Archive for July, 2008

Policy Research: Department of the Obvious

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

In a new Brookings paper, Melissa S. Kearney and Phillip B. Levine reach the startling conclusion that when you increase the number of teenagers eligible to receive family planning services through Medicaid you get fewer teen pregnancies. Imagine that! It seems worth mocking but, honestly, the absurd thing isn't so ...

Wall Street analysts see bigger 2008 loss for Merrill

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Several analysts, including Oppenheimer's Meredith Whitney, widened their loss view on Merrill Lynch , after the Wall Street investment bank and brokerage said it will take a $5.7 billion third-quarter writedown as it unloads risky debt and raises $8.5 billion in capital.

Rejecting Timetables

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Gareth Porter reminds us that this isn't the first time Nouri al-Maliki has tried to get the Bush administration to agree to a timeline for withdrawing from Iraq, writing about a summer 2006 episode that the Bush administration tried, successfully, to walk back. Jim Henley wonders if Bush could have ...

Fear of a Fat Planet

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Ezra Klein called attention earlier today to some alarming predictions about the future of the American waistline. Often when people contemplate the unsound eating habits of the average American they suggest that the typical diet of Mediterranean countries would be a better model to emulate. Unfortunately John Boonstra notes that ...

All News Is Good News

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

According to Jonathan Martin, the indictment of Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) is good news for John McCain (R-AZ) because it will "at least subtly remind voters about the clashes between the two senators over the years" over pork.

ArcelorMittal’s record Q2 profit tops expectations

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - World No. 1 steelmaker ArcelorMittal reported record second-quarter results, far above expectations, on Wednesday as it managed to raise prices and offset raw material costs despite economic gloom.

As oil nears 20 percent “bear” market, bulls unfazed

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - As the rout in oil prices nears the 20 percent mark that for stocks would signal a bear market, many analysts offer a word of caution -- don't mistake a healthy correction for the end of a multi-year bull trend.

EADS extends Airbus restructuring, tackles dollar

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

FRANKFURT/PARIS (Reuters) - European aerospace group EADS said on Wednesday it was extending its Power8 restructuring at planemaker Airbus and measures to tackle a weak dollar as it posted weaker-than-expected second quarter profit.

Billion-dollar bankruptcies highest since 2003

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Billion-dollar bankruptcies are at their highest in five years only half way through 2008, according to bankruptcy filing tracker BankruptcyData.com.

A tax hike I would support as part of potential energy policy

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Someone asked me the other day if I would be supportive of any tax measures (as part of public policy other than CAFE standards and investment in alternative fuels and transportation infrastructure which I already conveyed are wise goals imop) with regards to a new energy policy / accounting for ...