Saturday, April 21, 2012

Report: Wal-Mart Hushed up Mexico Bribe Network

NEW YORK (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. hushed up a vast bribery campaign that top executives of its Mexican subsidiary carried out to build stores across that country, according to a published report.

The New York Times reported Saturday that Wal-Mart failed to notify law enforcement officials even after its own investigators found evidence of millions of dollars in bribes. The newspaper said the company shut down its internal probe despite a report by its lead investigator that Mexican and U.S. laws likely were violated.

The bribery campaign was reported to have first come to the attention of senior executives at Wal-Mart in 2005, when a former executive of its largest foreign subsidiary, Wal-Mart de Mexico, provided extensive details of a bribery campaign it had orchestrated to win market dominance.

The Mexican executive, previously the lawyer in charge of obtaining construction permits, said in emails and follow-up conversations that Wal-Mart de Mexico paid bribes to obtain permits throughout the country in its rush to build stores nationwide, the Times reported.

Corky, a stray cat born with a rare congenital birth defect was set to be euthanized in Fargo, N.D. He was given a new lease on life when he was picked up at a local shelter, Cat's Cradle, at the end of March.

Corky was born with a genetic deformity called bilateral arthrogryposis of the tarsus, where his legs were backwards and overlapping.

Cat's Cradle co-founders Gail Ventzke, Amber Schaffer and Carol Stefonek fell in love with the kitten when they were scheduled to pick up two others.

2011 Saw More Measles Cases Than The Past 15 Years

Last year was the worst year for measles in the U.S. in 15 years, according to health officials.

There were 222 cases of measles, a large jump from the 60 or so seen in a typical year. Most of the cases last year were imported -- either by foreign visitors or by U.S. residents who picked up the virus overseas.

U.S. children have been getting vaccinated against the measles for about 50 years. But low vaccination rates in Europe and other places resulted in large outbreaks overseas last year.

Bee Gee Robin Gibb Wakes From Coma

LONDON (Reuters) - Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb has woken from a coma more than a week after he lost consciousness and has attempted to communicate with family members at his hospital bedside, the BBC reported on Saturday.

Gibb, 62, has begun to show signs of recovery and has been able to nod and communicate with his family, spokesman Doug Wright was quoted as saying by the BBC. Wright could not immediately be reached to confirm the report.

The singer contracted pneumonia and fell into a coma at a central London hospital earlier this month. He had been receiving treatment for colon and liver cancer.

2012 Military Family of the Year From Hollywood, Md

It was a moment of complete surprise that left Anne Marie Karnbach literally shaking with delight Thursday.

Her husband, Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Karnbach, was supposed to be at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where he is deployed as a Navy reservist. But he had secretly arranged with military superiors to attend a ceremony in Washington, D.C., where his family was to be honored as Our Military Kids’ 2012 Military Family of the Year. When he appeared on stage, his stunned family swarmed upon him, engulfing him in embraces with arms and legs wrapped around his body.

The event was hosted by Our Military Kids, a nonprofit organization that helps families of deployed servicemembers by giving grants that allow military children to participate in extracurricular events. Since 2005, the organization has awarded $14 million dollars in grants and each year chooses among the grantees a family and individual children to honor.
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BREAKING NEWS: Chicago White Sox Pitcher Humber Throws Perfect Game

Chicago White Sox’s Phil Humber throws a perfect game in a 4-0 win against the Seattle Mariners.

From Fox News

Michelin Recalls 77,000 Tires for Safety Problem

Michelin is recalling more than 77,000 bus tires because sidewall defects can cause them to lose air rapidly, increasing the risk of a crash.

The Michelin XZU2, XZU3, and XM505 tires involved in the recall were produced from 2005 to fall 2011 at Michelin's plant in Spartanburg, S.C.

Michelin North America Inc. says its lease fleet customers complained that some of the tires had lost air rapidly during use as retreads over the past two years, prompting a company investigation. It did not cite any instances of crashes.

Naturalization Push Ahead of November Election

Hundreds of volunteers are helping qualified immigrants become U.S. citizens in time to register to vote in the November presidential elections.

The "Become a Citizen Now!" program seeks to help 5,000 immigrants file applications for naturalization in Massachusetts, New York, California, Florida, Maryland, Oregon, Colorado, Washington, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin and New Hampshire. The National Partnership for New Americans' initiative started in March and has already helped 500 applicants.

