Who is responsible for the biggest flare up in violence between Israel and Palestine since 2008?

Many people on social media sites relentlessly point to the Palestinians while others curse the Israelis.

But one person has pointed to the leader of the free world:

President @BarackObama, your generous gifts to Israel are hurting us.

It appears the anonymous tweeter may not be alone in his thinking.  Many non-profit organizations and foreign nations call for an end to the “unconditional” U.S. military aid to Israel.

This year, Israel received $3.00 billion in military aid from the U.S., which was in compliance with a ten year agreement (2009-2018) to increase military aid to Israel, signed by President Bush in 2007.

Much of the aid includes weapons and F-16 jet fighters; the same aircraft that have been reportedly used in the recent bombings of Gaza. 

Israel is set to receive $3.15 billion in military aid from the U.S. in the first 30 days of fiscal years 2013-2018.

In the wake of a steadily increasing US federal deficit (upwards of $16 trillion), many Americans are asking President Barack Obama to abide by his own words:

We will continue to go through the budget- line by line, page by page- to eliminate programs that we can’t afford and don’t work.

Others are against the aid for different reasons.

A group of Christian leaders across the US (who typically tend to favor aid to Israel) drafted a letter to Congress, advocating for the suspension of military aid to Israel, until it is in compliance with our laws, which ban U.S. aid to countries that engage in human rights violations.

Politics aside, it is undeniable that Israel is America’s strongest ally in the Middle East.  Many in America feel that it is their duty to protect a fellow democratic nation and loyal friend.

But taxpayers also want to know if their money is being spent wisely.

Do you think the amount of military aid the US provides Israel is warranted?    

By: Indi Samarajiva

After Colorado and Washington passed referendums in the recent election for the legalization of marijuana, many are asking what exactly that will mean for those states.

Don’t worry—the Seattle Police Department is already on it.

In a blog post titled “Marijwhatnow? A Guide to Legal Marijuana Use in Seattle,” the department tackles the issue Q&A-style. There’s even a “tl;dr” section for those residents who… well, may be too preoccupied to finish the whole thing.

The light-hearted guide, which was written by former journalist Jonah Spangenthal-Lee, includes 13 of the most pressing questions one could possibly have about weed. For example:

“What happens if I get pulled over and I’m sober, but an officer or his K9 buddy smells the ounce of Super Skunk I’ve got in my trunk?”

The post also features a clip from “Lord of the Rings” where Gandalf and Bilbo are smoking “the finest weed” in the land.  Sgt. Sean Whitcomb, a police spokesman, has since taken credit for including the video and believes that blog has been successful in “hitting the appropriate tone” for Seattle residents.

What do you think of the police’s take on this issue? Which state will be next?

By: allisonmseward12

Next to water, tea is regarded as the most widely consumed beverage in the world.

But America is addicted to coffee. What if a good cup of tea is your hot drink of choice?

Now there is hope.

On Wednesday Starbucks announced that it will pay $620 million to buy Teavana, a store chain specializing in premium loose leaf teas. The deal is one of many Starbucks has made to expand beyond mochas and lattes—the Huffington Post reports that last year the Seattle-based coffeehouse purchased La Boulange bakery for $100 million and fruit juice maker Evolution for $30 million.

While it is still unclear how Starbucks will incorporate Teavana’s products into their existing coffee shops, the company has said they plan to add tea bars to Teavana stores and develop packaged versions of the teas to be sold in retail locations.

Howard Schultz, chairman and CEO of Starbucks, says that his company will be able to add something new to the growing tea market:

“We can create very unique brewed teas—customized hot and cold beverages analogous to the espresso bars we introduced in the mid-’80s—and do for tea what we did for coffee.”

Schultz has recognized, though, that coffee and tea have very different audiences and cultures. He insists that Teavana stores will still give people the feeling that they’ve “stepped into a shrine of tea.”

Is Teavana a smart venture for Starbucks? Let us know in the comments below.