"Twenty-five of the EU’s current 28 members have signed up — Britain, Malta and Denmark are not involved. Key EU member states including France and Germany have long-campaigned for greater defence and security integration. And plans for an EU army were fleshed out further by EU President Jean-Claude Juncker when he unveiled his grand vision for the future of the bloc earlier this year."
"Sessions noted that more fatal accidents are now caused by drugs than by alcohol, and he said the American Medical Association 'is crystal clear' that 'marijuana is not a healthy substance.' But when the intern challenged that assertion, Sessions seemed dismissive, addressing the intern as 'Dr. Whatever Your Name Is.' 'I don’t think America’s going to be a better place if marijuana’s sold in every corner grocery store,' Sessions said."
"I’m left to conclude that they have no appreciation for how socialism actually works in the real world. The economic track record of socialism is as dismal as its human rights record. But we need not direct Millennials to history books to see it. They need only look at what has happened to former socialist countries during their own lifetimes, as these countries have moved away from socialism and towards capitalism."
"Initially, these markets consisted of disorganized traders meeting in fields, facing seizure from police if they did not come up with a bribe. Today, the jangmadang practice has led to fully-fledged markets, complete with stalls selling street food, smuggled electronics, ingredients, and clothes; certain markets allegedly grew to encompass upwards of a thousand stalls. Today, the markets remain a crucial element of survival for many North Koreans, with some reports estimating that around 5 million (around a fifth of the overall population) are 'directly or indirectly dependent on the markets'."
"Teenagers have been threatened by officials and other lawn services to show their city issued license before cutting a person's lawn for extra summer cash. Cutting grass is often one of the first jobs many have in the summer. But a business license in Gardendale costs $110. And for a job, just for a couple of months, that can be a bit extreme." Continue reading →
"Originally, the bill protecting childhood entrepreneurs sought to guard home-based businesses against state intervention. However, many child-run lemonade stands are not operated solely on privately owned property. Often, these amateur businesses are operated on neighborhood street corners or sidewalks, which are unfortunately considered public property." Continue reading →
"I can’t imagine a worse introduction to entrepreneurship than that experienced by Andre Spicer’s little girl, in which four uniformed men arrive, shut you down, and fine you an amount of money larger than you can comprehend." Continue reading →
"The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill to criminalize 'sexting' among teenagers. But that’s not all. This ominous bill also punishes their parents by making them face a 15-year mandatory, minimum sentence." Continue reading →
"As Judge Katherine Forrest explained at the time, Ulbricht's life sentence was intended also to send a message to other would-be dark web drug kingpins. Her strategy appears to have backfired, at least in the short term: Sales on Silk Road successor sites doubled in the immediate wake of Ulbricht's sentence, as news of the trial's outcome raised awareness of the dark web drug market." Continue reading →
"The Israel travel ban, passed in the Knesset last month, has drawn widespread condemnation, including from mainstream Jewish organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League and the Reform movement. Since its establishment in 1999, Birthright has brought more than 500,000 young Jewish adults to Israel. Most of the participants in the program are college-age students. The program’s largest benefactor is billionaire casino magnate and Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson." Continue reading →