PERSON

Michael Hastings speaking at the 2010 Reporters and Editors Conference in Washington, DC. Photo via Flickr user MedillNSZ.

Today, people are mourning the loss of journalist Michael Hastings who died in a car accident Tuesday. Hastings, 33, was best known for his 2010 article in Rolling Stone magazine which lead to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

The website BuzzFeed, where Hastings served as a contributor, published a post commemorating his life and achievements. And, while many people took to Twitter to share their memories of Hastings and his work, some believe that the horrific accident was a conspiracy.

Did the Michael Hastings news set off anybody else's conspiracy gland? Mine's pumping PSH (Paranoia Stimulating Hormone)

— lanyard (@lanyardtwerk) June 19, 2013

Is there a government conspiracy? | Michael Hastings Dead at 33 http://t.co/TWKX8XRdRt via @rollingstone

— Randy Gener (@RandyGener) June 19, 2013

I'm no conspiracy theorist but… fishy. RT @LAWeekly: Michael Hastings Probed The CIA Before Fatal Hollywood Crash http://t.co/m1zPg1Ln1x

— Anti Glib (@AntiGlib) June 19, 2013

UPDATE: People are also mourning “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini.

James Gandolfini, via Flickr user gdcgraphics.

Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Rome.

QUOTE

“It’s very seldom used and generally used in a particular incident where you need the capability.”

- FBI Director Robert Mueller at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee today admitting that the FBI uses drones over U.S. soil for surveillance purposes.

IMAGE

President Obama at the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin pic.twitter.com/GlVMSo2adS

— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) June 19, 2013

During his first visit to Berlin, Germany, as president, President Obama spoke at the Brandenburg Gate to address a reduction in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals.

The Brandenburg Gate is a symbolic landmark where President Ronald Reagan gave a very famous speech in 1987, and it stood between East Berlin and West Berlin when Germany was divided during the Communist era.

NUMBER

According to NSA Director General Keith Alexander, over 50 terrorist attacks have been intercepted since 9/11 because of surveillance efforts. He credited metadata collection and other undisclosed intelligence in helping to thwart the attacks.

PLACE

A 1st Kandak, 209th Afghan National Army Corps soldier greets two children in Afghanistan in 2007. Photo via The U.S. Army on Flickr.

Afghanistan – The Afghan government has suspended peace talks with both the Taliban and the United States. Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that he wouldn’t go any further with the talks unless “only Afghans are involved and violence stops.”

WORD

Racism. A new report reveals that celebrity chef Paula Deen not only uses the n-word and tells racist jokes, but was also planning a wedding in which she wanted African-American employees to dress as slaves.

Paula Deen Allegedly Admits To Using N-Word, Having Dinner Party With People Dressed As Slaves http://t.co/C4AxtckN28

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) June 19, 2013

It inspired a day-long Twitter trend: #PaulasBestDishes.

Rosa Pork, with a side order of Okra Winfrey. #PaulasBestDishes

— Teju Cole (@tejucole) June 19, 2013

VIDEO

If you haven’t seen it yet, watch actor-comedian Russell Brand call out MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” anchors for their lack of manners and professionalism.

TWEET

"For all those guys who left, don't come back for Game 7." – Chris Bosh

— Ryan Wolstat (@WolstatSun) June 19, 2013

The sports world is all fired up about Game 7 of the NBA playoffs in which the Miami Heat will battle it out against the San Antonio Spurs.

CONTROVERSY

Sexual assault. A Kickstarter campaign for a book has been causing a great deal of debate. The proposed book is being touted as a sort of dating guide, but many feel that it’s actually more like a how-to guide for sexual assault.

ISSUE

Obesity. The American Medical Association voted to declare obesity a disease. By way of justification, the AMA pointed to research indicating that many causes of obesity — including genetics — can’t be controlled by the individual.

The American Medical Association officially endorses recognizing obesity as a disease http://t.co/7KsJFwxNNY

— Forbes (@Forbes) June 18, 2013

The move to treat obesity as a disease is controversial and may prompt significant changes in the way physicians and insurance companies handle obese patients.

Bonus: LIFEHACK

Facebook is rolling out a new feature that will allow users to insert photos into comments. Per usual, it will take some time before everyone will have access to the feature.

Images used under Creative Commons licensing, including icons from The Noun Project.

The post Day in 10: June 19, 2013 appeared first on Kicker.

Both sides of the abortion debate via Flickr users utsfl and Debra Sweet.

This week, everybody’s talking about abortion. That’s because the House of Representatives voted in favor of a bill that would prevent women from obtaining abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

What does that mean exactly and why does it matter? Read on and find out.

What the legislation is all about

The bill is called The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act.

Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz) is the bill’s sponsor.

Arizona Republican Trent Franks via Flickr user Gage Skidmore.

Currently, the landmark Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade governs abortion practices in the United States.

Basically, Roe says that abortion is legal up until 24 weeks after conception, which is considered the point of viability — that is, the point at which a fetus could survive outside the mother’s womb. (Many states have laws restricting abortion before 24 weeks.)

The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act, on the other hand, aims to make abortions illegal nationwide after 20 weeks, claiming that a fetus can experience pain at that point.

A fetus at 20 weeks, via Flickr user Lars Plougmann.

Key terms: viability and fetal pain

Viability – the ability of a fetus to survive outside the womb – is a key milestone in the abortion debate. The current bill focuses on fetal pain.

A fetus is generally believed to be viable, medically speaking, at around 24 weeks. The Supreme Court has said that “judgments of viability are inexact and may vary with each pregnancy.” As a result, doctors are charged with ascertaining viability on a case-by-case basis. Because of viability, discussions about abortion often focus on gestational age – how long the embryo or fetus has been developing in the womb, measured in weeks. (Though that is often confused with conceptional age.)

Unlike viability, the point at which a fetus can experience pain has been called an “uncertain science.” Many experts argue that the brain and nervous system are not developed enough to process pain before 24 weeks’ gestation.

According to Britain’s Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,

“[A] fetus cannot feel pain before 24 weeks because the connections in the fetal brain are not fully formed.”

Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), a former OB-GYN, argued this week that fetuses can feel pleasure – and, if so, why not pain? – but that hasn’t been established as a scientific fact.

What happened in the House

Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) was one of several House Republicans to plead passionately in favor of the legislation:

If you missed my speech on the House floor yesterday in favor of HR 1797, you can watch it here: http://t.co/bgSDzNIIus #TheyFeelPain

— Rep. Renee Ellmers (@RepReneeEllmers) June 19, 2013

Tuesday, the House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill, 228-196.

The aftermath

Naturally, pro-choice groups like Planned Parenthood were upset:

Rep. Bonamici: “When abortion is made illegal, it does not go away, it becomes unsafe. Let’s not play politics with women’s health.” #HR1797

— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) June 18, 2013

Meanwhile, the pro-life camp celebrated a victory:

Historic moment for the #prolife movement – tonight the House passed a ban on late-term abortions. http://t.co/LX7hvwEge4 #TheyFeelPain

— Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) June 18, 2013

However, nobody actually believes that the bill will become a law.

Why the bill won’t pass

A quick civics refresher on how laws are made:

Currently, the Democrats have a majority in the Senate and the Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives. So, although the House voted in favor of the bill, there’s almost no chance that the Democrat-controlled Senate will vote for it.

After all, remember: Generally, Democrats are pro-choice and Republicans are anti-abortion.

And even if the Senate did vote for the bill, President Obama would veto it.

Today the House passed another in a long line of dangerous attacks on women's health care. Tell them that's #notOK: http://t.co/jXyghmz7V5

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 19, 2013

So, it’s extremely unlikely that the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act will become a law. Still, the bill is pretty significant. Here’s why.

Why it matters anyway

For a long time, abortion has polarized Democrats and Republicans. But the murder conviction of abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell brought the issue back to the forefront of mainstream attention. (Gosnell was convicted for killing three babies who were born alive during botched late-term abortion procedures.) Republican leaders seized the opportunity to try and change the law about it.

Horrors of #Gosnell case underscore need to defend unborn life; the House has acted http://t.co/RIXhhfMdp2 #TheyFeelPain #AllLifeIsPrecious

— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) June 18, 2013

One main reason the bill matters is that Democrats have only a small majority in the Senate. Right now, there are two Senate seats open – one from Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, who died recently, and one from former Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, who is now Secretary of State.

Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg and Secretary of State John Kerry via Wikimedia Commons.

So, if those seats – both Democratic – are filled by Republicans, and a similar bill comes before the House and Senate, then the odds of the bill passing increase considerably. Including Lautenberg and Kerry, there are 54 Democrats, 46 Republicans, and two independents in the Senate this session, so the margins are thin.

As NARAL spokeswoman Samantha Gordon put it:

“This year’s election cycle leaves two formerly pro-choice Senate seats up for grabs, which could tip the vote on any future anti-choice bills in the other direction.”

Public opinion could tip the debate. 64 percent of Americans say abortion should be illegal in the second trimester, which includes the window between 20 and 24 weeks that the bill focuses on.

How many women get abortions after 20 weeks? The numbers are small but significant. In 2009, just 1.3 percent of all abortions – 1.16 million total – were performed 21 weeks after conception or later. They are often done when something goes terribly wrong in a pregnancy.

When it comes to politics, some say that the legislation could alienate women from the Republican party. That’s because abortion is widely considered to be a women’s issue since it directly and exclusively affects women’s bodies, women’s health, and women’s reproductive rights.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Brush up on the arguments on either side of the abortion debate >>

Voice your views to your elected officials >>

Join Organizing for Action’s initiative >>

Start a pro-life club >>

Volunteer locally with Planned Parenthood >>

Images used under Creative Commons licensing.

The post Why An Anti-Abortion Bill That Won’t Pass Actually Matters appeared first on Kicker.

Will LeBron play his last game in Miami tonight? (Flickr/keithallison)

PERSON

Tonight could be LeBron James’ last game in a Miami Heat uniform. His team faces elimination in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. If Miami wins, they’ll play for the championship in a final Game 7 on Thursday. If they lose, this could spell the beginning of the end for LeBron in Miami. It could all be decided tonight.

UPDATE: The Heat won, taking the series to Game 7.

QUOTE

“She shouldn’t have put herself in that position.”

- U.S. tennis star Serena Williams, currently No. 1 in world rankings, in an interview with Rolling Stone about her thoughts on the rape of the 16-year old girl in Steubenville, Ohio, last year. (The case resulted in guilty verdicts and jail time last March for the perpetrators.)

IMAGE

The citizens of Turkey are still protesting, but now they’re taking a different, silent, approach – a form of civil disobedience. After weeks of intense protests in and around Gezi Park in Istanbul as well as around the country, many people are expressing their views merely by standing silently. And they’re not letting anything deter them – even physical disability.

benim can?m karde?im.. #duranadam pic.twitter.com/5va0OZqxDZ

— #DirenGeziPark? (@direnengezipark) June 18, 2013

Dozens of people have already been taken into custody in the last 24 hours after exhibiting passive defiance against Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

NUMBER

2.7 million – Car manufacturer Chrysler finally agreed to recall 2.7 million vehicles after initially refusing a request from the U.S. government to take the vehicles off the road. Chrysler now faces a number of wrongful death lawsuits after The National Highway Traffic Safety Commission said there have been 37 accidents that caused fires, resulting in at least 51 deaths.

PLACE

Brazil – The rising domestic costs tied to Brazil hosting the 2014 FIFA World Cup became a main point of contention for more than 100,000 people who took to the streets across the country last night. They’re upset about inflation throughout the country that they believe is directly tied to lavish spending on hosting the World Cup. Residents nationwide are also upset about what they see as deteriorating public services, low standards for health care and a general frustration with economic inequality and political corruption.

