Archive for the 'Economy' Category
Starwood Hotels Trials Robots That Make Deliveries to Guests
August 12th, 2014Via: CNBC: Look out Rosie the Robot, Starwood Hotels’ Aloft brand has a taskmaster of its own. His (or her?) name; A.L.O. pronounced “el-oh”, the hotels’ first Botlr (short of robotic butler.) Standing just under 3 feet tall, A.L.O. comes dressed in a vinyl-collared butler uniform and will soon be on call all day and […]
Wages in U.S. Down 23 Percent Since 2008
August 12th, 2014Via: Plain Dealer: While 8.7 million jobs have been regained since the 2008 recession, they are paying much less, by an average of 23 percent, according to a report released Monday by the United States Conference of Mayors. The report comes as debate continues about income inequality in the United States. “While the economy is […]
U.S. Navy Bombing American-Made Equipment in Iraq
August 12th, 2014Via: Defense News: When the Iraqi Army’s 2nd Division broke and fled ahead of the advancing columns of ISIL fighters near Mosul earlier this summer, they left behind a treasure trove of US supplied military equipment that the jihadists have since turned on the civilian population. Among the spoils were hundreds of Humvees, small arms […]
Colgate Total Ingredient Linked to Hormones, Cancer Spotlights FDA Process
August 12th, 2014Via: Bloomberg: The chemical triclosan has been linked to cancer-cell growth and disrupted development in animals. Regulators are reviewing whether it’s safe to put in soap, cutting boards and toys. Consumer companies are phasing it out. Minnesota voted in May to ban it in many products. At the same time, millions of Americans are putting […]
“Ample Evidence” Silicon Valley Firms Engaged in “An Overarching Conspiracy” Against Their Own Employees
August 11th, 2014Via: New York Times: There is “ample evidence” that Silicon Valley was engaged in “an overarching conspiracy” against its own employees, a federal judge said on Friday, and it should either pay dearly or have its secrets exposed at trial. Judge Lucy H. Koh of the United States District Court in San Jose rejected as […]
The Music Industry Is Brainwashing People to Like Bad Pop Songs
August 11th, 2014Via: mic.com: After a couple dozen unintentional listens, many of us may find ourselves changing our initial opinions about a song — eventually admitting that, really, Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” isn’t as awful as it sounds. PBS’ Idea Channel’s Mike Rugnetta explains, it’s akin to a musical “Stockholm syndrome,” a term used originally by criminologist […]
Robots Will Create ‘Permanently Unemployable Underclass’
August 9th, 2014Via: International Business Times: The advancement of robots that can do our jobs for us will create a class-divide not seen since the 19th century, a report by the Pew Research Centre in America has found. As machines have continued to displace factory workers, personal assistants and receptionists over the last decade, advanced countries must […]
Obama Authorizes Limited Air Strikes Against Militants in Iraq
August 8th, 2014So worried about a “Potential act of genocide” is it? “Fears of a humanitarian catastrophe.” That’s very interesting, considering that the U.S. funded and armed the ISIS group it now wants to bomb. And while we’re on to topic of funding and arming terrorists, remember that the U.S. is the primary state sponsor of the […]
Russia Bans Food Imports from U.S., E.U.; Might Ban Flights Over Airspace
August 7th, 2014Via: Washington Post: Russia on Thursday banned most imports of Western food products, a sweeping escalation in an economic war that will deal a multibillion-dollar hit to affected nations but will also unreel wide-ranging consequences at home. The measures were a signal that Russia is not backing down from a confrontation that has sent Western-Russian […]
Molten Salt Nuclear Reactor Project Attracts Venture Capital Funds
August 7th, 2014Via: Gigaom: On Tuesday, nuclear startup Transatomic Power announced that it has closed a seed round of $2 million from the Founders Fund’s newly-launched science-focused fund FF Science. The Founders Fund is the firm behind some of the more successful Internet startups out there including Facebook, Yammer and Spotify, but also some science-focused companies such […]
