Betsy DeVos inarguably challenges the status quo when it comes to education reform. While many politicians and American citizens alike were enraged when President-Elect Donald Trump announced the multi-billionaire as his pick for Secretary of Education, it was her confirmation hearing that set so many over the edge. DeVos, a Republican, and an advocate of…
Thousands of Veterans Looking For Help Are Becoming Addicted to Opioids, and The VA is to Blame
More than a decade of war in Afghanistan and Iraq has caused thousands of veterans nationwide to come home only to become addicted to opioids. What’s worse is that this addiction has been fueled in part by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Recently, the VA has publicly acknowledged its role in creating this…
Messages Promoting Love (and Denouncing Hate) Are Flying Across the Sky
Airplanes began training banner advertisements in the early 1920s. Typically, these ads would promote a company’s grand opening, advertise a new product or service, or simply just spread brand awareness. Now, nearly one hundred years later, aerial messages are capturing the nation’s attention once again. “AMERICA IS GREAT! TRUMP IS DISGUSTING,” read one of six…
Pig the Dog Dances as Sugar Plum Fairy with Birmingham Ballet
The Birmingham Ballet’s annual holiday production of “The Nutcracker” is really going to the dogs. This year, their “Mutt-cracker” performance, featuring 29 canine dancers, included a standout performance from a dog named Pig, a three-year-old border collie mix who suffers from short-spine syndrome. Although some 46.3 million American households own dogs, few are quite like…
Data Breach Exposes Sensitive U.S. Army Doctor Information
Sensitive information from the U.S. military’s Special Operations Command (SOCOM) medical employees was exposed in a recent data breach. Over 11 GB of data was released and included information such as Social Security numbers and addresses from SOCOM staff members. Potomac Healthcare is the company responsible for employing the medical workers whose information was stolen….
Malicious Software, Hackers Present New Threats For Google Account Holders and Cell Phone Users
People across the world rely on email accounts to keep in constant contact with others. And while we’d like to think that access to these accounts is secure due to the safeguards we’ve put in place, nothing could be further from the truth. A study conducted in 2013 found that an average of 82,000 new…
New Computer System Targets Uninsured Drivers in Tennessee
For Tennessee drivers out on the roadways without insurance, it’s time to straighten up — as they soon could be identified much more easily by law enforcement. According to the Insurance Research Council, one out of every seven motorists is currently uninsured in the United States. The Tennessee Department of Revenue (DOR) has developed a…
Buying a Home in 2017? Prepare for These New Changes to the Housing Market
Potential home buyers, be prepared. 2017 is shaping up to present a whole new experience for those looking to purchase a house, especially for the one-third who are first-time home buyers. First off, their mortgage rates will likely be higher than usual, thanks to president-elect Donald Trump. Just this week, mortgage agency Freddie Mac reported…
Audit Hits U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission for Faulty Cyber Security Protection
Now that so many of our day-to-day transactions, financial and otherwise, are conducted on line, more and more emphasis is being placed on cyber security. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) was recently hit with penalties after an internal audit. The audit found that the commission failed to correctly identify whether futures and swaps…
Florida Man Posed as Dentist, Performed Unlicensed Dental Procedures Without Anesthesia
A 53-year-old Florida man is now facing charges after practicing dentistry without a proper license. Procedures performed include tooth extraction without anesthesia and handmade dentures for patients who couldn’t afford specialized dental care. It’s not uncommon for people to have their wisdom teeth extracted, as there’s only room in the mouth for 28 teeth, but…