Land Of The Flea

Why the Higher Education System Is Unsustainable (i.e. Doomed)

"That which is unaffordable is unsustainable and will go away. The current system of higher education is profoundly unaffordable: it exists on an immoral foundation of student debt--$560 billion of which is Federal. Enormous expansions of student debt are required to keep the current system of higher education afloat. This chart shows the insane trajectory of Federal student debt. But unaffordability is only one reason why the present system of higher education is unsustainable. Despite the good intentions and hard work of individuals, these systems are broken. Due to their size and structure, large systems such as national defense, healthcare and education limit the impact of individual initiative." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhy the Higher Education System Is Unsustainable (i.e. Doomed)

Washington Sees Incomes Soar as Most of U.S. Declines

"American incomes have tumbled over the last decade. But for many people in Washington, D.C., it’s been something of a party. The income of the typical D.C. household rose 23.3% between 2000 and 2012 to an inflation-adjusted $66,583, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. During this period, median household incomes for the nation as a whole dropped 6.6% — from $55,030 to $51,371. The Washington, D.C. metro area — which includes the surrounding suburbs in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia — has it even better, with a median household income of $88,233 that ranks highest among the U.S.’s 25 most populous metro areas." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWashington Sees Incomes Soar as Most of U.S. Declines

Dozens Of TSA Employees Fired, Suspended For Illegal Gambling Ring

"Dozens of local Transportation Security Administration workers have been fired or suspended after they were caught in an illegal gambling ring at Pittsburgh International Airport. Sources confirm TSA employees on the job set up an office betting pool of sorts, employees betting year-round on all of the big sporting events, the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, the World Series, the Stanley Cup and more. Sources confirm the employees recommended for termination did 'make a little money off of the top.' TSA sources confirm none of the betting affected any of the security at the airport." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDozens Of TSA Employees Fired, Suspended For Illegal Gambling Ring

Rand Paul: ‘I Ask That We Begin The End Of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing’

"Paul mentioned other examples of draconian mandatory minimums, including the 55-year sentence that Weldon Angelos, a 24-year-old Utah music entrepreneur, received for a few small pot sales. Brett Tolman, a former U.S. attorney for Utah, noted that the DEA could have busted Angelos after the first undercover buy but waited for two more, knowing that Angelos’ possession of a gun would trigger stacked sentences adding up to more than half a century. Paul also cited Edward Clay, an 18-year-old first-time offender who got 10 years after he was caught with less than two ounces of cocaine, and John Horner, a 46-year-old father of three who got a 25-year mandatory minimum." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRand Paul: ‘I Ask That We Begin The End Of Mandatory Minimum Sentencing’

Minimum Wage Madness

"Switzerland is one of the few modern nations without a minimum wage law. In 2003, 'The Economist' magazine reported: 'Switzerland’s unemployment neared a five-year high of 3.9 percent in February.' In February of this year, Switzerland’s unemployment rate was 3.1 percent. A recent issue of 'The Economist' showed Switzerland’s unemployment rate as 2.1 percent. Most Americans today have never seen unemployment rates that low. However, there was a time when there was no federal minimum wage law in the United States. The last time was during the Coolidge administration, when the annual unemployment rate got as low as 1.8 percent." Continue reading →

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Rep holds up vodka and steak on House floor to shame food stamp opponents

"Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) on Thursday held up steak, vodka and caviar during her House floor speech in an effort to shame Republicans who want to slash $40 billion from the food stamp budget, while they continue to go on 'lavish' trips financed by taxpayers and other groups. Earlier this month, House Republicans introduced a bill that caved to conservative members and doubled the amount of cuts the party was proposing to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 'They dine at lavish restaurants, eating steak, vodka and even caviar,' she added, showing food props to members of the House. 'They receive money to do this. That’s right, they don’t pay out of pocket for these meals.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRep holds up vodka and steak on House floor to shame food stamp opponents

Ohio cop on paid leave after threatening handcuffed family with Taser

"Police in Washington Township, Ohio are investigating an officer’s conduct after footage surfaced online of him waving his Tazer at two people already handcuffed on the ground and seemingly grabbing a teenage boy during a traffic stop. The Toledo Blade reported on Wednesday that Officer Eric Hart was on paid leave while his department investigates his encounter on Sunday with Aaron Tatkowski, his daughter-in-law Cassandra Meyers, and Meyers’ 14-year-old son. The description for the video contends that Hart blocked Tatkowski’s driveway while stopping Meyers, and that the confrontation began after Tatkowski asked Hart to move his vehicle." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOhio cop on paid leave after threatening handcuffed family with Taser

Ohio cop on paid leave after threatening handcuffed family with Taser

"Police in Washington Township, Ohio are investigating an officer’s conduct after footage surfaced online of him waving his Tazer at two people already handcuffed on the ground and seemingly grabbing a teenage boy during a traffic stop. The Toledo Blade reported on Wednesday that Officer Eric Hart was on paid leave while his department investigates his encounter on Sunday with Aaron Tatkowski, his daughter-in-law Cassandra Meyers, and Meyers’ 14-year-old son. The description for the video contends that Hart blocked Tatkowski’s driveway while stopping Meyers, and that the confrontation began after Tatkowski asked Hart to move his vehicle." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOhio cop on paid leave after threatening handcuffed family with Taser

The Purpose of Government is to Exploit — and Exacerbate — a Crisis

"[..] A similarly skewed set of priorities was displayed in the official response to the killing spree at the Washington Navy Yard. A SWAT team from the Capitol Police was dispatched in response to the shooting – but was reportedly ordered to stand down, rather than intervene in an attempt to save the victims. Twelve people were killed before the shooter was stopped. There are roughly 200 SWAT deployments each day in this country – almost none of which involve the protection of innocent people. Apparently, SWAT teams are reserved for low-risk drug raids and killing 107-year-old men armed with pistols, rather than for responding to actual danger." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Purpose of Government is to Exploit — and Exacerbate — a Crisis

The Purpose of Government is to Exploit — and Exacerbate — a Crisis

"[..] A similarly skewed set of priorities was displayed in the official response to the killing spree at the Washington Navy Yard. A SWAT team from the Capitol Police was dispatched in response to the shooting – but was reportedly ordered to stand down, rather than intervene in an attempt to save the victims. Twelve people were killed before the shooter was stopped. There are roughly 200 SWAT deployments each day in this country – almost none of which involve the protection of innocent people. Apparently, SWAT teams are reserved for low-risk drug raids and killing 107-year-old men armed with pistols, rather than for responding to actual danger." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingThe Purpose of Government is to Exploit — and Exacerbate — a Crisis