In The News

One of the toughest debates in politics right now surrounds SCHIP, the federal program that provides funding for children's health insurance. While Congress and the President differ over the particulars of the bill, less has been said about how it will be funded. The current proposal calls for massive increases in tobacco taxes. While Bush has indicated his opposition to this funding source, it's a popular idea with voters. How can one object to taxing a nasty habit to save children's lives?  [MORE]

Climate policy after 2012, when the Kyoto treaty expires, needs a radical rethink. More of the same won't do, argue Gwyn Prins and Steve Rayner.  [MORE]

“The question presented is whether a governmental unit may sue for defamation,” the opinion states. “The answer is no.”... The suit, however [if allowed to go through], would be funded from the district’s budget.  [MORE]

In Episode 2 of Reason.tv's Drew Carey Project, Drew takes a look at patients who need and use medical marijuana in California, and how the federal government is making their lives even worse.  [MORE]

For the past year, the village has allowed residents to borrow a battery-operated radar gun for a week or two, sit on their front lawns and record the speeds of passing motorists.   [MORE]

Dawn Herb, whose potty mouth caught the attention of an off-duty police officer, was charged with disorderly conduct recently, prompting her to fire off a letter to the editor and vow to fight the charge. “It doesn’t make any sense. I was in my house. It’s not like I was outside or drunk,” said Ms. Herb..

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Debbie is a mom from Uxbridge who was in the examination room when the pediatrician asked her 5-year-old, “Does Daddy own a gun?”...If the incident had ended there, it would have merely been annoying. But when a friend in law enforcement let Debbie know that her doctor had filed a report with the police about her family’s (entirely legal) gun ownership, she got mad.   [MORE]

Reason.tv Host Drew Carey examines the costs and consequences of traffic jams and explores several solutions that can get our roads moving. How does a speedy trip on the "Drew Carey Freeway" sound? Plus, one lucky commuter gets a helicopter ride to work, courtesy of Drew.   [MORE]

A business owner shot and killed himself during a City Council meeting Thursday night after members voted against his request to rezone his property, witnesses said.  [MORE]

"Dragonfly or Insect Spy? ... Some suspect the insectlike drones are high-tech surveillance tools, perhaps deployed by the Department of Homeland Security."   [MORE]