Legionnaires' Patient Sues Ocean City Hotel

BALTIMORE (AP) - A man who was treated for Legionnaires' disease after an outbreak at an Ocean City hotel last year is suing the innkeeper for $6 million.

Pat Dent filed suit against Plim Plaza Hotel Wednesday in federal court in Baltimore. He and his wife are seeking $5 million in compensatory damages and $1 million for loss of consortium.

Health officials said six cases of Legionnaires' disease, including a fatal case, were confirmed in people who had stayed at the hotel.

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Salisbury Police Can't Control The Animals At The Zoo

Salisbury Fire and Police and trying to get control of a massive party at Salisbury University and it's not going very well. They have called in the management company to remove anyone who doesn't belong at these apartments and remove them from the premisses.

Nugent Ousted From Fort Knox Concert Line-Up

Ted Nugent has been booted from the line-up at an annual Fort Knox summer concert following his recent comments about President Barack Obama, a Fort Knox representative confirmed to The Blaze.

The decision to oust Nugent came after “recent disparaging remarks made against the commander in chief,” Ryan Brus of the Fort Knox public affairs office said.

Because the concert is taking place on a military installation, it “would be a conflict of interest since the military has the obligation to be apolitical,” he said

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Speed Camera Set On Fire

CATONSVILLE, Md. - A brand new Baltimore County speed camera installed just last week was doused and burned up early Friday morning police say; by whom, they still don't know.

All that's left today is the foundation upon which it stood along the 400 block of South Rolling Road; neighbors watching last night what they lobbied hard for literally go up in flames.

Unemployment Ticks Up In Maryland

After months of a steady decline, the unemployment rate in Maryland has increased slightly.

State officials say the workforce growth outpaced employment gains during March.

And that's why Maryland's jobless rate ticked up to 6.6 percent in March from 6.5 percent in February, despite the fact that the US Department of Labor reported there was a net gain of 1,500 jobs last month.

In the past 12 months private sector employers added nearly 48,000 jobs in the state. That's out of almost 50-thousand overall since March of 2011.

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Berlin Eyes 5-Cent Property Tax Rate Decrease

BERLIN -- While there may be trouble at the county level, the budget picture for the town of Berlin is largely positive and contains a property tax decrease, a $500 one-time bonus for employees and a more than $500,000 budget surplus with revenues coming in higher than expenditures.

Totaling $13,333,164 million, the proposed budget is $328,680, or 2 percent, lower than the current budget. This is the fourth consecutive year that the town has decreased its budget from the previous year. Even so, the council is considering dropping the current property tax rate of 73 cents per $100 of real estate value down to 68 cents per $100.

“This 5-cent decrease equals a reduction of $50 per every $100,000 of real estate valuation, or $100 less a year for the average residential taxpayer in the Town of Berlin,” Mayor Gee Williams said.

Town employees also benefit in this budget. While it does not contain a salary increase as last year’s did, the proposed budget will include a one-time $500 bonus for every employee, similar to what was proposed in Ocean City last Friday, though Williams reported the two ideas were developed independently.

Rota Knott (left), Worcester County coordinator for Women Supporting Women, the local breast cancer support organization, accepts a donation from Jeff Auxer of Jeffrey Auxer Designs in Berlin. Jeff donated a portion of the proceeds from the sale of his handmade pink and teal blown glass pumpkins.

RPORATE FASCISM

This chart tells quite a story. The 1950s and 1960s were pretty good economic times for middle class Americans. Jobs were plentiful and the average hard working American had a decent chance to have a better life than their parents. The tax burden was shared equally between individuals and corporations. Excise taxes on imports, which had been the sole tax revenue generator prior to 1913, were still substantial. Payroll taxes on the working middle class only accounted for 5% to 10% of tax revenues. Look what has happened since. The Federal government has been captured by corporate interests (they’re people too). Corporate taxes, which provided 30% of Federal revenues during the 1950s, now provide about 5% of Federal revenues. Payroll taxes on the middle class now provide 40% of revenues. Excise taxes have been virtually eliminated, allowing mega-corporations to ship middle class jobs overseas and not worry about any negative tax consequences. Even though the individual tax burden has stayed constant, the burden has been shifted to the working middle class, as the rich have used their influence to dramatically reduce rates on capital gains and high income. Welcome to our corporate fascist state where you are taught to love your slavery.

