Brian Gongol
British government plan to help the auto industry: Buy people's used cars
The plan has a distinct air of pointlessness about it. Sure, it'll cause people to buy new cars -- but only in the sense that it the government could also put people to work by hiring one person to dig a hole and a second person to fill it back up again. That's busy-work, not productive work. Or, as Ben Franklin is said to have put it: Never confuse motion with action.
Today is self-exam day
Take a minute or two and conduct some basic self-screenings for cancer. Early detection saves lives. There's lots of misinformation about cancer that finds its way around the Internet, largely because we've been trained to wait expectantly for some sort of magic-bullet solution to cancer. But cancer risks can be significantly reduced through a balanced diet, exercise, and early detection and treatment. Meanwhile, science is making great progress towards improving genetic detection, which holds great promise for some types of cancer. Instead of forwarding hoax-ridden e-mails about "cancer cures" and false threats, people should instead remind their friends and family to assess their health once a month.
WGBH gets its gigantic 30' x 45' LED sign back
On one hand, who wouldn't want to get to play with a giant television display hanging out right next to a busy freeway? But giant signs and displays can be distracting and potentially dangerous.
A banana is not a gun
But pretending like it is, and then eating the banana when the police come, is oddly like destroying evidence.
Infrastructure bills lead to trade retaliation
