• 
  
  

Category Archives: Politics

CHEATING WORKERS OUT OF WAGES IS EASIER THAN EVER

Politics

Workers timekeeping software was the focus of a study that documents how it could be used to facilitate wage theft. And it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

HE HELPED WRONGFULLY CONVICT A VEGAS MAN. TWO DECADES LATER, HIS DAUGHTER WORKED ON A LAW TO MAKE AMENDS

Politics

Nevada bill will compensate men and women wrongfully convicted in the state for the years they spent behind bars and grant them certificates of innocence.

APRIL 15 IS THE DAY TOBACCO COMPANIES PAY $9 BILLION COMPENSATION, BUT IS IT ENOUGH?

Politics

April 15 is the day when the five largest tobacco companies pay US$9 billion dollars to state governments, each and every year, forever.

STUDY SHOWS HOW SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS IN GERMANY AND ENGLAND PRESENT EUROPE IN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT WAYS

Politics

Europe is seen more expansively and positively in the German textbooks. Unlike the English books, German materials presented clear loyalties to Europe.

FORMER BOXER PUNCHES POLICE DURING PARIS YELLOW VESTS PROTESTS

Politics

Video of a former French boxer punching a group of policemen and pushing them back during the yellow vests protests in Paris.

PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULDN’T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A JOB AND A HEALTHY BABY

Politics

Pregnant women in low-income work often face an unappealing choice: lose their job or perform duties that endanger their health and that of their baby.

CANADA AND MEXICO GET RICH TRADING MARIJUANA

Politics

Medical Marijuana industry was worth about US$7.2 billion in 2016, according to Forbes, and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 17%.

WHY ARE AMERICANS GETTING THEIR MEDICAL DEGREES IN CUBA? HIGHER QUALITY AND DEBT-FREE SYSTEM

Politics

Cuba medical degrees have become popular among American students. The Cuban education system is debt-free and the medical program is very advanced.

US ACCUSED OF FEEDING DEAD KITTENS TO HEALTHY ONES IN ANIMAL CANNIBALISM EXPERIMENTS SINCE 1982

Politics

In a long animal cannibalism experiment, the US is accused of feeding dead kittens to healthy ones since 1982. The experiment used over 3000 cats.

LINUS TORVALDS WAS APPROACHED BY THE NSA FOR BACKDOOR IN LINUX

Politics

Linus Torvalds was approached by the National Security Agency for backdoor in Linux, according to his father Nils Torvalds.

THE FED WON’T LET GERMANY INSPECT ITS OWN GOLD

Politics

The Federal Reserve refused in 2013 to let Germany inspect its own gold stored in the US. This raised questions about whether it still in the vaults or not.

AMAZON HQ: TEXAS EXPERIENCE SHOWS WHY NEW YORKERS WERE RIGHT TO BE SKEPTICAL

Politics

New York offered Amazon US$3 billion to build a second HQ on the promise of 25k jobs. Later, Amazon backed out, citing political opposition to its plans.

DRUG AND DEVICE MAKERS PAY THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS WITH DISCIPLINARY RECORDS

Politics

Critics of industry payments to doctors say they can influence recipients to prescribe drugs that cost more, may not be necessary or are similar to cheaper generics.

HOW BIG PHARMA IS HINDERING TREATMENT OF THE OPIOID ADDICTION EPIDEMIC

Politics

Drugs do exist to reverse opioid overdoses or treat long-term opioid addiction. But while opioids have become easier and easier to obtain through illicit markets and sellers on the dark web, a drug that could save countless lives has become increasingly out of reach.

BARRACKING, SHEILAS AND SHOUTS: HOW THE IRISH INFLUENCED AUSTRALIAN ENGLISH

Politics

Irish influence on Australian English and on Australians is less than you’d expect on the surface, but everywhere once you start looking.

POTENT PAINKILLER MAKER EXPLORED EXPANDING INTO OPIOID ADDICTION TREATMENT MARKET

Politics

Not content with billions of dollars in profits from a potent painkiller, its maker explored expanding into the treatment of opioid addiction.

LONG-LOST RECORDS SURFACE IN WRONGFUL CONVICTION CASE

Politics

When the lawsuit went to trial in 2010, the judge granted a request by attorneys to disallow questioning about the officer’s disciplinary history.

