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Millionaire businessman-sportsman Thomas Crown explains how the Trump campaign looks just like a project promoted by a dodgy real estate developer. It makes a great read: Trump’s Entire Campaign is a Failed Real Estate Investment (with tweets) · TCrown · Storify
Hat-tip to Brad Reed at RawStory.
Ex-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s former campaign manager is running a new campaign — to unseat his boss’ nemesis Mayor de Blasio.
You heard it right. Tusk, who represents Uber, the PBA, and FanDuel, wants to help pick New York City’s next mayor. So why doesn’t he run for mayor himself? After all, he’s been described as a “genius.”
He can’t afford to run. Scores of his business interests depend upon the largess of government and he would have to cut his ties with them in order to serve in public office.
Source: Ex-Bloomberg aide leads 2017 push to replace de Blasio
But they promise not to use the power for evil.
… [Keith Chen, Uber’s head of economic research] revealed that Uber knows when the battery on your phone is low — it keeps tabs on your battery so the app knows when to switch into low-power mode — and that it knows you’re willing to pay more for a ride when your battery is running out. . . . “[W]e absolutely don’t use that to kind of, like, push you a higher surge price, but it’s an interesting kind of psychological fact of human behavior,” said Chen.
Source: Uber Knows When Your iPhone Battery Is Dying And You’re Getting Desperate
A contractor will have to pay $364,000 for cheating workers out of wages under a settlement reached with City Controller Scott Stringer.
“The company will have to pay back $327,000 in unpaid wages and benefits to the workers, plus $20,000 in interest and $17,000 in civil penalties.”
So the actual penalty is only $17,000.
What was the rate that the offender paid for that $364,000 loan?
Assume that the average amount of withheld wages over the 5-year period was 1/2 of $327,000:
1/2 x $327,000 = $163,500
Total cost to company:
$20,000 interest + $17,000 civil penalties = $37,000
Convert to a percentage of the “loan”
$37,000 / $163,500 = 22.6%
Per year, the interest is approximately:
22.6% / 5 years = 4.5%
Yup. Thanks to Scott Stringer, Beacon Restoration, Inc., got a construction loan for only 4.5%. Amazing.
Source: EXCLUSIVE: NYC contractor cheated workers, owes $364G in back pay – NY Daily News
Yesterday, state and federal officials announced a $5.1 billion settlement with Goldman Sachs, resolving accusations that the bank behaved irresponsibly in the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis. But, the New York Times reports, the deal’s fine print reveals that number may ultimately be much lower.
“They appear to have grossly inflated the settlement amount for P.R. purposes to mislead the public, while in the fine print, enabling Goldman Sachs to pay 50 to 75 percent less,” Better Markets founder Dennis Kelleher told the Times.
Uber and Amazon are launching slick new apps that promise to widen the market for high-tech food delivery — but the bill for restaurants won’t be cheap.
Amazon (assets: $65 billion) plans to charge restaurants 30% of each bill and Uber is expected to charge 27.5%. If you hate a restaurant and want to fuck it over, be sure to order through one of these new apps.
Source: Uber, Amazon to charge eateries steep rates for delivery | New York Post
Daniel E. Musso Sr., 54, of East Kingston, New Hampshire, who wants to get back to the “original Constitution,” was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday after he purchased grenades from an undercover agent, telling him he had another $200,000 on hand to buy C-4 explosives and “rocket-type stuff.”
Here at the Biteme International Headquarters and Hot Dog Emporium, we love the idea of returning to the original constitution. Just think of it:
And, finally, my personal favorite:
Source: New Hampshire militant busted after buying grenades to bring back ‘the original Constitution’
Mayor de Blasio on Thursday floated the idea of tearing up the popular pedestrian plaza to rid the area of the topless painted ladies.
“I believe this activity is illegal. I believe it is infringing on legitimate businesses. I believe it is infringing on the investment that the state and the city made in the 42nd Street area, and I believe it has to be stopped. I believe it is illegal. I believe we have to enforce the law and clean it up and we will.” — Governor Andrew Cuomo
Source: De Blasio idea: Eliminating Times Square pedestrian plazas
Source: Topless Women Are Bringing Back the ‘Bad Old Times Square’
You always knew your ISP or broadband provider was slow as shit. Well, a new study by BattlefortheNet revealed that the major Internet providers are intentionally slowing traffic from the Net’s most popular websites.
Why? I don’t know. But I’d guess they want you to “upgrade” to a more expensive tier which will still provide snail-like connectivity.
At least we now know why so many people complain that they’re having trouble reaching the BITEME website.
Source: Major Internet providers slowing traffic speeds for thousands across US
