Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Busting myths right and left

The Washington Post reports: The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a flier to combat myths about the flu vaccine. It recited various commonly held views and labeled them either “true” or “false.” Among those identified as false were statements such as “The side effects are worse than the flu” and “Only […]

Boring and humdrum

Earth Talk suggests a boring alternative to running headlong into “green” sales. Dear EarthTalk: Short of buying a new hybrid or other “green” car, are there ways I can make my existing vehicle more eco-friendly? I bought my car recently and am not quite ready to give it up. Choice of vehicle may well be […]

China and Bear Stearns

Business Wire reports: NEW YORK & BEIJING–(BUSINESS WIRE)—-The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. (NYSE:BSC) and CITIC Securities Co., Limited (SSE:600030), with unanimous approval from their respective Boards of Directors, today announced an agreement in principle to establish a comprehensive strategic alliance. This alliance will include sharing management expertise and technology to develop new capital markets products […]

Farm Bill and WTO GATS Part 2

The NYT reports: The World Trade Organization made a last-ditch effort on Tuesday to salvage stalled global trade talks by asking the United States and Europe to lower their barriers to farm imports in return for greater export access to India, Brazil and other developing countries. Pascal Lamy, director general of the World Trade Organization, […]

Foriegners in the US military since year 2000

This article adds a bit more information about who is fighting for the US as well: More than 30,000 foreign troops are enlisted in the US Army, many of them serving in Iraq. Their reward for risking their lives for their adopted country is US citizenship.…They may have different reasons for joining the US Armed […]

Progress on right to know about sewerage!!

Right to know hearings for contamination of local water resources. Dr. Summers, from the Maryland Department of Environment, explained how Maryland’s strong monitoring and notification requirements had helped quantify problems and were greatly appreciated by many utilities as it allowed them to explain and justify why more investment is required. Stuart Whitford, from the Kitsap […]

Farm Bill and WTO GATS Part 1

The National Ag Law Center reports: Trade policy has always played a major role in the evolution of the U.S. agricultural sector. With the 1994 Agreement on Agriculture resulting form the WTO Uruguay Round, trade policy started to play an even more important role in domestic farm policy. As we move deeper into 2006, the […]

The game of statistics

The tune for the other game of statistics The Boston Globe printed this poem. By Mary Oliver October 13, 2007 In the language of baseballI am 3 and 2,and not so nimbleas I was once and the game, at the moment,is indecisive.There are many poetswho love baseballwhich is, after all,a metaphorfor many thingsthat happen when […]

Slavery in my backyard 2

Another point of view regarding US slavery is expressed in WAPO. … Congress passed a law, triggering a little-noticed worldwide war on human trafficking that began at the end of the Clinton administration and is now a top Bush administration priority. As part of the fight, President Bush has blanketed the nation with 42 Justice […]

Potential fizzle of WTO GATS?

WTO GATS rounds of talks are really stalled for many reasons on issues of agriculture and food, water, attempts to get developing countries to ‘liberalize’ areas of their concern that we refuse to do in areas of our concern. The potential failure of the sixth Ministerial will actually throw the WTO into a deep crisis. […]