Labyrinths

kingjaffejoffer:

nationalpost:

Economic crisis means the Mafia is now ‘Italy’s number one bank’: report
Organized crime has tightened its grip on the Italian economy during the economic crisis, making the Mafia the country’s biggest “bank” and squeezing the life out of thousands of small firms, according to a report on Tuesday.

Extortionate lending by criminal groups had become a “national emergency,” said the report by anti-crime group SOS Impresa. Organized crime now generated annual turnover of about €140-billion ($178.89 billion) and profits of more than €100-billion, it added.

“With 65-billion euros in liquidity, the Mafia is Italy’s number one bank,” said a statement from the group, which was set up in Palermo a decade ago to oppose extortion rackets against small business.

Extortionate lending had become an increasingly sophisticated and lucrative source of income, alongside drug trafficking, arms smuggling, prostitution, gambling and racketeering, the report said. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images/Files)

This is absolutely fascinating. 

(via itsexclusive)

(Source: ilovecharts)

did-you-kno:

A United Nations report said that disconnecting people from the internet is a human rights violation and against international law.

Source

(Source: imgfave)

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did-you-kno:

Source

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yes.

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cwnl:

Five Severed Heads Found Outside School; Courtesy of Mexican Drug Cartels

Mexican police have found five severed heads stuffed in a sack outside a primary school in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco.

The gruesome discovery comes after drugs gangs threatened to attack elementary school teachers if they did not pay half their wages to the drugs cartels.

The extortion demands forced around 130 schools in the city to close earlier this month, after administrators and parents decided it was not safe enough to start classes.

Police say the five heads were positioned next to a handwritten message threatening three alleged drug traffickers and Guerrero State Governor Angel Aguirre, who had promised a series of measures to combat the criminal gangs.

The message, in an apparently sarcastic tone, told people to thank the governor for continuing ‘this war’.

The heads all appear to be of men. But some of the five headless bodies found elsewhere in the city the previous day were too badly burned to immediately determine their gender.

The horrific discovery comes just days after police found a woman’s decapitated body in the Mexican border city of Nuevo Laredo, alongside a handwritten sign saying she was killed in retaliation for her postings on a social networking site.

Late last month, as the new school year began, dozens of teachers in Acapulco said drugs gangs had threatened them with violence if they did not hand over half their salaries from October 1.

(via occupyallstreets)

(Source: puravidayamor, via imgfave)

feministhistorian:

machistado:

obliquecity:

mohandasgandhi:

New book reveals Michelle Obama is the progressive voice in the White House

This is a fascinating read and it’s not at all surprising that Michelle Obama didn’t get along with Rahm Emanuel. It’s also not surprising she was right about those in Obama’s staff who were hell bent on compromising progressive legislation time and time again. I said it even before Barack Obama was elected: I like Michelle 10 times more than I do Barack.

It’s nice knowing there’s a voice for the people in the White House. Mr. Obama, please, start listening to your wife more.

[Image via]

i love michelle obama omg

She’s my favorite First Lady… of all time. Reading about her is just fascinating. I want to be everything Michelle Obama is. 

Is it really a surprise to anyone that she is the voice of reason in the white house? 

(via historicalslut)