Enquanto isso, na principal avenida da capital cultural do país… #ProtestoRJ lindo, lindo, lindo! #VemPra… https://t.co/T7txUYjTya

— Lucio Amorim (@fanfa) June 17, 2013

WORD

Forced labor. A mentally disabled woman and her daughter were rescued from an apartment 60 miles south of Cleveland on Tuesday after being held captive for two years by three suspects who are now being charged by federal officials with forced labor. CNN is calling it “modern day slavery.” The women were forced to perform manual labor and were threatened with pit bulls, pythons and a venomous snake. The suspects are also accused of beating the woman to collect painkillers for themselves.

VIDEO

The Taliban – a militant group in Afghanistan that is allied with the terrorist network al Qaeda – announced it opened an office in Qatar and is willing to participate in peace talks with the Afghan government. The announcement has prompted some to wonder whether the move will help bring about better relations with President Hamid Karzai and, in turn, perhaps open the dialogue for peace with the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal sat down with one of its reporters in Kabul to find out what this all means:

(The Taliban, as you might remember, carried out the brutal attack on girls’ education advocate Malala Yousafzai.)

TWEET

96-mile-per-hour winds have been reported as this tornado takes shape in Colorado:

This is scary and yet totally amazing to see! #denver #tornadowarning pic.twitter.com/xQfod3JzST

— Jen Milazzo (@jmilazz) June 18, 2013

Speaking of natural disasters, check out this cool interactive map.

CONTROVERSY

Exploitation. A photo spread in Vice Magazine features models portraying famous women writers at the moment they committed suicide. The photos, which were also passed off as being in the spirit of fashion, were widely criticized as tasteless and morbidly exploitative. Vice removed the photos from its site and issued an apology.

ISSUE

Abortion. The House of Representatives challenged the landmark Roe. v. Wade case today as it looks to ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee called it the “most significant piece of legislation to come before the House since the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.” But President Obama has come out against the proposed measure, saying he will veto it if it’s passed.

Bonus: LIFEHACK

Here’s a breakdown of the different kinds of male texters. Recognize them? (Also check out the 16 kinds of people on Facebook!)

Images used under Creative Commons licensing, including icons from The Noun Project.

The post Day in 10: June 18, 2013 appeared first on Kicker.

A 7-Eleven store. Image by Flickr user taberandrew

Yesterday federal law enforcement raided over a dozen 7-Eleven stores in Long Island and Virginia for smuggling in undocumented immigrants, stealing identities for them to use, and forcing them to work for low pay.

The timing is interesting because Congress is preparing to vote on legislation that will overhaul the immigration system.

The 7-Eleven arrests are supposedly totally unrelated to the ongoing debate over immigration legislation. But they’ve certainly drawn attention to it.

U.S. Seizes 14 7-Eleven Stores in #Immigration Raids http://t.co/COcrADCjyF who's benefit from broken immigration system? #timeisnow

— Rafael Morataya (@RafaelMorataya2) June 18, 2013

The 7-11 raid, in a nutshell

A 7-Eleven. Image by Flickr user Mexican 2000.

Federal officials arrested nine owners and managers of 7-Eleven stores in Long Island and Virginia. The officials claim that the owners of the 14 stores in question made up Social Security numbers for undocumented immigrant workers and then paid them only a fraction of what their labor is worth.

Oh, and they also forced the immigrant workers to live in boarding houses – AND pay for the privilege.

A prosecutor even called the stores “a modern-day plantation system.” Yes, as in slavery.

7-11 owners made immigrants work 100 hours/wk, live in substandard conditions in "plantation"-esque system: http://t.co/xnDENaEHlZ

— Raquel E Saraswati (@RaquelEvita) June 18, 2013

That’s not all. The officials are currently investigating 40 other 7-Eleven stores that could be guilty of similar practices.

So how did the stores do it? Apparently they gave illegal immigrants from Pakistan new identities – those of children and the deceased.

And 7-Eleven isn’t the only chain that has been accused of such practices. Chipotle came under fire for hiring undocumented workers in 2012.

Chances are good that more companies will come under investigation as the government steps up enforcement of laws against undocumented workers.

So what are the laws on hiring undocumented workers?

ICE badge. Image by Flickr user D.C. Atty.

Immigration Customs and Enforcement, or ICE, investigates employers who mistreat or exploit undocumented workers. Here’s their policy:

“ICE will look for evidence of the mistreatment of workers, along with evidence of trafficking, smuggling, harboring, visa fraud, identification document fraud, money laundering and other such criminal conduct. ICE will obtain indictments, criminal arrests or search warrants, or a commitment from a U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute the targeted employer before arresting employees for civil immigration violations at a worksite.”

Employers are only liable for hiring immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally if they have reason to suspect that the workers may be undocumented. If the workers present what appears to be a valid I-9 form, the employers are generally not on the hook.

But sometimes employers use ICE to their advantage by threatening to have workers deported if they complain about unfair working conditions.

What should an undocumented person do when an employer threatens to call ICE on you & have your family deported?… http://t.co/9rw4b5zwMW

— Dulce Matuz (@dmatuz) May 15, 2013

What are the current stats on immigration?

The foreign-born population of the United States has changed dramatically over time, and made up about 13 percent of the U.S. population in 2010:

There were an estimated 11.5 million undocumented immigrants in the United States as of 2011. 63 percent of that population entered the U.S. before 2000.

The state of U.S. immigration http://t.co/VlbvXIF682 pic.twitter.com/c62aGj4K3j

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) June 18, 2013

In 2011, ICE removed 396,906 undocumented immigrants from the United States.

Most legal immigrants are admitted based on family connections, while most undocumented immigrants come seeking jobs. New legislation could change that.

Changing the Face of Immigration infographic by timmeko.

How do states handle immigration?

Immigration reform rally. Photo by Flickr user Elvert Barnes.

Laws and guidelines for workers aren’t the only aspect of immigration under scrutiny right now – so is the right to vote.

On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down an Arizona law requiring new voters to present proof of citizenship before registering to vote.

Why? Because a 1993 law allows aspiring voters to simply swear that they are U.S. citizens. The Supremes said that federal law overrides the Arizona state law.

In other words, if nationwide, all you need to do to register to vote is swear that you’re a citizen, states can’t impose their own requirements.

But the issue is still alive and kicking.

