By Blake Neff The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) voted Thursday to significantly expand the autonomy of its most powerful conferences, a move that could pave the way for players to be paid directly for the first time. Under a series of rules passed 16-2 by the NCAA’s Division 1 board of directors, the so-called…
By Blake Neff A new poll from Gallup, released Thursday, details the long-term burden imposed on individuals who have taken out large student loans. The burden is not merely financial, but touches at almost every aspect of human well-being, from the mental to the physical, even after loans are paid off. Unsurprisingly, individuals who graduated with…
By Michael Bastasch President Obama has said he would not approve the Keystone XL pipeline if it significantly increased U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, a huge nod to environmentalists who oppose the project on global warming grounds. A new report, however, shows that Obama’s failure to approve the pipeline may substantially increase America’s carbon footprint. The American…
By Blake Neff Voters in Missouri will decide this November whether to weaken teacher tenure and tie salaries to performance, now that the measure has qualified for the ballot. Constitutional Amendment 3 would require at least half of a teacher’s performance evaluation to be tied to the academic performance of his or her students, and…
The New York Times produced an incredible pages-long article dissecting the rise of libertarian politics in America. The piece bolsters the idea that American’s viewpoints on issues such as surveillance, gay marriage and economics are coming into alignment with libertarian ideals. But as the movement prepares for its greatest challenges in 2016 with the potential…
By Peter Fricke Virginia announced Wednesday that it would grant temporary operating authority to ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft, allowing them to operate legally in the commonwealth. In response to concerns about insurance coverage and passenger safety, Virginia sent cease-and-desist letters to Uber and Lyft on June 5, which both companies initially vowed to ignore. (RELATED:…
A 5-year-old boy’s reign is over as mayor of the town of Dorset, Minnesota. Mayor Bobby Tufts was defeated while ruthlessly attempting to hold on to power for a third term in the tiny tourist town. His opponent, Mayor-elect Eric Mueller, roundly defeated him in questionable proceedings at the town’s annual “Taste of Dorset”…
A Quadriplegic Libertarian Perspective by: J. Pritchard I was never told, but shown, that hard work could get you ahead—or keep you where you are comfortably. My father grew up in Pittsburgh; he had an extensive paper route, cut grass, and did odd jobs for neighbors. These small jobs allowed my dad to buy a…
By Michael Bastasch The United States recently announced it was spending nearly $500 million to modernize Ghana’s electrical grid and reform the country’s struggling energy sector, adding to the billions already pledged by President Obama to increase electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa. Obama’s Power Africa program has already pledged $7 billion in government funds and leveraged loans…
26-year-old Brett Lee Scott will go to prison for almost two years after accepting a plea deal in the crime of pointing a laser at a police helicopter. Scott explained why he did it: He was bored. Laser pointers aimed at air vehicles is becoming an increasing problem in the United States. Arstechnica reported that…