Dilemma X

Detroit’s first white mayor in 40 years-Mike Duggan Associated Press DETROIT— A former medical center chief defeated a county sheriff to become the next mayor of financially troubled Detroit, though the job holds little power while the city is being run by a state-appointed emergency manager. Unofficial returns showed Mike Duggan defeating Wayne County Sheriff […]

How an abandoned Caracas skyscraper became ‘The World’s Tallest Slum’ After an economic collapse a 45-story skyscraper in Caracas, Venezuela went unfinished in 1994 and uninhabited, until 2007, when the city’s homeless began moving in. Its developer, Mr. Brillembourg died of cancer at age 56 in 1993. In the area around the Tower of David, […]

U.S Congressional Salaries and Retirement Benefits CRS Report for Congress Congress is required by Article I, Section 6, of the Constitution to determine its own pay. Prior to 1969, Congress did so by enacting specific legislation. From 1789 through 1968, Congress raised its pay 22 times using this procedure. Members were initially paid per diem. […]

Remembering Yesteryear: In October 1940 Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., became America’s first African American general  On October 25, 1940 Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., became the first African American to become a general in the United States Army Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., was born in Washington, D.C., on July 1, 1877. He entered the military service […]

Germany marks 23 years of reunification AFP Some 400,000 people took part in the official reunification celebrations on Thursday in Stuttgart, which began with an ecumenical church service led by the country’s top Catholic and Protestant clerics. The rest of the day was devoted to German cultural exhibits and entertainment around Stuttgart. Every year on […]

Private financial gifts to higher education colleges & universities Here are just a few major financial donations to colleges and universities in the United States. John Arrillaga writes $150 million check to Stanford University, the largest donation from a living individual ever July 1, 2013 Source: Stanford University Stanford University alumnus, friend and benefactor John […]

Obamacare Feds release premium rates for health insurance marketplace  On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, putting in place comprehensive reforms that improve access to affordable health coverage for everyone and protect consumers from abusive insurance company practices. For the uninsured or those who don’t get their coverage through […]

How racially diverse are American cities? Check these maps out The Map This map is an American snapshot; it provides an accessible visualization of geographic distribution, population density, and racial diversity of the American people in every neighborhood in the entire country. The map displays 308,745,538 dots, one for each person residing in the United […]

Economic growth widespread accross metropolitan areas in 2012 Advance 2012, and Revised 2001–2011 GDP-by-Metropolitan-Area Statistics U.S. Department of Commerce Bureau of Economic Analysis Real GDP increased in 305 of the nation’s 381 metropolitan areas in 2012, led by growth in durable-goods manufacturing, trade, and financial activities, according to new statistics released today by the U.S. […]

London ‘needs more than 800,000 new homes’ More than 800,000 new homes need to be built in London by 2021 to keep up with housing demand, according to the body that represents the capital’s councils. BBC News London Councils, which represents 33 local authorities, said London’s “future status as a global city” was at risk […]