What States Have The Most Favorable Business Tax Climate?

What do Wyoming and New Jersey have in common? From a state business tax climate, nothing, according to the Tax Foundation’s 2012 State Business Tax Climate Index. Wyoming tops the states with the best state business tax climate, with its lack of a corporate or individual income tax. New Jersey, on the other hand, scored at the bottom by having the third-worst individual income tax, the fifth-worst sales tax, the 13th-worst corporate tax, and the second-worst property tax.

Rounding out the Tax Foundation’s top ten are: South Dakota; Nevada, Alaska, Florida, New Hampshire; Washington; Montana’ Texas; and Utah. The nine other worst states, in descending order, are: Iowa; Maryland; Wisconsin; North Carolina; Minnesota; Rhode Island; Vermont; California; and New York.

“The lesson is simple,” wrote study author Mark Robyn, “A state that raises sufficient revenue without one of the major taxes, all things being equal, have an advantage over those states that levy every tax in the state tax collector’s arsenal.”

The Department of Labor, Robyn noted, found that most mass job relocations are from one U.S. state to another, rather than to an overseas location. Foe example, in 2005, California-based Intel opted to build its multi-billion dollar chip-making facility in Arizona, which offered a favorable corporate income tax system. In 2010, Northrup Grumman chose Virginia over Maryland for its headquarters because of its better business tax climate.

Scanning the top 10 states, Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota, and Alaska have no individual income tax. These states also have no corporate tax, Among the country’s most favorable state business tax climates, the index cited the states without a corporate tax (Wyoming, Nevada, South Dakota), individual income tax (Wyoming, Alaska, Florida), or sales tax (Alaska, New Hampshire, and Montana).

At the other end of the scale, Rhode Island has the worst unemployment tax system and fifth-worst property tax system, the Index found. Maryland rose two notches to 42 due mostly to the expiration of the state’s “millionaire tax” on high-income earners. Illinois suffered the Index’s biggest drop in 2011, falling 12 places to 28.

The Index represents the tax climate of each state as of July 1, the first day of the standard 2012 state fiscal year.

Source: http://www.millionairecorner.com/article/what-states-have-most-favorable-business-tax-cliamte.

Donald Liebenson writes news and features for Millionaire Corner. He has been published in the Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Los Angeles Times, Fiscal Times, Entertainment Weekly, Huffington Post, and other outlets. He has also served as a marketing writer for Chicago-based Questar Entertainment and distributor Baker & Taylor.

Nine U.S. Banks Said To Be Examined On Overdraft Fees

The inquiry by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau focuses on how financial institutions persuade customers to enroll in what they call overdraft protection programs.

Two years after regulators gave Americans more power to manage overdrafts of their checking accounts, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is reviewing bank practices to determine if the crackdown went far enough.

The agency, which will decide by the end of the year whether to write new rules, is scrutinizing nine banks including JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) and Bank of America Corp., said four people briefed on the examination.

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Andy Harris Honors Holocaust Hero Who Saved 100,000 Hungarian Jews

Washington, DC — Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives honored Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat and Holocaust hero who saved the lives of an estimated 100,000 Hungarian Jews during World War II, by passing legislation to posthumously award him the Congressional Gold Medal. The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian decorations in the United States, awarded to an individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States.

Raoul Wallenberg was made an honorary citizen of the United States, an honor only previously extended to Winston Churchill. Before the vote, Rep. Harris participated in an event sponsored by the Hungarian Embassy that included Annette Lantos, herself a Holocaust survivor and the widow of former Rep. Tom Lantos, Hungarian Ambassador Gyorgy Szapary, Hungarian Deputy Foreign Minister Zsolt Nemeth, and Congressmen Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Dan Burton (R-IN), Gregory Meeks (D-NY) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL).

“This is very emotional for me because my father is of Hungarian descent and he was an anti-communist who was sent to a Soviet Gulag for two years,” said Rep. Andy Harris. “It is an honor to help recognize the memory of Raoul Wallenberg, one the greatest humanitarians of the 20th Century. Even in tragic periods like the Holocaust, heroes like Raoul Wallenberg shine a light for future generations so they never forget.”

Attention