I have to scratch my head at the defense used by Senator Stevens. An AP article called Cabin remodel detailed at Stevens corruption trial has the story: “We reach for the yellow pages, he reached for VECO,” prosecutor Brenda Morris said Thursday during opening statements. “And the defendant never paid a dime.” Defense attorney Brendan … Continue reading Alaska Senator pleads ignorance →

The news in the Deutsche Welle is that Germany has been warning the US for a year about market failure and the need for tighter regulation: Merkel said that she had tried to win support for greater transparency and regulation on international markets at the G-8 conference last year, but that governments including the US … Continue reading Germany Predicts US Market Failure →

I was just in Virginia for a conference. It struck me as odd that so many people there still smoke, and that they smoke in public places. While the rest of the US and world move ahead with safety regulations prohibiting people from blowing known-cancerous plumes into the lungs of others, Virgina seems to be … Continue reading Virginia strikes down Spam law →

A Reuters story on the happiness of tall people caught my attention: Data from a Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index study found taller people were more satisfied with their lives, more likely to report positive emotions like enjoyment and happiness, and less likely to report emotions like anger, sadness, and stress. My first reaction was to consider … Continue reading Tall Generals and Hope in Iraq →