Brian Gongol
China is having more riots than ever
The number of riots, mass protests, and other demonstrations in China is easily close to 100,000 per year -- and maybe more. As the economy hits a rough patch, the government fears there will be even more. That's because people really don't have a lot of other ways to relieve their frustrations, since the government doesn't allow any substantial forms of political protest. This only serves to underscore the prediction that the central government of China simply won't be able to keep the country together in a single piece for very long. We should not be surprised if there were to be some form of national dissolution -- breakup, or at least some successful secession -- in China within the next ten years.
Don't get tattoos in languages you don't understand
And don't place Chinese characters on your magazine covers unless you know what they really say. What looks like a poem to you may really be an ad for a brothel.
Postmaster General wants a five-day week for mail delivery
We're in the midst of lots of changes, all over the world. One of Britain's largest retailers has closed, and the US Postal Service is fighting huge retiree health costs and declining service demand -- leading to the request for the flexibility to reduce regular delivery service. What's probably most revealing about the changes is how affectionate consumers in free societies can be for their favorite companies.
Podcast of the day: The flying car may actually be coming soon
Portable water-quality monitors are now available
