Archive for the 'Economy' Category
Pennsylvania’s Homeland Security Chief Goes Into Hiding
September 17th, 2010Via: Post Gazette: The former Special Forces colonel who has headed the state Office of Homeland Security for four years and who now finds himself at the center of a firestorm over an anti-terrorism contract is missing in action. James F. Powers Jr. has basically gone underground since Tuesday, when Gov. Ed Rendell denounced a […]
Modern Cargo Ships Slow to Speed of Sailing Clippers
September 17th, 2010Related: SkySails: Via: Guardian: The world’s largest cargo ships are travelling at lower speeds today than sailing clippers such as the Cutty Sark did more than 130 years ago. A combination of the recession and growing awareness in the shipping industry about climate change emissions encouraged many ship owners to adopt “slow steaming” to save […]
Some of Blackwater/Xe’s Corporate Clients: Monsanto, Chevron, the Walt Disney Company, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Deutsche Bank and Barclays
September 17th, 2010Via: The Nation: Over the past several years, entities closely linked to the private security firm Blackwater have provided intelligence, training and security services to US and foreign governments as well as several multinational corporations, including Monsanto, Chevron, the Walt Disney Company, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and banking giants Deutsche Bank and Barclays, according to […]
U.S. Drug Firm Penalized $300 Million for Criminal Actions
September 16th, 2010Via: CBC: A major U.S. drug company, Forest Pharmaceuticals, has agreed to plead guilty to three charges related to selling an unapproved drug, promoting an antidepressant to children and obstructing federal agents. The company is facing fines and criminal penalties of over $300 million. The charges date back more than 10 years when Forest was […]
Big Pharma’s Quackademic ‘Thought Leaders’
September 16th, 2010Via: The Chronicle of Higher Education: Perhaps the most remarkable recent exchange with a KOL emerged in an investigation of Joseph Biederman, a child psychiatrist at Harvard University. In a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, Biederman was accused of promising positive research results to the company in exchange for funding. A hint of Biederman’s self-opinion […]
Green Shoots: U.S. Census Bureau Reports Highest Poverty Rate Since 1994: 14.3 Percent
September 16th, 2010Via: NPR: This morning, the U.S. Census Bureau released its annual report on income, poverty and health insurance in the U.S. The poverty rate in 2009 rose by 1.1 percent, to 14.3 percent. According to the agency, “there were 43.6 million people in poverty in 2009, up from 39.8 million in 2008 — the third […]
Recovery: Foreclosures Rise; Repossessions Set Record
September 16th, 2010Via: CNBC: US foreclosure activity rose in August from the previous month, and banks and lenders took ownership from homeowners at a record pace, according to a new report released Thursday. Bank repossessions, often the final step in the foreclosure process after a home fails to sell at auction, increased about 2 percent from the […]
Banner Image: Not Photoshop
September 16th, 2010Some questions have been coming in with regard to the current banner image. No, I didn’t make that in Photoshop. Yes, that’s marijuana. Via: Boston Globe – Big Picture – Reuters: Cpl Ryan Belgrave with the Canadian Army’s 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment Battle Group, walks through a field of marijuana plants during a […]
New Name for High Fructose Corn Syrup: Corn Sugar
September 15th, 2010Via: Food Consumer: On September 14, the Corn Refiner’s Association said in a press release posted on its website that it has asked the Food and Drug Administration to allow manufacturers of high fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, to use the name “corn sugar” instead of high fructose corn syrup.
Britain: Under New Plan, Government Would Deduct Taxes Directly from Workers’ Gross Pay and Issue Pay Checks
September 15th, 2010Wow! Do you think it will stop at just the income tax? Just wait. Property taxes. Unpaid speeding tickets. Fart taxes. Oh, baby. The sky’s the limit on this terrifying nonsense. That’s the beauty of a “centralised deductions system.” Her Majesty can authoritatively and effortlessly lift your wallet and send you on your way. Via: […]
