July 3, 2012

Hee, hee...

https://twitter.com/TimesPublicEdit/status/219815451457363972

July 2, 2012

GlaxoSmithKline Settles Fraud Charges for $3 Billion (Largest Case of Health Fraud in U.S. History)

Source: Reuters

GlaxoSmithKline settles fraud charges for $3 billion

Mon Jul 2, 2012 10:48am EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline Plc has agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges and pay $3 billion to settle the largest case of healthcare fraud in U.S. history, according to court filings and prosecutors.

The settlement includes $1 billion in criminal fines and $2 billion in civil fines in connection with the sale of the drug company's Paxil, Wellbutrin and Avandia products.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE8610S720120702?irpc=932

July 2, 2012

Tom Tomorrow: Health Care Reform Glossary Updated

Daily Kos Link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/02/1104346/-Health-care-glossary-updated

Note: Be sure to visit the STORE (now featuring DRONEY shirts) — and if you haven’t already, please consider joining the super-duper-exclusive SPARKY'S LIST: http://thismodernworld.com/archives/7020

July 2, 2012

NY Attorney General Probing U.S. Chamber of Commerce for Allegedly Laundering AIG Money for Lobbying

http://www.republicreport.org/2012/tax-exempt-groups-under-investigation-illegal-lobbying-efforts-u-s-chamber-commerce-targeted

NY Attorney General Probing U.S. Chamber of Commerce For Allegedly Laundering AIG Money For Lobbying, Political Commercials

New York state will investigate the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for unfair corporate influence in elections.
POSTED AT 6:12 PM BY MEHRAD YAZDI
Yesterday, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a subpoena targeting a foundation affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for illegally funneling $18 million to the Chamber for its political campaigning and lobbying efforts.

The New York Times reports:


Watchdog groups claim that the grants given to the National Chamber Foundation from the Starr Foundation had subsequently been loaned to the Chamber of Commerce to be used to finance lobbying in Congress and run issue advertising in the 2004 presidential and Congressional elections.

Schneiderman’s investigation is significant because it targets the use of tax-exempt groups that funnel money into politics while hiding donors:

The biggest such groups, including Americans for Prosperity, which is backed by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, and Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, which was founded by Karl Rove and other Republican strategists, are expected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars this year on issue advertisements against candidates to sway the outcome of the presidential and Congressional elections.

MORE

July 2, 2012

Mexico's Opposition Candidate Pena Nieto Winning Election: Exit Polls

Source: Reuters

Mexico's Opposition Candidate Pena Nieto Winning Election: Exit Polls

By Daniel Trotta

MEXICO CITY | Sun Jul 1, 2012 9:27pm EDT

(Reuters) - Opposition candidate Enrique Pena Nieto is seen winning Mexico's presidential election by a comfortable margin and restoring to power the party that ruled for much of the 20th century, according to three exit polls.

Pena Nieto, 45, led by between 8 and 11 percentage points in exit polls released by three of Mexico's main television networks after voting ended on Sunday night.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which governed Mexico for 71 years until losing in 2000, has staged a comeback behind the handsome Pena Nieto, who has pledged to open state-owned oil monopoly Pemex to foreign investors, raise tax revenue and liberalize the labor market.

The polls showed him winning around 40 percent of the vote.

Leftist rival Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was in second place with Josefina Vazquez Mota of the ruling National Action Party, or PAN, trailing in third.

https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/219597871513731074

Reuters Top News ‏@Reuters
Opposition candidate Pena Nieto wins Mexico presidential election: Milenio TV exit poll, watch http://reut.rs/KI6pp2 for updates

http://www.reuters.com/

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/02/us-mexico-election-idUSBRE85S1G320120702

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Will Update. Keep in mind: This may be wrong.

July 1, 2012

Philadelphia Mayor Apparently Wants Occupy National Gathering Participants to Go Thirsty in Heat

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/07/01/philadelphia-mayor-wants-occupy-national-gathering-participants-to-go-thirsty-in-heat/

Philadelphia Mayor Wants Occupy National Gathering Participants to Go Thirsty in Heat

By: Kevin Gosztola Sunday July 1, 2012 4:26 pm

Record-breaking heat has been sweeping the United States. The Occupy movement is holding a major National Gathering in Philadelphia right now, where the temperature has reached ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone spending hours out in this weather needs to drink water so as not to pass out from heat exhaustion. But Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, a Democrat, has issued orders instructing city departments and other organizations in the city to not give water to occupiers.

