Payday Lenders rule in Texas

Here's one way that deregulation has worked in Texas:

Large corporations that operate payday lenders, many of them based in Texas, have been steady contributors to Perry's political campaigns over the last decade, donating upwards of $200,000, according to Texas campaign finance disclosure statements. In 2004, Perry appointed William J. White, a senior executive of one of the nation's largest payday lending corporations, Cash America International, to a seat on the Texas Finance Commission, which is tasked in part with protecting the state's consumers. Two years ago, the governor elevated White to the chairmanship of that body.

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LRO cameras capture Apollo landing sites in great detail

Check out these stunning images captured by the LRO cameras in 2010. I felt great pride when I viewed these images. Seeing them brought back some of the emotions I felt back in 1969 when the U.S. sent astronauts to the moon. If our country ever turned its attention from villainizing and attacking entire countries and cultures, maybe we could get back to serious space exploration, as well as other cutting edge science.

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The dangers of “Protect-IP” in a nutshell

Protect-IP is an abysmal idea. No one likes it except for well-monied content providers. It would, if construed broadly by the courts, hinder the ability of ordinary folks to organize in order to promote higher profits for the entertainment industry, which already has plenty of ways to protect its IP. This is too high a price to pay.

PROTECT IP Act Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

How flawed are the approaches now being considered by Congress? Consider these reasons.

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