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A Bullish Black Market For...Laundry Detergent?

Authorities in Prince George's County, Md., and across the country, are dealing with an unusual, if not entirely new, problem: thefts of Tide detergent are spiking because the product's black market value is rising. We consider the factors, from sentencing laws to brand loyalty, that are driving the phenomenon.

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Sgt. Aubrey Thompson of the Prince George's County Police Department says local thieves have been selling Tide laundry detergent on the black market. Thompson described an undercover sting last year at a Vietnamese nail salon in which officers discovered large quantities of Tide being shipped overseas. The salon was also dilluting near-empty bottles of detergent with water in order to double profits. "It's high reward. You're going to sell out that Tide as soon as you leave the store," Thompson said.

NPR

Meet London's Master Architects In Jell-0

London duo Sam Bompas and Harry Parr have made names for themselves with their wild, experimental food installations. From pineapple islands and banana vapors to re-creations of famous architectural monuments, their work playfully pushes the boundary of how we experience food.
NPR

Meet London's Master Architects In Jell-0

London duo Sam Bompas and Harry Parr have made names for themselves with their wild, experimental food installations. From pineapple islands and banana vapors to re-creations of famous architectural monuments, their work playfully pushes the boundary of how we experience food.
NPR

Stunned By Military Sex Scandals, Advocates Demand Changes

As the nation prepares to mark Memorial Day, outrage has been building on Capitol Hill and beyond over the military's failure to repair a system that has placed service members in more danger of sexual assault than of battlefield injury.
NPR

Google Reportedly Faces FTC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

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