Just filed amendment to immigration bill that permits states to require ID for voter registration http://t.co/Um82HU7XPB

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) June 17, 2013

State laws on the identification required for voter registration vary. Some require photo identification and some do not. Supporters of such laws say they’re meant to stop voter fraud. Critics say they’re intimidation tactics.

See your state’s requirements >>

Arizona did pass a law, known as SB1070, that requires police officers to check the immigration status of anyone they detain or arrest. Other parts of that law were shut down by the Supreme Court, but that provision remained.

The law inspired copycat laws in other states including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah.

What’s going on at the federal level?

President Obama supports immigration reform.

So do many Democrats in the House and Senate. Republicans are a bit more skeptical.

See our handy guide to the immigration reform plans >>

Some Republicans want to see tougher language about border security and higher standards for qualifying for programs like Social Security. Some also criticize the creation of so-called “pathways to citizenship” for undocumented immigrants as “amnesty” (government pardon of wrongdoing) in disguise.

Amnesty is a false choice. It is not necessary for immigration reform to work. #StopAmnesty

— Jim DeMint (@JimDeMint) June 18, 2013

Put the path vs. amnesty arguments this way: Think of those mistreated 7-Eleven workers. Some believe they should be given a way to stay in this country legally. Others think that would basically just be the government condoning illegal acts. Lawmakers are trying to hammer out a solution they can agree on.

Some Republicans also worry that immigration reform would be very costly and hurt the economy, though that isn’t quite clear.

These squabbles are a big deal – if lawmakers can’t agree, the deal might die. House Speaker John Boehner said,

“I don’t see any way of bringing an immigration bill to the floor that doesn’t have majority support of Republicans.”

Boehner is the Republicans’ leader in the House, so he’s very influential.

Border security & majority of GOP essential to pass immigration reform in the House http://t.co/Be3fCzMYf2

— Speaker John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) June 18, 2013

But he also knows a no vote could be bad news for the GOP.

If GOP scuttles immigration reform, it will be a minority party for the next three decades.

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) June 18, 2013

Boehner is threatening to invoke the Hastert Rule, an informal rule that requires a majority of the majority party (in the case of the House, the Republicans), to support a bill for the Speaker to allow a vote on the bill.

Asked if he thinks he could lose his speakership if he violates the Hastert Rule on immigration reform, Boehner says: "Maybe."

— Ashley Parker (@AshleyRParker) June 18, 2013

Keep your eye on what happens.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Join activists supporting immigration reform >>

See if you could pass the U.S. naturalization test >>

Petition Congress for immigration reform >>

Sign a petition asking Congress for a path to citizenship for #DREAMers >>

Play a game that simulates being undocumented for a day >>

Write an email or letter to your Representative >>

Volunteer for immigration reform >>

Check out voices for and against immigration reform >>

Images used under Creative Commons licensing.

The post How 7-Eleven Brought National Attention to Immigration Reform appeared first on Kicker.

PERSON

Jay-Z via Flickr user NRK P3.

Rap star Jay-Z announced the release of his next album with a commercial during last night’s NBA finals game. Called “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” the album won’t be released until July 4, but Samsung has already bought a million copies. The multinational electronics company plans to give the album away to users of its Galaxy smartphone 72 hours before the official release.

QUOTE

“All I can say right now is the US Government is not going to be able to cover this up by jailing or murdering me.”

- NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, during an open-to-the-public live chat on The Guardian’s website today. During the chat, Snowden denied spying for the Chinese government, complained that the mainstream media has focused on his personal life instead of the surveillance issue and described his disappointment in Obama.

As you might imagine, the Twitterverse went wild:

I'd say #asksnowden was heavy on rhetoric, light on specifics. I most want to know where he has *direct* knowledge.

— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) June 17, 2013

Edward Snowden now more overexposed and annoying than the average Kardashian

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) June 17, 2013

Watching people writhe around trying to find something wrong with Edward Snowden's answering people's questions is quite fascinating.

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) June 17, 2013

IMAGE

Cute kids. Pres Obama and British PM Cameron with schoolchildren in No. Ireland (yes the kids are still in school) pic.twitter.com/EWf4ocP2LR

— petesouza (@petesouza) June 17, 2013

While in Northern Ireland for the G8 summit — an annual conference of governmental leaders from some of the world’s wealthiest countries — President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron met a group of Irish schoolchildren.

NUMBER

Jimmy Hoffa with his son in 1965. By John Bottega via Wikimedia Commons.

1975 – That’s the year that labor leader Jimmy Hoffa mysteriously disappeared. Nearly four decades later, the FBI received a reliable tip from a Mafia captain that Hoffa is buried in a field in suburban Detroit and today they started digging. Hoffa’s disappearance is one of the great unsolved mysteries of the 20th century.

PLACE

By Wing-Chi Poon via Wikimedia Commons

Arizona – Today the Supreme Court threw out an Arizona law requiring would-be voters to provide proof of citizenship. In the 7-2 decision, Justice Antonin Scalia said that Arizona’s law conflicted with a national law requiring states to “accept and use” a form that lets people register to vote with basic identification when renewing their drivers’ licenses or applying for social services.

WORD

Geekery. The Oxford English Dictionary added more than 1,200 new or revised words to its latest edition, including “geekery.” The meaning of the word has been revised from a rarely-used term for circus acts to “obsessive interest in or enthusiasm for a subject, typically one of specialist or minority interest.”

VIDEO

We’re still waiting on our jetpacks, but thanks to Czech engineers, the flying bike is here.

TWEET

Over the weekend, television and radio personality Dr. Drew Pinksy tweeted his concern about troubled star Amanda Bynes and found himself the latest target of Bynes’s rebuke:

@drdrew WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? What kind of help are you referring to? You're ugly and I want you to leave me alone!

— Amanda Bynes (@AmandaBynes) June 16, 2013

Since then, Pinsky has apologized, and explained that he was trying to be “supportive.”

CONTROVERSY

Women’s magazines. Last week, Port magazine published a cover story on the “New Golden Age” of print media which featured six white, male editors. The Internet responded with outrage that this “new age” doesn’t seem to include women or people of color.

