There are apparently huge amounts of people in the country that believe you will need to subscribe to cable after the “digital tv transition” in February. This is not true.
government
Former Treasury Secretary Says He "Forgot" That People Had To "Afford Their House"
By 12.22.08
Former Treasury Secretary John W. Snow has told the New York Times that he, along with the entire Bush Administration, simply “forgot” that people had to be able to “afford their house.”
Iowa Town Uses Garlic Salt To De-Ice The Roads
By 12.17.08
The roads in a certain Iowa town are deliciously garlic-y. They’ve been using garlic salt to de-ice the streets.
Auto Bailout Passes House, But May Get Stuck In The Senate
By 12.11.08
The Auto Bailout Bill passed House yesterday, but is expected to encounter strong Republican resistance in the Senate.
Auto Makers Going Out Of Business, But Still Have Enough Money To Lobby Congress
By 12.5.08
CBSNews is reporting that while, at this very moment, the big three auto bosses are testifying in front of the House Financial Services Committee (watch this now at CSPAN, if you like.) about how they need emergency bridge loans in order to continue functioning — they still apparently have enough money to continue to spend millions lobbying our government.
WaMu Told Washington That Adjustable Rate Mortgages Were Safer Than Some Fixed Ones
By 12.1.08
The Associated Press says that a review of regulatory documents shows that years before the subprime mortgage crises developed into a full blown economic meltdown— the government ignored warnings and listened instead to lobbyists who represented some of the same banks that have now failed.
AIG: No Bonuses For Top Executives This Year
By 11.25.08
It’s apparently not entirely self-evident that when your company needs a taxpayer bailout you shouldn’t get a “bonus,” so money-sucking insurer AIG has written a letter to NY Attorney General Andrew Cuomo promising that their top executives will not get bonuses this year.
It's A Trap!
By 11.25.08
In Brooklyn, NY there’s a bike lane that directs cyclists onto the sidewalk — and into the waiting arms of the police. (Riding a bike on the sidewalk is illegal.) Whoops. [Gothamist]
Why Doesn't Costco Accept Food Stamps?
By 11.19.08
The New York Times City Room blog asks an interesting question. Why doesn’t Costco accept food stamps? Even farmers markets accept them! What’s the deal, Costco?
Auto CEOs Flew Private Jets To Washington To Ask For Your Tax Money
By 11.19.08
ABCNews says that the big three auto CEOs “flew to the nation’s capital yesterday in private luxurious jets to make their case to Washington that the auto industry is running out of cash and needs $25 billion in taxpayer money to avoid bankruptcy.”
GM Shares At 66 Year Low, But You Can Get Some For Free!
By 11.19.08
Hey, here’s a new and exciting deal. Buy a car; get 100 shares of GM stock. “Join us in jump starting America,” says the sales pitch. Unfortunately, GM’s shares are trading at 66 year low today as a bailout looks doubtful.
Here's A Cartoon Explaining The Types Of Bonds
By 11.18.08
Slate’s “The Big Money” has decided it’s time to start educating readers on some core financial principles, and they’re starting with the very basics, presented in a “Schoolhouse Rocks!” style. Their first cartoon explains the four types of bonds. Visually, it’s a perfect match to the style of the original cartoons, but we hope they work on a catchier jingle for their next installment.
GM's Prez Begs Customers To Plead On GM's Behalf
By 11.18.08
Consumerist reader Darkrose writes, “I just got this in my e-mail. Thought you guys might be interested in it.” In the email, GM’s president Troy Clarke is in high PR mode, pointing out the grave consequences and emphasizing that GM wants not “a bailout but rather a loan that will be repaid.” We thought other readers who aren’t GM customers would find it interesting.
By 11.13.08
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It looks like the auto industry bailout doesn’t have the votes. [NYT]
The Tom Hanks Movie "The Money Pit" Is Actually A Documentary About Our Economy
By 11.12.08
Over at Slate they’ve realized that the Tom Hanks movie from the 80s “The Money Pit” is actually just a documentary about our current financial crisis and the bailout of AIG. Specifically, the scene in which the kitchen catches fire and the bathtub falls through the floor. (Video, inside…)
By 11.10.08
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Does Comcast love Obama? Or do they just really, really, really hate FCC Chairman Kevin Martin? [DSL Reports]
GM Almost Out Of Cash, Looks To Washington For Bailout
By 11.7.08
GM is running out of money and may not have enough cash to continue running its business. They’ve burned through $6.8 billion in the last quarter and will exhaust their reserves by the end of 2008 without government intervention or a significant increase in auto sales. Which sounds more likely to you?
