NEW YORK TIMES: Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced rules on Monday that are aimed at making it more difficult for American companies to lower their tax bills by relocating overseas and that would wipe out the benefits for those that do. It is the administration’s latest move to sidestep a paralyzed Congress and tackle […]
Corbett, Wolf go toe-to-toe over education, taxes and more in first debate
HARRISBURG PATRIOT-NEWS: In their first face-to-face debate, Gov. Tom Corbett and Democratic challenger Tom Wolf exchanged civil but pointed discourse Tuesday during the best-attended dinner in the history of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry…
Universities to revamp economics courses
FINANCIAL TIMES: Universities across four continents are rolling out a revamped economics curriculum, after students protested that conventional academic courses failed to grapple with the problems befalling the global economy. Since the financial crisis, student groups have attacked economics departments for failing to deal with the world’s most pressing social issues, including inequality and global […]
U.N. summit: Europe touts 40% carbon cut goal
USA TODAY: …Leaders of more than 120 countries, including President Obama, will announce their efforts to fight global warming — as will many major companies — at what’s expected to be the largest climate meeting ever. Their pledges aim to build momentum for a new global climate accord to be announced next year during U.N. […]
Corbett’s defeat will not end gridlock or tricks
Speaking of the budget, another piece of work from the Republicans, the blueprint is “smoke-and-mirrors.” Even after borrowing from other funds, one-time transfers and delaying payments to vendors, the state has no chance of meeting all financial obligations through June 30, 2015.
Morning Call Poll shows Wolf with 21-point lead
LEHIGH VALLEY MORNING CALL: On the eve of the state’s first gubernatorial debate, a new poll shows Democrat Tom Wolf still coasting with a double-digit lead over Republican Gov. Tom Corbett. The Morning Call/Muhlenberg College Poll released Sunday shows 52 percent of likely voters backing Wolf and 31 percent voting for Corbett… The bit of […]
Corbett, down in the polls, may now have to face the porn
PHILLY.COM: A BIG BATCH of porny emails may be the very last thing Gov. Corbett, trailing badly in the polls to Democrat Tom Wolf, needs to hear about right now.
After Rancor, Afghans Agree to Share Power
NEW YORK TIMES: Their campaign workers traded blows over ballot boxes during an election widely seen as fraudulent. Some of the warlords backing them have muttered about starting a parallel government, a potential recipe for civil war in Afghanistan. And they’ve just come out of a vote so discredited that some officials don’t want the […]
US infrastructure crisis drives toll road bankruptcy
FINANCIAL TIMES: One of the highest-profile US private toll road concessions is to seek bankruptcy protection, the latest sign of how a decline in traffic is threatening private investment in the crumbling US road network. The Indiana toll road company, backed by Spain’s Cintra and two funds managed by Australia’s Macquarie, has struggled under a […]
An individual spent over $100,000 for a two page ad in the NYT to share his views
…the health care problem is the number-one problem of America and of American business. If we have 17 or 18 percent of our GDP going to health care and we’re competing with countries that have 10 percent. That’s seven or eight points. There’s only 100 points in the dollar. And to have a seven- or eight-point disadvantage is huge.
After Surgery, Surprise $117,000 Medical Bill From Doctor He Didn’t Know
In operating rooms and on hospital wards across the country, physicians and other health providers typically help one another in patient care. But in an increasingly common practice that some medical experts call drive-by doctoring, assistants, consultants and other hospital employees are charging patients or their insurers hefty fees. They may be called in when the need for them is questionable. And patients usually do not realize they have been involved or are charging until the bill arrives…
Corbett’s spending plan shouldn’t require a loan
The General Fund would be in better shape if Mr. Corbett had gone after more revenue from shale gas drillers — a severance tax like that of other states, instead of a mere impact fee. But that remedy was elusive in the $29.1 billion 2014-15 budget, which was chock-full of one-time revenues and accounting gimmicks…
Politicos eye broader effect of anti-Corbett vote
TIMES HERALD / AP: …The Nov. 4 election is a particularly sensitive one for Republicans. Six of seven GOP-held state Senate seats in the closely divided Philadelphia suburbs are up for re-election, and the loss of two seats could leave the 50-member chamber deadlocked. Meanwhile, Republicans are defending their generous complement of 13 seats to […]
5 ways to protect yourself from data breaches
USA TODAY / AP: 1) Try newer ways to pay, such as PayPal or Apple Pay. “Any technology that avoids you having your credit card in your hand in a store is safer,” says Craig Young, security researcher for software maker Tripwire. Those services store your credit card information and it’s not given to the […]