"A lot of the money Fed chairman Ben Bernanke is printing is finding its way back to the crony government-private sector operatives in Washington D.C. The median price of a home in the District reached its highest point in history last month, according to the latest data from RealEstate Business Intelligence. D.C.’s median sale price soared to $460,000 from $405,000 in March 2012, an increase of 13.6 percent year over year." Continue reading →
"Lawmakers in Racine, Wisconsin voted yesterday to ban concealed weapons in city-owned buildings — except for themselves. The ordinance passed by a vote of 9 to 5 yesterday (April 3, 2013), but drew criticism from council members and area residents. 'When you deprive us of a constitutional right but then turn around and give it to yourselves – that is incomprehensible,' Racine resident Gary Dulek said. Several other people spoke out against that philosophy at the Common Council meeting Wednesday night. 'This is about elected officials who believe they’re above the law,' another attendee said." Continue reading →
"On March 22, Officer Ronald DePellegrin of Homestead, Pennsylvania allowed a prostitute to undress him and begin to perform a sexual act before he informed her that he was an undercover vice officer. DePellegrin had contacted the prostitute through an online advertisement. The two agreed to meet at a house to conduct the transaction. Before they began, DePellegrin assured her that he was not a cop. All of these details were included in DePellegrin’s official report. The woman’s attorney points out that 'the police in this particular instance are engaging in the exact type of criminal activity that they’re saying that they’re trying to protect the community from.'" Continue reading →
"U.S. President Barack Obama has selected a partner at the investment firm of Goldman Sachs in Chicago to be the new U.S. ambassador to Canada, CBC News has learned. Sources tell CBC News Network's Power & Politics that Bruce Heyman has accepted the job but still has to pass a vetting process in order to be be formally nominated. His confirmation will be up to the U.S. Congress. Well known as a high-level fundraiser to Barack Obama, Heyman and his wife Vicki, also a fundraiser, raised more than $1 million for Obama and were on his national finance committee. Heyman runs the private wealth fund at Goldman Sachs." Continue reading →
"The EU will put its controversial carbon tax on intercontinental airline flights on hold for a year to give time for international talks to reach a compromise on the issue. Almost all ICAO members have objected to the EU carbon tax on airline flights, which formally took effect in January 2012, saying it violated international law. China even threatened reprisals against European aircraft maker Airbus. The US rejects the EU’s methodology which calculates the tax based on the entire flight, but could possibly accept basing it on the portion through European air space. US airlines lost a complaint against the tax before the European Court of Justice." Continue reading →
"President Barack Obama says his administration is working with Congress to provide Jordan with an additional $200 million in aid this year. He made the announcement during a news conference in Amman, Jordan, with King Abdullah II. Jordan’s economic troubles have been made worse by the influx of more than 450,000 refugees fleeing the civil war across the border in neighboring Syria. The Syrians are crowding refugee camps in Jordan and overwhelming aid agencies run by the important U.S. ally in the Middle East." Continue reading →
"Cypriot president Nikos Anastasiades 'warned' close friends of the financial crisis about to engulf his country so they could move their money abroad, it was claimed on Friday. The respected Cypriot newspaper Filelftheros made the allegation which was picked up eagerly by German media. The Cyprus newspaper did not say how much money was moved abroad but quoted sources saying the president 'knew about the possible closure of the banks' and tipped off close friends who were able to move vast sums abroad." Continue reading →
"First Lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters skied at a posh resort in Aspen, Colo., with the help of numerous instructors on private ski runs during Presidents Day weekend. We’re told some wealthy Aspen visitors were annoyed when 'air space was blocked because of [the Obamas’] plane, so others couldn’t get their private jets in. Many people nearly didn’t land or had to be diverted.' We’re told the Obama family stayed at the home of Aspen Ski Company owners Jim and Paula Crown, who are big Democratic donors. Their security team occupied another entire house next door." Continue reading →