Archive for the 'Economy' Category
Why Miami Is Becoming the ‘Russian Riviera’
November 21st, 2012Where’s Crockett and Tubbs? Via: CNBC: On a recent afternoon, Miami real-estate agent Jill Eber is taking a Russian millionaire on a mansion-shopping trip. “This is the Versace Room,” Eber says, walking into a vast living room of blue velvet sofas and gold French Imperial lamps. “It really makes a statement.” The mansion, “Castello del […]
Italy: Catholic Church to Pay Property Tax from Next Year
November 20th, 2012Via: National Secular Society: Italy’s Catholic Church will be forced to pay taxes starting in 2013 after the EU pressured the country’s government to pass a controversial law stripping the Church of its historic property tax exemption. The Catholic Church in Italy is excluded from paying taxes on its land if at least a part […]
‘Something Wonderful’ Happened in the World of Space Sim Video Games
November 20th, 2012This is really Off Topic, but I thought that some of you would enjoy the bird-flipping audacity of this project. Chris Roberts, a veteran game designer, wanted to make a game that no venture capitalists were interested in backing. So he raised $6.2 million from individuals, which is the largest amount ever raised for a […]
Homeland Security Spent $430-Million To Tune Its Radios To A New Frequency, And Failed
November 20th, 2012Via: TechDirt: Of 479 radio users the DHS inspector general tested, only one knew how to tune into the common channel, the report stated. Personnel either were unaware the channel existed, could not find it, or switched to an outdated channel inherited from the Treasury Department. “Personnel do not have interoperable communications that they can […]
Empirical Data Confirm Autism Symptoms Related to Aluminum and Acetaminophen Exposure
November 17th, 2012Via: Entropy: Abstract: Autism is a condition characterized by impaired cognitive and social skills, associated with compromised immune function. The incidence is alarmingly on the rise, and environmental factors are increasingly suspected to play a role. This paper investigates word frequency patterns in the U.S. CDC Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) database. Our results […]
Permit Required for Homeless in Nevada City
November 17th, 2012Via: CBS: A police chief says he’s found a one-of-a-kind way to manage a growing problem in his city, and it’s putting the homeless on the hot seat. A new law would give Nevada City the power to hand out permits to a small group of homeless, which would give them permission to sleep in […]
Poverty: 50 Million Americans Struggling to Survive
November 15th, 2012The United States is projected to spend an estimated US$323 billion for development and procurement on the F-35 program, making it the most expensive defense program ever. The total lifecycle cost for the entire American fleet is estimated to be US$1.51 trillion over its 50-year life, or $618 million per plane. —Wikipedia, Lockheed Martin F-35 […]
Bloated College Bureaucracies, Absurd Salaries, Higher Fees
November 15th, 2012Via: Bloomberg: J. Paul Robinson, chairman of Purdue University’s faculty senate, strode through the halls of a 10- story concrete-and-glass administrative tower. “I have no idea what these people do,” said Robinson, waving his hand across a row of offices, his voice rising. The 59-year-old professor of biomedical engineering is leading a faculty revolt against […]
Euro Zone in Second Recession Since 2009
November 15th, 2012Via: Reuters: The debt crisis dragged the euro zone into its second recession since 2009 in the third quarter despite modest growth in Germany and France, data showed on Thursday. The two leading economies both managed 0.2 percent growth in the July-to-September period. But the resilience could not save the austerity-hit 17-nation bloc from overall […]
No Evidence Tamiflu Can Actually Stop the Flu
November 14th, 2012Yeah, but it’s effective for giving children nausea, insomnia and nightmares. Via: AP: A leading British medical journal is asking the drug maker Roche to release all its data on Tamiflu, claiming there is no evidence the drug can actually stop the flu. The drug has been stockpiled by dozens of governments worldwide in case […]
