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Showing posts from April, 2014

13 Worst Predictions Made on Earth Day, 1970

Ricochet.com Editor  and Freedomworks contributor Jon Gabriel looks back at some of the doomsday predictions made when Earth Day debuted in 1970. Below is Gabriel's top 13, as first published by Freedomworks, reprinted with permission: 13 Worst Predictions Made on Earth Day, 1970, by Jon Gabriel The 1970s were a lousy decade.  Embarrassing movies ,  dreadful music and  downright terrifying clothes reflected the national mood following an unpopular war, endless political scandals and a faltering economy. Popular culture was consumed with decline, especially Hollywood.  The Omega Man, Soylent Green, Damnation Alley and countless other dystopian films showed a planet wrecked by war, pollution and neglect. In large part, the entertainment industry was reflecting the culture at large. In 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated - okay, "celebrated" doesn't capture the funereal tone of the event. The events (organized in part by then hippie and now c

Flood Of Students Demanding Loan Forgiveness Forces Administration Scramble

"Loan forgiveness creates incentives for students to borrow too much to attend college, potentially contributing to rising college prices for everyone," is a study's warning over government plans that allow students to rack up big debts and then forgive the unpaid balance after a set period. As WSJ reports , enrollment in student debt forgiveness plans have surged nearly 40% in just six months, to include at least 1.3 million Americans owing around $72 billion . The administration is looking to cap debt eligible for forgiveness, as President Obama's revamped Pay As You Earn scheme has seen applications soar and is estimated to cost taxpayers $14bn a year. The 'popularity' of the student loan bailout plan surged after Obama promoted it in 2012, and now the administration must back-track as costs have massively outpaced government predictions. More: here