To point out the absurdities of Super PACs, the comedian Stephen Colbert jumped in the fray, and formed his own. Initially called the Citizens for a Better Tomorrow (he’s been switching the name around) it’s kind of a joke but also technically legitimate, with over a million dollars collected in donations already! In promoting it, Colbert emphasizes the very loose rules. Take a look:
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Building the Empire: California’s Prison Building Bonanza
In 1950, California had four state prison facilities and about 11,500 prisoners. By 2006, at the peak of the state’s prison overcrowding, there were 33 prisons and more than 172,000 inmates! That’s an increase of more than 900 percent!
Since 1950: California’s Prison Building Boom
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FILED UNDER: Government, Law & Power, Maps, Money, california, inmates, maps, prison, prison break, slide shows
The Cost of Housing Across the Bay Area (by county)
INCLUDES: INTERACTIVE MAP
Click on a county below to see median home prices and racial/ethnic demographic information.
FILED UNDER: Charts and Infographics, Economics, English Language Arts, Government, Maps, Money, bay area, charts, cost, cost of living, housing, maps
If California’s Broke, Why Is It Still So Expensive To Live Here? (take the interactive quiz!)
INCLUDES: ARTICLE; INTERACTIVE QUIZ; KQED AUDIO CLIP
Putting a roof over your head in the Golden State doesn’t come cheap. Even with the second-highest unemployment rate in the country (after Nevada) and one of the highest rates of home foreclosures, California still remains among the most expensive states in the country to live in. The median home value here is 1.8 times the national average.
and the HUD-defined fair-market rate for a modest two-bedroom unit plus utilities is about $1,360 (compared to $960 nationally). The state has six of the top 10 most expensive home-buying markets in the country and five of the top 10 rental markets. Continue reading