Bizzy’s AM Coffee Biz-Econ-Life Links (063006)

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• Making up a scary headline — “Growing evidence of real-estate ‘bust’.” Trouble is, the article doesn’t address a real-estate bust directly at all, only “asset values,” which include any number of things besides real estate (stocks, bonds, etc.)

Free Links:

• The AP Got the Headline Right. It really is an AP headline, as it gets repeated here. Will wonders never cease? –
  

  Senate Rejects Regulating Internet Access

  A massive effort by Internet users to prohibit telephone and cable companies from providing better service and prices to preferred customers failed to get through a Senate committee on Wednesday.

  After three days of debate, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved a bill intended to let phone companies and other telecommunications providers better compete in video markets now monopolized by cable companies.

  The measure faces an uncertain future because of the controversy over “net neutrality” – how to ensure that consumers and Internet content providers continue having open and nondiscriminatory access to the Internet.

  ….. The vote was 11-11, and ties defeat proposed amendments.

  Headlines at other outlets are along the lines of this one: “Senate panel rejects Net neutrality in tie vote.”

  The closeness of the vote raises the possibility of a Senate filibuster.

• Google Is Doing Credit transaction processing. Go to the link for more.
• I am so not surprised (HT Conservative Culture) — Val Verde County in Texas built a better border wall, and crime went down 76%.
• If you’re an old customer of Cinergy or UHL&P, get ready for two utility bills — Duke Energy is splitting into separate companies for gas and electricity.
• James Joyner delivered some pleasant news about the cancer-fighting capabilities of coffee, pizza, and beer a couple of weeks ago. Now there’s more good news about beer — and a chance for a free shot at the arrogant ones among wine afficionados (nyah, nyah):
  

  29/06/06 Contrary to popular opinion, beer is as healthy—if not more healthy—than wine, according to a university professor with an academic title any Joe Six-pack would relish.

  Charles Bamforth, chairman of the food science department at the University of California at Davis and an Anheuser-Busch endowed professor, told food scientists assembled at the IFT Annual Meeting that beer contains valuable B vitamins, such as B12, folic acid and niacin, as well as antioxidants, such as polyphenols and ferulic acid.

  Bamforth, author of the book Beer: Health and Nutrition says beer also has soluble fiber, which is good for digestion, and the active ingredient in alcohol—whether from beer or wine—helps counter blockage of the arteries.

  “People say red wine is key to that,” Bamforth said. “But beer, if you looked at it holistically, is healthier than wine. But it is not perceived that way.”

  Despite their actions against KFC and Starbucks, The Food Police are having the equivalent of a bad hair month. I’m sure they’ll be taking their shots at who endowed Mr. Bamforth’s chair, but what they need to refute is his science. My guess is they can’t.

  Pizza, coffee, and beer are good for you. Who says that you can’t create heaven on earth? I propose a toast to “holistic healthiness.”