When was the last time you wondered if you would be able to feed your family? Fortunately, for the majority of Americans, that thought never occurs, or is rarely a problem. If mom can’t cook the meal, there is always the local grocery store, fast food joint, or sit-down restaurant. Not so in Cuba. Yoani Sanchez, a Cuban blogger and author, has dedicated herself to shedding light on the day-to-day trials and tribulations in Cuba. Her newest book, Havana Real, lifts the veil on everyday life in Havana, painting a …
What to make of breaking news? “CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports the latest terror attack to America involves the possible use of poisons – simultaneous attacks targeting hotels and restaurants at many locations over a single weekend.” According to the report, a “key Intelligence source has confirmed the threat as ‘credible.’” First, why should we be surprised? There have been at 36 plots aimed a killing Americans on American soil thwarted since 9/11. Why should one more shock us? Especially this one. After all, it’s been done …
Monet Parham, an employee of the California Department of Public Health, has lent her name—and that of her daughter Maya, age 6—to a preposterous class-action lawsuit alleging that McDonald’s is “unfair” to parents. The lure of a Happy Meal toy, Parham claims, so provokes Maya’s “pester power” that familial conflict ensues. We’re not making this up. The real tragedy here is that Parham is free to file a wholly frivolous lawsuit, while there’s no recourse for McDonald’s to recoup its legal costs. Nor can Maya hold her mother responsible for …
There might be 14,000 things to be happy about, but there is one less reason in Santa Clara County, California: the government there voted to ban toys in Happy Meals. Toys that come in those delightfully colored boxes filled cheeseburgers and fries that have brought joy to millions of children will go the way of bottled water and salt, trans fat and soda pop, all of which have fallen victim to regulation-happy local governments. The reason? No, it’s not because the toys are unsafe. It’s not because they’re filled with …
Congress had its first chance in six years to reform the economically incoherent farm program. Rather than fix the program, lawmakers irrationally increased subsidies. Below are price increases for the most heavily subsidized crops, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. These five crops are responsible for approximately 90% of all farm subsidies. Market Prices of the Five Most-Subsidized Crops Crop Unit Price During 2002 Farm Bill Debate Price During 2008 Farm Bill Debate Price Increase 2008 Farm Bill Response* Rice ($/cwt) $3.88 $14.80 281% Level, no significant cuts All …
