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Sunday, March 27, 2016

News Factoids for First Quarter 2016

Georgia ranks as the number one most ‘at risk’ state for corruption in the country, garnering a letter grade of “F”, per a study by The Government Integrity Institute

MARKETING IN AMERICA: The local Walgreens Drug Store has stopped selling light bulbs, period. None on the shelves. The clerk told me that they "weren't selling enough of them".

In 2014, the pharmaceutical industry spent over $250 million on lobbying and campaign contributions – far more than any other industry in America.

"The business of recycling represents nearly $106B in annual economic activity, is responsible for 471,587 direct and indirect jobs, and generates more than $4.3B in state and local revenue and another $6.76B in federal taxes." — Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, in 2015

Two oddities showed up while I was in the hospital (for 46 days): 1) After thirty days, the aspirin that I had taken at home to relieve arthritis pain in my hands wore off, and my hands began to hurt. 2) I have taken excess vitamin C to prevent colds for many years (per Dr. Linus Pauling); by the time I was released home, the C also wore off and I caught my first cold in ten years. (So Im taking 3,000 units of C three times a day for a while to rebuild my immunity.)

N.A.S.A. report released in March 2016 concludes that the Middle East is suffering its worst drought in 900 years, and that human-created climate change is a contributor.

Later in 2016, Pfizer – the country’s largest pharmaceutical company, with nearly $1 billion in annual government contracts – plans to renounce its U.S. citizenship by merging with Allergan, an Irish-based company. This would allow Pfizer to dodge the $35 billion tax bill it owes on its stash of untaxed offshore profits.

Sen. Bernie Sanders is winning delegates in the Western U.S. nowadays, so the prediction here is Sanders vs. Trump in November.

Copyright 2016 by G.E. Nordell, all rights reserved

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