Since the death of former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, it appears that the country is experiencing increased violence and a bit of political turmoil. Killing of former Miss Venezuela and her husband in front of their five year old daughter when crashed their car made the headlines. Now people are taking to the street demanding […]
Author: elegant
Unrest in Thailand continues
Thailand is not new to political uproars and loss of lives over politics. The latest political drama involves some people in cities including Bangkok rioting against the current government that has clear ties with the old regime that people got rid of. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is the sister of former billionaire Prime Minister Thaksin […]
It is getting bit harder to get a new mortgage
On January 10, 2014, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau introduced new rules concerning mortgages. New regulations were a direct result of the adoption of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reforms and Consumer Protection Act imposed by the Congress. It calls for lenders to make reasonable and good –faith efforts to determine borrower’s ability to repay the […]
Fixes to healthcare.gov
Computer software glitches prevented enrollment of many prospective seekers of Federal healthcare coverage in November and some part of December 2013. It appears that many of the state run exchanges performed well with minor issues compared the Federal exchange. The Obama Administration took quick actions to fix many of the problems, a reaction to a […]
Nuclear deal between world powers and Iran
In late November 2013, six world powers (the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Russia and China) reached an interim agreement with Iran in regard to Iran’s much controversial nuclear program after three days of negotiations in Geneva. The agreement calls for Iran to limit certain nuclear activities for six month in return for relief from Western […]
The minimum wage battle continues in the U.S.
The President Obama sponsored a bill recently calling the Congress to adopt a $10.00 an hour Federal minimum wage by 2015 which is more than what he proposed during his 2013 State of the Union address. Republican controlled House and critics of raising minimum wage were quick to reject the idea but the President is […]
Nobel Prize winner Robert J Shiller
The Yale University Professor of Economics Robert J. Shiller, one of three winners collected his 2013 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science on December 8, 2013 in Stockholm, Norway. The Nobel Committee described him as a founder of the field of behavioral finance, an innovator in incorporating psychology into economics and pioneering analyst of speculative […]
Ukraine in turmoil over a trade agreement
The Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych is not new to facing controversies. In 2004, as President he faced public outcry when he tried to steal Presidential elections. Once again he is facing angry Ukrainians because as the current President he signed a trade deal to align with Russia instead of much popular and widely expected trade […]
A judge put the NFL agreement with former players in limbo
The National Football League (NFL) in a historic agreement with former players in August 2013 agreed to form a $765 million fund to settle a class-action suits arising from concussion-related brain injuries. An estimated 18,000 former players would be eligible. The agreement calls for compensation, pay for medical exams and underwrite research into concussion-related matters. […]
World powers to make a possible nuclear deal with Iran
Six world power players including the United States made an interim agreement with Iran in late November 2013 after a three-day meeting with Iranian negotiators in Geneva. Other members include Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, France and China. The six-month interim deal will require Iran to limit its activities related to its nuclear actions in return […]