Author: Chris
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Harvard Researchers Subpoenaed
This is one to watch. We might all get to learn more about the Harvard-Industrial Complex. The Times reports: Federal prosecutors have issued a subpoena seeking information about the work and statements of three prominent Harvard researchers who have been the focus of a Congressional investigation into conflicts of interest in medicine. The researchers —…
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Nothing But Trouble in Pennsylvania
Does this article about the Pennsyltucky judge who was sending kids to jail to collect kickbacks from a private prison remind anyone of the Chevy Chase movie called Nothing But Trouble?
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Will the Lead Toy Industry Get Bailed Out?
Who cares about moral hazard anymore! AEI, Cato, where are you when we need you? It goes something like this: A group of companies that chose to put lead in children’s toys, or to offshore their operations to countries with poor manufacturing controls in order to save money, are now upset that their schemes are…
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For-Profit Fundraising Fleeces the Charitable
Phillip Reese and Andrew McIntosh of the Sacramento Bee report: If you give to a charity over the phone, there’s a growing likelihood that most of your donation will go to the telemarketer instead, according to a Bee analysis of state records. More than a third of California charity telemarketing campaigns sent less than 20…
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4 Arrested in Animal Researcher Harassment
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that four young people have been arrested on suspicion that they harassed UCB and UC Santa Cruz animal researchers under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. It is clear from the reporting that law enforcement is taking this issue seriously. The FBI and seven other law enforcement agencies were involved, and…
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Bank Secrecy on Life Support
If you are socking money away in offshore banks, pay attention to this man’s expression. He’s saying, you’re screwed. Yes, taxpaying citizens, you can rejoice, because tax cheats across the country are having panic attacks. They’re thinking about refiling their tax returns, or going to the IRS to beg forgiveness with a check to cover…
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The DC Circuit Gets Privacy, and So Do Your Phone Records
I’m very pleased with today’s decision from the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on recently-strengthened privacy protections for phone records. The short history goes something like this: the FCC created strong opt-in (affirmative consent) provisions for the sharing of phone records (who calls whom, for how long, etc). In 1996, the 10th Circuit held that…
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Let the Bread and Circuses Continue!
Obama has delayed am important political risk: he’s pushed back the DTV transition. If the televisions stopped working on February 17th, we would probably have an impeachment trial (as soon as the televisions were back on again).
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Popular Woo Mongers Bankrupt…in Berkeley!
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Elephant Pharmacy, a “holistic” drug store has closed and will file for bankruptcy. Why should you care? Elephant was an upscale store based in the Bay Area, the epicenter for wooishness. If this type of business fails here, how well will woo do elsewhere? There’s something to be said…
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MPR on Identity Theft
I’ll be on Minnesota Public Radio this morning with LA Times consumer reporter David Lazarus, talking about identity theft. Here’s the preview and I’ll post the stream later. I’m going to be talking about my recent articles on identity theft: Identity Theft: Making the Known Unknowns Known and Towards a Market for Bank Safety.