Brian Gongol
Graphic of the day: Circulation
Too many states give away money to filmmakers
The likely excuse is that filmmaking helps advertise for the place in which a movie is made. But since we're living in a world where Toronto is more often than not used as a substitute for any other American city, this barely reaches the "dog ate my homework" level of excuse quality. Moviemakers hardly deserve special treatment. The states are facing huge liabilities for medical care, so why should taxpayers be footing the bill for movie stars?
European airfare taxes rise and fewer people fly
People respond to incentives (and disincentives). That's why it's no surprise that people cheat the food-stamp system in order to get cash for things they want that the public shouldn't have to pay for.
Store employees fired en masse via fire alarm
British department store fires its entire staff in one blow by setting off the fire alarm -- so that all the customers would leave and all the employees would go to the emergency assembly point. That takes stupid management to a new level.
Hurricane (or a look-alike) off coast of South Carolina
Related: More-specific severe weather warnings are on the way
If we're lucky, it's the end of political violence in Northern Ireland
Venezuela's president is a Communist
He's threatening to nationalize the banks, steal a foreign steelmaker, and close Radio Caracas TV, which has been a voice for the opposition. The US has ignored Latin America for too long, and now it's coming back to haunt us. The threatened closure of Radio Caracas TV is a strong argument for the US to reverse the present (stupid) course of cutting international broadcasting and instead redouble our support of the VOA. Local journalists can only stick their necks out for so long before a totalitarian like Hugo Chavez cuts them down. Free countries have an obligation to support the flow of news and information to countries living under oppressive governments. It's a much better investment than bio-domes that ought to be privately-funded anyway.
Apple fixes big security hole in QuickTime
It updates QuickTime for Windows and QuickTime for Mac alike
Happy birthday, Tricia
(Video) The long-since broken-up Moxy Fruvous performing "Michigan Militia" live for a telethon
GM sells record number of cars but barely makes a profit
Lying about wastewater costs oil refinery $5 million
