WHO

Americans Name Government as No. 1 U.S. Problem
If you can trust polls … it is pretty clear that Americans do not trust their government. For the fourth straight month, Americans put “government” at the top of their list of concerns. The economy came in second, although it dropped by 5 points. And in a somewhat refreshing development, concern over terrorism dropped. Only 6% of Americans cite it as the top problem.

‘Dirty Brigades’: US-Trained Iraqi Forces Investigated for War Crimes
An ABC News investigation (yes, they still do that sorta thing) revealed a growing problem with the U.S.-supported Iraqi counter-insurgency—war crimes, torture and gruesome videos detailing human rights abuses. These revelations portend yet another round in the long cycle of sectarian violence unleashed when the United States destroyed the nation of Iraq under false pretenses.

How a Small Quaker Group Forced PNC Bank to Stop Financing Mountaintop Removal
What can Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, a group of Quakers, and well-timed pray-ins do that lobbying Congress cannot? Stop an incredibly destructive mining practice that wipes out entire ecosystems. That’s exactly what happened when the Quakers turned their sights on the people providing financial grease to corporate profiteers stripping the planet. The takeaway? Forget the two parties. Target the people who really have the power: the bankers.

WHAT

Anthropocene: New Dates Proposed for the ‘Age of Man’
When did human impact on the environment reach a tipping point that made humans the driving force altering nearly every process governing life on earth? Some say it started with the Industrial Revolution. Others say it began with atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons. Now, an international Anthropocene Working Group is set to announce their findings—that the arrival of Europeans in the New World culminated in an impact “spike” in 1610, which they see as the start of the Anthropocene.

WHY

Why Are US Taxpayers Subsidizing Right-Wing Israeli Settlers?
Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories are, according to international law, illegal. And official U.S. policy has long been critical of these settlements as “counter-productive.” Despite these glaring facts, American taxpayers have essentially subsidized the often brutal efforts to expel Palestinians by the U.S.-based Hebron Fund. Donations are tax-deductible for Americans, but the outcome in the West Bank is irreducibly destructive to Palestinian homes and olive groves.

Suspicious Fires Twice Destroyed Key Sharpton Records
The National Review wants to know why Rev. Al Sharpton suffered two propitiously-timed fires in his offices—in 1997 when he was running for mayor of New York and 2003 when he was running for president. Those blazes just so happened to destroy key financial records. Coincidentally, the loss of those records made it impossible to meet tax and financial reporting deadlines. They do say “timing is everything.”

Non-Invasive Ultrasound Restores Memory in Alzheimer’s Mice
Alzheimer’s may be one of the most humiliating and tragically crippling diseases for the afflicted and for those family members faced with the daunting task of caring for a fading parent. But now researchers at the University of Queensland have used ultrasound technology to successfully restore memories to mice. This drug-free, non-invasive technology eliminates the neurotoxic plaques that lead to Alzheimer’s.

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