Current Events Archives - Page 7 of 10

“Pink Slime” In Fast Food – Controversy Now, Lawsuit Later?

reuters.com: The latest in the pink slime controversy: In an ironic twist, the producers of “pink slime,” the filler material used for hamburgers and other fast foods, is likely one reason that lobbying efforts in the agribusiness industry were handsomely rewarded with $123.8 million in 2011 (according to opensecrets.org). Apparently, the money that could be spent to improve the quality of Americans’ food and proportionately lower our health care premiums is spent to hide the ingredients in certain foods. One producer has already declared bankruptcy, which means that it may be judgment proof by the time consumers become aware that they may have potential claims against the manufacturers based on possible health complications caused by the ~~food~~ slime.

This Time Next Year: What Accountants Do With Their Taxes

Huffingtonpost.com: The goal of every taxpayer should be to “get as close to zero as possible,” Bell says. “The wisdom is that every time you’re getting a refund, you’ve really giving the government a loan. I personally try to owe Uncle Sam just a little money; under $100 is my personal goal. That way, I know for sure they got my return when my check clears.”

To read more about what accountants do that you’ll want to do next year, once this year’s tax headache is over, click here.

New Push for Repeal of Stand Your Ground Laws

It was big news last week when prosecutors charged George Zimmerman with second-degree murder in the shooting of Trayvon Martin. But Zimmerman could walk free if a judge decides his actions fall under Florida’s “stand your ground” law, which gives broad leeway to people to shoot in self-defense. There is no way to undo what happened in the Zimmerman-Martin encounter, but some good can still come of it: it could lead states to repeal their misguided “stand your ground” laws.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Iowa Race Discrimination Case Ruling Expected Soon

cnn.com: A ruling is expected in a race discrimination class-action in Iowa based on an update from cnn.com:

The plaintiffs’ attorneys say the discrimination is not necessarily a result of overt racism. They say the discriminatory hiring was often the result of implicit bias – an unconscious preference of the mostly white hiring officials for white applicants over black applicants.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs faced a key obstacle – proving the existence of something that white people might not be able to see. They had to show that discrimination might take place, even if it’s not intentional.

In an interesting subplot, the judge who certified the class action declined to remove the representative after she was convicted of embezzling $43,000 from an employer. His reasoning: It occurred after the alleged discrimination happened. We question whether the prospective employers may make a case for an instinctive, “gut-level” reaction to that particular plaintiff.

The Legal Case Against The Fox News Mole and The Gawker

forbes.com: According to the latest from Forbes, Fox news employee who provided material to the Gawker to expose the “seedy underbelly” (not our choice of words) of Fox news may have more than a civil lawsuit on his hands. According to New York state law, he may have committed a crime. Fox News says he’s now at the mercy of law enforcement personnel though Fox News no doubt plans to vigorously pursue claims against him, if for no other reason than to make sure that no future employee has the same bright idea.