No Agenda Episode 383

By Adam Curry. Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:58 PM.

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By Adam Curry. Posted Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 1:18 PM.
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Art By: Silicon Spin
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Hot Rods

Executive Producers: Anonymous, Andrew Valencia

Associate Executive Producers: John Henry, Mark Meyers, Mark Smith

214 Valentine Donations: Mark Meyers, Mark Smith

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Knighthoods: Joe the Dish Slave

Art By: Silicon Spin

ShowNotes Archive of links and Assets (clips etc) 383.nashownotes.com

Fanscribed Transcription: 383.readnoagenda.com (Pitch in!)

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The No Agenda News Network- noagendanewsnetwork.com

Here is the meat part. It creates a blacklist of pharmacies that don't have a physical presence in the U.S., and who can thus sell generic equivalents of expensive brand name drugs because they are not subject to U.S. patent law. So U.S. pharmaceutical companies get their cake and eat it tooÑ they can sell the generic equivalent in nations that don't protect their patent, while simultaneously forcing Americans to pay premium prices for their brand name drugs.
Sec. 510A(b) of the bill proclaims, "Establishment of Registry- The Secretary shall establish a Registry of Legitimate Online Pharmacy Websites (referred to in this section as the ÔRegistryÕ) for the purpose of educating consumers and promoting public health and safety."
The succeeding text then goes on to define that the only "legitimate" online pharmacies are 1) accredited by the United States National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (a trade group controlled by pharmaceutical companies for which foreign nations, like, say, Canada have equal standards certification organizations), 2) exist only within the boundaries of the United States, subject to FDA rules (all written by pharmaceutical companies); and 3) must have a pharmacy address within U.S. borders, registered with the appropriate U.S. agencies.
Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP)
Pfizer, Inc
Elsevier (as a proxy for Merck)
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)
Lipitor from Pfizer with $5.3 billion in U.S. sales in November 2011. The drug treats high cholesterol.
Lexapro from Forest Laboratories with $2.3 billion in U.S. sales in March 2012. The drug treats depression.
Plavix from Sanofi-Aventis/Bristol-Myers Squib with $6.2 billion in U.S. sales. The drug treats cardiovascular disease.
Singular from Merck with $3.2 billion in U.S. sales. The drug treats asthma and allergies.
The biggest prize, Pfizer's Lipitor (for Cholesterol), the number one selling drug in the U.S., goes generic later this year (November 2011); and Plavix (a blood thinner) and Actos (for Diabetes) will follow (May 2012 and August 2012, respectively). As patents run out, these and other popular prescription drugs will be far more affordable in the U.S., since generic drug prices tend to be lower here than in other countries.
Looking at the numbers in our 2011 Consumer Guide, it's easy to see why generic options are so essential. For example, Zocor, a Cholesterol-reducer, costs $542.75 for a three-month supply at a U.S. bricks and mortar pharmacy. It's generic, Simvastatin, costs just $193.99 at the same pharmacy; better yet, Simvastatin is only $10.83 at Costco.com -- a savings of 95%!
Montana will join a majority of states trying to keep tighter tabs on controlled substance prescription abuse.
If a patient abuses a controlled substance by getting a prescription filled at "pharmacy A," then tries to get it filled at "pharmacy B," pharmacy B can check the prescription history through a statewide data base for the controlled substance.
"Providers may look into it and see if people are abusing their relationship with their doctor or pharmacist," said the Montana Pharmacy Association's Tony King.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced it endorsed the legislation, noting that research has found that 1-in-6 Americans Ñ or more than 36 million consumers Ñ has purchased prescription medication online without a valid prescription.
Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif; and Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., introduced The Online Pharmacy Safety Act of 2011 on Thursday, which "targets fraud associated with illegitimate online drug sellers, particularly those who sell counterfeit drugs, provide drugs without a prescription or take money without providing anything in return." The bill also would require the Food and Drug Administration to establish a registry of legitimate online pharmacy websites.
