FDIC closes 4 banks in 4 states

Federal regulators have seized 4 banks, one each in Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina and Oklahoma, bringing to 28 the number of U.S. banks that have failed so far this year. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Friday that it closed Farmers and Traders State Bank in Shabbona, Ill., and Waccamaw Bank in Whiteville, N.C. Regulators also shuttered Carolina Federal Savings Bank in Charleston, S.C., and First Capital Bank in Kingfisher, Okla. The FDIC lined up other lenders to assume the deposits and some of the assets of each of the banks.

‘You’re not special’ graduation speech sparks buzz

Social media was buzzing about a Boston-area high school teacher's blunt commencement speech that told students they "are not special." Wellesley High English teacher David McCullough Jr. told graduates "You are not special. You are not exceptional," quoting empirical evidence: "Across the country no fewer than 3.2 million seniors are graduating about now from more than 37,000 high schools. That's 37,000 valedictorians ... 37,000 class presidents ... 92,000 harmonizing altos ... 340,000 swaggering jocks ... 2,185,967 pairs of Uggs," he said in the speech published in the Boston Herald. He added: "Even if you're one in a million, on a planet of 6.8 billion that means there are nearly 7,000 people just like you." McCullough makes a statement on parents who overdo it in a modern society focused on collecting achievements. "You've been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble wrapped ... feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie." But he adds in a video on Wellesley Channel TV YouTube page, "You see, if everyone is special, then no one is. If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless. ... We have of late, we Americans, to our detriment, come to love accolades more than genuine achievement."

WATCH THE VIDEO!

AMERICA’S CLASS WAR

Barney Frank and Ed Rendell are right. In seeking to recall Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, the public-sector unions and their allies on the progressive wing of the Democratic Party made a big mistake. “My side picked a fight they shouldn’t have picked,” Frank told The Hill. “People need to be more strategic about the fights they pick.” In other places, such as Ohio, Democrats have successfully campaigned in state legislatures to roll back Republican anti-union initiatives. But rather than following such a strategy in Wisconsin, they tried to drive Walker out of office, alienating independent voters and bringing down upon themselves a deluge of conservative money.

This overreach may well embolden G.O.P. governors in other states to follow the Wisconsin example. But the tactical blundering of the anti-Walker forces shouldn’t be allowed to obscure what is at stake here. Exploiting public concerns about debts and deficits that have resulted from an economic downturn largely brought on by Wall Street malfeasance, Republican politicians, backed by wealthy individuals and corporations, are looking to cripple the unions and balance local budgets on the backs of low- and middle-income workers.

In short, it’s a class conflict. On one side are right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson, who exploit quirks in the campaign-finance laws and anxiety among taxpayers to further their conservative agendas, and shadowy corporate-financed organizations, such as the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, which helped draft many of the anti-union bills that Republican statehouses have adopted. On the other side are teachers, janitors, municipal administrative workers, cops, and firemen.

Read more http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/comment/2012/06/wisconsin-scott-walker-class-war.html#ixzz1xIA7N59z

11 Foods That Make You Look Younger

Did you know that the foods you eat have the power to not only affect your health, but how old or young you look, as well as the quality and beauty of your skin?

Dark Chocolate. Not only is dark chocolate a treat for your sweet tooth, it’s a treat for your skin, too. Cacao contains high levels of polyphenol antioxidants, but any old chocolate won’t do. Look for high cacao concentrations (high quality chocolates will give a % on the label) because these have less sugar, which can actually be bad for your skin.

  Pineapple. Pineapple contains enzymes that help break down the purple pigment in bruises. A herbal pill called Bromelain that is used to treat bruising is actually a pineapple extract that many surgeons suggest using after cosmetic surgery. If you bruise a lot, eating pineapple may make them clear sooner.

  Salmon. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids that have been found to have positive effects on inflammation, depression, heart disease and more, salmon has beauty benefits for your skin as well. Our bodies don’t have the ability to produce some essential fatty acids, so including them in your diet helps reinforce your skin’s barrier and keep moisture in and irritants out. Omega-3 fatty acids can help decrease inflammation, so salmon is a great choice for those who suffer from rosacea or eczema.

  Watermelon. Though it may sound counterintuitive, the high concentration of water in watermelon can actually reduce the water retention that leads to puffiness around the eyes. And because watermelon is low in sugar (as compared to many other fruits), you don’t have to worry about glycation, the chemical reaction that compromises collagen and leads to lines and wrinkles.

  Carrots. This vegetable is orange thanks to high levels of beta carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A (which also happens to be a form of the main active ingredient in Retin-A). This vitamin is an antioxidant has been found to decrease the skin’s oil production, and there’s also some evidence that it can improve psoriasis. You can also find vitamin A in leafy greens, squash and mangoes.

 Read more - click here.

New Research: High-Fructose Corn Syrup Sabotages Learning & Memory

It’s hard to find a pantry without high fructose corn syrup. It’s in cereals, salad dressings, baked goods, fruit juices, crackers and even baby formula. And many of us grew up on it, sucking down the sweetener in pitchers of sweetened juice and eating it every morning in our breakfast cereal.

“Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability to learn and remember information,” said Professor Gomez-Pinilla. “Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think. Adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage.”