Brian Gongol
US/Polish missile-defense shield agreement irks Russia
Russia's government is now openly threatening Poland over the deeply complicated matter, which brings to mind John McCain's comment about what's behind Vladimir Putin's eyes these days. And it's unsettling to see how nervous the Chinese government is right now, apparently sabotaging attendance at its own Olympic Games over fears of letting lots of people gather in one place. Nuclear powers with edgy people in charge are unnerving.
At least four states are looking at lowering the legal drinking age
Which probably isn't a bad idea. Setting the minimum drinking age at 21 can hardly be thought to be effectively stopping 19- and 20-year-olds from drinking. Prohibition-style approaches hardly have any evidence of usefulness.
Rising construction prices place pressure on contractors
It's by far not just an American problem -- construction costs in India are through the roof, too. It's a global phenomenon that coincides in a strange way with the trouble in the home-finance industry in the US.
UNI report on how college pays dividends
The obvious financial benefits come in combination with others, like higher levels of civic participation
Futurist thinks Elder Olympics and Virtual Olympics aren't far off
Iowa already has a state Senior Olympics event, and the use of the Nintendo Wii as a physical-rehabilitation tool certainly makes a "virtual" set of games seem plausible.