Companies are focusing much of their time and resources in searching for that drug that can turn into a goldmine, trying to develop effective drugs for important and complicated diseases like AlzheimerÕs, ParkinsonÕs and certain cancer treatments. But at the same time, they are also trying to take advantage of their current patents and either increase prices or challenge the patents in order to delay expiration and therefore expand sales; only a six-month extension on the patent protection can represent up to $2.5 billion worth of sales.
To give you an example, widely prescribed brand-name drugs such as Singulair, Plavix, Lipitor and Seroquel (all to lose patent protection before the end of 2012) have faced price increases of up to 16% within the last year. These products together represent over $22 billion on sales every year.
Arrow_right We monitor 226,195 Internet pharmacies, both active and inactive.
Arrow_right Of these, 41,678 are active now.
Arrow_right_lg 246 are legitimate (0.6%)
Arrow_right_lg 1,121 are potentially legitimate (2.7%)
Arrow_right_lg 40,310 are not legitimate (96.7%)
drug name
strength
dosage form
quantity prescribed
directions for use
number of refills (if any) authorized
A prescription for a controlled substance must be written in ink or indelible pencil or typewritten and must be manually signed by the practitioner on the date when issued. An individual (secretary or nurse) may be designated by the practitioner to prepare prescriptions for the practitioner's signature.
Registry database
The group's stated mission is "to protect patient safety and ensure patient access to safe and legitimate online pharmacies in accordance with U.S. laws." The unstated premise is that since it is technically illegal for Americans to personally import medication from abroad, only U.S. pharmacies (i.e., those that are members of its own member organizations) are in accordance with U.S. laws.
The focus of the group's website's is to direct its audience to current and past efforts (antics) of LegitScript.com, Safemedicines.org, and the NABP to misinform the public about the safety of buying prescription drugs from licensed pharmacies in Canada and other countries. These organizations, supported by the U.S. pharmaceutical and pharmacy industries, mix the genuine problems of rogue online pharmacies and counterfeit drugs with buying safe and affordable medication from non-US pharmacies, such as many of those verified by PharmacyChecker.com.
If this "Alliance" were to achieve its goals, uninsured and under-insured Americans would have less access to safe and affordable non-US online pharmacies. This will end up endangering, not protecting, patients.
On Sunday, Sony pushed through wholesale price changes that moved the retail price of Houston's "The Ultimate Collection" from 4.99 pounds to 7.99, and "Whitney: The Greatest Hits" from 7.99 pounds to 9.99. The label moved the prices back to their original level later that day.
How did you miss ShaQuaeda? SHAQ for short! ;-)
"But what was most disturbing -- was that ABC, and presumably other networks, have been rehearsing these scenarios for over 2 weeks, with newscasters and retired generals in front of maps talking about missiles and delivery systems, and at their newsdesks -- the screens are emblazoned with "This is a Drill" to assure they don't go out on air -- (like War of the Worlds).
"Then reports of counter-attacks by Hezballah in Lebanon with rockets on Israeli cities -- it was mind-numbing. Very disturbing -- when pre-visualization becomes real."
Netanyahu, making the first visit to Cyprus by an Israeli prime minister, said today that he and President Demetris Christofias discussed a variety of ways that the two countries can work together in energy exploration, agriculture, tourism and science. Both leaders declined to speak publicly about proposals for military cooperation
Damon graduated from Robert College in Istanbul, Turkey, with honors in 1994, where her father, Dr. George H. Damon, was a teacher and middle school director from 1988 to 1998. An American, her father went from there to Isõkkent School in Izmir, and is presently headmaster of the American Community School at Beirut. Damon's mother, Joumana, is a Syrian Sunni Muslim and grew up in Damascus.[
Instead of providing fiscal aid so Greece can meet its budget targets and can get back on its feet again, the troika (the European Commission, European Central Bank, and International Monetary Fund) is using the crisis to snatch vital state assets and deliver them to its corporate friends. The MOU is opening new avenues for exploitation and plunder. And there's more:
