Alternative News and Information. en-us http://www.alternet.org/rss/button.gif http://www.alternet.org/ AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/ Copyright 2012 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved. http://www.alternet.org/activism/155460/can_this_cube_become_the_new_peace_symbol story-7f955003a6d7a2692bdd35b0be8077be The peace sign is probably the most famous protest symbol in the world. But is it time to consider a new symbol for a new era? Wed, 16 May 2012 11:00:01 -0700 John Jackson, Waging Nonviolence http://www.alternet.org/education/155453/a_victim_of_her_own_success%3A_how_nyc%27s_ridiculous_testing_regime_pushed_a_high-performing_teacher_out_of_the_classroom story-5c7f80aa568f6fdf4eb96ca47635dd87 After helping her students reach the 98th percentile on state math tests one year, a teacher finds herself labeled an abject failure the next. Confused? You should be. Wed, 16 May 2012 09:00:01 -0700 Aaron Pallas, Eye on Education http://www.alternet.org/economy/155436/billionaire_facebook_co-founder_flees_to_repressive_country_to_avoid_taxes%3A_what_an_insult_to_hard-working_american_families story-1368444848e3e3d4ddd8948426998610 Saverin's move is an insult to immigrant families like mine who worked hard to build something in this country. Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:01 -0700 Samuel Kang, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/world/155445/presidential_race_in_egypt_pits_muslim_brotherhood_dissident_against_secular_statesman story-8f26359a0b2b51aa828676b5c6982a90 The top candidates are Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh, a former leader of the previously-banned Muslim Brotherhood, and Amr Moussa, a career diplomat. Tue, 15 May 2012 14:00:01 -0700 Cam McGrath, Inter Press Service http://www.alternet.org/teaparty/155443/why_do_conservatives_hate_freedom story-a70c5397805418c488277e6de01538d8 Since World War II, mainstream conservatives have opposed every expansion of personal liberty in the United States. Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:01 -0700 Michael Lind, Salon http://www.alternet.org/story/155440/will_america%26acirc%3B%26euro%3B%26trade%3Bs_premiere_hub_for_black_music_research_fall_prey_to_drastic_budget_cuts story-49673224d509818a1087aa8e48dd56c2 The vital and visionary Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College in Chicago is threatened with destruction. Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:01 -0700 Ingrid Monson, Carol J. Oja, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/labor/155441/waste_company_locks_out_teamsters_in_bid_to_eliminate_pensions story-e91c4d0c5ee1ace8edf54dccfd8f2f5e Teamsters Local 215 says it offered to extend the current contract into the future, but Republic insisted on eliminating pensions and replacing them with a 401(k). Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:01 -0700 Josh Eidelson, In These Times http://www.alternet.org/news/155442/wells_fargo_has_blood_on_its_hands%3A_desperate_man_commits_suicide_after_shocking_foreclosure_mistreatment_ story-c560295410e18be098d1fd41d4c20ec8 This is the story of what happens when an average couple is up against a giant, wealthy, powerful bank. Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:01 -0700 Dave Johnson, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/sex/155434/why_i_love_weird_porn story-7d5de1e55a666590d5e11fee89ab2a50 The glories of DIY porn. Tue, 15 May 2012 11:00:01 -0700 Noah Brand, The Good Men Project http://www.alternet.org/news/155431/don%27t_look_now_--_banks_are_still_ruining_america%3A_6_harsh_lessons_from_the_jp_morgan_fiasco story-54468a0c3ff9919d054865437882bb9c JP Morgan Chase is part of an entwined system of too-big-to-fail institutions that are ripping us off. Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:01 -0700 Les Leopold, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/rights/155423/student_activism_is_alive_and_well_among_arizona%27s_minority_population story-fd7bd9cd8c459af8b3f590b56fe8fd1e Students are making an impact in Arizona, ground zero for the fight against xenophobia. Tue, 15 May 2012 06:00:01 -0700 Gabriel Schivone, IPS News http://www.alternet.org/economy/155213/hedges%3A_how_our_demented_capitalist_system_made_america_insane story-c5c247fa7a94547ee66e5fe4889955bd When civilizations start to die they go insane. Let the ice sheets in the Arctic melt. Let the temperatures rise. Let the air, soil and water be poisoned. Let the forests die. Mon, 14 May 2012 14:00:01 -0700 Chris Hedges, Truthdig http://www.alternet.org/economy/155417/1er_facebook_co-founder_runs_away_to_evade_taxes_here%27s_what_eduardo_saverin_owes_america story-7ce3670db18f5210e1650339a55fc2d2 Saverin exemplifies the spoiled 1 percenter who erodes the fabric of the country that afforded such opportunity by not paying back the investment America made in him. