Hot off the Press: Long hiatus edition

"Iowa banks post $685.4 million profit, most in at least two decades": http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/02/28/iowa-banks-post-685-4-million-profit-most-in-at-least-two-decades/. Most Iowa banks, I think, keep their noses clean.

"TV reporter’s worries leads to Bethesda school pulling student newspaper": http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/2012/03/26/gIQArfFzcS_story.html?hpid=z4.

"Environment groups that studied the federal government’s toxic release inventory issued a report Thursday indicating that industrial facilities discharged – both legally and illegally – more than 6.2 million pounds of toxic chemicals into Iowa’s waterways in 2010": http://thegazette.com/2012/03/30/study-details-iowa-waterway-pollution-concerns/.

Check out this dumbass: http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20120330/NEWS01/120330004/.

The BBC wonders why characters in fantasy fiction tend to have British accents: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17554816.

The Canadians are ditching the penny: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/03/canada-eliminates-penny.html, http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2012/03/29/federalbudget-flaherty-penny-cent.html.

After significant wear was found at the San Onofre nuclear power plant, nearby cities have voiced their concern and would like to get the plant shut down for good: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0330-san-onofre-20120330,0,7730812.story.