[Quote]:

A new set of directives from the Vatican marginally increase the Church’s vigilance against paedophile priests (Bishops are now encouraged, but not required, to report rapist priests to civil authorities); however, the same document includes a list of "more grave delicts" that are on par with raping children. On that list are "heresy, apostasy, schism" and ordaining woman priests.

Someone go get the Vatican a foot – they’ve opened their mouth again.

[Quote]:

Yesterday, it became clear that even elected representatives at the European Parliament are not allowed to share ACTA-related information with their voters.

Following the latest round of ACTA negotiations in Lucerne, Switzerland, the Commission’s negotiators came to the European Parliament to give an update on ACTA’s progress. True to the secrecy surrounding most ACTA meetings, the gathering was closed to the public.

Pirate Party MEP Christian Engstrom was also invited to join, and at the meeting he asked if this secret setup also meant that he wasn’t allowed to share any of the information with the public.

“At first the Commission seemed unwilling to answer this question with a straight yes or no, but after I had repeated the question a number of times, they finally came out and said that I would not be allowed to spread the information given,” Engstrom explains.

Since there is little value in being informed on something you can’t share with others, Engstrom saw himself forced to leave the room. “I then left the meeting, since I am not prepared to accept information given under such conditions in this particular case.”

[..]

Even worse, according to Engstrom the secret ACTA meeting violates the Lisbon Treaty which states that the Commission should fully inform the European Parliament. With a secret oral meeting without any documents being handed out, this is certainly not the case, the Pirate Party MEP argues.

“That is disgraceful,” Engstrom concludes.

[Quote]:

Total UK, the refining and marketing subsidiary of Total SA (TOT), Friday said it was fined GBP3.6 million for failing to prevent a huge fire its Buncefield oil storage depot in Dec. 2005.

The fire at the Buncefield depot–the largest in peacetime Europe, and situated in Hemel Hempstead, to the north of London–injured 43 people and caused major damage to nearby property.

Total had about $19 billion of profit in 2009, so this fine is a bit like getting fined a penny when you get caught doing 200 Mph in a 30 Mph zone.

[Quote]:

BP’s Managing Director, Bob Dudley, reacts to the seeing for the first time the viral hit video "BP Spills Coffee" in a PBS interview. He says that the video has "deeply affected" the staff at BP and it "makes their shoulders go down."

[Quote]:

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has expressed opposition to the possible nomination of Elizabeth Warren to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to a source with knowledge of Geithner’s views.

[..]

Geithner’s objections to Warren taking over that role also involve her views on Wall Street, sources say. The longtime professor believes the nation’s megabanks are Too Big To Fail and have been among the biggest abusive lenders in the country. Her toughness on giant banks is said to be a longtime source of tension with Geithner.

In other words, he opposes her because she actually does her job.

[Quote]:

In a move expected to revolutionize the mobile device industry, Apple launched its fastest and most powerful iPhone to date Tuesday, an innovative new model that can only be seen by the company’s hippest and most dedicated customers.

"I am proud today to introduce to those who really, truly deserve it, our most incredible iPhone yet," announced Apple CEO Steve Jobs, extending his seemingly empty left palm toward the eagerly awaiting crowd. "Not only is this our lightest and slimmest model ever, but as any truly savvy Apple customer can clearly see, it’s also the most handsome product we’ve ever designed."

I wonder what odds you would have gotten from a bookie on 9/12/2001 if you placed a bet that it was more likely archeologists would find an 18th century ship beneath the foundations of the Twin Towers than the entire US military would find Osama.

[Quote]:

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Thursday it has scheduled a hearing for July 29 to look into circumstances surrounding last year’s release of a Libyan prisoner linked to the 1988 bombing of an airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland.

The committee said it will ask officials of BP Plc to testify, following reports that the British-based oil giant may have lobbied British officials to release the prisoner so that it could reach a deal with Libya on an offshore oil project.

No way. I refuse to believe BP would put profits ahead of justice and the “small people.” No fuckin’ way.

Right?

[Quote]:

BP(BP) shares surged more than 7% in late trading on Thursday after the company said the words that the world — and the markets — have been waiting to hear: the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico has stopped.

If you needed more proof that the stock market is laughable and the average person should stay along way away, this will cement that.

But remember, this isn’t over. Estimates are that about 8 million barrels leaked into the see. Somewhere north of 300 million gallons. World daily petroleum usage is about 80 million barrels, give or take, so the entire 87-day spill represents what the human race consumes in about 2.5 hours. This needs to stop.