FACT CHECK: HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ENSLAVED IN THE WORLD TODAY?

Politics

In 2017, a coalition of states and non-government organizations estimated that there were some 40 million people enslaved worldwide.

HOW CIA’S SECRET TORTURE PROGRAM SPARKED PUBLIC RECKONING IN NORTH CAROLINA

Politics

In 2005, The New York Times reported that two planes used in the CIA torture program were operated by a contractor based in North Carolina.

CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE COULD SAVE TRILLIONS – BUT HOW TO FUND IT?

Politics

Adapting to climate change will be a big challenge for cities and citizens around the world. The good news is that investing in it can be cost-effective.

IN DEFENSE OF CONSPIRACY THEORIES (AND WHY THE TERM IS A MISNOMER)

Politics

Conspiracy is a common form of human behavior across all cultures throughout recorded time, and it has always been particularly widespread in politics.

The EU steps up action against disinformation

Briefs, Politics

The EU steps up action against disinformation European Commission – Press release Brussels, 5 December 2018 To protect its democratic systems and public debates and in view of the 2019 European elections as well as

The EU awards 12,000 travel passes for 18 year-olds to explore Europe in 2019

Briefs, Politics, Sidebar

The EU awards 12,000 travel passes for 18 year-olds to explore Europe in 2019 European Commission – Press release Brussels, 29 November 2018 The European Commission is launching a second DiscoverEU competition. From today (12:00

OIL AND GAS EXECS OUT-EARN THEIR PEERS THANKS TO THE PAY-FOR-LUCK PROCESS

Politics

Oil prices are highly variable and completely out of the control of individual executives. So why do executives earn more when oil prices go up?

WHY DO INNOCENT SUSPECTS CONFESS TO CRIMES THEY DID NOT COMMIT?

Politics

The Reid technique can even convince some innocent suspects that they are guilty. Suspects will sometimes reenact a crime they did not commit.

IT’S HARDER THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT FOR CHARITIES TO GIVE BACK TAINTED MONEY

Politics

When these scandals strike, charities face a dilemma – keep the money given by the now-tarnished donor or return the tainted funds.

WHAT BIG PHARMA PAYS YOUR DOCTOR

Politics

Receiving money from opioid makers in one year is associated with doctors prescribing more opioids the next year, according to disclosed data.

TRUCK DRIVERS ARE OVERTIRED, OVERWORKED, AND UNDERPAID

Politics

Research shows that economic pressure pushes drivers to work extremely long hours, contributing significantly to truck crashes.

RACE OF MASS SHOOTERS INFLUENCES HOW THE MEDIA COVER THEIR CRIMES, NEW STUDY SHOWS

Politics

Media tend to cast the violent acts of white criminals as unfortunate anomalies of illness. For black shooters they render them as inherent criminality.

GERMAN GOVERNMENT FACES A CONSTITUTIONAL COMPLAINT FOR ILLEGAL HACKING OF MOBILES PHONES

Politics

Digitalcourage filed a complaint at the Constitutional Court against the German government for using Trojan spyware to illegally read encrypted messages.

POLICE KILL ABOUT 3 MEN PER DAY IN THE US, ACCORDING TO NEW STUDY

Politics

Police in the U.S. kill on average more than 1,000 men per year, or about three men per day, about 8 percent of all adult male homicide deaths.

AN EARLY EXPRESSION OF DEMOCRACY, THE US PATENT SYSTEM IS OUT OF STEP WITH TODAY’S CITIZENS

Politics

The American patent system was designed to stimulate innovation, but some citizens argue that it’s hurting innovation and limiting access to technology.

TRUMP COULD BE USING ADVANCED GAME THEORY NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES

Politics

Trump is trying to throw world leaders off-balance so that he can extract more trade concessions from them; or he is just adrift.

SPOTTING THE POLITICAL CALCULUS BEHIND SOME ACTS OF CORPORATE CHARITY

Politics

Corporate charitable contributions may bend laws and regulations in ways that boost profits rather than serve the public’s interests.

BABE RUTH IN A KIMONO: HOW BASEBALL DIPLOMACY HAS FORTIFIED JAPAN-US RELATIONS

Politics, Sports

The role of baseball in Japanese-U.S. diplomacy has a long and rich history after it was introduced to the Japanese people in the 1870s.

