Read a little. Learn a lot. • Tightly-written news, views and stuff • Follow us on Twitter • Be a Facebook Fan • Tumble us!

22 Dec 2011 01:03

tags

U.S.: Countrywide will pay massive settlement over subprime crisis

  • $335 million settlement over discrimination charges source
  • » They allegedly steered minorities towards bad mortgages. The company, something of the focal point of the subprime housing scandal, now has to face the music. Bank of America, the parent of Countrywide Financial, had to settle claims from before it purchased the company, a four-year period during the housing boom when loans were handed out very easily. In the case of Countrywide, however, there is evidence that while white homeowners got offered normal mortgage, black or Latino homeowners of similar stature received a subprime mortgage instead, meaning that they were given higher interest rates and unfavorable terms for loans, making it easier to default. As part of the settlement with the Justice Department, the company denied the charges, while Bank of America distanced itself from the housing-boom-era actions
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Dec 2011 11:41

tags

U.S.: Eight men charged in Chinese-American soldier’s suicide

  • No plea bargaining. There must be a strong message sent that this type of unlawful misconduct cannot be tolerated. … They have to create an atmosphere in which Asian-Americans feel safe.
  • OCA New York chapter president Elizabeth R. OuYang • Discussing the apparent suicide of Pvt. Danny Chen, a Chinese-American soldier found shot to death in a guard tower in Afghanistan. Chen died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, one which may have been precipitated due to hazing by other soldiers. Eight men have been charged in Chen’s death on an array of charges, including manslaughter and negligent homicide. Officials with ties to the Chinese-American community, like OuYang, have pressed for a deeper investigation by Army officials, but the Army has largely remained mum on said investigation. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Dec 2011 11:04

tags

U.S.: By witness counts alone, the odds are stacked against Bradley Manning

  • twenty number of witnesses prosecutors called against Bradley Manning, who faces charges of leaking classified information, over a four-day period
  • two number of witnesses the defense called before they said they were done — it took them part of Wednesday morning source
  • » What could happen to Manning? The man who allegedly gave Wikileaks its biggest coup could face the death penalty if convicted in his case — though the Army’s prosecutors have made it clear that they will not ask for that. Among the people who have testified against Manning: Jihrleah Showman, a former team leader of Manning’s who claims he once punched her in the face, and Adrian Lamo, the “grey hat” hacker who gained infamy in some circles for turning Manning in to federal authorities.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2011 22:16

tags

U.S.: Unemployment fell in majority of states last month

  • 43 states have seen a decrease in unemployment since October source
  • » As goes the country, so go the states: Or maybe it’s the other way around? Well, either way, figures released today by the Department of Labor show that unemployment, in addition to falling to its lowest level in two and a half years at the national level, also decreased on a state-by-state basis in all but seven states. This is promising, as it suggests that the uptick in employment is a nationwide trend, and not the result of, say, five or ten states doing abnormally well for one reason or another. Note: The usual disclaimers about the problems with how unemployment is calculated apply.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2011 19:43

tags

U.S.: U.S. Government: Don’t let homemade version of bird flu get beyond lab

  • It’s very important research. As this virus evolves in nature, we want to be able to rapidly detect … mutations that may indicate that the virus is getting closer to a form that could cross species lines more readily.
  • National Institute of Health science policy director Dr. Amy Patterson • Discussing a lab-produced version of bird flu that NIH officials have warned should not get out of said labs. The reason? It apparently can spread very easily among mammals — leading to fears that terror groups could get a hold of the virus and use it for biological warfare. Which of course is exactly the kind of thing non-sciencey folks love hearing. The NIH, however, says that releasing reports in scientific journals on the disease could ultimately help us understand more about the disease in the long term. We’re seeing flashbacks of this Dustin Hoffman movie in our heads right now. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2011 15:18

tags

U.S.: Philly sports columnist Bill Conlin resigns amid child molestation claims

  • Allegations send Conlin into retirement: Nancy Phillips, an investigative reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer, has reportedly authored an article alleging that Bill Conlin, longtime sports columnist for the Inquirer’s rival paper, the Daily News, was involved in sexual molestation of children. This continues a grim surge in sports personalities being accused of these heinous sorts of crimes — following the horrific allegations leveled at Jerry Sandusky, and the subsequent accusations made of Syracuse’s Bernie Fine, it’s beginning to appear that people claiming these sorts of abuse are feeling more liberty to come forward and speak out. Conlin resigned almost immediately after this news broke, and has yet issued no comment. (Above: Conlin with his late wife Irma, who died in 2009. Photo by chickiespetes) source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2011 00:33

tags

U.S.: FBI report: Violent crimes continue sharp decline in 2011

  • 8.6% decline in arson cases in the first half of 2011, according to an FBI report
  • 7.7% decline in robberies in the same period; other metrics also fell source
  • » A downward trend continues: When the FBI compared the first half of 2010 to the first half of 2011, they found that violent crimes were down in quite a number of categories, including murder, rape and aggrivated assault. Why has crime been in a downward trend? It could be due to “tougher laws, better policing and an aging population.” That’s right, guys: Our cultural old age is (possibly) causing a drop in crime.
Posted by samimain • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

19 Dec 2011 10:30

tags

U.S.: NYPD: Deadly elevator fire ambush incident was over unpaid debt

  • The woman killed owed the suspect $2,000, according to the suspect. The man who allegedly ambushed a woman getting out of an elevator was upset about not receiving payment over work he had done for her, according to the NYPD. The victim, 74-year-old Deloris Gillespie, reportedly took the suspect, Jerome Isaac, in for about six months as he worked for her, but their relationship had deteriorated, and he had been removed from Gillespie’s home earlier this year. One interesting facet about the story: One of the people who lived on the same floor as Gillespie, Jaime Holguin, is an AP employee who knew both the suspect and the victim, and is cited heavily throughout the source article. For now, Holguin and other residents have been evacuated from the building, as remnants of the brutal attack, including a melted elevator door, remain. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Dec 2011 10:27

tags

U.S.: Horrific elevator attack: Woman set on fire by man she allegedly knew

  • In these screenshots shown above, the suspect in this deadly attack is shown dousing a woman with gasoline and lighting a Molotov cocktail, which he then threw at the victim. According to authorities (who haven’t released the identity of the man or the motive in the attack), the man knew 74-year-old new york city, nyc, nyc elevators, nyc elevator attack, Molotov cocktail, firebombing attack, Deloris Gillespie, and was waiting for her when her elevator came down. He then ambushed her. The man walked into a police station Saturday night, reeking of gasoline, and implicated himself in the horrific death. Awful situation all around. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2011 21:39

tags

U.S.: “Barefoot Bandit” Colton Harris-Moore gets time in prison, shoes

  • 7 years in prison for a bizarre, lengthy, name-building crime spree source
  • » At least he got a movie deal, right? Over two years and a reign of terror that stemmed from an extremely poor childhood, Colton Harris-Moore built a reputation as a folk hero who stole food, broke into vacation homes, taught himself how to fly … and for the kicker, stole planes. The Washington resident’s run from the law ended in the Bahamas, where he crashed a plane into a swamp and was arrested in a gunfire-heavy scene. His sentence was fairly weak, considering the circumstances. “I can see why people are sympathetic to him,” Island County, Wash. Prosecutor Greg Banks, who was content with the verdict, said. “It’s still a significant amount of time for someone who’s never been in the adult system.” Sounds like it’ll make a great movie.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
<< newer 
top tags
older >>