"The Government will neither propose nor implement measures which may infringe the rules on the free movement of capital. Neither the State nor other public bodies will conclude shareholder agreements with the intention or effect of hindering the free movement of capital or influence the management or control of companies. The Government will neither initiate nor introduce any voting or acquisition caps, and it will not establish any disproportionate and non-justifiable veto rights or any other form of special rights in privatised companies."
SOCAR president Rovnag Abdullayev held talks with Harris Sahinis, his counterpart from DEPA on a possible sale last week.
"We're ready to consider this proposal, and if the conditions suit us, we'll acquire the Company. In general, in Europe a lot is put up for sale, but that does not mean that we have to participate everywhere," Abdullayev said.
Power strip
Paul Eekhoff | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images
The deal, which also includes Chinese investment in the wider economy, is the brightest news for Portugal since it was forced to seek a 78 billion euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund in the spring after its financing costs soared.
State holding company Parpublica said on Thursday that China Three Gorges' offer for the 21 percent stake in EDP, Portugal's largest company, was at a 53 percent premium to its share price.
The last US troops were supposedly withdrawn from Iraq just before 2012 began, but after years of a war that abruptly ended this past December, the Pentagon still wants billions to continue doing...something in Iraq. According to the latest budget request, the DoD think around $2.9 billion should cover the cost of "Post-Operation NEW DAWN (OND)/Iraq Activities."
Nor does he seem inclined to end military support to Egypt. Obama wants to keep aid to Egypt at recent levels, which is $1.3 billion a year despite a crisis triggered by an Egyptian investigation targeting American democracy activists, Reuters reports. Egypt has been getting about $1.6 billion annually, mostly in military assistance, and is thus regarded as one of the top recipients of US aid. In the fiscal year 2012, $250 million of aid approved for Egypt was economic; $1.3 billion was military and there was a $60 million "enterprise fund" approved by Congress.
Most of the economic aid for the Arab Spring countries -- $770 million -- is expected to be spent on establishing a new "Middle East and North Africa Incentive Fund," Obama said.
"You can't pass a budget in the Senate of the United States without 60 votes and you can't get 60 votes without bipartisan support," Lew said. "So unless... unless Republicans are willing to work with Democrats in the Senate, [Majority Leader] Harry Reid is not going to be able to get a budget passed."
That's not accurate. Budgets only require 51 Senate votes for passage, as Lew -- former director of the Office of Management and Budget -- surely must know.
White House officials did not dispute that Lew misspoke. When asked about the discrepancy, a White House official said "the chief of staff was clearly referencing the general gridlock in Congress that makes accomplishing even the most basic tasks nearly impossible given the Senate Republicans' insistence on blocking an up or down vote on nearly every issue."
The rollout also includes a social media blitz, directing supporters to three new websites: KeepingHisWord.com, which highlights ObamaÕs record and Òpromises keptÓ; KeepingGOPHonest.com, which highlights GOP policy positions; and AttackWatch.com, which fact-checks claims made against Obama on the campaign trail.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, would let public schools suspend or expel students who do or say anything that may "reasonably be considered to be an interference with school purposes or an educational function," even on a Saturday at the shopping mall.
"Bob Zoellick has served the international community--including the membership of the World Bank Group and IMF--with great distinction. Bob will be leaving the Bank with a record of achievement of which he can be very proud. It has been a pleasure working with him both in my capacity as Managing Director and as a finance minister. I wish him the very best in his future endeavors, and look forward to maintaining a close working relationship with the Bank once a successor is chosen."
Hillary Clinton's role as US secretary of state would be a bar to Bill taking the top job at the Bank -- but Hillary's decision to step down after the US presidential election later this year removes that obstacle.
But another obstacle to Bill Clinton -- or any of the other American candidates -- is the US's pledge to open up the top job to candidates that don't hold a US passport, including a commitment made at the G20.
GOP Poster Solyndra
Between 1996 and 2000 he worked for NBC attaining the position of senior vice president of strategic partnerships.[1]
