Mar
28
2013
Within days of the U.S. Supreme Court hearing a challenge to an Arizona voting registration law that had been adopted as a “model” by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), two more states advanced bills that appear to track the ALEC/Arizona template.
On March 18, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA), which will decide whether Arizona’s refusal to register voters that do not provide proof of citizenship …
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Mar
28
2013
Davis-Cohen’s reading of the Supreme Court hearing of arguments in Bowman v. Monsanto suggests that the essential philosophical, ethical and moral questions underlying the case were not and will not be addressed by the court.
Self-replication is a requirement for the continuation of life itself. When species participate in the replication of other species – when we plant our favorite tomato, when a butterfly pollinates its favorite flower – it is said that they co-evolve. This …
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Mar
28
2013
When Michelle Obama visited a Walmart in Springfield, Missouri, a few weeks ago to praise the company’s efforts to sell healthier food, she did not say why she chose a store in Springfield of all cities. But, in ways that Obama surely did not intend, it was a fitting choice. This Midwestern city provides a chilling look at where Walmart wants to take our food system.
Springfield is one of nearly 40 metro areas where Walmart …
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Mar
28
2013
KOLWEZI, Congo — One day while he was watching TV, farmer Emmanuel Tshiteta saw a news segment about people digging.
With shovels and picks, they forged deep holes, then packed the rocks they uncovered into plastic mesh bags. They carried the bags to a river to wash away the dirt, revealing handfuls of aqua-colored ore. The next day, they sold it for quick cash.
Tshiteta reflected on the small plot of land he farmed on. His …
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Mar
28
2013
Oscar Pistorius may compete at this year’s world championships after a judge upheld an appeal against some of his bail restrictions, the athlete’s agent has said.
Judge Bert Bam ruled that Pistorius – who is charged with murder after shooting his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on 14 February – could travel under certain conditions. His passport will be held by a court while he is in South Africa, and he can leave the country only if he …
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Mar
27
2013
Dear Mayor Bloomberg:
I know you’re working to solidify your legacy as Oz the Great and Powerful, but do you ever stop and say to yourself, “Who am I to tell the people of New York City that they can’t have one too many lemon pepper wings and freeze pops?” Based on your behavior, I assume not. Goodness, it must be fantastic to be rich, old, and White. I wish I could get that as a …
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Mar
27
2013
Military bases, universities and companies involved in Barack Obama’s drones programme are to be targeted in a month-long series of protests by activists keen to build on the renewed public focus over the president’s controversial policy.
Dubbed “April Days of Action” by participants, organisers are hoping to capitalise on a series of recent controversies that have thrust the use of drones – especially when it comes to targeted killings of suspected terrorists – into the heart …
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Mar
27
2013
The issue of whether the federal government’s definition of marriage should expand to include gay couples that’s currently making its way through the U.S. Supreme Court is particularly poignant for immigrant couples like Santiago Ortiz and Pablo Garcia. The ruling could mean a lifetime together or the constant fear of separation.
Ortiz, a Puerto Rican-American who was born in New York, and Garcia, a Venezuelan native, fell in love a quarter century ago and married …
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Mar
27
2013
Our country’s democratic values could be under threat if President Obama fast tracks the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
On critical issues, the massive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) being negotiated in secret by the Obama administration will undermine democracy in the United States and around the world and further empower transnational corporations. It will circumvent protections for health care, wages, labor rights, consumers’ rights and the environment, and decrease regulation of big finance and risky investment practices.
The only way this …
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Mar
27
2013
NASHVILLE — Two nights a year, Tennessee holds a health care lottery of sorts, giving the medically desperate a chance to get help.
Adrian Casteel, 55, of Nashville, has a heart condition and a steel plate in his back. He has been on Medicare for nine years, but about 20 percent of his expenses are not covered.
State residents who have high medical bills but would not normally qualify for Medicaid, the government health care program …
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