Daily Archives: January 18, 2013

Food prices may be catalyst for 2013 revolutions

"The easiest prediction to make for 2013 is that everything we eat will once again rise sharply in price. So where will the revolutions start this year? Keep an eye on Algeria and Greece — and if you want to feel very nervous, Russia and China. And if you are smart, keep your money out of those countries as well. The link between the cost of feeding your family and political turmoil is too well-established to be ignored. We saw it most recently with the Arab Spring of 2011. The uprisings that deposed the autocracies of the Middle East had their roots in food inflation." Continue reading →

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David Galland: Lessons from the Argentine

"In today's missive, I plan on sharing just a few of the lessons learned since moving to Cafayate in the Salta province in scenic northwest Argentina. It's my hope that my observations will be of use to you in getting through the challenging times still ahead for the major developed economies. That's because, as I probably don't need to tell you, the Argentines have almost unparalleled experience in surviving the regular financial crises their government has proven so adept at creating. In fact, since Juan Perón took office in 1946, not a single ten-year period has passed without being molested by a serious crisis, and often more than one." Continue reading →

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‘The world needs more capitalism’ – Greta interviews Whole Foods co-CEO John Mackey

"This is really a great interview and very refreshing to hear as Whole Foods co-CEO John Mackey not only defends capitalism and free markets but tells Greta that the problem with the world isn’t that there’s too much capitalism, but that there’s not enough of it." Continue reading →

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Trooper indicted for stealing marijuana

"A former Georgia State Patrol Trooper is indicted for stealing marijuana from the Post evidence locker, and giving it to teenage girls. Jaa Tucker was arrested by the Early County Sheriff's Office this morning. He posted bond and was released. He is charged with theft by government employee, distribution of marijuana, and violation of oath of office. The Thomasville GBI Post is handling the investigation. A GSP source says that Tucker was fired last year." Continue reading →

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Utah Cops Interrupt Husband’s Last Goodbyes to Grab Dead Woman’s Pain Pills

"Barbara Alice Mahaffey, an elderly resident of Vernal, Utah, died at home of colon cancer on May 21 as her husband of 58 years stood at her side. The death of his long-time spouse was bad enough, but what came next has Ben Mahaffey furious -- and heading to court. Mahaffey, 80, filed a lawsuit against the city of Vernal earlier this month charging that Vernal police interrupted his last goodbyes by searching his house for her prescription pain medication without a warrant within minutes after her death. Mahaffey said he was distraught and trying to ensure that his wife's body would be transported to a funeral home with dignity when police insisted he help them look for drugs." Continue reading →

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NYPD looks to GPS bottles to combat pill bandits

"The New York Police Department wants pharmacies in and around the city to fight prescription drug thefts by stocking pill bottles fitted with GPS tracking chips. Prescription drug abuse 'can serve as a gateway to criminal activities, especially among young people,' the commissioner says. The NYPD has begun creating a database of the roughly 6,000 pharmacies in the New York City area with plans to have officers visit them and recommend security measures like better alarm systems and lighting of storage areas. Kelly says it also will ask them to stock the GPS bottles containing fake oxycodone." Continue reading →

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Of Course, Gun Laws MUST Exempt the Police

"Apparently, when the legislature wrote New York's new gun law, they did not exempt the police, who carry 15 rounds in their handguns and much more in their 'assault rifles.' Not surprisingly, they already are working on an amendment to allow the police to ignore the law. The standard response is that the police must fight the 'bad guys,' who are heavily armed. However, since the U.S. Supreme Court already has ruled that the police have no legal obligation to protect regular citizens, why is it right for police to be able to protect themselves but citizens cannot?" Continue reading →

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Parents Furious After Boys Suspended For Using Fingers As Guns

"Two 6-year-old boys were suspended while playing cops and robbers during recess and using their fingers to make an imaginary gun. This is the second time a Maryland child has been suspended for such play. Earlier this month, 6-year-old Rodney Lynch was suspended from his Montgomery County school after pretending to fire an imaginary gun more than once." Continue reading →

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X-ray full-body scanners to be taken out of U.S. airports

"According to Bloomberg News, OSI Systems, the company that makes the scanners, was unable to write a software program that would cover passengers’ genitals. The TSA has terminated its $5 million contract with OSI’s Rapiscan unit, which was awarded to the company with a software fix in mind. The TSA removed 76 of the Rapiscan machines from the nation’s busiest airports in 2011. The remaining 174 machines will now be decommissioned. The TSA plans to switch over to scanners manufactured by a company called L-3 Communications Holdings, which use radio signals rather than X-rays to scan passengers for weapons." Continue reading →

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