Chevalier collected more than $122,000 from 1,246 backers ostensibly to fund “The Doom That Came to Atlantic City.” But instead of producing a game, he spent the money on rent and other things. For that, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created a game of its own—“Prosecute Kickstarter Fraud” and Chevalier was the first player.   read more

The Pew Research Center says 6.9% of U.S. adults are now multiracial, based on a survey it recently completed. That’s a much higher percentage than what the U.S. Census Bureau reported five years ago, when 2.1% reported being multiracial. Pew came up with its numbers not only by asking respondents if they considered themselves to be mixed race, but also asking what race their parents and grandparents were. Pew found that 61% of multiracial people didn’t identify themselves that way.   read more

The IG probes were previously kept hidden unless the matter was so serious that the department prosecuted those involved and a federal judge authorized the release of the records. Crafted by Justice Dept. IG Michael Horowitz, the new policy is already paying off. The IG released a report on a U.S. Marshal involved in “intimate personal relationships” with subordinates. The marshal has retired. Horowitz may next push for expanding the policy to other federal departments.   read more

Most people know Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush, Rand Paul and perhaps Bernie Sanders. Those who consider themselves savvy political observers might also be proud that they know Martin O’Malley and Lincoln Chafee. But to be a true political junkie, you should know of a few others hoping to win the White House next year. Such as performance artist Vermin Supreme. He’s trying to promote “zombie apocalypse awareness” and promises to give every American a free pony.   read more

The Massachusetts State Police won Investigative Reporters and Editors' Golden Padlock Award because they “habitually go to extraordinary lengths to thwart public records requests, protect law enforcement officers and public officials who violate the law and block efforts to scrutinize how the department performs its duties.”   read more

YouTube has released statistics on its top 10 how-to searches. The top search isn’t on how to tie a tie or change a tire. It’s on how to kiss. There are plenty of answers—pages and pages of them. Some of the videos break it down further: How to French kiss; how to kiss softly; and how to make out are among the topics. It’s slightly possible that some of the videos are designed less to educate than to titillate.   read more

What a person does for a living can tell you a lot about their political persuasions. Who knew flight attendants swing Democratic, while pilots like the GOP? Or that the Democratic Party can count on carpenters for support, but not plumbers? Perhaps it’s a throwback to President Richard Nixon’s White House Plumbers, who searched for leaks to the press.   read more

Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) have joined together on legislation that would create a separate disaster account to pay for wildfires. For many years, the agency has raided funds from other programs to finance firefighting efforts. It's expected to happen again this year, particularly due to global warming’s role in extending the fire season—now 80 days longer than 15 years ago. The Widen/Crapo legislation is backed by such diverse groups as the NRA and the Sierra Club.   read more

Governor Sam Brownback insisted after first taking office that cutting income taxes was the way to generate more income for the state. But now his plan would raise $428 million by increasing the sales tax from 6.15% to 6.65% and the cigarette tax by 50 cents a pack. He would also eliminate personal income taxes for some individuals earning up to $17,250 a year and couples earning up to $24,500. Democrats object to the plan because sales tax increases will affect the poor the most.   read more

Data compiled by the Pew Research Center shows the profession with the highest rate of unauthorized immigrants is drywall and ceiling tile installers. They comprise 34% of all Americans who work in that field. The job type with the second highest percentage is farmworkers (30%). In third place is roofers (27%), followed by maids and housekeepers (25%). Painters, along with construction and maintenance workers, rank fifth (24%).   read more

Meat is responsible for the highest water use, mostly because of the amount of feed that goes into an animal before it’s ready for slaughter. It takes 86 gallons of water to produce 1.75 ounces of beef, or just slightly more than the amount of meat in a small McDonald’s hamburger.   read more

Many of the baby boomers who contracted the disease did so from blood transfusions administered before testing for Hep C became standard in 1992, while others were infected via intravenous drug use. The CDC recommends that all Americans in this age group be tested for the disease. Hepatitis C can lay dormant for years before symptoms appear, but even if a patient is asymptomatic, he or she can still spread it via blood or even sexual contact.   read more

The “suspect”, now in police custody, was nabbed by villagers in the Bamial sector of Pathankot district, just a few kilometres away from the border with Pakistan. The bird, with a Pakistani seal and "Tehsil Shakargarh, district Narowal" stamped on it in Urdu, was spotted by Ramesh Chand of Manwal village who took it to Bamial police station.   read more

Out of 40 names given to the 6,902 university students in 37 countries who participated of the study, Bush ranked 37th, ahead of only Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden and Adolf Hitler. Josef Stalin, who was responsible for up to 50 million deaths, was ranked 36th. The most popular people on the list were an interesting mix of those of reason and faith. Leading the list was Albert Einstein, followed by Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Isaac Newton.   read more

In March, a child found a gun belonging to a member of House Speaker John Boehner’s police detail in a bathroom at the Capitol. Another gun, this one belonging to a member of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s detail, was discovered by a worker in a bathroom at the Congressional Visitors’ Center. So now, officers will be required to take an online class in the proper protocol for handling weapons in situations such as when nature calls.   read more

About to ask for a raise? You might have more luck if you do it wearing a pair of elevator shoes. A study published in the Journal of Human Capital showed a difference in height among men, even just four or five inches, can result in higher earnings ranging from 9% to 15%, according to Joe Pinsker at The Atlantic. Pinsker also reported that another source indicated “an extra inch is worth almost $800 a year in elevated earnings.”   read more