Douglas Ernst
Articles by Douglas Ernst
Heritage Foundation President DeMint to Putin: America is exceptional — deal with it
Russian President Vladimir Putin took umbrage with the "extremely dangerous" notion of American exceptionalism, so former South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint offered to personally explain the concept further via a snark-filled letter dashed off Friday to the Russian Embassy. Published September 13, 2013
U.S. funding green jobs creation — in Morocco
The State Department's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs plans to send $450,000 in federal funds to Morocco's coffers to create green jobs, CNS News reports. Published September 13, 2013
David Petraeus gets Bronx cheer on his way to CUNY classes: ‘Warmonger!’
"Every class, David! Every class, David!" Those are the chants that followed David Petraeus on his way to work as a professor for the City University of New York system. Published September 11, 2013
Obamacare regulations reportedly 8 times longer than the Bible
Advocates of the Affordable Care Act often framed its passage as a moral imperative for a nation with millions of uninsured citizens. Ironically, it now turns out that the regulations that make up Obamacare are over eight times larger than the Gutenberg Bible. Published September 10, 2013
Energy Department loses $42 million on loan to Michigan company VPG
The Energy Department conceded Friday that the federal government will lose $42 million on a loan to a shuttered Michigan van manufacturer — part of the same program that provided a $529 million loan to an electric car maker that also has gone under. Published September 6, 2013
Spend more on food stamps to curtail ‘food insecurity,’ says USDA report
The federal government spent more than $80 billion on food stamp programs in 2012, partly to curtail "food insecurity," according to a government watchdog organization. Published September 6, 2013
Unemployment hits 13 percent for blacks
The Labor Department reported Friday that the national unemployment rate fell to 7.3 percent in August after businesses added 169,000 jobs, but the jobless rate for blacks actually ticked up to 13.0 percent. Published September 6, 2013
U.S. has bombs designed to ‘vaporize’ chemical, biological weapons
If the United States takes part in a military strike on Syria, the Air Force will likely be using bombs designed specifically for the destruction of chemical and biological weapons. Published September 5, 2013
Rep. Charles Rangel: Obama’s ‘red line’ on Syria is ‘embarrassing’
Rep. Charles B. Rangel, appearing on MSNBC on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of President Obama's ordering a military strike on Syria, said the "red line" that Mr. Obama is using, in part, to make his case to the American people is "embarrassing." Published September 3, 2013
Facebook’s Zuckerberg calls Internet access a ‘human right’
It's easy to get behind the intentions of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's plan to bring the Web to billions of people. The language he's using to sell it may be a bit more contentious: the social media giant called Internet access "a human right." Published August 22, 2013
‘Duck Dynasty’ star kicked out of NYC hotel, jokes of ‘facial profiling’
Posh New York hotel workers apparently don't watch the highest-rated nonfiction cable TV show of all time. Published August 16, 2013
Fordham professor asks: Are unborn children ‘innocent aggressors’ like ‘child soldiers’?
Fordham theology professor Charles Camosy wants to know: Are unborn children ever worthy of the distinction "innocent aggressor"? And if so, would not a mother who chooses to abort the "aggressor" be justified in her actions? Published August 16, 2013
Wounded warriors have meal tickets cut — at Walter Reed
The U.S. military has reportedly invalidated meal tickets at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for soldiers housed inside the campus' building where the most severely wounded recuperate. Published August 15, 2013
Actor Kal Penn, ex-Obama official, blasted for ‘stop and frisk’ support
Actor and former Obama administration official Kal Penn recently voiced support for New York City's "stop and frisk" laws via Twitter — then faced swift backlash and cries of racism from his own fans. Published August 15, 2013
Researchers developing cloaking device that can ‘stop’ time
Imagine a thief who could steal an item off a shelf, cover it in a cloaking device, and for all intents and purposes cause the missing item to appear untouched to the human eye. Researchers at Northwestern University have made what was once considered science fiction a reality. Published August 14, 2013
Al Qaeda supporters seek PR help on Twitter, are promptly flamed by ‘infidels’
Al Qaeda advocates reached out via Twitter in search of ways to improve its public relations, but were roundly ridiculed by "American infidels" who encouraged the terrorist organization to start a boy band and yoga training for jihadists. Published August 14, 2013
London trash cans tracking citizens via smartphones
British trash cans are getting smart. Really smart. In fact, some of them have the capability to track which way citizens go to work and their daily behavior by tracking them through an identifier in their cell phones. Published August 9, 2013
Cyborg ears are here: Researchers create ‘ultimate human-machine chimera’
Technology website Ars Technica reports that the "ultimate in human-machine chimera" has been accomplished by interweaving biological tissue with electronics. Published August 8, 2013
Michael Bloomberg’s plan to make poor New Yorkers fit: Painfully slow elevators
New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg wants everyone, including the poor, to get fit. One of his solutions? Make elevators painfully slow in low-income housing to encourage people to take the stairs. Published August 7, 2013
Stallone confirms Harrison Ford for new ‘Expendables’ film
What would happen if Indiana Jones met John Rambo? The world is about to find out. Published August 6, 2013