Today, novelist and reporter Jessica Grose looked at why women’s magazines aren’t taken as seriously as men’s.

That was my first reaction to seeing GQ on the cover of Port: why is a men's magazine universal and a women's mag specific?

— emilynussbaum (@emilynussbaum) June 17, 2013

Superficial gripe about women's mags: The cover. Ironically shallow, but I don't like being seen reading anything with DIET/BEAUTY on cover.

— Jessica Lussenhop (@Lussenpop) June 17, 2013

ISSUE

Incarcerated parents. One in 28 American children has a parent behind bars. To address the issue and help those kids feel less stigmatized, Sesame Street introduced its first character with a parent in jail. His name is Alex and he talks about missing his dad and feeling embarrassed to talk about him with other people.

Bonus: LIFEHACK

Have you ever been the last one at baggage claim, silently praying that your bag will magically appear on the empty luggage carousel? If you’re planning to fly this summer, be sure you know how to get your luggage back if an airline loses it.

Images used under Creative Commons licensing, including icons from The Noun Project.

The post Day in 10: June 17, 2013 appeared first on Kicker.

Her answer was mocked by the press and on Twitter, as if she were running to become the next president.

Miss Utah may not have a coherent answer to a question about income inequality, but she's hot so…

— ross kostecky (@rkostecky) June 17, 2013

Sure, Miss Utah’s answer was clearly poorly prepared and inarticulate.

all miss utah had to talk about was how job salaries between men and woman should be just as equal and women's rights. is it that hard!?

— emgeez (@emmmmsav) June 17, 2013

But let’s not let that distract us from the question she was asked.

“In 40% of American families with children, women are the primary earners, yet they continue to earn less than men. What does this say about society?”

What does it say, indeed?

I'm hearing all these morning shows mock Miss Utah for her answer. My Q to them: What is YOUR answer to that question?

— John Walters (@jdubs88) June 17, 2013

In a nutshell

Image via Flickr user willkommen.

First of all, what were you expecting to hear at a beauty pageant?

Actually, the beginning of Miss Utah’s answer wasn’t totally off – income inequality is somewhat related to a lack of access to education.

But it’s a bit more complicated than that. Women earn 77 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn. Even though “equal pay for equal work” is law.

And in some places women earn less than that compared with men. The worst place in the U.S. for women to work isn’t Utah but Seattle, Washington.

What is the wage gap?

Women’s earnings as a percentage of men’s, by age, in 2008. Photo by Wikicommons user SonicYouth86.

The wage gap, or pay gap, is also referred to as income inequality. It’s the difference in wages between men and women. It’s most obvious when you compare the earnings of a man and a woman with the same skills or experience doing the same job, but there are other ways it’s apparent.

In the U.S. it’s measured as the ratio between female to male median yearly earnings among full-time, year-round workers. In 2009, that ratio was 0.77, so that’s where we get the statistic that women earn 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. In other words, women make 16 percent less than men for doing similar full-time jobs.

Why is there still a pay gap?

For a number of reasons:

1. Differences in personal and workplace characteristics. The difference in wages between men and women is a result of a difference in work hours, occupation and education.

2. Direct and indirect discrimination in the labor market. The difference in wages is also a result of stereotypes and customer and employer bias.

3. Preferences. Women often take jobs that often have societal benefits yet lack monetary benefits. In other words, women tend to value what they can contribute over what’s in it for them.

4. Lack of skills. Women lack tools and resources that help them negotiate higher salaries.

5. Balance. Many women are forced to make trade-offs between motherhood and career, especially those who don’t have supportive partners or are single parents.

6. Male leadership. Men are still overwhelmingly in positions of power in both the public and private sectors.

Or, as Miss Utah inartfully put it,

“Men are seen as the leaders of this.”

What does it say about society?

Photo by Flickr user Victor1558.

That’s the question Miss Utah was asked. The answer is that the wage gap says a lot about how women are stereotyped in society.

Here are some of the big stereotypes we need to combat:

Women are stupid. Especially beautiful women – “wisdom” holds that women can’t be both beautiful and smart. That’s a huge stereotype that holds women back and is reinforced by the media and internalized by women.

Women’s worth is based on appearance. Sending this message to young girls distracts them and keeps them seeking more meaningful attainment.

Women must be nice or else risk being seen as bitches. This stereotype keeps women from seeking higher pay, making hard decisions in fear of making people mad, or simply taking a confident tone in the workplace.

Women should be in charge of household duties. Without domestic partners pulling doing equal amount of work in housework, women are forced to unfairly balance the two.

Why it matters

Photo by Flickr user Olaf.

More and more women are moving into positions previously occupied by men. And because 40% of women are the number one breadwinners for their families, an unfair salary means the whole family suffers.

So it’s an economic issue and a family issue as much as it is a gender issue. It affects everyone, including you.

That’s what Miss Utah might have said.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Find out what the pay gap is in your state >>

Get involved with Girls Inc., which empowers girls to be strong, smart and bold >>

Sign a petition in support of wage inequality >>

Join the Lean In movement >>

Find out about the White House Council on Women and Girls >>

Images used under Creative Commons licensing.

The post Why Miss Utah’s Flub on the Gender Pay Gap Actually Matters appeared first on Kicker.

PERSON

By Mojtaba Salimi (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

Hassan Rowhani was elected to succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the president of Iran on Saturday. Officials say the reformist candidate Rowhani, who is expected to be much more liberal on nuclear weapons policy, carried over 50 percent of the vote. It could mean significant changes are coming to Iran.

Photo: Iranian man vote in #Iranelection with the US flag! #Iran pic.twitter.com/1mhrxT7O8R

— Mehr News Agency (@MehrnewsCom) June 14, 2013

QUOTE

“I said we were at an end, that it was unbearable. Yesterday the operation was carried out and it was cleaned up. It was my duty as prime minister.”

- Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan proclaimed an end to the Gezi Park protests Sunday in front of a crowd of government supporters. Police sent the last protestors in the encampment running from tear gas Saturday night, and by this morning had emptied and cordoned off all of Taksim Square.

