How one man can buy another the U.S. presidency
How one man is trying to buy the U.S. presidency for another. And thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court, it’s perfectly legal.
A regulator’s blind eye is dangerous to us all
Do you know who Spencer Barasch is? You should. He’s the Steve Bartman of the financial world. Bartman ruined the Cubs’ chance to make the World Series in 2003. Barasch, as head of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Fort Worth, Texas enforcement office, stands accused of turning down repeated attempts to go after accused swindler R. Allen Stanford. He ruined any chances victims had of recouping impending losses. Worse, after leaving government, Barasch, who protected Stanford, then went to work for him.
Schools’ public relations versus reality
The story behind a story is often more interesting, but too often, we forget to ask questions needed to learn it. here’s a story about someone who wanted to find out how many years it would take for a wind turbine installed at a school to pay for itself. The answer is quite surprising.
If 2011 is any indication, 2012 will be worst year for the post office
If anecdotal evidence for one postal customer is any guide, 2012 is going to be a terrible year for the U.S. Postal Service, which continues to fall apart. What kind of anecdotal evidence? Stolen mail. Mail returned to sender when it was properly addressed. Torn mail. And Priority Mail not making the 2-day delivery promise. Is the worse yet to come? Seems so.
Utility price increases often start earlier than you think
When a municipal utility announces a rate increase, consumers tend to think that it occurs on the day it is supposed to go into effect. Actually, most municipalities start the increase as the billing date — which means the rates take effect much earlier.