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:01 -0700 Ilyse Hogue, The Nation http://www.alternet.org/food/155415/hostess_brands_uses_bankruptcy_court_to_screw_workers_out_of_pensions%2C_benefits story-fbfede1a4c185217cd29a2ce8cd2aa80 A judge allows the company to cancel its union contracts; on the same day, the Twinkie-maker sends lay-off notices to all 18,500 workers. Mon, 14 May 2012 07:00:01 -0700 Bruce Vail, In These Times http://www.alternet.org/news/155414/5_ways_conservatives_are_destroying_the_institution_of_marriage story-038f33e5e5e10b5ff314f016f79371f0 Those who think and talk like Rush Limbaugh have championed policies that wreak havoc on the family lives of working Americans. Mon, 14 May 2012 06:00:01 -0700 June Carbone, Naomi Cahn, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/fracking/155381/meet_the_christian_right-wing_multi-billionaire_out_to_frack_our_world story-048385e133d51c63f30566977025db65 Philip Anschutz is involved in a lawsuit trying to overturn a fracking ban. Sun, 13 May 2012 23:00:01 -0700 Bill Berkowitz, Talk To Action http://www.alternet.org/media/155412/time%27s_breastfeeding_cover_is_pure_shock_value%2C_no_substance story-753497fc6979a84f5cd1ac595999aa4e Rather than challenging taboos, Time's shock tactics exploit society's existing shame and confusion about sex and maternity. Sun, 13 May 2012 23:00:01 -0700 Victoria Bekiempis, Comment Is Free http://www.alternet.org/drugs/155405/tale_of_two_cities%3A_nypd%27s_racist_arrests_create_class_war_in_new_york story-5ccf9f5034cbd628f96dfef491f2d7b1 For the NYPD's stats to add up, they'd have to have stopped every young, black man living in the city once--and then some. Sun, 13 May 2012 08:00:01 -0700 Kristen Gwynne, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/food/155398/the_terrifying_truth_about_america%27s_obesity_epidemic story-fc73c9f7e7685e62790199ab0f5054c9 "Weight of the Nation," a new four-part HBO series paints a grim picture of our health prospects -- and our children's. Fri, 11 May 2012 16:00:01 -0700 Kerry Trueman, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/workplace/155394/one_in_5_kids_is_obese%2C_yet_congress_is_more_concerned_with_protecting_profits_than_kids%27_health story-08960c2d5ce6a7b9ce3794976f4e0376 Food and media corporations use campaign donations, attacks on science and the threat of smear campaigns to kill voluntary food marketing guidelines. Fri, 11 May 2012 12:00:01 -0700 Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/belief/155370/why_atheists_have_become_a_kick-ass_movement_you_want_on_your_side story-bebaf710b49214bb31063cc1028ae015 Atheists are becoming a force to be reckoned with. They are a powerful ally when inspired to take action -- and a powerful opponent when they're treated like dirt. Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:01 -0700 Greta Christina, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/visions/155367/micro-power_hydro%3A_an_energy_alternative_whose_time_is_coming story-3c23c67da4f5b066593c4e1a5cf7df04 Tiny hydro generators that can fit in a creek offer a low-cost, local way to decentralize the power grid. Thu, 10 May 2012 10:00:01 -0700 Maggie Koerth-Baker, Txchnologist http://www.alternet.org/visions/155254/future_tech%3A_how_3d_printing_will_change_the_world story-d85a54bd98d3e53f14bed59d2064c636 From new iPhone cases to new body parts, here's the good, the bad and the grotesque of this new technology. Wed, 09 May 2012 11:00:01 -0700 Dennis Draeger, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/fracking/155171/alec_and_exxonmobil_push_loopholes_in_fracking_chemical_disclosure_rules story-0d1bc2f2310c2739f464f2ecbe6d14d3 In many states, the chemical make-up of fluid pumped into the ground while fracking is shielded from the public, thanks to laws promoted by ALEC and Exxon Mobil. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:00:01 -0700 Cora Currier, ProPublica http://www.alternet.org/visions/155166/doomed_to_repeat_it%3A_is_tennessee%27s_new_%26quot%3Bmonkey_law%26quot%3B_just_scopes_all_over_again story-23e04da13b411b1e086110fa0d403865 The Volunteer State has set itself up for a replay of its 1926 Scopes Monkey Trial humiliation. And the ACLU attorney who won Kitzmiller v. Dover can't wait. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:00:01 -0700 Glenn Branch, National Center for Science Education http://www.alternet.org/visions/155149/the_self-made_myth%3A_debunking_conservatives%27_favorite_--_and_most_dangerous_--_fiction_ story-416d2c4391e04ed3f46c0265506ea0bc A new book makes a strong case that nobody ever makes it on their own in America. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:01 -0700 Sara Robinson, AlterNet http://www.alternet.org/drugs/155092/%23opcannabis%3A_anonymous_hackers_take_up_marijuana_activism story-3292849af93486d03de07e2d15d2e311 Hacktivist Anonymous began the "OpCannabis" to throw the collective's weight behind drug reform. Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:00:01 -0700 Stephen C. Webster, Raw Story http://www.alternet.org/peek/145409/california_councilman%3A_%26quot%3Bi%27m_a_proud_racist%26quot%3B story-94136c89967b243159da7413e675eb5f Santa Clarita councilman Bob Kellar made the remark at an anti-immigration rally, but insists he did not mean to "express animosity towards non-whites." Mon, 25 Jan 2010 14:30:01 -0800 Andrea Nill, ThinkProgress