.. Environment/Energy Policy:

- What happens when the energy policy you are largely responsible for gets attacked by someone you professionaly respect? A lesson for Cheney from his money manager.

.. Technology:

- What's next for online video sharing? The future beyond YouTube.

- YOU are the new media-mogul!

Labels: Energy, Environment, Policy, Technology, Weekend Review

.. FLASH!:The following Senators oppose the passage of the minimum wage, without attaching tax cuts for small business to offset presumably the resulting increase in overhead.

Labels: Congress, Labor, Law, Policy, Politics

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.. Cloned steak on my plate? I didn't even know it is already happening !

Labels: Federal/State Law, Food, Health, Nutrition, Policy, Science

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.. Politics is at it again. Some senators are blocking the Minimum Wage Law in the hopes of tying it with tax cuts for small business. The minimum wage is at its lowest buying power in 50 years. Meanwhile, executive corporate pay has skyrocketed 400%! What's wrong with these people! Tell your Senators. Be heard!

Labels: Congress, Law, Policy, Politics

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.. Any number of comparisons, from the Philippine-American War to Bosnia, and now to the Battle of Algiers will not change the fact that it was simple naivete-- that led to the chaos now in Iraq. The president and the neocons believed too much on the hypnotic power of exported democracy, discounting the fact that Iraq's sectarian conflict has existed for more than 1,000 years. The greatest tragedy of this war has been the belated realization by the administration, much in evident in last night's State of the Union address, that it has bungled the strategy and it might be too late.

Labels: Foreigh Affairs, History, Policy

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.. The U.S. military is facing the ultimate test in its gloried history - transformation. Out of the box thinking is required to adapt to growing challenges in a pivotal moment in world history where global terrorism and anti-Americanism is on the rise. Where can it find warriors who will rise up to the challenge? Does it make sense to hire foreigners? What about immigrants who are already here but are still non-citizens? Children of illegal immigrants? The undocumented? Whatever the strategy, the military needs to do a better job of giving incentives for non-citizens to participate in building and protecting their adopted country. There is no shortage of willing volunteers.

Labels: Military, Policy, Security

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"Americans, it seems, are also less willing to take stressful jobs that require lots of training and long hours, and that require them to work in unpleasant environments. For example, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing is warning of a nursing shortage. This survey from the American Hospital Association says there are 118,000 nursing vacancies in the United States. Meanwhile, a 2003 report by the Council on Graduate Medical Education suggested there could be a shortage of anywhere from 65,000 to 150,000 doctors in 2020. (Given the time it takes to educate and train a physician, it's not too soon to worry.)"

..Nurses? Doctors? You have got to be kidding me. The few Americans I know (I must admit I only know a few of them) probably 7 out of 10 have gone on to study Nursing. The only reason the remaining three have not is because the schools can't take them in anymore. Oh, before I forget, waitlisted is another word for they-will-become-nurses-soon too.

..Has this writer researched the cost of becoming a doctor? What about "more than what you should set aside monthly for your retirement" for the next 6 years. A good chunk of the missing demographic on tv(18-34, male) are not only glued to their pc's, they have gone abroad to study medicine in some third world country that offers the same quality education for less than half the cost in Harvard!

..The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in our policymakers.

Labels: Career, Government, Healthcare, Labor, Policy, Politics

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.. A study concludes that rural divorced women have more illnesses than normal immediately after divorcing. The implication of the study is that "there seems to be a link between the higher number of physical illnesses and the different stresses associated with divorce, including financial problems, demotions, layoffs and parenting problems." This appears counterintuitive to conventional wisdom of separating to escape the misery of married life, except that the operative word here is RURAL. I doubt it if urban women generally experience the same considering the myriad opportunities in both career and personal development that cities offer. Is it because rural women have less support in terms of personal and financial relationships that otherwise would help them mentally cope? Most likely. Plus the study added that divorced women, especially in rural areas, have poor job opportunities and fewer support systems.

Labels: Health, Policy

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