Fast food companies are dodging billions of dollars in taxes by registering their products as "intellectual property" and by diverting profits offshore. So the next time you're biting into a Big Whopper, know that you're making their headquarters in Switzerland very happy! Via Think Progress:

Technology companies have mastered the use of schemes involving low-tax foreign countries in order to avoid billions of dollars in American taxes each year. Now, fast food chains like McDonalds, Burger King, and Subway are doing the same.

When the companies create a product, like Burger King’s Whopper hamburger, they can classify it as intellectual property. Franchises then pay a fee to the company to sell the product and use the company logo. But instead of collecting the fees in the United States, where the intellectual property filings were created, Burger King, McDonalds, and other chains often house the fees in other low-tax countries in order to save millions of dollars, as Reuters’ Tom Bergin reports:

In Burger King’s case, the IP was created in the United States, home of the Whopper. But the fee the European units pay to use it goes to Burger King’s main European office in Zug, Switzerland. There the effective tax rate could range from 2 percent to 12 percent, according to Thierry Boitelle, tax partner with law firm Bonnard Lawson in Geneva.Zug-based Burger King Europe GmbH retains the payments, a Burger King spokesman said. Had the fee been remitted to the United States it would have faced a tax rate of 35 percent to 39 percent.

McDonalds and Burger King each have overseas headquarters in Switzerland. Subway sends most of its overseas profits to Curacao, a low-tax haven in the Caribbean. Coffee-chain Starbucks also utilizes the intellectual property loophole to help reduce its corporate tax rate— Reuters reported that it successfully avoided millions of pounds in British taxes last year. The companies’ tax rates differed: Starbucks paid 31 percent in the U.S. but just 13 percent overseas; Burger King also paid 13 percent on overseas income, while McDonalds paid 20 percent.

Two blasts have gone off during morning rush hour in Moscow's underground subways, killing dozens of morning commuters. Via RT.com:

The first explosion happened in a carriage at the central Lubyanka underground station and has claimed the lives of 26 people, with more injured, informs RIA Novosti news agency.

The second blast happened at the Park Kultury Metro station in the third carriage of a train. 15 or more people are reported to be dead, the quantity of injured is unknown.

According to Russia’s Emergency Ministry, the first explosion presumably happened in the second carriage of a Metro train stopped at the Lubyanka station in the very center of Moscow, only several hundred meters from the Kremlin. At 9:30am Moscow time, the Emergencies Ministry gave the number of casualties as 20 to 25 killed and 17 wounded on Lubyanka station, and 12 to 15 killed and over 20 wounded at Park Kultury station.

Officials are investigating the possibility of suicide bombers and/or a coordinated terrorist attack. The video has some stunning photos and video taken by eyewitness and people in close proximity. On a Monday morning rush-hour commute, there's a high likelihood that many more have died than initially reported.

Telegraph.co.uk reports:

Though it has yet to be confirmed, security sources said early indications suggested suspected suicide bombers from the volatile North Caucasus region that includes Chechnya were to blame.

If that is right, it would be the first time since 2004 that they have struck the Moscow metro. Prosecutors opened a criminal case immediately, saying they would be working on the basis that the explosions were the work of terrorists.

Reporters are updating at RT.com as more information is known. Other sources: MSNBC, CNN

Update #1: Video shot of the scene above ground.

Update #2: CBS News now quotes Moscow mayor as attributing both blasts to female suicide bombers.

Update #3: Via STRATFOR:

According to STRATFOR sources in Moscow, the two locations of the attacks on the subway in the city are symbolic. The first attack in Park Kultury is symbolic in that it is one of the city’s cultural centers being located near Gorky Park. The second location of the attack at the metro station of Lubyanka is nearly under the Federal Security Bureau’s headquarters—former KGB headquarters—the security hub of Russia. According to media reports, the attacks were caused by suicide bombers at the peak of rush hour in Moscow. Thus far, rumors are flying that Muslim extremists are responsible for the attack. In the past, there have typically been spring-summer attacks in Moscow in February, and spring is just now arriving in the capital.

Giuliani Spotted Sleeping On New York City Subway

"He seemed to jolt awake when a homeless guy started ranting about 9/11, but then he just sighed and went back to sleep."

Consider it open.

WaPo

PITTSBURGH -- Protesters greeted Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on his way to a campaign event for a Pennsylvania senator, and he briefly took refuge in a subway station supply closet to avoid the anti-Republican demonstrators.--The president's brother encountered protesters on their way to join a demonstration outside the exclusive Duquesne Club, where Sen. Rick Santorum, a Republican, was holding a fundraiser Friday. Officers used stun guns to subdue two protesters, saying they disobeyed orders to disperse, said Bob Grove, a Port Authority spokesman...read on

Janet Parshall

(Originally posted on 10/08/05)

Thanks to Virtual Matter for the video and Norman from OneGoodMove for the reformat. Hat tip to David for the WMP.

Download | play -QT Bittorrent-QT

Download | play -WMP Bittorrent-WMP

Randy gets into it with Janet Parshall the right winger over NYC. JP uses the talking point of "we're fighting them over there rather than over here" nonsense. Randi quickly points her to the NYC subway scare.

Blondesense has more on her spot. "One side speaks in facts and from knowledge while the other side speaks in spin and ignorance and ideology....read on"

NYC Transit Union Moves to Return to Work

Striking bus and subway workers agreed Thursday to "take steps" to go back to work while their union and the transit authority resume negotiations, a mediator said....read on

Steve has more on the strike: "Some of you should be ashamed"

NEW YORK - Authorities stepped up mass transit security Thursday after receiving a credible threat that the city's subway system could be the target of a terrorist attack in coming days. ....read on"

I hope this pans out to be nothing and you know I'm not into conspiracy theories, but isn't it interesting after the news breaks on Rove that we have another terror alert. Tom Ridge admitted that he had been pressured by the CIA to raise the threat level without sufficient cause in the past. I'm just saying.

John says that CNN's Jeanne Meserve said Homeland Security is not aware of any credible or specific threat against NYC Transit.

Thanks to Virtual Matter for the video and Norman from OneGoodMove for the reformat. Hat tip to David for the WMP.

Download | play -QT Bittorrent-QT

Download | play -WMP Bittorrent-WMP

Randy gets into it with Janet Parshall the right winger over NYC. JP uses the talking point of "we're fighting them over there rather than over here" nonsense. Randi quickly points her to the NYC subway scare.

Blondesense has more on her spot. "One side speaks in facts and from knowledge while the other side speaks in spin and ignorance and ideology....read on"

The city's rich and well-connected were tipped off to last week's subway terror threat days before average New Yorkers, the Daily News has learned. At least two E-mails revealing the purported plot were sent to a select crowd of business and arts executives early last week by New Yorkers who claimed to have close connections to Homeland Security and other federal officials, authorities said...read on"

I hope Andrew wins the election on 9/13. He's got some really good ideas for New York including a public wi-fi network that would make it possible to call 911 in the subway and have firefighters download building plans on their way to a fire. How important is it for a city like New York to have a wireless connection available to everyone? Check out his website here. Good luck Andrew. New York needs you.