Park since 2000 becaus... read more
General Mills and Kellogg Accused of Advertising Fake Fiber
Eating “Fiber One chewy bars” and “Fiber Plus Antioxidant chewy bars” supposedly provides 35% of the recommended daily amount of fiber, according to the products’ manufacturers, General Mills and Kellogg Company. But is it the right kind of fiber?... read more
EPA Clashes with Two EPA Lawyers about YouTube Video
Two attorneys for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency out of San Francisco have upset leaders in Washington over a homemade video in which they express their opposition to legislation designed to slow global warming. Laurie Williams and Allan... read more
Get Rid of Gun-Free Zones: Jacob Sullum
“Gun-free zones” do more to harm than protect people, according to Reason magazine’s Jacob Sullum. The shooting at Fort Hood, where soldiers are prevented by law from having access to weapons except when training, demonstrated the “folly” of preve... read more
House Democrats Introduce Swine Flu Paid Sick Days Bill
With concerns rising over too many people with the H1N1 virus going to work anyway, Democrats in Congress have introduced legislation to guarantee employees a certain amount of paid sick leave. The Emergency Influenza Containment Act will guarante... read more
U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice Skipped Key Vote to Appear with Jon Stewart
When the United Nations’ General Assembly voted last Friday on an important war crimes report, the absence of U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice was noticeable. Diplomats and UN observers speculated why Rice was missing from a decision on the Goldstone Re... read more
Juvenile Life without Parole for Non-Homicide: Florida-77; Rest of World-32
Florida’s justice system is the toughest in the world when it comes to punishing juveniles who have committed violent crimes but stopped short of killing someone. Of the 109 juvenile prisoners worldwide serving life in prison without possibility o... read more
The Rise (At Last) of Local Radio
At a time of media conglomeration, an effort is underway in the House of Representatives to expand the number of small, local radio stations on the FM dial. The Local Community Radio Act is designed to pick up where the Federal Communications Comm... read more
Doctors’ Group Signs Partnership Deal with Coca-Cola
The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has decided to partner with Coca Cola to “educate consumers” about the role products, such as soft drinks, can play in “a healthy, active” life. The AAFP, which represents more than 90,000 doctors a... read more
Jury Finds Tyson Poultry Producer Guilty of Underpaying 3,000 Employees
Nine years after beginning its investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor won a federal jury ruling against Tyson Foods for cheating 3,000 current and former employees out of wages owed to them. But the fine levied on the one of the nation’s larg... read more
U.S. Agrees to Pay $3 Million to Ex-DEA Agent in 15-Year-Old CIA Spying Case
It took former DEA agent Richard Horn 15 years to finally win his case against the CIA for spying on him, in part because intelligence officials lied about the covert status of one of their operatives. Horn, who was stationed in Burma in the early... read more
Three Quarters of 17 to 24-Year-Olds Unqualified to Serve in the Military
It used to be that joining the Army was a way for a young person to have a career and get in shape. But these days millions of young people have no chance whatsoever of becoming a soldier because they’re in such poor condition. The Defense Departm... read more
3 Million Current and Former Walmart Workers Have Until Monday to File Claims
Walmart may end up paying as much as $85 million to its workers for unpaid wages, according to a settlement reached this week in federal court. After combining more than 30 lawsuits, U.S. District Judge Philip Pro approved a deal that requires the... read more
Health “Insurance” Not Really Insurance: Jacob M. Appel
Jacob M. Appel does not mince words when describing his feelings about private health insurance. For the bioethicist and medical historian, the system is nothing short of a criminal enterprise that should be put out of business. Leaving sick peopl... read more
Senate Includes Prayer Treatments in Healthcare Bill
As if the federal health care overhaul didn’t have enough controversial components, the Senate has included in its version a provision requiring insurance companies to cover Christian Science prayer as a medical treatment. The idea was pushed by R... read more