FREEMASONS NO LONGER HAVE SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE IN THE BRITISH POLICE

Politics

Serving police officers being members of the Freemasons has been a recurring theme in policing in England and Wales for some 50 years.

28 MILLION INDIANS APPLY FOR 90 THOUSANDS RAILWAY POSITIONS

Politics

The Indian Railways company has received 28 million applications for its 90 thousands new positions, opened as part of a $130 billion modernization plan.

PORSCHE TO BLOCK WORK-RELATED EMAILS BETWEEN 7PM AND 6AM

Politics, Sidebar

Uwe Huck, the head of Porsche works council and deputy chairman of Porsche supervisory said that evening work-related emails should be returned to sender.

UNLUCKY COUPLE FLEES THE FIRST CONFLICT ZONE, THEN THE SECOND

Politics, Sidebar

Yachya and Maria met in 2010 in China and decided to move to Yachya’s hometown, the Syrian capital Damascus. As they were preparing for their marriage, the civil war broke out, in 2011. So they fled to Maria’s hometown, in eastern Ukraine.

CITY SAID PARK STAIRCASE COSTS OVER $65K BUT A RETIREE BUILT IT FOR $500 ONLY

Politics

CITY SAID PARK STAIRCASE COSTS OVER $65K BUT A RETIREE BUILT IT FOR $500 ONLY A retiree from Toronto, Canada, has built a staircase in a public park to safeguard residents from a risky slope.

KURDISH SNIPER WOMAN ESCAPES BULLET WHILE JOKING CARELESSLY

Politics, Sidebar

WORLD TAEKWONDO FEDERATION (WTF) CHANGES ITS NAME BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS OF THE ACRONYM WTF IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Politics, Sidebar

The World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) general assembly has decided to change its name to World Taekwondo. The previous one, in use since the establishment of the federation in 1973, has been abandoned for its negative connotation, as it refers to the acronym WTF.

GERMAN WATCHDOG TELLS PARENTS TO DESTROY ‘MY FRIEND CAYLA’ DOLL OVER HACKING AND SPYING FEARS

Politics, Sidebar

LORD BUCKETHEAD WON 131 VOTES IN 1987 ELECTIONS AGAINST THATCHER AND 249 IN 2017 AGAINST THERESA MAY

Politics, Sidebar

In the UK elections of June 8th 2017, a man nicknamed Lord Buckethead ran against the Prime Minister Theresa May in Maindenhead. 249 people voted for him. This is not his first election. In 1987,

ACQUITTED AFTER HAVING SPENT 36 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A CRIME HE DID NOT COMMIT

Politics, Sidebar

On November 24, 2014, Michael Hanline walked out of the Ventura County jail a free man after serving 36 years for a murder he did not commit.  The Ventura County District Attorney agreed to reversing

THE CHILLING MOMENTS WHEN THE ANGRY ROMANIAN CROWDS INTERRUPTED THEIR DICTATOR’S SPEECH, TRIGGERING REVOLUTION

Politics, Sidebar

YOUR CELL PHONE IS PROBABLY POWERED BY CHILD LABOR

Politics, Sidebar

A report published by Amnesty International and Afrewatch in 2016 states that the cobalt used to power cell phones and other electronic devices is mined by child laborers in Africa. It also suggests that the major electronics brands are failing to ensure the source of the cobalt used in their devices.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr62/3183/2016/en/

THE CREEPY DETAILS FACEBOOK KNOWS ABOUT YOU

Politics, Sidebar

ONE WEEK BEFORE INVADING KUWAIT, SADDAM SENT AN AMBIGUOUS MESSAGE OF FRIENDSHIP TO BUSH

Politics

On Wednesday July 25th 1990, the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein met with the US ambassador April Glaspie. The meeting’s outcome has had a vital impact on the whole region. Its ramifications are still haunting Iraq, Syria, Iran and the Gulf countries until now.

US nuclear arsenal is still controlled by 1970s system

Briefs, Politics

The Defense Department’s Strategic Automated Command and Control System, used to exchange emergency messages with US nuclear forces is still running on an IBM platform from the 1970s. The system uses 8inch floppy disks, the