Federal and state officials announced Thursday the largest agreement yet to address the effects of the housing crisis, in which five of the nation’s largest banks will pay $26 billion to help current and former homeowners. The deal aims to hold banks accountable for abusive foreclosure practices and to give a boost to the still-struggling housing
Continue reading …How serious is Congress about ending insider trading among members? On Thursday, the House passed legislation intended to crack down on the practice. And that turned out to be the very day the congressman in charge of regulating the nation’s banking and financial-services industries acknowledged he’s being investigated for possible insider trading. Since late last
Continue reading …When you’re a celebrity, dying doesn’t have to mean you stop making money. Forbes offers up its annual list of the top-earning celebs of the past year: Michael Jackson: The King of Pop is in the top spot for the second year in a row, earning $170 million thanks to…
Continue reading …Well, Rick Perry’s tax plan is out , and it’s left Kevin Drum of Mother Jones sort of speechless. “What can you even say about this?” he marvels. “It sounds less like a tax plan than a big ol’ stew pot of right-wing applause lines.” Perry simply piles on the tax…
Continue reading …If you simply can’t get through your day without a cup (or three) of coffee, good news: That coffee may also be reducing your skin cancer risk. A new study finds that the more coffee subjects reported drinking, the lower their risk of contracting basal cell carcinoma, the most common…
Continue reading …The Occupy Oakland protesters got a rude awakening this morning as at least 200 police officers, many in riot gear, descended on their camp in front of City Hall around 4:45am. Dozens were arrested as the officers overturned tents, stalls, and at least one couch and ripped up cardboard…
Continue reading …Apple seems to be pulling out the stops when it comes to making Steve Jobs’ vision of an Apple-worthy iTV a reality. Top software engineer Jeff Robbin—the guy who built iTunes and helped create the iPod—has been tapped to lead development on the TV, which could be available…
Continue reading …Australia has seen a slew of shark attack deaths lately, with three killed in the past two months, giving rise to fears that a “rogue shark” has developed a taste for human flesh, and is now relentlessly attacking Jaws-style. But that’s preposterous, scientists assure LiveScience . “The chance of an individual…
Continue reading …Lia Vega’s mother, Larissa Taylor, never taught the 2-year-old girl how to use a phone. But when Taylor collapsed Thursday, little Lia picked up the phone, called her grandmother, and said, “My mom fell down,” grandma Bobbie Gonzalez recalls to KTRK-TV . “I said, ‘Let me talk to your mom,’…
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