Trump ordered that the term Homo sapiens be changed to Hetero sapiens. In history books and on websites, the airplane from which the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima will no longer be identified as the Enola Gay, but rather the Enola Straight. Trump also ordered billionaire Mark Cuban, who supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, to change his name to Mark American. If he does not do so, he will be charged with terrorism.   read more

You would think that when the U.S. government determines how much money should be spent to protect various cities and metropolitan areas, it would take into account not just the size of the city, but also its history as a target. The attacks of September 11, 2001, were centered on New York City and Washington DC, and the terrorists boarded flights from Boston, Washington and Newark. Three of the flights were headed to Los Angeles and one to San Francisco. But Boston is only in tenth place.   read more

BP lawyers also tried to convince Judge Carl Barbier that if the company is to be found guilty, it should amount to only “negligence” and not “gross negligence.” Under the Clean Water Act, a “negligence” verdict would translate into fines of $1,100 for each barrel of oil spilled. But a “gross negligence” finding would result in a fine of $4,300 per barrel. Considering that the size of the spill is estimated at 4.9 million barrels, that’s a difference of $15.7 billion.   read more

In fiscal year 2012, 47 of the top 100 Fortune 500 companies received small business contracts, according to figures compiled by the American Small Business League. The total amount of these contracts was nearly $423 million—with one company, General Dynamics, collecting more than half of this total ($216 million). Some of the other “big” winners of small-business opportunities were Lockheed Martin ($111 million), Verizon ($34.8 million) and Abbott Laboratories ($15 million).   read more

The new strains have been called “nightmare bacteria,” due to their resistance to treatments currently available, and that they often result in death. Furthermore, the strains are able to spread their genetic materials to other bacteria, thereby making them resistant to medications as well.   read more

The federal Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP)—which investigated the case—determined that the study violated “regulatory requirements for informed consent, stemming from the failure to describe the reasonably foreseeable risks of blindness, neurological damage and death.” The OHRP, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, also found that participation in the study “did have an effect on which infants died, and on which developed blindness,” the plaintiffs say.   read more

Real estate investment trusts (REIT) were created during the Eisenhower administration to help companies that concentrate their business in real estate holdings by reducing or even eliminating the payment of corporate taxes. Typical REITs are companies that own shopping centers, malls, office buildings, apartments and mortgages. But now Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) is using REIT status as a “golden ticket” to reduce its tax bill.   read more

Over a four-year period (2007-2011), more than 16% of those living in nine Appalachian states resided at or below the federal poverty line, compared to 14.3% of all U.S. residents during the same time period. Statistics compiled by the Appalachia Regional Commission showed two states’ Appalachia region endured poverty levels exceeding 20%: Kentucky (24.8%) and Mississippi (22.9%).   read more

Paul Kevin Curtis, the man accused of sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and others before charges were dropped, wasn’t the only Elvis impersonator arrested lately. A 53-year-old Elvis impersonator from Iowa, Michael Reed (stage name “Micky King”), was jailed in Iowa after firing a shotgun at police.   read more

Officials with Mars One have made it clear that the seven-month journey is strictly one-way: Due to the difficulties of traveling so far through space and the lasting effects of being on Mars, the mission would not include a way to return home to Earth. Living in such an environment would cause significant physiological changes to the astronauts, impacting everything from bone density to circulation.   read more

The federal government was concerned because ABI already controlled nearly 40% of the U.S. beer market, and gaining control of Modelo’s brands, which include Corona, would mean a virtual monopoly for the company that already sells Budweiser, Busch, Michelob, Beck’s and other popular beers. The administration also alleged that the deal would result in consumers paying more for beer and would limit innovation in the beer market.   read more

Under rules established by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), fertilizer plants are required to report when they have 400 pounds of ammonium nitrate. It turned out the West Fertilizer Co. contained 270 tons of the substance—meaning the plant had 1,350 times the amount allowed by the government.   read more

The weapons slated for improvements are B61 gravity bombs stockpiled in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and Turkey. About 200 of the bombs would also be given new tail fins that would turn them into guided weapons that could be delivered by stealth F35 fighter-bombers, according to one nuclear weapons expert.   read more

The most commonly diagnosed cases stem from salmonella (7,800 cases and 33 deaths), which comes from the feces of chickens and other animals and contaminates water and produce. The deadliest pathogen was listeria, with 13 of 121 cases resulting in death. In 2011, an outbreak of listeriosis, caused by cantaloupe from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colorado, led to the deaths of 30 people, making it the worst food-borne outbreak in more than 25 years.   read more

In the annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government ® survey, 80% of the Senior Executive Service (SES) agreed with the statement: “Promotions in my work unit are based on merit.” Employees don’t see things the same way, with only 30% agreeing with the above statement.   read more

The Boston Marathon Bombings raised many fears and questions. Two notable questions emerged, “who is responsible for these attacks?” and “what/who is a reliable news source?” The investigation of these attacks turned into what was described as a game of “racist Where’s Wally,” played by social media and mainstream media alike. In the four days after the explosions took place, five different people were wrongfully identified as suspects. Here are their stories.   read more

The specific boondoggles include addition of sun rooms to housing for senior officers in Stuttgart, Germany; a $10 million museum in South Korea praising the U.S. Army; and $2.9 million worth of netting around an Army golf course at Camp Zama, Japan. A little-known rule lets local American commanders waive these payments in return for work of an equivalent value performed by the host country—without approval from Congress or even the Pentagon itself.   read more