In an historic time for gay rights, celebrities, politicians and athletes showed their support at Pride celebrations around …
L.A.’s Villaraigosa Leaves Office Popular, Accomplished—And Patting His Own Back
The city’s first Hispanic mayor in modern times made progress on transportation, energy and public safety during a debilitating economic downturn. What will he do next?
BattlelandMilitary
Shooting War
Reporters go off to war seeking knowledge yielding understanding, and strive to share both.
Photographers do, too. But sometimes their most ambitious work revels in ambiguity.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, …
$745,000,000
— The size of the Navy contract, here, announced Friday to do away with the carrier USS Enterprise. Battleland can almost recall when that was how much it cost to buy one of the behemoths.
“We found that in general the Installation and Garrison commanders and their cemetery management staffs were very dedicated and conscientious with respect to management of cemetery operations. This was the first time most of these cemeteries had ever received an oversight inspection from an organization outside the installation. Overall, the Services do well at honoring the dead.”
— From a Pentagon inspector general’s report, here, released Friday. Lots of military families will breathe a sigh of relief at the news, given the problems at Arlington National Cemetery in recent years, now largely resolved.
Discussion: Inside the Rise of America’s Temp Towns
In collaboration with ProPublica, TIME published an in-depth investigation into the booming temp industry, as it replaces a growing number of blue-collar jobs across the country. Roughly 2.7 million temp workers are currently employed in the U.S—a sector that’s “roaring back 10 times faster than private-sector employment as a …
BattlelandMilitary Spending
Great SEALs of the United States…
…are slated to get bonuses of up to $160,000 for re-enlisting, according to the Navy.
These aren’t for rookies, but for the cream of the crop: SEALs who have been in uniform for at least 18 years. Contrary to public …
Genetic Test Could Predict Which Kids Will Have Lasting Asthma Symptoms
Half of children with asthma will continue to suffer from the respiratory disorder as adults, and a new genetic test could reveal who remains at risk past childhood
7
— The number of fully-qualified Afghan air force pilots (15% of the 47 required) for the country’s Special Mission Wing. Despite the lack of pilots – and numerous other shortfalls – the U.S. is pressing ahead with plans to buy $772 million worth of aircraft “that the Afghans cannot operate and maintain,” according to a new report, here, from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. And you can’t even blame the rush on U.S. contractors: the 18 new planes are Brazilian-designed, and the 30 helicopters are Russian-built.
Obama’s ‘Ugly American’ Dilemma
Restoring America’s reputation abroad is easier said than done
BattlelandMilitary Medicine
War…On the Installment Plan
Every once in awhile you come across a Pentagon contract announcement, like this one Thursday, that reminds you that while the wars may be all but over, we’ll be paying for them for a long time:
Medical Center Orthotics and …
Atlantic City’s Next Big Bet: Legalized Online Gambling
Business has been on the decline in Atlantic City casinos for six years and running. To stop the bleeding, casinos are betting big on online gaming—an option that, of course, gives gamblers an easy way to avoid Atlantic City entirely.
97%
— The conviction rate of “enemy combatants” in Afghan courts in 2012 when the Pentagon provided fingerprints and DNA evidence, according to a Government Accountability Office report, here, released Thursday. Wonder if they’ve tried it at Guantanamo?