News stories the mainstream media missed 09/19/09

Here are some news stories from this week that I think the mainstream media completely missed out on. All links are from legitimate news sources and not the fringe / wacko sites.

* Olestra, the calorie free fat substitute in potato chips , is making a comeback as… are you ready for this…. paint! And as a as a lube that keeps polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from sticking to molds. Yeah. I can see that. The taste was a dead giveaway. [FORBES]

* A credit crisis is now brewing between two major Saudi families, Algosaibi and al-Sanea. Both owe 80 banks “at least $15.7 billion”, and a small “family feud” has come out in public because of it. Billion dollar feuds between very powerful families in a fragile economy usually ends with a musical dance number. Right? [BLOOMBERG]

* Belgium Milk is being poured out in fields by the semi-sized tank fulls because milk prices are collapsing. Not good. [BBC.CO.UK]

* The next big thing? Media Liability insurance. For when your posted comments come back to bite you. (Ask Courtney Love about this.) [INSURE NEW MEDIA and BLOOMBERG]

* The backlash against soda pop is beginning. “Calling soda the new tobacco, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will introduce legislation this fall that would charge a fee to retailers that sell sugary beverages.” Great. Whenever California gets an idea like this, the rest of the US eventually follows. [SFGATE]