Archive for July, 2009
2012 Olympics: Laws Allow Police to Enter Private Homes to Confiscate, “Advertising of a Non-Commercial Nature, and Announcements or Notices of Any Kind”
July 24th, 2009Via: Guardian: The government was accused tonight of giving itself draconian powers to clamp down on protests at the 2012 Olympics. Critics said the powers were so broad they would potentially give private contractors the right to forcibly enter people’s homes and seize materials. Opposition parties and civil liberties groups criticised the powers as top […]
Britain: Parents to Sign ‘Behaviour Contracts’ to Send Children to State Schools
July 24th, 2009Via: Telegraph: Pupils and their families will be required to agree to the deal – setting out minimum standards of behaviour and attendance – before the start of term. Contracts, known as Home School Agreements, will also establish parents’ responsibilities for the first time. They face court action and possible fines of up to £1,000 […]
Chinese Experts Grow Live Mice from Skin Cells
July 24th, 2009Via: Reuters: Chinese researchers have managed to create powerful stem cells from mouse skin and used these to generate fertile live mouse pups. They used induced pluripotent skin cells, or iPS cells — cells that have been reprogrammed to look and act like embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells, taken from days-old embryos, have the […]
NZ: Man Withdraws $190,000 Savings After Bank Denies Loan for $80,000
July 24th, 2009Update: Nelson Building Society Deposits His Money… with Westpac You sort of have to live in New Zealand to get how funny/sad this is. Via: Stuff: In an ironic twist on Mapua artist Roger Griffiths’ protest withdrawal of his $190,000 savings in $20 notes from Westpac yesterday, the money was today back with Westpac. Mr […]
As Farmers Battle Weeds ‘Conventionally,’ the Chemical Treadmill Speeds Up
July 24th, 2009Via: Grist: I’m an ag nerd, so sometimes you’ll catch me reading stuff like Delta Farm Press—a trade publication for large-scale farmers in the deep south. I find the damnedest things on those reading jags. Here’s one: farmers down there—which is cotton, soy, and corn country—are having a hell of a time controlling weeds, and […]
Detroit: The Post-Apocalyptic Future of American Cities?
July 23rd, 2009Update: Is This Story Bullshit? A couple of readers from Detroit have written in and are saying that this story is bullshit and that they they haven’t seen any barbedwired burbclaves. —End Update— Burbclaves. Via: Al Martin: Here’s a glimpse of a Turn Key Approach to Urban Wasteland Management ™. Last week I had a […]
Citing an Argument Used by the Bush Administration, White House Declines to Disclose Visits by Health Industry Executives
July 23rd, 2009Via: Los Angeles Times: Invoking an argument used by President George W. Bush, the Obama administration has turned down a request from a watchdog group for a list of health industry executives who have visited the White House to discuss the massive healthcare overhaul. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sent a letter to […]
HOLY !@#!! Treasury Auction Schedule
July 23rd, 2009Via: Market Ticker: Oh My…… Let’s see if I can count this up…. 70 day CMBs, $30 billion (tomorrow) 13 week Bills, $32 billion (July 27th) 26 week Bills, $31 billion (July 27th) 52 week Bills, $27 billion (July 28th) 2 year Notes, $42 billion (July 28th) 5 year Notes, $39 billion (July 29th) 7 […]
Obama on U.S. Economic Crisis: “The fire is now out”
July 23rd, 2009HAHA! This is “Mission Accomplished” V2.0. Via: AFP: US President Barack Obama defended his administration’s response to the economic crisis over the last six months, declaring: “The fire is now out.” “I think that we have stepped back from the abyss. I think we’ve put out the fire,” he said in an interview with PBS, […]
Feds Bust Dozens in New Jersey Corruption Scandal; Mayors of Hoboken and Secaucus in Custody; “High-Volume International Money-Laundering Conspiracy”
July 23rd, 2009Organs. Via: NBC New York: The mayors of Hoboken and Secaucus were among scores of people arrested in early morning raids across New Jersey this morning as federal officials unveiled a long-ranging probe into public corruption and international money laundering, officials said. FBI and IRS rounded up scores of elected officials and several rabbis across […]
