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The pumps at the CNG filling station constructed by TFBSO.
Photo credit: SIGAR.MIL (PDF).
US Builds a $43-Million Gas Station in Afghanistan and Nobody Seems to Know Why
By Klaus Marre
Among the many failed US projects in Afghanistan, a $43 million gas station stands out. And the sheer waste of taxpayer money is not even the worst thing about this boondoggle.
PICKS
PICKS are stories from many sources, selected by our editors or recommended by our readers because they are important, surprising, troubling, enlightening, inspiring, or amusing. They appear on our site and in our daily newsletter. Please send suggested articles, videos, podcasts, etc. to picks@whowhatwhy.org.
Today is Will Rogers birthday. Rogers once said, “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” About this photo: Visitors to Will Rogers Park, Oklahoma City can see this bust.
Photo Credit: Brian Wright / Flickr (CC BY 2.0)
New FBI Program Trains Teachers and Students to Snoop on Muslims (Trevin)
“Civil rights groups warn that new FBI tool ‘Don’t Be a Puppet’ violates civil liberties of Muslims.”
Justice Kennedy Says Disclosure of Campaign Finance Donors Doesn’t Work (Klaus)
Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, who wrote the majority decision inCitizens United, said that the disclosure of campaign donors is “not working the way it should.” In light of the unprecedented amounts of dark money being spent this election, it would have been nice if Kennedy had considered this before casting the deciding vote in the case.
Congressmen Want Climate Probe on Exxon (Russ)
Ask SEC to look into whether it failed to disclose material risks from Climate Change.
Any Diva Would Think Draft of GOP Debate Demands Is Too Diva-ish (Klaus)
A list of demands that the Republican presidential campaigns want to send to the hosts of future debates reads as though a diva (or a 5-year-old child) compiled it. Among the things outlined in the draft are that debate rooms must be below 67 degrees, there should be no candidate-to-candidate or “gotcha” questions, reaction shots of the audience (which may not wear political shirts or buttons) or moderators are not allowed and the hosting network may not “Show an empty podium after a break (describe how far away the bathrooms are).”
Queens Juror Fined After Causing Mistrial by Posting About Case on Facebook (Trevin)
Judge finds her in contempt for causing taxpayers thousands of dollars. Her Facebook status: In trouble.
Drone Film Festival! (Russ)
World’s first event devoted exclusively to footage shot from drones has been extremely popular since its inception.
Ukrainian Sculptor Transforms Lenin Monument Into Darth Vader (Trevin)
Star Wars characters, including 16 Darth Vaders, registered as political candidates in Ukraine’s 2014 parliamentary election, and “Chewbacca was recently detained and fined for driving without documents while campaigning for one Vader.”
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