xplr

nationalpost:

Economic crisis means the Mafia is now ‘Italy’s number one bank’: reportOrganized 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)

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)

jaymug:

Harvey Milk Wine

jaymug:

Shell Motor Oil Packaging

laughingsquid:

2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival

worldwarsandjunk:

“American prisoners of war celebrate the 4th of July in the Japanese prison camp of Casisange in Malaybalay, on Mindanao, P.I. It was against Japanese regulations and discovery would have meant death, but the men celebrated the occasion anyway.” July 4, 1942

-Source

cavetocanvas:

They Remembered Me - Norman Rockwell, 1917

theclearlydope:

Hello Good Morning Internet: SCIENCE!!!!!!!!!

emergentfutures:

World’s first pee-controlled video game opens in London bar

Developed by UK-based Captive Media, the high-tech urinals come with 12-inch LCD screens fitted just above them. Ads play on the screens until a punter approaches the urinal. Detecting that the punter is in position and ready to pee, the system then switches into gaming mode.

Full Story: Digital Trends