Thanks to off-the-charts inflation, Venezuela will probably retain the dubious honor of being the most miserable economy for a second year. Galloping inflation at an annual average of 98.3 percent last year alongside 6.8 percent unemployment earned the South American country the runaway top spot on the 2015 misery index. With no end in sight for Venezuela’s economic woes — estimates in Bloomberg surveys predict consumer price growth of …
Cracking Down on Abusive Debt Collectors
Have you ever picked up your phone to find an aggressive voice on the other end demanding payments on a debt you know nothing about? You’re far from alone. Once you’re in the sights of a debt collector, the impact on your life can be devastating: Your wages can be garnished and your credit ruined. You might lose your driver’s …
Ben White – What Clinton said in her paid speechesd
NEW YORK — When Hillary Clinton spoke to Goldman Sachs executives and technology titans at a summit in Arizona in October of 2013, she spoke glowingly of the work the bank was doing raising capital and helping create jobs, according to people who saw her remarks. Clinton, who received $225,000 for her appearance, praised the diversity of Goldman’s workforce and …
The Subversive Power of the Kiss
In Western cultures, we mark the beginning of romantic entanglement by touching lips. Few actions are as fraught with anxiety and symbolism as that first kiss—and it’s no exaggeration to say that some kisses feel like life or death. Indeed, a kiss can kill, in the most medical, un-romantic, non-metaphorical sense. Sticking your tongue in the mouth of another person …
TIM BISSELL – 10 Secret CIA Prisons You Do Not Want To Visit
The US Central Intelligence Agency has, according to multiple investigative reports from both mainstream media outlets and human rights organizations, operated numerous “black sites” across the world. These locations, according to the reports, are secret prisons used to house “ghost prisoners.” Those sent to these places are held captive without being charged with any crime and are not allowed any …
Russia Warns of ‘World War’ as Saudi Plans Syria Intervention
Saudi Arabia’s decision to send troops to Syria is “final” and “irreversible,” Saudi military spokesman Ahmed Al-Assiri told reporters Thursday evening as he confirmed earlier comments about sending troops to the country. But Russia has warned the move could mark the beginning of a new “world war.” Assiri added that Riyadh is “ready” and will fight with the United States-led coalition to …
Rob Kall – Bernie Didn’t Win New Hampshire. No Joke.
It’s true. Bernie earned 15 delegates by winning 62.5% of the Democratic vote– the bottom up democratic way. But Hillary also received 15 delegates. The difference is, she earned 9 delegates and the undemocratic, top down Democratic Party– provides a system that prevents the people from electing people– enabled her to have six superdelegates. That makes the New Hampshire delegate …
Female Veterans Face Pitiful Health Care
It’s been a big few months for women in the armed forces. In December, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that for the first time, all military jobs would be open to women—including elite combat positions. On February 4, following the advice of top officials in the Army and Marine Corps, House Republicans introducedlegislation that would require women to register for the draft. So, how …
Ari Paul – The F Word: Yes, Donald Trump Is a Fascist, and That Matters
e stoked fears of the white working class by appealing to anti-immigrant sentiment. He mixed that with anger toward the political and economic establishment by pointing to NAFTA as a reason jobs were vanishing. His intolerant rhetoric of non-Christian America was considered so dangerous that in response to one speech a liberal commentator joked that it “probably sounded better in …
JP Sottile – Hillary Clinton’s Pay-for-Play Reality
It was supposed to be a feel-good moment. The Chairman and CEO of the world’s most powerful financial institution dropped by CNBC’s Squawk Box to crow a bit about his recovery from cancer. But it didn’t quite go the way Lloyd Blankfein — or Hillary Clinton — might’ve wanted. First, the recently-minted billionaire boss of Goldman Sachs compared his 600 hours of chemotherapy to dropping “napalm” on …










