Mainstream News

Anti-anxiety drug pollution makes fish fearless and antisocial

"Anti-anxiety drugs find their way into wastewater where they make fish more fearless and antisocial, with potentially serious ecological consequences, researchers said Thursday. Sientists examining perch exposed to the sedative Oxazepam — which, like many medications, passes through the human body — found that it made them more likely to leave their school and strike out on their own. With the use of such drugs on the rise, in Sweden and elsewhere, the researchers said the changes in the fish could be a global phenomenon, adding that more research is necessary before broad-based conclusions can be drawn." Continue reading →

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Welcome to the Future: Congress Takes on 3-D Printing

"This may be the first time 3-D printing is the subject of legislation, but it certainly won’t be the last. The technology allows for the production of objects by depositing thin layers of materials. The process is called additive manufacturing, which stands in opposition to subtractive manufacturing, the traditional process in which objects are produced at factories by making small parts out of larger pieces of material, like sheets of metal. By allowing for the on-demand production of single, customized items, the technology promises to end the system of large factories and long supply chains in the markets for many goods—and to transform the global economy." Continue reading →

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Russian meteor blast had force of 300-kiloton nuclear warhead

"The meteor that exploded over the Ural Mountains in Russia Friday now appears to have been a small asteroid clearly unrelated to 2012 DA14, which flitted past Earth Friday afternoon. Researchers now say the object had a mass of 7,000 metric tons (7,700 US tons) and a diameter of about 50 feet. The asteroid's breakup at an altitude some 12 to 15 miles above Russia's Chelyabinsk region represents the largest recorded asteroid encounter since 1908, when another asteroid or comet exploded over the Tunguska River in Siberia, leveling some 820 square miles of forest." Continue reading →

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Why Do Millions of Russians Have Car Dashboard Cams?

"According to a report last year by Al Jazeera, an estimated one million Russian motorists have dashboard video cameras installed in their cars. This is not to capture moments like the meteor flight or even miraculous survivals of horrifying highway crashes. No, Al Jazeera reported that the cams are there to help stamp out police corruption." Continue reading →

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Gun Makers Now Refusing To Sell Arms To Law Enforcement In New York & Other States

"Since New York State enacted its restrictive new gun laws, many manufacturers have sent that state (and others) a message: If local governments are going to severely restrict the ability of citizens to own guns, then these companies will not be selling to law enforcement in those areas. Among the gun manufacturers sending that message: Olympic Arms, Inc; La Rue Tactical; EFI, LLC – Extreme Firepower; York Arms; Templar Custom; Cheaper Than Dirt. In addition to these very public statements, gun-owner groups are asking members and fans to contact three other manufacturers with significant sales to law enforcement in New York." Continue reading →

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Is the South ready to say howdy to hemp?

"The Framers of the Constitution were big into hemp, and, after 56 years of prohibition, America is on the cusp of ending a hemp ban as part of a push to help farmers. As medical marijuana and pot legalization movements gain ground in Western and Northern states, the South, starting with Kentucky, may be moving ahead on pot's cousin, hemp, a flax-like fiber that proponents say has uses in 25,000 products and is already commercially farmed across a globe where marijuana is still largely outlawed." Continue reading →

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Czech Republic Legalizes Medical Marijuana Use

"Czech President Vaclav Klaus has signed into law legislation that makes it legal in the Czech Republic to use marijuana for medical treatment. Klaus gave his approval on Friday, after the law had been approved by both houses of Parliament. It allows marijuana to be imported and later grown locally by registered firms licensed for such activity, which is currently illegal. Medical marijuana use is legal in a number of European countries and parts of the United States. The drug is commonly used to relieve conditions such as chronic pain and cancer." Continue reading →

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Marines, sailors to ‘invade’ Jasper County for training mission

"About 150 Marines and sailors will hold 'realistic urban training' in Jasper County later this week as part of pre-deployment training. Times and exact locations for the training are not being announced. Residents will likely see and hear military vehicles and possibly see aircraft. The Marines and sailors likely will be stationed on ships, and the training is part of a certification for deployment to Mediterranean and African shores. Participants will be in uniform and carry weapons. Some exercises will take place at night. Residents might hear 'popping' sounds as Marines fire blanks. The training has been coordinated with local, county and state agencies and officials." Continue reading →

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Millions Improperly Claimed ‘Lifeline’ Phone Subsidies

"The U.S. government spent about $2.2 billion last year to provide phones to low-income Americans, but a Wall Street Journal review of the program shows that a large number of those who received the phones haven't proved they are eligible to receive them. The Lifeline program—begun in 1984 to ensure that poor people aren't cut off from jobs, families and emergency services—is funded by charges that appear on the monthly bills of every landline and wireless-phone customer. Payouts under the program have shot up from $819 million in 2008, as more wireless carriers have persuaded regulators to let them offer the service." Continue reading →

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Wheels coming off Obamacare

"The central parts of ObamaCare don’t roll out until 2014, but the wheels are already falling off this clunker. The latest news from four federal agencies is that 1) insurance will be a lot less affordable than Americans were led to expect, 2) fewer people than promised will get insurance and 3) millions of people who have coverage through a job now will lose it, thanks to the president’s 'reforms.' Oh, and children are the biggest victims. The Affordable Care Act is looking less and less affordable." Continue reading →

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