Five years after destroying the world economy, big banks are back and bigger than ever; a new laptop charger promises to be smaller than the plug; meanwhile, Israeli police are ignoring Palestinian villagers’ complaints about violence in the West Bank. These discoveries and more below.

On a regular basis, Truthdig brings you the news items and odds and ends that have found their way to Larry Gross, director of the USC Annenberg School for Communication. A specialist in media and culture, art and communication, visual communication and media portrayals of minorities, Gross helped found the field of gay and lesbian studies.

If Memory Swerves: The 1 Percent Laughs Last, As Wall Street Wins Again September 15 marked five years since the beginning of the economic slump that defines the world we live in.

George Galloway, MP: The US is a Knuckle-dragging, Low Grade Moronic Culture An interview with George Galloway, a member of the British Parliament, by John Robles.

Novel Circuit Shrinks Laptop Chargers, Could Improve Appliance Efficiency A new kind of power adapter is barely bigger than a plug.

Castro: Mandela Is Dead: Why Hide The Truth About Apartheid? “Maybe the empire thought that we would not honor our word when, during days of uncertainty in the past century, we affirmed that even if the USSR were to disappear Cuba would continue struggling,” writes Fidel Castro.

Palestinian Villagers’ Complaints of Settler Violence Are Going Unheard Residents of the West Bank village are repeatedly attacked, but very few complaints to the Israeli police and army produce indictments.

Iran Could Seize On New Sanctions Bill to Drive Wedge Between Israel Lobby, U.S. Public One big difference between looming clash and previous AIPAC-Administration showdowns: Americans couldn’t care less about AWACS or loan guarantees – but are dead set against war with Iran.

The P.U.-Litzers: Here Are the Stinkiest Media Moments of 2013 On NBC’s Meet the Press (11/10/13), Time reporter Mark Halperin had this to say about New Jersey’s Republican governor: “Chris Christie is someone who is magical in the way politicians can be magical, like our last three presidents.”

The Survival Time of Chocolates on Hospital Wards: Covert Observational Study A study that aims to quantify the consumption of chocolates in a hospital ward environment.

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