Mainstream News

Dental Abuse Seen Driven by Private Equity Investments [2012]

"Isaac Gagnon stepped off the school bus sobbing last October and opened his mouth to show his mother where it hurt. A dentist’s statement in his backpack showed he had received two pulpotomies, or baby root canals, along with the crowns and 10 X-rays -- all while he was at school. 'I was absolutely horrified,' said Gagnon.'I never gave them permission to drill into my son’s mouth. They did it for profit.' [Dental management-services companies like ReachOut] have been riding a boom in Medicaid outlays on dentistry, which rose 63 percent to $7.4 billion between 2007 and 2010, outstripping the 4.9 percent growth in other dental spending." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDental Abuse Seen Driven by Private Equity Investments [2012]

Every Important Person In Bitcoin Just Got Subpoenaed By New York

"Declaring Bitcoin 'a virtual Wild West for narcotraffickers and other criminals,' the New York State Department of Financial Services is stepping into the sheriff’s boots. 'We believe that – for a number of reasons – putting in place appropriate regulatory safeguards for virtual currencies will be beneficial to the long-term strength of the virtual currency industry,' said NYSDFS superintendent Benjamin Lawsky in a statement. They sent letters to the major Bitcoin players asking them to hand over information regarding their money laundering controls, consumer protection practices, source of funding, pitch books, and investment strategies." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEvery Important Person In Bitcoin Just Got Subpoenaed By New York

U.S. Expats Balk at Tax Law, Reconsider Citizenship

"Withers, in Hong Kong, says that many of its clients are giving up their green cards and U.S. citizenship after filing their taxes, deeming the tax liability to be too onerous. Among them are American expatriates who see their Singaporean and Hong Kong peers paying a far-lower income tax and aren't subject to capital-gains taxes, Mr. Krause said. The foreign grantor trust is becoming a favored method for passing on wealth, said Mr. Krause of Withers. Such trusts are 'highly advantageous' to families living abroad, he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. Expats Balk at Tax Law, Reconsider Citizenship

CIA Director John Brennan Confirmed as Reporter Michael Hastings Next Target

"A University professor told San Diego 6 News that calculating the speed of Hastings car follows a simple mathematic equation. By using the video and the distance traveled (195 feet) as well as the seconds that lapsed prior to the explosion – the car was traveling roughly 35 mph. That revelation is important because Jose, an employee of ALSCO a nearby business, and a witness to the accident told KTLA/Loud Labs (Scott Lane) the car was traveling at a high rate of speed and he saw sparks coming from the car and saw it explode BEFORE hitting the tree." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCIA Director John Brennan Confirmed as Reporter Michael Hastings Next Target

Bangladeshi student sentenced to 30 years in prison for FBI plot to blow up the Fed

"A Bangladeshi student who came to the U.S. intending to commit jihad was sentenced to 30 years in prison today after pleading guilty to terrorism charges for trying to blow up the Federal Reserve Bank in New York. The plot was a phony operation engineered by undercover agents. The 22-year-old begged for leniency and forgiveness, apologizing to the judge, the United States, New York City and his parents and said he no longer believed in radical Islam. Nafis was arrested after he tried to detonate a phony 1,000-pound truck bomb outside the bank in October." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBangladeshi student sentenced to 30 years in prison for FBI plot to blow up the Fed

British police officer keeps job after having sex on duty while wearing handgun

"A police marksman who had sex on duty with a woman while his loaded gun was in a holster around his ankles has been allowed to keep his job, it has emerged. The police watchdog condemned Gwent police’s handling of the case, saying it had omitted key details in a report. PC Shaun Jenkins was originally dismissed from the force over the incident in 2010 but reinstated on appeal. He used a police armed response vehicle to get a lift to the house where the woman was, and was inside for between 30 to 40 minutes during which time he said he continued to monitor the police radio." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBritish police officer keeps job after having sex on duty while wearing handgun

12-year-old boy discovers impressive 5.16 carat diamond after digging for 10 minutes

"Michael Dettlaff's family drove 100 miles out of their way to visit Crater of Diamonds State Park - and it was worth it. After only 10 minutes digging for the prized gems, 12-year-old Michael unearthed one of the largest diamonds in park history. Michael's dad was still in the process of renting mining equipment when Michel bounded up to him with the honey-brown diamond the size of a jelly bean. Park officials registered the 5.16 carat diamond under Michael's name of choice - the 'God's Glory Diamond' - and say it is the 27th largest diamond found there since the site became a state park in 1972." Continue reading →

Continue Reading12-year-old boy discovers impressive 5.16 carat diamond after digging for 10 minutes

Congress starts looking into Bitcoin

"The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Monday sent letters to several agencies requesting that they disclose their virtual currency policies, how they developed them, how agencies are coordinating and finally what they plan to do going forward. Committee Chairman Tom Carper (D-Del.) and ranking member Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) sent letters Monday, which ask for information on a range of virtual currencies while naming Bitcoin as an example, to the Homeland Security Department, Justice Department, Federal Reserve, Treasury Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, CFTC, and OMB." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCongress starts looking into Bitcoin

India raises import duty on gold, silver to 10 per cent

"India hiked import duty on refined gold bars for a third time in eight months to 10 per cent from the earlier 8 per cent, the Finance Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The government also raised the import duty on silver to 10 per cent from the earlier 6 per cent, and the factory gate duty on gold bars to 9 per cent from 7 per cent. India, the world's biggest buyer of gold, has been trying to curb imports of the yellow metal, which is the second biggest imported item after crude oil. On July 22, the RBI required a fifth of all gold imports to be used for export, usually in the form of jewellery." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIndia raises import duty on gold, silver to 10 per cent