Monthly Archives: January 2013

Britain should stay in European Union, says Obama administration

"The Obama administration issued a direct challenge to David Cameron over Europe, on Wednesday when it warned of the dangers of holding a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU. A senior US official questioned the merits of holding a referendum as the prime minister's campaign to reset the terms of Britain's EU membership also came under assault from Brussels and Dublin. With just weeks to go until Cameron delivers a landmark speech in which he is expected to promise to hold a referendum on a 'new settlement' for Britain in the EU, the US assistant secretary for European affairs warned that 'referendums have often turned countries inwards'." Continue reading →

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Critics object to Obama nominating ‘Mr. Drone’ John Brennan to CIA head

"The nomination of President Barack Obama’s top counter-terrorism advisor John Brennan to head the CIA has sparked outrage and concern about America’s growing drones programme and its use for targeted killings of suspected Islamic militants. Brennan has been a key architect of drones policy under Obama and many experts believe that the use of the unmanned robot planes in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia is likely to increase if he becomes America’s top spy." Continue reading →

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Colleges Lose Pricing Power

"Facing stagnant family income, shaky job prospects for graduates and a smaller pool of high-school graduates, more schools are reining in tuition increases and giving out larger scholarships to attract students. Moody's also attributed the enrollment decline at some public universities to a 'heightened scrutiny of the value of higher education' after years of tuition increases and stagnating family income. The credit-rating firm said in its report that more students are 'increasingly attending more affordable community colleges, studying part time, or electing to enter the workforce without the benefit of a college education.'" Continue reading →

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The Return of Mark Sanford?

If you ever needed a reminder of how worthless the Republican Party generally is, last week’s “fiscal cliff” vote saw a majority of Republicans joining with Democrats to increase taxes, push through pork-barrel spending, and add trillions to the national debt. This is what most Republicans do. It is what they have always done. They [...]

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H.R. 193 would force farmers to pay a fee on saved seeds and register them

"H.R. 193 would change things for farmers who purchase patented seeds and then grow those seeds. After the harvest, many farmers save the seeds that they can, seeds produced from the product they already paid for. H.R. 193 would force those farmers who save their seeds to register those seeds with the Secretary of Agriculture. After they register those seeds, the farmers would then have to pay fees set aside by the Secretary of Agriculture for keeping the seeds, 'and for other purposes'." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingH.R. 193 would force farmers to pay a fee on saved seeds and register them

Judge rules TX school district can make students wear locator chips

"A U.S. District Judge upheld a Texas school district’s rule requiring students to wear locator chips on Tuesday, Reuters reported. Judge Orlando Garcia overturned an injunction won by John Jay High School sophomore Andrea Hernandez requiring the school to let her continue her studies without wearing the tag. The Northside Independent School District mandated students wear the chips as part of a policy tracking attendance via radio frequency identification, or RFID, technology." Continue reading →

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