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26 Jan 2012 23:41

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U.S.: California’s new “Clean Car” regulations: Necessary or too costly?

  • We can’t afford to wait. We have to act on these issues now. Our projections show continued growth in population and vehicle miles traveled, which will affect air quality for years to come.
  • Mary Nichols, the chairman of the California Air Resources Board • Discussing why new ‘Clean Car’ regulations are necessary. California’s new bill, which would require vehicles to cut down on pollutants by 75 percent, would start in 2015, and the rules would tighten further by 2025. This could be a step in the right direction for such a smog-ridden state, but opponents say that it would hurt consumers and car manufacturers, claiming it raises the price of a new vehicle by $3,200. The new standards could inspire other states to follow suit. source

14 Mar 2010 21:46

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Biz: Two thresholds for Chris Dodd’s new bank-regulation plan

  • $10
    billion
    the amount of assets a bank would have to have to be sanctioned for a consumer-rules violation
  • $50
    billion
    the amount of assets a company would have to have to fall under the U.S.’s regulatory watch source

25 Jan 2010 21:13

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Biz: The Justice Dept. finds silver lining in Ticketmaster and Live Nation

  • The merger has been approved after a yearlong investigation. This nightmare merger had been what many music fans had been fearing, but it appears the Justice Department found some common ground. “We were prepared to litigate this case, and I told the parties that,” said Justice Department antitrust representative Christine A. Varney. “The required divestitures and behavioral prohibitions alleviate our concerns.” Ticketmaster has to ditch a ticketing division and license its software to a competitor. Oh, and the boys at Justice will be watching them like a hawk for 10 years. Good idea – music fans will thank you. source

22 Sep 2009 09:11

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Tech, U.S.: Thanks to the FCC, the net neutrality debate’s flaring up again

  • Consumer groups very favorable towards the rules. “This is a tremendous day for millions of us who have been clamoring to keep the internet free from discrimination,” said Free Press executive director John Silver. source
  • After the new rules were announced, wireless providers collectively freaked out. So did big cable companies like Comcast. A bunch of Republican congressmen also submitted a bill threatening to cut the FCC’s funding. source

02 Aug 2009 12:37

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Sports, Tech: So begins the love affair between the NFL, its fans and Twitter

  • Had a six inch Sub for lunch and now I’m headed back to practice number 2. Ugh
  • Washington Redskins tight end Chris Cooley • Wrote on Twitter during the first day of training camp. NFL players (and fans) are slowly starting to fall in love with the micro-blogging site, but execs and handlers aren’t really sure what to make of it yet. Some think it’s a killer marketing tool and a great way for people to get to know the person behind the helmet, while others are freakin’ out because there’s not much control you can have over it. Well, yeah…that’s kinda the point.  • source

09 May 2009 14:49

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Biz, U.S.: Obama wants a credit card regulatory bill on his desk ASAP

  • There is no time for delay. We need a durable and successful flow of credit in our economy, but we can’t tolerate profits that depend upon misleading working families. Those days are over.
  • President Barack Obama • In his weekly radio address. Obama wants a bill that limits some of the more predatory aspects of the credit industry. The Credit Card Holders’ Bill of Rights, currently waiting on a vote in the Senate after it passed the House, is such a bill, but the banking industry is fighting it. Obama wants a bill on his desk by Memorial Day. • source

26 Mar 2009 10:56

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Biz, U.S.: Timothy Geithner wants to add more financial industry oversight

  • Our system failed in basic fundamental ways. The system proved too unstable and fragile, subject to significant crises every few years, periodic booms in real estate markets and in credit, followed by busts and contraction.
  • Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner • In testimony to the House Financial Services Committee (which is headed by awesome guy Barney Frank). He wants to fix the broken system. Hey, if he pulls it off, maybe people won’t hate him anymore. • source