What’s interesting in the news today?

Here’s a bunch I thought were noteworthy.

First up, something to consider before donating to charities. And as a side note, these people got away with this while the IRS wasted their time on Tea Party and like-minded groups. From HotAir

“Three charities supposedly focused on breast cancer and cancer in children raised $26 million in a single year.  Good news, right?  The bad news is that less than $15,000 of those funds got used to help victims of cancer.  CNN, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Center for Investigative Reporting found that the three charities have a lot in common — their leaders are all related to each other:”

“– The 50 worst charities in America devote less than 4% of donations raised to direct cash aid. Some charities gave even less. Over a decade, one diabetes charity raised nearly $14 million and gave about $10,000 to patients. Six spent no cash at all on their cause.

– Even as they plead for financial support, operators at many of the 50 worst charities have lied to donors about where their money goes, taken multiple salaries, secretly paid themselves consulting fees or arranged fund-raising contracts with friends. One cancer charity paid a company owned by the president’s son nearly $18 million over eight years to solicit funds. A medical charity paid its biggest research grant to its president’s own for-profit company.

– Some nonprofits are little more than fronts for fund-raising companies, which bankroll their startup costs, lock them into exclusive contracts at exorbitant rates and even drive the charities into debt. Florida-based Project Cure has raised more than $65 million since 1998, but every year has wound up owing its fundraiser more than what was raised. According to its latest financial filing, the nonprofit is $3 million in debt.”

Just wrong on so many levels….

And in other IRS news…… From InvestorsBusinessDaily

“While the IRS was hassling any nonprofit group with the word “patriot” in its  name, it was rubber stamping exemptions for “Islamic” groups, even organizations  that violate disclosure laws.

Worse, it was even finding favor with nonprofits tied to terrorism — namely,  the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, which not  coincidentally is yoked to the Democratic Party.

Despite being blackballed by the FBI, which still suspects it’s fronting for Hamas, and despite failing to file annual tax reports as required by federal  law, CAIR apparently has found friends in high places at the nation’s powerful  taxing authority.”

And in the White House and State Dept.

____________________________________________________

Next up, a story that should tick you off regardless of your left/right leanings. From TheDailyCaller

“Unionized local employees repeatedly harassed and intimidated non-union  workers of a private disaster cleanup firm that won a government contract to  restore Long Island, New York, in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

The vice president of the union even made threats against the wife and kids  of one of the workers. That worker felt it necessary to call the police and  pursue other security measures to protect his family, a source told The Daily  Caller News Foundation.”

“Soon thereafter, representatives of Local 138, a union representing heavy  equipment operators, began visiting construction sites, demanding that the  company hire unionized employees to help with the job.

But LGS was paying its workers — some of whom came from out of state —  market-based wages, rather than union wages, in compliance with federal law  regarding disaster recovery jobs.”

____________________________________________________

Next up, a couple of pieces from Pew. Looks like 70% of the country is smarter than our govt. From PewResearchCenter

“Broad majorities continue to oppose the U.S. and its allies sending arms and military supplies to anti-government groups in Syria. Last Thursday’s announcement that the U.S. would aid the rebels has not increased public support for action, and majorities of all partisan groups are opposed.”

“Overall, 70% oppose the U.S. and its allies sending arms and military supplies to anti-government groups in Syria; just 20% favor this. Opinion is little changed from December of last year (24% favor) and support is down slightly from March, 2012 (29% favor).

The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted June 12-16 among 1,512 adults, finds a major factor in overall attitudes about Syria is the impression that the U.S. military is already stretched thin. About two-thirds (68%) say the U.S. is too overcommitted to get involved in another conflict, and just 27% disagree. The public also has questions about the opposition groups in Syria: 60% say that they may be no better than the current government.”

And also a study from Pew that seems to state what we already knew. Mostly it’s activism and agenda, not news. From Politico

“News outlets’ coverage of gay marriage tended to be significantly more  favorable than unfavorable, according to a new survey Monday.

Stories focusing on support for same-sex marriage were five times more  frequent than those focused on opposition, the analysis conducted by the Pew Research Center found.

Of the stories Pew focused on, 47 percent concentrated on supportive viewpoints,  while 9 percent concentrated on opposition. Forty-four percent of stories were  neutral or presented a balance of opinions.”

“While the stronger showing of support was seen across the 58 news outlets Pew  analyzed, the range varied outlet to outlet. On cable news, Pew found 64 percent  of MSNBC stories were supportive, to 30 percent mixed and 6 percent opposing.  Fox News’s coverage was 29 percent supportive, 63 percent mixed and 8 percent  against. CNN aired 39 percent favorable stories, with 57 percent neutral and 4  percent opposed.”

____________________________________________________

Last up, Hollywood just loves to honor the sexual predators and perverts among their stars. From Breitbart

“Disgraced former “Sesame Street” puppeteer and producer Kevin Clash won three Daytime Awards in Los Angeles this weekend.

Clash lent his voice to the fuzzy, red monster Elmo for nearly three decades, but resigned last year after several men came forward and said they had sex with him when they were minors. Although no criminal charges have been brought against Clash, several men are suing him for his alleged abusive behavior.

Clash earned a trio of prizes at the Daytime Entertainment Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony Friday at Westin Bonaventure. In addition to his win for outstanding performer in a children’s series, he shared trophies for outstanding pre-school children’s series and directing in a children’s series for his collaboration with the show’s creative team.”

Again, just wrong on so many levels.

____________________________________________________