FEBRUARY 22, 2012

Full News Archive

• Headline: Weldon Steps Down as J&J CEO. Impact: William C. Weldon's resignation set off a chain reaction where every CEO in the pharmaceutical industry suddenly started practicing their exit strategies—leading to a bizarre trend of CEOs disappearing at awkward press conferences.. Fact: J&J's product recalls could have filled a small library. Maybe they should consider writing a memoir titled 'Oops, We Did It Again.'.
• Headline: Johnson & Johnson's Hip Device Controversy. Impact: The insistence on the safety of the all-metal hip led to a future where 'metal hip' became a euphemism for 'I should've gone with the titanium option.' This sparked a whole new genre of hip-hop music about orthopedic woes.. Fact: The phrase 'all-metal hip' is now commonly used in dating profiles to describe someone who is resistant to change..
• Headline: Rise of Superdonors in Politics. Impact: These superdonors inadvertently created a new reality where politics became a high-stakes game of Monopoly, with the rich collecting all the 'properties' while the rest of us were left trying to remember how to play.. Fact: It turns out, giving $1 million or more to a super PAC doesn’t come with a complimentary yacht, but it does come with a whole lot of influence—so, you know, there's that..
• Headline: Legal Fees Mount at Fannie and Freddie. Impact: The rising legal fees led to a nationwide trend of law firms offering 'buy one hour, get one free' deals, ultimately resulting in a new reality where attorneys were the only ones making bank during the housing crisis.. Fact: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s legal expenses could probably fund a small country. Maybe they should consider going into the business of 'legal aid' instead of mortgages..