In 2006 he founded the company Sports Potential in Menlo Park, California which offers a test called Smart that assesses the mental and physical qualities of children to guide them to appropriate sports.[4]
In 2011 he was involved in the Solyndra loan controversy where it has been alleged that he pushed for the loan while his wife worked for the firm that represented Solyndra.[5] Because of his wife, Allison Spinner's, work he had publicly recused himself in 2009. Time Magazine reported in 2011 though that they had emails showing that "Spinner played a central role in making sure the process to review the company's credit risk was moving forward in August of 2009".[6]
So far, some record companies have responded as they often do Ñ with litigation. The dizzying complexity of the Copyright Act leaves several gray areas when it comes to determining whether artists are entitled to terminate rights grants. So-called works for hire donÕt fall under the rule, for instance, and music publishers have argued that a co-author of a work canÕt terminate his or her grant unless the rest of the co-authors are on board as well, which some lawyers say is akin to herding cats because rights often are owned by heirs or others who no longer work together.
Ron Paul's team feels that it was a bit fishy that Washington County was washed away on caucus day.
"The caucus was delayed until next week just so the votes wouldn't be reported by the national media," campaign manager John Tate explains to Ron Paul supporters. "The truth is, there is no length to which the GOP establishment won't go. There is nothing the mainstream media won't do," Tate added."This is MAINE we're talking about," John Tate's email continues. "The GIRL SCOUTS had an event today in Washington County that wasn't cancelled! And just the votes of Washington County would have been enough to put us over the top. This is an outrage."
In his response, Tate also writes that the "GOP establishment and their pals in the national media...will do anything to silence our message of liberty."
Submitted by MattMcDonald on Mon, 02/13/2012 - 12:05.
I served as the Chairman of my Caucus in Belfast and I just called the State office to make sure they had the numbers from Belfast and the number they had wasn't not even close to the actually vote [sic]. They said that Romney won, when in fact Ron Paul won.
This is happening all over Maine.
Steve Hindi, president of SHARK (SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness), said his group was preparing to launch its Mikrokopter drone to video what he called a live pigeon shoot on Sunday when law enforcement officers and an attorney claiming to represent the privately-owned plantation near Ehrhardt tried to stop the aircraft from flying.
He said the animal rights group decided to send the drone up anyway.
"Seconds after it hit the air, numerous shots rang out," Hindi said in the release. "As an act of revenge for us shutting down the pigeon slaughter, they had shot down our copter."
He claimed the shooters were "in tree cover" and "fled the scene on small motorized vehicles."
Thus, within these British government UFO files, available via the Internet, are the Sri Lanka beach boxes that are similar in both size, coloring and shape; with locals all along Sri LankaÕs beaches Ð located in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal Ð stating in the recently released British UFO documents that Òthe strange metal boxes appeared suddenly, and after numerous reported UFO sightings.Ó
In turn, the metal boxes along Oregon, Washington State and Northern California beaches are now being photographed, documented and examined by local experts.
Also, due to recent storms out in the Pacific Ocean, the ÒboxesÓ are being more or less ignored; with passing comments in local coastal newspaper,Ó state Errol, a BrayÕs Point local and a member of the Oregon UFO ÒwatchersÓ group that gathers both here and at nearby Stonefield Beach to scan the sky for flying objects in much the same way bird lovers use binoculars for birth watching.
His meeting with the cosmic life forms is said to have taken place while officials were told that he was on vacation in Palm Springs, California, in February 1954.
The initial meeting is supposed to have taken place with aliens who were 'Nordic' in appearance, but the agreement was eventually 'signed' with a race called 'Alien Greys'.
Mr Good added: 'We know that up to 90 per cent of all UFO reports can be explained in conventional terms. However, I would say millions of people worldwide have actually seen the real thing.'
EML-2 could serve as a gateway for capability-driven exploration of multiple destinations, such as near-lunar space, asteroids, the moon, the moons of Mars and, ultimately, Mars itself, according to NASA officials.
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