CoOlDiGgY news (late edition)

The coming inflation wave

(Fortune) -- Whether the American economy is in an inflationary or deflationary environment sounds like it should be a fundamental and settled question. But due to the unprecedented financial crisis, the answer is actually subject to intense debate among economists.

Making economic projections is far from a scientific process, so it's not surprising to find valid arguments on both sides of the divide. The economists who are right will help investors drive returns over the next three years.

Inflation can be a positive or negative, depending on the level and duration of it in our economy. The main negative associated with inflation is a drop in purchasing power of money, and therefore, consumers. In extreme cases, consumers may actually start hoarding if they fear continued and aggressive price increases. The positive side of inflation is to decrease the real value of debt, or essentially provide debt relief.

Read more...

*Iran Nuclear Scientist Defects to U.S. In CIA 'Intelligence Coup'

*Obama wants U.N. sanctions on Iran in weeks

*Pharma Planning to Dump Experimental and Controversial Vaccines in Public Schools


*Health Reform Law to Spawn More Tax Men?

*Subway riders question NYPD’s ‘ridiculous’ show of force

*Iraq election challenged over 'banned' candidates

*WikiLeaks to release video of civilians, journalists being murdered in air strike

*Children WILL face 'naked' airport scans

*Report: California’s foreign-born population has peaked

*VIDEO: Ed Asner for 9/11 Truth



earlier:

Recession Leading to the End of Speeding 'Cushion'

The recession may be claiming a new victim: the 5-10-mph "cushion" police and state troopers across the USA have routinely given motorists exceeding the speed limit.

As cities and states scramble to fill budget gaps with revenue from traffic citations, "not only are the (speeding) tolerances much lower, but the frequency of a warning instead of a ticket is way down," says James Baxter, president of the National Motorists Association, a Wisconsin-based drivers' rights group that helps its members fight speeding tickets.

"Most people, if they're stopped now, are getting a ticket even if it's only a minor violation of a few miles per hour," Baxter says. He cites anecdotal evidence of drivers being pulled over at slower speeds.

Read more...

*4 dead in D.C. shooting


*US oil company donated millions to climate sceptic groups

*Two-Thirds of Boys in Afghan Jails Are Brutalized

*Time Magazine: E.U. Members Sell Weapons with Torture Potential

*Elizabeth Warren: Banks Fought For the Very Thing They Are Now Fighting Against

*Catholic League Defends Pope, Blames Homosexuality for Molestations

*Is America ‘Yearning for Fascism’?

*Double suicide bombings kill 12 in Russia's Dagestan

*Canada to pull out of Afghanistan in 2011

CoOlDiGgY news (late edition)

Regulated or Not, Nano-Foods Coming to a Store Near You

For centuries, it was the cook and the heat of the fire that cajoled taste, texture, flavor and aroma from the pot. Today, that culinary voodoo is being crafted by white-coated scientists toiling in pristine labs, rearranging atoms into chemical particles never before seen.

At last year's Institute of Food Technologists international conference, nanotechnology was the topic that generated the most buzz among the 14,000 food-scientists, chefs and manufacturers crammed into an Anaheim, Calif., hall. Though it's a word that has probably never been printed on any menu, and probably never will, there was so much interest in the potential uses of nanotechnology for food that a separate daylong session focused just on that subject was packed to overflowing.

In one corner of the convention center, a chemist, a flavorist and two food-marketing specialists clustered around a large chart of the Periodic Table of Elements (think back to high school science class). The food chemist, from China, ran her hands over the chart, pausing at different chemicals just long enough to say how a nano-ized version of each would improve existing flavors or create new ones.

Read more...

*55% Favor Repeal of Health Care Bill

*NATO rejects Russian call for Afghan poppy spraying

*Soldiers Take Psychiatric Medications for Stress

*Swine Flu Virus Not So New, Study Finds

*Pentagon eases 'don't ask, don't tell' law

*US supports Pakistan economic zones

*Is US using Google proxy to attack China?

*Apartment rents cheaper than stays in homeless shelters

*Why Greenspan's Explanation for the Economic Collapse is Rubbish

*Nano car bursts into flames, raising safety fears

*Tea Party protester apologizes for cruelty to Parkinson's victim

*Philip J. Berg Reveals More About "Barry Soetoro"

earlier:

Al Gore Backs Mayor's 'Carbon Surcharge' Rate Hikes For DWP Customers

Former Vice President Al Gore on Tuesday backed Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's "carbon surcharge" proposal for Department of Water and Power customers despite reports indicating that the plan could hike power fees as much as 28.4 percent.

"Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles has introduced one of the most forward-thinking clean energy plans I have ever seen," Gore said in a statement. " ... This innovative proposal can be the catalyst the Department of Water and Power needs to power Los Angeles' use of green energy."