Occupiers intended to be able to get water from a fire station nearby where the Gathering has been taking place (right downtown around Independence Mall). When occupiers went to get water for participants who would be at today’s activities, a firefighter said the department could not give occupiers water. A direct order had been given from Nutter to not provide water to occupiers.

A person who is out in heat for a long period can get an illness. In extreme cases, people can die. The most serious illness, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is heat stroke. One of the factors that can contribute to the cause of these heat-induced illnesses is “low liquid intake” or lack of water. It is highly encouraged that people drink water “every fifteen minutes.”

This order is a clear example of repression. A Democratic mayor does not want to be seen as encouraging the Occupy movement. He would like to make sure none of his precious campaign donors in the city get wind of city employees like firefighters helping people stay well throughout the Gathering. Ordering firefighters to not give out water may keep the numbers low. Having police not let people have water to distribute can keep numbers low, too. The mayor would rather have occupiers pass out and go to the hospital with serious heat illnesses than risk being seen as too sympathetic to this movement for economic equality and justice.

MORE AT LINK

I haven't found confirmation of this personally:

July 1, 2012

Philadelphia Mayor Wants Occupy National Gathering Participants to Go Thirsty in Heat

Source: Kevin Gosztola


Philadelphia Mayor Wants Occupy National Gathering Participants to Go Thirsty in Heat

By: Kevin Gosztola Sunday July 1, 2012 4:26 pm

Record-breaking heat has been sweeping the United States. The Occupy movement is holding a major National Gathering in Philadelphia right now, where the temperature has reached ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone spending hours out in this weather needs to drink water so as not to pass out from heat exhaustion. But Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, a Democrat, has issued orders instructing city departments and other organizations in the city to not give water to occupiers.

Occupiers intended to be able to get water from a fire station nearby where the Gathering has been taking place (right downtown around Independence Mall). When occupiers went to get water for participants who would be at today’s activities, a firefighter said the department could not give occupiers water. A direct order had been given from Nutter to not provide water to occupiers.

A person who is out in heat for a long period can get an illness. In extreme cases, people can die. The most serious illness, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is heat stroke. One of the factors that can contribute to the cause of these heat-induced illnesses is “low liquid intake” or lack of water. It is highly encouraged that people drink water “every fifteen minutes.”

This order is a clear example of repression. A Democratic mayor does not want to be seen as encouraging the Occupy movement. He would like to make sure none of his precious campaign donors in the city get wind of city employees like firefighters helping people stay well throughout the Gathering. Ordering firefighters to not give out water may keep the numbers low. Having police not let people have water to distribute can keep numbers low, too. The mayor would rather have occupiers pass out and go to the hospital with serious heat illnesses than risk being seen as too sympathetic to this movement for economic equality and justice.

Read more: http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/07/01/philadelphia-mayor-wants-occupy-national-gathering-participants-to-go-thirsty-in-heat/

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I haven't found confirmation of this personally:

July 1, 2012

Mormons Quit Church in Mass Resignation Ceremony

Source: Reuters

Mormons quit church in mass resignation ceremony

Sat Jun 30, 2012 9:07 p.m.
By Jennifer Dobner

SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - A group of about 150 Mormons quit their church in a mass resignation ceremony in Salt Lake City on Saturday in a rare display of defiance ending decades of disagreement for some over issues ranging from polygamy to gay marriage.

Participants from Utah, Arizona, Idaho and elsewhere gathered in a public park to sign a "Declaration of Independence from Mormonism."

"This feels awesome," said Alison Lucas, from West Jordan, Utah, who took part in the rally amid soaring temperatures. "I don't know if I would have had the courage except in a group."

The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known for its culture of obedience, and the mass ceremony was a seldom-seen act of collective revolt.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE86000N20120701?irpc=932