Author: Ring of Fire Staff

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee recently approved an update to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), which would require law enforcement officers to obtain warrants to access electronic communications such as email, Facebook posts, photos and cellphone communications. It is a huge step forward in updating our privacy laws. Now law enforcement officials are pushing back. Local police departments across the country are pushing Congress to insert a provision into the new bill requiring cell phone carriers to keep the content of text messages for at least two years.  This provision would force companies to change their company policies,...

If there is one thing has greatly contributed to improving public health in America it is the reduced use of tobacco products. Anything that will get people out of the cigarette habit is almost certainly healthier than remaining addicted to cigarettes. It is with the point of view that the public should greet the newest advisory from the FDA about Chantix, a product designed to help people kick nicotine. The FDA today released the result of a meta-analysis of prior studies done on the safety of Chantix. Of particular concern was the suggestion that has been made in the...

By Farron Cousins December 12th, 2012  4:00pm Recently, new information from the FDA has shed some light on the dangers of consuming energy drinks like Monster, Red Bull, and 5 Hour Energy.  Below is an interview of Ring of Fire’s Mike Papantonio (sitting in for The Ed Schultz Show) talking with attorney Virginia Buchanan (Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty, and Proctor) about these newly uncovered dangers.  You can listen to the audio at this link. Mike:              Welcome back to the Ed Schultz Show, I’m Mike Papantonio sitting for Big Ed. The energy drink in this industry is one of...

By Erica Reed December 12th, 2012  11:00am Libor, short for the London Interbank Offered Rate, is considered to be one of the most crucial interest rates in finance.  It’s used to price a huge range of financial contracts, including some mortgages.  The Libor scandal arose when it was discovered that banks were falsely inflating or deflating their rates so as to profit from trades, or to give the impression that they were more creditworthy than they were.  Authorities in the United States and elsewhere are investigating at least 16 banks for the rigging of Libor rates. In July 2012,...

By Virginia Buchanan December 11th, 2012  12:30pm Despite  Alabama GOP’s relentless ridiculing of President Obama and its vocal  rejection of federal government involvement in its state during the past election cycle, the facts show substantial dependence by Alabama on the federal government. Figures released by  the conservative Washington think tank “The Tax Foundation” and based upon the U.S. Census Data, show that Alabama’s total revenues are comprised of nearly 40% of federally-provided dollars.  In addition, The Tax Foundation reports that Alabama ranks 20th among all states for the amount of its total revenues coming from federal tax dollars.  It’s...