Five states surrounding the Great Lakes have sued to keep invasive Asian carp out of their water.
Nation
Pay Up: BP to Face Huge Oil-Spill Fines
BP has already pledged $20 billion to assist those affected by the oil spill. But that’s not all they’ll have to fork over.
Quotes: President Barack Obama on America’s Unemployment
“It’s time to do what’s right, not for the next election, but for the middle class.”
— PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, to GOP lawmakers, on the need to restore unemployment benefits for jobless Americans (Via the Associated Press)
Odd Vacation Choice of the Week: Groovy Congressional Fallout Shelter
Once a backup haven for the members of Congress in case of nuclear attacks, Project Greek Island is now a tourist attraction. Talk about a blast from the past—and we don’t mean the Cold War paranoia. Check out that wallpaper! …
Visiting Massachusetts? Double-Check Before Using This List
The Massachusetts state legislature released a list of 1,000 “great places” to visit. Too bad there were only 996 — and some spots had been closed for years.
Report: “Top Secret America” Too Big To Handle
Since September 11, 2001, the U.S. government has drastically increased its intelligence and counterterrorism forces. But according to a Washington Post report, “Top Secret America” has ballooned out of control.
Federal Official: Seep Found Near Oil Well Cap
Thad Allen, oil spill response director for the federal government, said testing revealed a seep, located “a distance from the well.” Is the well damaged? (via Ecocentric)
America the Beautiful: The Week in Weird Slip-Ups
Five stories that will make your head turn…
Carl’s Jr., Hardee’s Roll Out Footlong Cheeseburger Fit for a Champion
Just when KFC’s Double Down appeared to claim the fast-food glutton’s crown, the tandem beefed up its candidacy with a new giant sandwich.
Mild Earthquake Shakes DC Suburbs
That shaking DC residents felt today wasn’t the ground-breaking passage of the financial reform bill: it was actually an earthquake!
Voting: Is Your Ballot Really Secret?
An investigation by the Associated Press found that if you live in New Mexico and a few other states, your election data could be compromised.
Claims for Jobless Benefits Drop to Two-Year Low
In what looks like a positive sign for economic recovery, the number of Americans who filed for unemployment benefits last week fell to the lowest level since August 2008.