NOW LIVE ON WhoWhatWhy
Net Neutrality: Victory for the People or One Set of Companies Over Another? — by Joseph L. Flatley
The FCC defied cynics by preserving Net Neutrality, resisting pressure from big telecom providers to give them greater control over the Internet. But is all the cheering about people power masking a risky marriage of public interest advocates with other giant corporations—albeit newer and hipper ones?
WHO
America Readies Its New ‘Smart’ Nuke
Everything old is new again, included all those “dumb” nukes America made during the Cold War. Under an $8 billion life-extension program that will keep the nukes active until 2040, old thermonuclear devices are getting a new lease on life … and death. It’s easy. Just add a new tail-kit assembly to the the oldest nuclear gravity bomb in America’s stockpile and … voilà! A Boeing-built guidance unit adds range and accuracy, turning it into a “smart” nuke compatible with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the forthcoming Long-Range Strike Bomber.
Uninsured Ex-Sheriff Who Fought O-care Struggles To Pay Medical Bills
One conservative you will not see denouncing ObamaCare on the stage at CPAC is Former Arizona county sheriff Richard Mack. No, it’s not because he’s had a “Come to Obama” moment. It’s because he probably can’t afford the plane ticket. He and his wife lacked health insurance, both of them suffered serious illnesses and now they’re being crushed by medical bills. One thing’s for sure … they certainly don’t need any more irony in their diets.
WHAT
Saudis’ Oil Price War Is Paying Off
If the Saudis wanted to slow down U.S. oil production, shut down refineries and curtail investment—their market-glutting strategy is paying off. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects domestic output will fall in the third quarter for the first time in four years. And it looks like the Saudi spigot will stay open when OPEC meets in June.
How Gazan Natural Gas Became the Epicenter of An International Power Struggle
Here’s a shocker: all the wars, conflicts and craziness in the Middle East are tied together by a single thread—hydrocarbons. And just in case you didn’t know, the struggle over Gaza is no different than the maelstrom perpetually swirling around the Persian Gulf. It’s not just about Israeli and Palestinian competition over living space … it’s also about long-rumored natural gas deposits in the Mediterranean Sea off of Gaza.
When Freedom Isn’t Free
It isn’t “free” when the American Legislative Exchange Council and the bail bond industry come together to fight judicial reform—which could affect the bail bond business. Their idea is to expand bail bonds beyond those awaiting trial to those already convicted! And they are testing “the sexy side” of bail in Mississippi, where those who cannot pay fines to avoid incarceration pay “bail” until they can afford to pay the fine.
WHY
In the War of GMO Labeling, Big Food is Losing the Crucial PR Battle
Recent studies indicate that Big Ag promoters of GMO foods—like Monsanto, ConAgra and their processed food partners—may have won recent battles over GMO labeling in state referendums. But they might end up losing the war. All the attention generated by those campaigns ends up hurting the image of GMOs in the long run as people become more aware of the issue. Apparently, unlike a rose … corn by any other name is not a sweet to consumers who, when given the choice, prefer non-GM foods.
Sign Up
Like what you see? Sign up to subscribe.
