In 2006, the State Department reported terrorism killed 28 US citizens. That same year, the CDC estimated obesity killed 112,000. Picking up where Supersize Me left off, Steven Greenstreet’s doc Killer at Large tries to figure out how we got this fat this fast. I haven’t seen the full film but I’m guessing HFCS getting splooged into everything is a major culprit. No, it’s not a question of HFCS vs Sugar, it’s the sweetening of nearly every product in America, a trend that just happened to be concurrent with the surge in the use of HFCS.
insurance
Walgreen Health Clinics Now Free For Unemployed
By 4.1.09
Walgreen has announced that if you’re willing to provide proof of unemployment and sign a form that says you lost your health benefits along with your job, you and your uninsured family members can receive free treatment at any of their 300+ in-store health clinics. What’s covered: “respiratory problems, allergies, infections and skin conditions, among other ailments.” What’s not: checkups, vaccinations or other injections, and prescriptions.
Some People Think Generics Are Somehow Inferior
By 3.30.09
There are people out there who really think the name-brand slapped on conveys some kind of magical properties to medicine not covered in the active ingredient list, as Janet’s sad story of how she got humiliated by her boss shows:
Seven Things That Aren't Worth Your Money
By 3.29.09
Want an extra $1,000? The Wall Street Journal has a list of seven things that you can easily stop buying without making drastic changes to your lifestyle.
AIG Financial Products Employee's Public Resignation Letter
By 3.25.09
Here is a resignation letter sent on Tuesday by Jake DeSantis, an executive vice president of the American International Group’s financial products unit, to Edward M. Liddy, the chief executive of A.I.G. It was published in the New York Times.
AIG Who? Company Name Removed From Facade Of New York Building
By 3.23.09
Gothamist has some photos of 175 Water Street in NYC — which until recently proudly displayed the name and logo of the American International Group. What happened?
Battle Of The Most Hated Companies: Countrywide Sues AIG
By 3.20.09
Last year’s Worst Company in America winner, Countrywide Home Loans, has sued AIG for not paying their claim on losses from failed real estate loans that they had insured with the company.
AIG Turns Over The Names Of Bonus Recipients
By 3.20.09
AIG has complied with Andrew Cuomo’s subpoena and turned over the names of the bonus recipients. The NY AG has released a statement about the issue, which you can read inside.
AIG CEO Asks For Half Of The Bonus Money Back
By 3.18.09
AIG CEO Edward Liddy told the House Financial Services subcommittee this afternoon that he has asked the members of the Financial Products division to voluntarily return half of their bonuses.
Giant Pills Exercising In Train Station
By 3.17.09
There’s some human-sized pills working out at Union Station in DC. It seems the mad scientists at Consumers Union have trapped them and forced them to undergo fiendish exercise experiments in front of commuters and passersby to see which drugs work best. Their findings are documented in the new publication “Best Drugs for Less” which is being handed out for free in front of these not jagged, not little, pills. Video here.
AIG To Use Bailout Cash To Pay $165 Million In Bonuses. Yes, Seriously
By 3.15.09
So, those guys at AIG who underwrote trillions of dollars worth of credit default swaps backed by securitized mortgages? The ones the Times says were “at the very heart of A.I.G.’s worldwide conflagration?” They’re taking $165 million of our bailout money for bonuses. Because if we don’t pay them, these people—described by AIG’s government-appointed Chairman Ed Liddy as the “best and brightest talent”—will apparently leave to go ruin some other country’s financial system, and we can’t have that. Liddy acknowledged that the bonuses were “distasteful and difficult” before saying that he had “grave concern about the long-term consequences” of not paying up.
Former CSR: Was Following Federal Law To Help Someone The Right Thing To Do?
By 3.14.09
Jason writes in with an ethics question that’s been bothering him for the past seven years: should he have helped a cancer-stricken patient who lost her family in the 9/11 attacks qualify for COBRA coverage? Sure, it sounds like a no-brainer, but it gives us a chance to see the sort of conflicts that gnaw at customer service representatives. Do they follow the rules and keep their jobs, or do the right thing and help the customer? Consider his conundrum, inside…
Banks Didn't Pay Into FDIC Coffers From 1996 To 2006
By 3.12.09
For 10 years—including the boom times banks enjoyed in the first half of this decade—the FDIC was prevented from collecting fees from 95% of financial institutions, which it would have used to further build up its safety net in the event it would someday have to bail out a bunch of stupid losers who confused banking with alchemy.
Why Is The AIG Bailout Money Being Given To Banks?
By 3.9.09
The Wall Street Journal recently unleashed a wave of anger by reporting that much of the $173 billion given to nationalized insurer AIG went to banks — including billions to European institutions like Societe Generale and Barclays.
Refuse Unnecessary Tests
By 3.6.09
Today I went to the doctor. All I wanted was a prescription to continue to go to physical therapy for my pulled groin muscles. The assistant said that the doctor likes to give new patients a full physical, which includes blood tests, EKG, and a chest x-ray. I said I had a physical recently (true) and those tests sounded unnecessary. She seemed disappointed. Unless I have wheezing or chest pains, I don’t see the need for a chest x-ray. See, doctors are like Best Buy. If you go in informed knowing exactly what you need, you’re fine. Otherwise they’re like oh you need Monster Cables and an extended warranty for your heart.
AIG Loses $62 Billion In A Single Quarter
By 3.2.09
The government is taking steps to revamp the AIG bailout, after the company lost a mindbogglingly huge amount of money, $62 billion, in a single quarter.
"Affordable" Health Insurance Can End Up Costing Big Bucks
By 2.23.09
Some health insurance plans marketed as “affordable” are as affordable as buying a “cheap” car that doesn’t have any wheels or seats. While the price is low, they can offer extremely limited coverage. One plan for instance, has a max of 30 hospital days at a max of $750. I think that about covers the cost of getting pushed from your room to the OR. for what to look for when considering these plans.
Budget Slaps Customer With $500 Repair Fee Months Later
By 2.23.09
When Sean returned a rented truck to Budget Truck Rental nearly a year ago, he went through the standard inspection with an employee, who then signed off on the return. Now the company has sent a $500 bill to collection for damage they refuse to provide evidence of.