#GeziPark now. The makeshift library of the park. Now empty #occupygezi pic.twitter.com/OGP8AKgP00

— Abdullah Ayasun (@ABYASUN) June 15, 2013

IMAGE

Image via K.D.Burke Photography’s Facebook page

This powerful photo of a Marine and his bride-to-be holding hands and praying before their wedding ceremony went viral, even landing the couple an appearance on “The Today Show.”

PLACE

Image via Flickr user rovingl

Enniskillen, Ireland – Leaders from the member nations of the G8 – the world’s eight richest nations – are arriving in this northern Ireland town today. British Prime Minister David Cameron and Russian President Vladimir Putin met Sunday in advance of the G8 meetings to discuss the situation in Syria. No word yet on whether Putin will return New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring, though.

NUMBER

113.1 – Man of Steel, the latest superhero summer blockbuster, now boasts the biggest opening weekend gross earnings ever for the month of June at $113.1 million – even bigger than 2010′s Toy Story 3.

WORD

Balloon. Google launched 30 “Internet balloons” above Christchurch, New Zealand, Saturday to test a project the company hopes will bring the Internet to almost five billion people around the world who currently lack access to an Internet connection.

VIDEO

Happy Father’s Day! Google celebrated with one of their signature doodles showcasing the many varied roles and personalities of the modern Dad.

TWEET

Stars took to Twitter Saturday to congratulate new parents Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on the arrival of their baby girl, just in time for Father’s Day.

I can not even begin 2describe the miracle that is now apart of our family. Mommy/baby are healthy &resting. We appreciate all of the love.

— KhloéKardashianOdom (@KhloeKardashian) June 16, 2013

There is no greater gift in life than a child's laughter! congrats to Kim And Kanye… http://t.co/Qbvv8qsSyL

— Russell Simmons (@UncleRUSH) June 15, 2013

Mazel tov @KimKardashian on the birth of ur baby girl. So happy for u n ur family, including uncle @JonathanCheban ! Xo

— Patti Stanger (@pattistanger) June 16, 2013

Congrats to Kanye 4 the birth of his daughter today too! To my bros w/ daughters!!

— Nasir Jones (@Nas) June 15, 2013

CONTROVERSY

LGBT discrimination. One semester before graduation, Grace University student Danielle Powell was expelled when her school found out that she was in a same-sex relationship. Then, the university demanded that she repay the $6,000 in scholarship the school offered for the semester she never got to complete. Powell’s wife is now circulating a petition to compel Grace University to drop the fees, and her call for help has even caught Macklemore’s attention.

I cannot believe this is happening in 2013. #EQUALITY http://t.co/qPV9f7AxyS

— Macklemore (@macklemore) June 13, 2013

ISSUE

Image via Flickr user barbourians

Academic doping. New York Senator Charles Schumer is calling on colleges to crack down on abuse of prescription ADHD pills. Schumer pointed to studies that found between 15 and 35 percent of college students report having abused Adderall or Ritalin as a study aid, and suggested that colleges require students to be formally diagnosed with ADHD and agree to attend follow-up counseling before filling a prescription.

Bonus: LIFEHACK

Scrambling for a belated gift for Dad? Here are 15 gift ideas from Pinterest to help you out in a pinch.

Images used under Creative Commons licensing, including icons from The Noun Project.

The post Weekend in 10: June 15-16, 2013 appeared first on Kicker.

• sunday
• monday
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• wednesday
• thursday
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• saturday

Monday, June 17, 2013

A pre-trial hearing for five Guantanamo Bay prisoners linked to 9/11 is scheduled for today. The quintet will be tried for war crimes.

The G8 Summit — featuring the heads of state from the U.S., Russia, Germany, France, Japan, Canada, the U.K. and Italy — begins at the Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen, Ireland.

First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters will begin a two-day tour of Ireland.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Keith Allison.

A controversial auction of Kobe Bryant’s memorabilia will take place today after the basketball great settled a lawsuit with the house holding it.

If you have a Harley, feel free to flaunt it to the office. Today is Ride to Work Day, supporting the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation purposes.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Today is International Sushi Day! Yummmm.

Big day in the music world as Kanye West releases Yeezus, his sixth album, today. The rapper collaborated with Daft Punk, Skrillex, Frank Ocean and Justin Vernon this time around.

If Kanye doesn’t interest you, 3OH!3, Empire of the Sun, Hanson, J.Cole, Kelly Rowland and Mac Miller release new works today as well.

Cher will appear on the finale of “The Voice” to mark her first performance in 10 years as she sings the first single off her new album.

Meanwhile, President Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are expected to discuss NSA, the controversial U.S. surveillance program, at the G8 Summit.

Image courtesy of Flickr user ryanjreilly.

Attorney General Eric Holder will testify before the House Judiciary Committee regarding his department’s handling of the records and files of journalists.

Joe Biden holds an event focusing on gun control. Though momentum in Congress has slowed on this issue, both Obama and Biden said they won’t be slowing their own efforts to combat gun violence.

Chrysler must submit a report on Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty models to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today while Dish Network must make a final bid for Sprint.

Jack the Giant Slayer and Dead Man Down are among today’s new releases on DVD, Blu-Ray and your digital outlet of choice.

Friday, June 21, 2013

A sentencing hearing wil be held for former Enron CEO Jeff Skilling, who is currently serving 24 years in a federal prison for securities fraud. The Department of Justice recommends his sentence be shortened.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Caesar Sebastian.

Hundreds of thousands of fans converge on Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the annual Electric Daisy Carnival, the biggest electronic/dance music event in the world.

As of 1:04 a.m. in the East, it is officially summer.

Happy Birthday, Constitution! New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it on this day in 1788, making the document law.

Two big releases hit theaters today. First up is Brad Pitt in the film version of Max Brooks’ zombie epic World War Z.

Mike and Sully return 12 years after Monsters, Inc. with a prequel, Monsters University. Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi return while Charlie Day, Helen Mirren, Nathan Fillion and John Krasinski (among others) join the voice cast.

