Hot Docs: Cancer and School Lunches, Children and the Death Penalty, and Bridge Safety

Cancer and School Lunches: Citing research suggesting a link between processed meats and an increased risk of colorectal cancer, the advocacy group the Cancer Project criticizes school lunch menus for including too many of those foods. Nutritionists looked at a month of breakfast and lunch choices in 29 school districts. Every school district served at least some products like hot dogs and deli meats, some much more frequently than others. Sixteen of the systems received a "failing" grade because "at least one menu had more than 20 percent of meals containing processed meats." Only two districts—Denver and San Francisco—were judged "satisfactory."

Children and the Death Penalty: Five countries still enforce the death penalty for juvenile offenders, even though it is prohibited by "international treaty and customary law," according to a new report from the group Human Rights Watch. Since the beginning of 2005, 32 people have been executed in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Pakistan, and Yemen for crimes committed before the age of 18. The vast majority of these cases—26—have been in Iran. The nonprofit human-rights watchdog calls on the nations involved to halt proceedings immediately for the "well over 100 juvenile offenders—and possibly twice that number"—currently awaiting execution and to adjust legal and record-keeping practices to ensure future compliance with the international standard.

Safety of the Nation's Bridges: The condition of America's bridges is improving, but the federal Highway Bridge Program could function better, according to new recommendations from the Government Accountability Office. A new study notes that the program's success is hard to track because it is "not focused on a clearly identified federal interest." Spending is set by individual states, which have divergent standards and priorities. Still, 2007 numbers show that fewer bridges are being assessed as "structurally deficient" (73,519 last year, down 22 percent from 1998). On a scale of 100, the average bridge now has a 79-point "sufficiency rating."

After the War: Nation-Building From FDR to George W. Bush: A new Rand study examines the United States' efforts at "nation-building" following wars and considers how the president and his administration have an impact on its success. The report finds that the common practice of hiring people from the electoral campaign for the administration can deter the president from getting advice from professionals, which can have a negative effect on policy. The study suggests that some national security positions should be designated for professionals.

The 4 Percent Solution for Defense Spending: The requested defense budget for the 2009 fiscal year is 44 percent more than the budget for 2000—yet in terms of gross domestic product, the country is spending less on defense than it did during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. A new analysis from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments examines the often discussed "4 percent solution"—"the idea that the United States should allocate a minimum of 4 percent of its gross domestic product to defense." Study author Steven Kosiak notes that such a move would increase taxes or deficit spending and would not even be necessary, absent a "dramatic buildup and expansion" of the military.