brain

Jeff Gerth – FDA Examines Whether MRI Drugs Accumulate in Brain Tissue

The Food and Drug Administration announced today it is investigating the risk of brain deposits for patients who are given repeated MRIs using imaging drugs that contain a heavy metal. The FDA did not announce any label changes for the nine medicines that contain the metal, gadolinium, saying there was a “need for additional information.” However, “to reduce the potential …

american dream

Patrick Martin – The dark side of American politics

An “Editor’s Note” published on page two of Tuesday’s New York Times confirms that the supposed “newspaper of record” in the United States served as the instrument for a politically-motivated dirty trick directed at the presidential campaign of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Last Thursday’s online edition of the Times, and its Friday print edition, claimed that the inspectors …

impe

Andre Vltchek – The Anti-Imperalist News Networks in Latin America, Russia and China

It is a breathtaking, truly beautiful battle, and those of us who are at the front line of it, by making films, writing for or speaking on the airwaves of the anti-imperialist networks, are thoroughly determined to give our very best, and if necessary, even to risk our lives! Mighty new television networks based in South America, Russia, China and …

deal

Sarah Lazare – As Elites Aim To Finalize Secret ‘Profit Over People’ Trade Deal, An Alarm Sounds

As trade ministers gather for negotiations at a luxury resort in Hawai’i on Wednesday to finalize the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, hundreds of people are planning to stage protests, hold performances, and raise a sacred “call to attention” to send the message that attempts by the global elite to put “profit over people” are not welcome and will not be …

gold

Rory Hall – Something Is Broken In The Gold And Silver Markets

Earlier today I was speaking with Dave Kranzler and we fell into a discussion regarding the current state of gold and silver. This is how I described everything to Dave as we talked: Beginning in December, as Dave pointed out in Is The Global Financial System On The Brink Of Collapse?, something happened in the derivatives market and I believe …

chart

Wolf Richter – Housing Bubble Means American Dream Withers at Record Pace

The current housing boom has Dallas solidly in its grip. As in many cities around the US, prices are soaring, buyers are going nuts, sellers run the show, realtors are laughing all the way to the bank, and the media are having a field day. Nationwide, the median price of existing homes, at $236,400, as the National Association of Realtors …

cap tax

Kate Aronoff – Reports of capitalism’s death have been greatly exaggerated

Late last week, economic journalist Paul Mason, whose Channel 4 blog has been one of the best English-language sources for making sense of the ongoing Greek crisis, published an excerpt from his forthcoming book in The Guardian. It announces that the end of capitalism has begun and that (spoiler) it doesn’t look how we thought it might. The 20th century …

pills and money

Martha Rosenberg – Big Pharma’s Profiteers: You Want Us to Pay What for These Meds?

It is no secret that the pill profit party is over for drug companies. Bestselling pills like Lipitor, Seroquel, Zyprexa, Singular, Concerta, Cymbalta and Abilify have gone off patent and Wall Street is moving on to industries that offer better returns. To combat investor disenchantment, drug companies have rolled out expensive drugs that treat such rare conditions,  they almost sound …

invited

Ralph Nader – Sending Citizens Summons to Members of Congress

It is time, during this August recess, for “We the People” to shake up the Congress and shake up the politics across the land. With the long congressional recess in August through Labor Day approaching, “We the People” have the opportunity to do more than complain about the Congress and individual Senators and Representatives. There are many issues affecting you …

bald

Eduardo Galeano – God’s Masterpiece or the Devil’s Bad Joke?

Opium was outlawed in China. British merchants smuggled it in from India. Their diligent efforts led to a surge in the number of Chinese dependent on the mother of heroin and morphine, who charmed them with false happiness and ruined their lives. The smugglers were fed up with the hindrances they faced at the hands of Chinese authorities. Developing the …