Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, he’s an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics.


San Bernardino Victims’ Social Media Lawsuit Dismissed

A San Francisco judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by survivors and family members of a 2015 mass shooting in California. The suit, writes National Public Radio, accused Facebook, Google and Twitter of knowingly supporting the Islamic State terror group and assisting its social media campaign. Fourteen people were killed and another 22 injured when



Parkland Commission Recommends Giving Guns to Teachers

A commission charged with investigating last year’s mass shooting in Parkland, Florida recommends that teachers who volunteer to undergo training be allowed to carry firearms in schools. The Guardian reports that the state-appointed, 15-member Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school public safety commission unanimously approved the 446-page report. Included within was a recommendation to arm teachers,


New Year’s Day Brings Tear Gas, Chaos to U.S.-Mexico Border

Chaos again erupted along the U.S.-Mexico border Tuesday, as federal agents used tear gas to control what one official described as a “violent mob” of migrants. Reuters reports that ‘clouds of noxious gas’ could be seen wafting above a Tijuana border fence. One migrant purportedly picked up a tear gas canister and tossed it back


Federal Workers’ Union Sues Trump Administration on Shutdown

A federal workers’ union launched a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, claiming the White House is illegally insisting that some government employees work without pay. USA Today reports that the American Federation of Government Employees announced the lawsuit Monday, two weeks after Washington went into a partial shutdown. The union—the largest representing federal


Nvidia Sued Over Cryptocurrency Fallout

Law firms have joined forces to launch a class action against technology company Nvidia, alleging it mislead investors about its ability to withstand a weary cryptocurrency market. Tom’s Hardware reports that 2017 saw rising interest in cryptocurrency. The cost of certain computer components, such as GPUs, leapt up as individuals and firms invested in better


Government Shutdown Slows Suit Against Border Patrol’s ‘Icebox’ Holding Cells

A partial government shutdown is likely to delay an Arizona lawsuit challenging U.S. Border Patrol’s ‘icebox’ holding cells. Tucson.com reports that living conditions in some Border Patrol detention centers have attracted heightened scrutiny. Within the past month, two Guatemalan children died within days of being arrested. Although a federal judge ordered the agency to improve


Class Action Accuses Expedia of Racketeering and Fraud

Attorneys filed a class action suit against travel booking juggernaut Expedia last week, alleging that the company overcharges customers on taxes and fees. Seattle Pi reports that Expedia is accused of ‘levying taxes beyond what’s required by local jurisdictions for hotel rooms and pocketing the proceeds.’ This isn’t the first time the website’s run afoul



Black Man Sues Portland DoubleTree After Being Accused of Trespassing

An African-American man staying at an Oregon DoubleTree hotel is planning to sue the property for racial discrimination. Jermaine Massey was staying at the Hilton franchise last weekend. While talking on the phone to his mother in the lobby, Massey says he was approached by DoubleTree security. A guard, identified on social media only as