Teenager’s mysterious death evokes painful imagery in North Carolina | The Guardian

Police say they have no evidence of foul play in the hanging death of black teenager Lennon Lacy. But in a case with disturbing racial overtones, his family are left with haunting questions. Continue reading Teenager’s mysterious death evokes painful imagery in North Carolina | The Guardian

Don Hazen: Apocalypse Now: Seriously, It Is Time for a Major Rethink About Liberal and Progressive Politics | Alternet

October 25, 2014

Don Hazen

As the Editor of  AlterNet for 20 years, I have read and seen the entire range of horrendous and growing problems we face as a society and globe virtually every day. It is not just climate change, or ISIL, or Ferguson, or poverty and homelessness, or more misogynistic murdering of women, or the Democrats about to lose the Senate as Obama gets more unpopular. It is much, much more. Every day. It passes by before my eyes. At AlterNet, there are no issue silos—there is just the open faucet of depressing political information coming and going every hour of every day (with the occasional story of success and inspiration).

Continue reading Don Hazen: Apocalypse Now: Seriously, It Is Time for a Major Rethink About Liberal and Progressive Politics | Alternet

John @NicholsUprising: #ScottWalker is the #Kochs’ model governor

October 21, 2014 6:45 am

Scott Walker is a model governor.

Not in every sense, as critics of the Wisconsin Republican’s anti-labor extremism, ethical lapses and failed experiments with economic austerity will remind you. But he is certainly a model governor in the eyes of billionaire conservative donors David and Charles Koch and their acolytes. This reality has led 2014 Republican gubernatorial candidates who seek the billionaire blessing — so essential for conservative politicians in state races — to make reverential references to Walker when appealing to the Koch brothers.

Continue reading John @NicholsUprising: #ScottWalker is the #Kochs’ model governor

The Cheapest Generation | The Atlantic

Why Millennials aren’t buying cars or houses, and what that means for the economy

In 2009, Ford brought its new supermini, the Fiesta, over from Europe in a brave attempt to attract the attention of young Americans. It passed out 100 of the cars to influential bloggers for a free six-month test-drive, with just one condition: document your experience online, whether you love the Fiesta or hate it.

Young bloggers loved the car. Young drivers? Not so much. After a brief burst of excitement, in which Ford sold more than 90,000 units over 18 months, Fiesta sales plummeted. As of April 2012, they were down 30 percent from 2011. Continue reading The Cheapest Generation | The Atlantic