- Travel often? Airport food may not be as safe as you thought it was. “A USA TODAY review of inspection records for nearly 800 restaurants at 10 airports found items such as tuna salad and turkey sandwiches stored at dangerously warm temperatures, raw meat contaminating ready-to-eat foods, rat droppings and kitchens lacking soap for workers to wash hands.” The report highlighted instances at Atlanta, New York City, Detroit and Boston airports.
- The E.U. says they’re not to blame for the “great failure” on climate change negotiations. In fact, European Union leaders openly blamed China and the U.S. for not wanting more than what was achieved at Copenhagen. The obstacles created by China and the U.S. were “part of what we regretted,” said Andreas Calgren, the environment minister of Sweden.
- On the topic of energy risk, the OPEC conference is in full swing. Conference delegates seem concerned that “for the first time since the early 1980s, world oil demand has declined for the second, successive year.” After much discussion, the conference has decided to maintain current oil productions levels for now.
- This should quiet the property-casualty industry nay-sayers: its net income through the first three quarters of 2009 improved 272% compared to the same period last year. “Net income improved by close to $12 billion, rising to $16.2 billion, according to a report on the industry’s consolidated nine-month results released today by Jersey City, N.J.-based Insurance Services Office, Inc., and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.”
- Georgia residents and businesses again urged to conserve . . . you guessed it, water. The report from the state’s Water Contingency Task Force lists several water conservation plans, including asking utility companies to “adopt more aggressive conservation pricing schemes, which penalize bigger water users while benefiting the thriftiest.” Watch out Coca-Cola.
- An interesting editorial on financial regulation. BusinessWeek columnist Chris Farrell gives his take on a way to prevent risk-taking firms from damaging the broader financial system yet again. And the answer doesn’t include reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act.
- The Compliance Exchange lists its losers of 2009 — and there are many. Recipients of this honor include hedge funds, private equity, retention at the big four and job hoppers, to name a few. “It wasn’t a great year for many in the financial services sector, but these guys really found it tough.”
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