Politics

If Medical Marijuana Is Legalized, You Can Thank The Tea Party

Politics makes strange bedfellows—except for the Tea Party, which doesn’t sleep with anyone. The Conservative movement has defined itself by its “no compromise” approach toward politics. So, why did Tea Party members of Congress support Democrats on a key vote on medical marijuana? A total of 49 Republicans joined Democrats in supporting legislation, co-sponsored by…

That ISIS “Caliphate Map” Is Bogus, So Stop Freaking Out

Judging from the comments on Twitter, a lot of people are panicking over the map that’s appeared on ABC News, purporting to show ISIS’ “five-year expansion plan” for conquering vast territory. Let’s stop this meme right now, shall we? ISIS didn’t even make the map—and a neofascist group is circulating it. This is one of…

New Evidence: Climate Change Is Disrupting U.S. Military Operations

Extreme weather conditions associated with climate change could pose a major threat to military installations. Now, a new government report says that the damage has already begun, and is having an impact on the military’s readiness for combat. The Department of Defense has identified five climate change phenomena that could affect its operations: (1) rising…

Australian Government Edits Climate Change Out of Environment Website

A document on the Australian Department of the Environment’s website once explained the dangers of extreme weather, with a special warning that climate change might intensify the situation. Now, that warning has been removed — likely to reflect Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s views. Above, Australian bushfires seen from space. Reports Oliver Millman in the Guardian:…

Can Embassies Be Secure Without Looking Like Scary Bunkers?

Over the last 15 years, every embassy that the U.S. has built around the world looks like a fortress—an eyesore in cities and a not-so-friendly message to foreigners. So, architects who are building our new London embassy hope to prove that aesthetics and security can co-exist. It’s an idea that’s sparked some controversy. I’ve visited…

Is Congress About to Reduce Funding for Bioterrorism Vaccines?

In 2004, Congress passed the Project BioShield Act—a ten-year, $5.6 billion fund for purchasing vaccines to use in the event of a bioterrorist attack. But, faced with budget constraints and perceptions of a decreased terrorist threat, Congress is having second thoughts about how it funds the program. Project BioShield established steady, guaranteed funding of $560…

Here’s What Annoys Climate Change Scientists the Most

It’s not fun being a climate change scientist these days, when politicians and pundits routinely call you “scam artists” as they trivialize and misrepresent your research. Well, now it’s the scientists’ turn to speak out. The Guardian offered itself as a venue for scientists to vent their frustrations. And vent they did. The entire article…

Ann Leckie Refused To Change Ancillary Justice‘s Unusual Pronouns

One of the most notable things about Ann Leckie’s Nebula and Clarke-winning novel Ancillary Justice is its unusual pronoun use, which she talked a lot about when she answered your questions. In a new profile, she explains how she was told it would make the book unpublishable. Top image: Alan Lynch. Without giving too much…

The Anti-Vaxxers Just Suffered A Major Legal Defeat

Three New York families fought against a policy barring non-immunized children from public schools during a disease outbreak, and lost. This is a major setback for the anti-vaccine cause, and an important precedent for public health. New York state law requires kids to receive vaccinations before attending schools. Exemptions are available for “children whose parent,…

Canada’s Boycott Of The Russian Space Agency Could Cost It Millions

A space company is seeking millions of dollars in compensation after the Canadian government cancelled the launch of a satellite because it was scheduled to be sent into orbit on a Russian rocket. Indeed, the United States isn’t the only country feeling the pinch of its recent decision to suspend cooperation with the Russian Space…

Congress Won’t Decommission Nuke Silos, Which Is Dumb And Dangerous

The closure of military bases is fraught with political peril, since they pump millions of dollars into state economies. So, when members of Congress learned that the reduction of 50 nuclear-armed nuclear missiles could shut down Air Force bases, they pushed for a compromise to keep them open. The number of land-based nuclear missiles is…

Professors Prank Their University to Protest Crappy Education System

College is incredibly expensive, but the quality of undergraduate classroom experiences has gone downhill. That’s because universities aren’t spending any money to hire professors. Now, a group of Canadian professors have become overnight legends for pulling a prank that called attention to this sorry situation. Are these four awesome professors equivalent to one administrator? Here’s…

Who Should Really Decide Net Neutrality’s Fate?

Tim Wu, the guy who coined the phrase “net neutrality,” went nose-to-nose with the House Judiciary subcommittee on Friday morning to fight for the future of the internet. Congress wants to know if somebody other than the FCC should decide the fate of net neutrality. Wu, for one, thinks that’s a pretty silly idea. On…

The CIA’s Ridiculous Plan To Discredit Bin Laden With Action Figures

We’ve all heard about some of the CIA’s crazy secret spy plots, like the poisonous cigar they tried to kill Fidel Castro with. But I always assumed that stuff was in the past, right? Wrong. Because the CIA once planned to make demonic Osama bin Laden action figures to turn kids against the Taliban. As…

For The First Time Since WWII, Global Peace Is On The Decline

It what should be a surprise to nobody, a new report by the Institute for Economics and Peace shows that world peace is on the decline — a reversal of six decades of steady improvement. Top image: ISIS execution of Shia militants. The annual report, called the Global Peace Index, cites militant attacks and growing…

As the U.S. continues to sit on the Keystone oil pipeline, Canada is now looking toward Asia. Known as the Northern Gateway project, Canada’s government has approved 731 miles of pipeline, expected to transport 525,000 barrels a day to Asia-bound tankers.

These Ad Campaigns Are Painful To Behold, And That’s The Point

Animal rights organizations are turning to A-list advertising agencies to create powerful visual messages that they hope will raise awareness about animal abuse and endangered species. The results are striking, memorable images that evoke ideas as effectively as they do emotions. “Evolution,” World Wildlife Fund, (Advertising Agency: Ogilvy, China) Bored Panda has compiled an extensive…

The Guy Who Coined Net Neutrality Is Running for Office

This week, Columbia law professor Tim Wu announced that he’s running for lieutenant governor of New York. Wu is the guy who invented the term net neutrality. And regardless of which state you call home, this is exciting news. Wu is a lot like you and me. He doesn’t want to allow fast lanes on…

Should The U.S. Unleash Killer Robots In Iraq?

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has asked the U.S. to deploy Predator and Reaper drones against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters. And, today, Secretary of State John Kerry has confirmed that drones are definitely an option. But would they really make any difference? Patrick Tucker, the technology editor at Defense One, spoke…

The sweeping nature of President Obama’s proposed regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants is likely to open his initiative to serious legal challenges. To date, however, the courts have given the federal government wide latitude in regulating CO2 under the Clean Air Act.