Villaraigosa's plan, which he said would cost the average customer about an extra $2.50 month (now he says it's up to $3.50 a month), is aimed at weening the city off coal power and onto 20 percent renewable energy by the end of the year. It will also create 16,000 jobs and retrofit homes and businesses with energy efficient gear.

But ... the Los Angeles Times reports that the hikes, the first of which has already been approved by the DWP board, would amount to 8.8 to 28.4 percent power-bill increases, and that some of the extra cash would go to initiatives already underway at the DWP.

Some on the City Council are challenging the initial rate hike and will debate whether to send the plan back to the DWP board for reconsideration Tuesday. Opponents are concerned that the hike comes at the worst time -- high unemployment plagues the city -- with a DWP that is the city's richest department. While the city faces a near-$700 million deficit in July and the possibility of 4,000 layoffs, many DWP workers are getting raises.

Still, Gore likes the plan

Read more...

*Poll: Americans Hate Wall Street

*Cops In N.J. Town Given Keys To Homes

*How to tell if you are Middle Class

*Panel to study what to do with U.S. nuclear waste

*UN body to look at meat and climate link



*Airport Worker Caught Ogling Image of Woman on Naked Body Scanner

*US authorities "deal" with Wikileaks

*UN head in Afghanistan meets with militant group

*Hungary, Latvia and Romania on verge of collapse Spain, Greece call for bailout fund

*Measure to legalize marijuana will be on California's November ballot

*Explain why you sold Britain's gold, Gordon Brown told

*Georgia accepts Gitmo inmates

*France ditches carbon tax as social protests mount

*"Childless on Principle" gains ground in Russia

*Ottawa joins the war on photography

*Why did Barry Soetoro change his name to Barack Hussein Obama?

the frivolous

Happy Birthday, William Shatner

CoOlDiGgY apologi(S)es to Sir Alan Thicke

March 1 was The Honorable Alan Thicke's birthday and it when unacknowledged here at our fair blog. We sincerely apologize or apologise as Admiral Thicke would write (he's Canadian). We are sorry to you, our readers, for letting you down on this most pertinent of international holidays. We also apologiSe to Dr. Thicke, the thousands of authors of 'Growing Pains' erotic fiction, and the town of Canada. Thank you all.

RELATED: "Prime Minister" Alan Thicke's Wiki

CoOlDiGgY news (late edition)

Did Hillary really pledge U.S. homes to China?

The State Department says there is "no factual basis" to an Internet rumor that went viral over the weekend claiming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was willing to pledge American homes to China as collateral for Beijing buying U.S. debt.

The rumor, in various versions, claimed Clinton brought with her last month to Beijing a written agreement offering to extend to China the option to exercise eminent domain rights within the U.S. The rights purportedly were offered as collateral for China's continued willingness to purchase additional trillions of dollars in U.S. Treasury debt the Obama administration hopes to sell to finance projected federal budget deficits.

Read more...

*Toyota a brand on decline: Reports of acceleration problems double - on FIXED cars

*Hawaii considering law to ignore Obama 'birthers'

*TSA To Make Full Body Scans Mandatory At US Airports

*Statistics Show Rise In Sexual Assault Cases Among Troops

*VIDEO: U Florida Students Protest Police Shooting of Student


*Experts debate dangers of wearing popular sheepskin boots

*The History of the Honey Trap: Five lessons for would-be James Bonds and Bond girls -- and the men and women who would resist them

*Government Warned 9/11 Commission ‘Not To Cross The Line’


earlier:

J Street launches campaign in support of tough U.S. stand on Israel

J Street has launched a campaign in support of Washington's firm stance on Israel's latest approved building plan in East Jerusalem, the dovish U.S. pro-Israel lobby announced on Tuesday.

Israel's announcement of plans to build 1,600 housing units in East Jerusalem strained ties with the U.S., which has said it regarded last week's decision - made public while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel - as an insult.

Recent U.S.-Israel tensions were used by "hawkish pro-Israel activists," according to the announcement posted on J Street's website, "to attack the Obama Administration over Israel, urging the Administration to slow down and back off."

In response to this, the left-leaning lobby said, "the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement is stepping up strong."

Read more...

*The Pluck of the Irish: Ireland Battles Economic Woes, Offering Lessons for America

*Edward Hogan, Irish Activist, Rendition Critic Has US Visa Revoked

*Pakistanis die in 'US drone raids'

*Obama Threatens Veto Over GAO Role in Intel Oversight

*Kucinich to vote YES on "flawed" health care bill but with reservations


*Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage

*Loonie edges above 99 cents to Dollar

*One-year freeze on earmarks fails in Senate, splits GOP

*Producer prices post biggest drop in 7 months

*Israeli FM says he boycotted Brazilian president

*Workers paying more toward insurance premiums