Sunday, March 23, 2025

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Monday, March 10, 2025

Cannibalized remains from Franklin’s lost Arctic expedition identified | CNN

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/11/science/franklin-lost-expedition-cannibalism/index.html

— Steve Smith

Walgreens private equity

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/10/business/walgreens-private-equity-risky

The private equity business model often relies upon forcing the company to take on massive amounts of debt to give the greatest possible return to the private equity firm, with the long-term survival of the business often not a priority. The debt is often used to pay "special dividends" to the firm itself to cover the initial purchase price, as well as heavy "management fees" placed on the company, to be paid to the private equity firm. Many times brick-and-mortar retail chains have been forced to sell off the buildings that house their stores and pay rents that they can't afford to new owners, leading to even more store closings and layoffs.

_- Steve

Canada says too little, too late as Trump flip-flops on tariffs

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd92ynwne18o

_- Steve

Saturday, March 01, 2025

Mummification: what is it and how can it occur? | Gene Hackman | The Guardian


found that parchment-like skin was seen as early as three days postmortem and leathery desiccated skin could appear within six days of death. The entire body could show evidence of mummification within 18 days of death 

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/28/mummification-what-is-it-and-how-can-it-occur-gene-hackman

_- Steve

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Monday, February 17, 2025

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Tuesday, February 04, 2025

An ex-deep-sea treasure hunter jailed for nearly 10 years scores a legal win but won’t be freed

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/03/us/treasury-hunter-jail-tommy-thompson

Thompson's case dates to his discovery of the S.S. Central America, known as the Ship of Gold, in 1988. The gold rush-era ship sank in a hurricane off South Carolina in 1857 with thousands of pounds of gold aboard, contributing to an economic panic.
_- Steve

Sunday, February 02, 2025

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Arizona led the nation in CHIPS Act investments under Biden

New York tops this measure with $123.3 billion in private-sector semiconductor investments, with Arizona second at $101.2 billion, underscored by TSMC's $65 billion and $32 billion by Intel. Overall, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, 20 companies have announced recent chips-related investments in Arizona across six cities — Phoenix, Chandler, Casa Grande, Peoria, Scottsdale and Mesa.

Arizona led the nation in CHIPS Act investments under Biden

https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/tech/2025/01/18/arizona-led-the-nations-investment-in-microchip-production-under-biden/77779238007/

_- Steve

Saturday, January 04, 2025

Smugglers

Smugglers love Trump, because it's a lot of bluster, and migrants don't know that, so they can jack up their prices quickly. I would say Trump is good for the economy of undocumented migration. Smugglers are going, "OK, if you want to come now, the price has doubled, because it's so much more dangerous now," even though it's probably not. I remember having lots of conversations with smugglers, who would say, "I love Trump. He makes our job easier and makes it easier for us to justify higher rates."

https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/04/us/smugglers-mexico-jason-de-leon-cec

_- Steve

Friday, January 03, 2025