Images used under Creative Commons licensing.

The post Coming Up: June 16-22, 2013 appeared first on Kicker.

PERSON

(YouTube capture)

This adorable little 11-year-old, Sebastien de la Cruz, sang an encore performance of the national anthem at last night’s game four of the NBA finals. Cruz was the target of many racist tweets and Internet criticism — “Can’t believe they had the nerve to have a beaner singing the national anthem of America #smh.” — following his initial performance at game three earlier this week. His response to the nastiness? “It was just people — how they were raised. My father and my mama told me you should never judge people by how they look.” Give it up for 5th graders showing the rest of the country how to behave.

QUOTE

“Immigrants are more fertile, and they love families, and they have more intact families, and they bring a younger population. Immigrants create an engine of economic prosperity.”

- former governor of Florida Jeb Bush, advocating for immigration reform at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s Road to the Majority conference. Bush, a Republican, has been widely criticized by his peers for his stance on this issue. And some have suggested that though his heart may be in the right place, his strategy is all wrong.

IMAGE

Hillary and Chelsea’s first selfie!

My first #selfie w my mom @HillaryClinton back stage at #CGIAmerica. #ProudDaughter pic.twitter.com/84sEBHsRGn

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) June 14, 2013

NUMBER

The Obama administration says it will spend $100 million over the next five years to expand the airwaves available for broadband use in the United States. In other words, your cell service and WiFi access are about to get stronger.

PLACE

via Flickr user kia4067

Minneapolis, Minnesota – the Associated Press discovered a former Nazi commander living in northern Minneapolis. Ninety-four-year-old Michael Karkoc led a unit that burned villages filled with women and children. Karkoc could be deported and prosecuted for war crimes in Germany and Poland.

WORD

LEAK. Kanye West’s new record, Yeezus, leaked today. Stream it here to find out why everybody’s talking about croissants.

VIDEO

This video is not a Kmart ad:

That’s what the company’s been trying to assure everyone today after a comedy troupe made this tasteless video that many say is racist.

@Gabriel_Whaley This is not a Kmart ad nor is this type of content endorsed by Kmart.

— Kmart (@Kmart) June 14, 2013

TWEET

Today marked the 6-month anniversary of the devastating school shooting in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 children and six school administrators. The president reached out today on Twitter asking for your support for gun control legislation.

Retweet if you agree that the best way to honor 26 #Newtown victims is for Congress to pass common-sense gun violence legislation.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) June 14, 2013

CONTROVERSY

America’s worst charity — the Florida-based Kids Wish Network — donates less than 3 cents for every dollar it receives in donations. Here’s a list of the 50 worst charities to donate money to.

ISSUE

And speaking of gun control, not much has happened since the Newtown shootings. In fact, more than 5,000 people in the U.S. have been killed by guns since December, and the number is growing.

Bonus: LIFEHACK

All those helpful household tips and tricks you find on Pinterest? Turns out, a lot of them are bogus. Spraying cooking oil on your nails after painting them, for instance, will not help them dry faster. It will, however, make a big mess.

Images used under Creative Commons licensing, including icons from The Noun Project.

The post Day in 10: June 14, 2013 appeared first on Kicker.

Obama Acts on Syria—Is It Too Late? http://t.co/V0FXzdfxmV

— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) June 14, 2013

A little background:

At least 93,000 people have died, and over one million have fled the country since the Syrian civil war began in early 2011.

UN's 93K deaths in #Syria is not an estimate – its a count of non-duplicate deaths in 8 datasets. Likely undercount. http://t.co/PFzCnB4MyZ

— Brian Root (@brian_root) June 13, 2013

Many people are saying that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s actions constitute genocide, which is the systematic killing of an entire population of people.

On Thursday, the Obama Administration announced its decision to send weapons to rebel groups fighting against the Syrian government’s armed forces, after concluding the government’s armed forces have used chemical weapons “on a small scale against the opposition multiple times in the last year.”

U.S. has broad range of evidence of multiple incidents of chemical weapons used by Syrian regime: White House #breaking

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) June 14, 2013

Obama had called the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government a “red line,” meaning that if it was crossed (i.e. chemical weapons were used), the U.S. would have to intervene.

So, why hasn’t the U.S. stepped in until now? The decision was complicated for a few reasons:

• It wasn’t initially clear who was using the chemical weapons: Assad forces or rebel groups.
• The Nusra Front, an off-shoot of al-Qaeda in Iraq, is a part of the opposition against al-Assad, and poses a huge conflict of interest.
• It’s not certain whether outside intervention would do more harm than good.

There’s an old saying that goes, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” meaning that we should learn from our mistakes. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some other historically recent genocides to see what we can learn about American intervention:

1994: Rwanda

A genocide memorial sign. Photo by Wikicommons user Adam Jones.

“… one cabinet minister said she was personally in favor of getting rid of all Tutsi; without the Tutsi, she told ministers, all of Rwanda’s problems would be over.”

– Rwandan Prime Minister Jean Kambanda in a testimony before The International Criminal Court

Death toll: The genocide in the East African State of Rwanda resulted in the death of 500,000-1,000,000 people, or 20 percent of the country’s population in less than two months, and displaced millions more. It goes down as one of the most horrific genocides in history.

In case you were wondering where Rwanda is:

The Conflict: The Hutu-led government blamed the Tutsi tribe, a minority, for the state’s social, economic and political problems, and made plans to exterminate the group.

U.S. Intervention: Despite knowing of the Hutu government’s intentions to wipe out all Tutsis, the U.S. did not intervene.

The Aftermath: Then President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, has since said not intervening in Rwanda is one of his biggest regrets. He believes that had the U.S. gone in, it could have saved one third of the thousands killed.

Photo by Wikicommons user Bob McNeely, The White House.

Without any help from outside, the targeted groups had to fend for themselves.

Perhaps you’ve seen the movie Hotel Rwanda:

The film is based on the true story of Paul Rusesabagina who felt like the world turned its back on the conflict. He tried to save as many people he could from the massacre.

