Monthly Archives: April 2013

Americans pile into silver, gold coins

"Interest in these glittery investments – which soared five years ago – has been especially hot this year. In January, the US Mint sold 7.5 million American Eagle silver bullion coins to dealers – a monthly high, and not far from the 9.9 million silver American Eagles it sold in all of 2007. Demand was so strong that the Mint temporarily ran out of supplies and had to suspend sales for roughly 10 days. In addition, sales of American Eagle gold bullion coins hit highs not seen since June 2010." Continue reading →

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Investors Pile Into Housing, This Time as Landlords

"U.S. housing recoveries almost always have been ignited by rising demand from families and individuals looking for a place to live. This recovery is different. Investors—including some big Wall Street players—are leading the way, say industry executives and analysts. Their role is noteworthy given that flippers and speculators were blamed for helping to inflate the housing bubble of the past decade. Today's investors are mostly buying with the intention of holding on to the homes and renting them out. Fear of buying homes when prices are dropping has been replaced by the fear of missing out on cheap homes." Continue reading →

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As marijuana goes legit, investors rush in

What's striking is how conventional many of the business people's backgrounds — and their plans — increasingly are. Instead of backing marijuana dispensaries, investors such as Privateer and San Francisco-based ArcView Group are rushing to find consulting firms, software companies and insurance agencies to serve the new market. Even Privateer's strategy of merging small companies to form a big one is familiar: In traditional buyout shops, it's called a 'roll-up.' Just don't say that word to Kennedy, unless you want him to blush. Scratch the term 'growing the business' — he catches that one in midsentence, correcting his wording to 'expand.'" Continue reading →

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Sample Ballot: City of Lincoln Election Primary April 9, 2013

Tuesday, April 9 is Primary Election day for the following local government bodies: City of Lincoln Council – three at-large seats (see footnote1 for more information) Click HERE for a list of the current members of the City Council with term expiration dates IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT [...]

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‘Don’t Shoot My Dog’ Laws Proposed

"The natural enemy of the family dog is the local cop. Some of the stories we hear about cops shooting dogs, man, it’s like they don’t even try to deal with the animal reasonably. They shoot first and put the leash on later. I get that some people are just irrationally afraid of dogs, but cops are armed and in stressful situations. And since 'dog murder' isn’t really a thing, there’s no incentive for cops to hold their fire. We’ve reported in the past about how jury awards are going up when cops are found to recklessly kill family pets. But money cannot replace the companionship of a best friend. Now, one state is trying to take more decisive action." Continue reading →

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Texas Supreme Court bars sentimental value suits from dog owners

"The Texas Supreme Court ruled on Friday that bereaved dog owners cannot file lawsuits calling for their pets’ sentimental value. The Dallas Morning News reported on Friday that, per the ruling, dog owners can only be legally compensated for the market cost of their pets. 'Under Texas common law, the human-animal bond, while undeniable, is uncompensable,' Justice Don R. Willett wrote in the court’s unanimous decision, which reversed a ruling by the state 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth." Continue reading →

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Anti-drone protests kick off in San Diego

"From coast-to-coast, human rights activists have launched a month-long protest against the use drones by the US government. Throughout the month of April, the 'Days of Action' demonstrations will take it to the companies behind the construction of these robots in the sky. RT's Ramon Galindo brings us more from San Diego, California." Continue reading →

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Cops with Drones: Alameda Co., CA Weighs Technology vs. Privacy

"For a long time, drones - unmanned aircraft - were used only by the military. Now local law enforcement wants them for police work such as surveillance and search-and-rescue missions. That in turn has sparked a fierce debate over the balance between cutting-edge law enforcement technology and the privacy rights of citizens." Continue reading →

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BionicOpter dragonfly drone flutters about, blows minds

"Festo isn't quite the household name that Boston Dynamics is. (And, really, we're not entirely sure Big Dog is a regular topic of conversation at dinner tables yet.) But, it certainly deserves just as much attention for the work they're doing with robotics. After crafting a machine last year that soared around like a herring gull, now the company has created BionicOpter. The 17.3-inch long dragonfly drone can flutter through the air in any direction, and even hover, just like its biological inspiration." Continue reading →

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