Paul Rusesabagina being honored by George W. Bush in 2005, for his humanitarian efforts in Rwanda, Africa. Photo by Wikicommons user Paul Morse.

The conflict only ended when the Tutsi-dominated rebel group, defeated the Hutu regime — carrying out the mass murder. President Paul Kagame then took control. He’s still the president today.

In 2011, the International Criminal Court dealt a handful of life sentences to Rwandan government officials who supported the genocide.

Similarities to Syria: Similar to the way Tutsi’s were targeted, entire villages of Sunni Muslims are being destroyed and thousands in the political opposition are being detained.

Important piece by @SlaughterAM: Obama should remember Rwanda as he weighs action in Syria http://t.co/2CBQbNeirR

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) April 27, 2013

Reports include accounts of rape of detainees, widespread torture, including torture and murder of children and denial of food.

Differences From Syria: The use of high grade weapons by Syrian government and rebel forces make it harder for opposition to defeat al-Assad forces. The weapons used in Rwanda were mostly machetes and AK-47s.

1975-79: Cambodia

Romanian President and Cambodian Prime minister Pol Pot (left) in 1978. Photo by Wikicommons.

“Only several thousand Kampucheans might have died due to some mistakes in implementing our policy of providing an affluent life for the people.”

- Pol Pot, leader of Cambodia during the genocide in Cambodia

Death Toll: Pol Pot’s party, the Khmer Rouge, killed more than 1.7 million people through work, starvation and torture.

Here’s where Cambodia is on a map:

The Conflict: In an effort to abolish all competition and install communism, the Khmer Rouge targeted doctors, lawyers, military and police, Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.

Pol Pot killed approximately 1.7 million in his pursuit to install a communism. Photo by Flickr user Dr dre.

The Khmer Rouge put people in collective living arrangements that reflected the party’s level of trust in each group. They also launched “re-education programs” and those who refused to participate were killed.

The most infamous commune is the prison camp Tuol Sleng Centre, known as S-21.

Prison where Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge tortured and killed thousands of Cambodians. Photo by Wikicommons user Curtis Foreman.

A Khmer Rouge Prison S-21 bed. Photo by Flickr user mabbink.

U.S. Intervention: Prior to Pol Pot’s rule, the U.S. had bombed the country side of Cambodia during the Vietnam War and rallied for people to support pro-West Lon Nol as the leader of Cambodia. The Khmer then used the U.S.’s actions to recruit followers.

In 1975, after Cambodia seized a U.S. merchant ship Mayaguez in the Gulf of Siam and took its crew hostage, Republican President Gerald Ford put U.S. forces on Cambodia’s coast and ordered airstrikes on the mainland.

U.S. President Gerald Ford (1974-77). Photo by Wikicommons.

Ford made no other efforts to stop the atrocities from taking place.

Result: The death didn’t stop until The Khmer Rouge was removed from power by the Vietnamese. Vietnam invaded Cmbodia in January 1979 and established a pro-Vietnamese regime there.

Similarities to Syria: In both cases, the U.S. is/was already involved in the region. In the past decade, the U.S. has strengthened its ties with Israel, occupied Iraq and invaded Afghanistan — all of which complicates the decision to intervene in Syria. Before the Genocide in Cambodia, the U.S. was waging a war in Vietnam, Cambodia’s neighboring country, which greatly affected its attitude toward Cambodia.

Because not one group, but the whole society, was targeted in the Cambodian genocide, scholars struggled to label it. Similarly, there’s a debate about whether to call what’s happening in Syria a genocide.

When good people do nothing, #evil triumphs. #Armenia #Holocaust #Cambodia #Rwanda #Kosovo #Al-Anafal #Darfur #Syria. What's next?

— Neil Orlowsky (@norlowsky) June 14, 2013

Differences From Syria: Both sides of the Syrian Civil war — rebel forces and Al-Assad’s army — have received support from foreign powers. And so, the case of Syria is interpreted as more of a proxy war in which the territory is used by a third party agent to fight the agent’s battle.

1992-1995: Bosnia

Srebrenica Stone in remembrance of the 1992-1995 genocide. Photo by Wikicommons.

“NATO believes it can pick on a small nation and force us to surrender our independence. And that is where NATO miscalculated. You are not willing to sacrifice lives to achieve our surrender. But we are willing to die to defend our rights as an independent sovereign nation.”

– Slobodan Miloševic, president of Yugoslavia that represented Serbian interests during Bosnia’s Genocide

Death Toll: An estimated 23,000 women, children and elderly people were put on buses and taken to Muslim-controlled territory, and 8,000 young men were detained and slaughtered.

The Conflict: Following the collapse of Yugoslavia during the fall of communism, many countries began to break apart. When Bosnia attempted to succeed, Serbia — under Slobodan Miloševic’s leadership — set out to “ethnically cleanse” Bosnian territory by removing all Bosnian Muslims, known as Bosniaks.

Here’s Bosnia on the globe:

U.S. Intervention: The U.S. did intervene in this case. And it’s about the only one that’s been a success … and by success, we mean a partial success.

Warren Christopher Secretary of State under President Clinton.

In 1995, Warren Christopher, who was Secretary of State under President Clinton, led a peace conference that resulted in the Dayton Peace Accords during which the political division between Bosnia and Serbia, as well as the structure of both governments were agreed upon.

Slobodan Milosevic, Prime Minister of Serbia during the time of the massacre. Photo by Wikicommons user Lance Cheung.

Similarities to Syria: Both cases involve the extermination of ethnic groups to promote political agenda and garner power.

Differences From Syria: President Al-Assad has refused to cooperate or engage in peace talks, whereas government officials involved in the genocide in Bosnia were much more cooperative. At the peace conference held in 1995, all necessary parties participated.

So … What do YOU think? Should the U.S. intervene in Syria?

HOW TO TAKE ACTION

Donate to help Syrian refugees >>

Petition to protect Syrian children >>

Learn what you can do to help Syria >>

Petition the U.S. Congress >>

Join the “I am Syria” campaign on Facebook >>

Images used under Creative Commons licensing.

The post Should the U.S. Intervene in Syria? You Decide appeared first on Kicker.