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Oddly, I actually enjoyed hearing the results of this study. I think it’s good for people to learn about the reality of humanity’s relationship, and constant exposure, to bacteria. It’s not “bad” just because it’s bacteria, folks. In fact, there is some concern that the deluge of antibacterial products sold today may have more negative [...]

Rev. Jim Rigby, pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX, asks a valuable question in a recent article. Excerpt: I can’t believe I am standing today in a Christian church defending the proposition that we should lessen the suffering of those who cannot afford health care in an economic system that often treats [...]

This article on Steven Chu, the new Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) — note: I am a consultant for the DOE — provides an interesting perspective on China’s attitudes about climate change. Is it possible that, despite its rapid expansion of “dirty” coal power and its polluted cities, China is more serious about [...]

Sometimes I don’t think we have a new reporting industry in the US so much as we have a news manufacturing industry. This should be good news for those bemoaning the decline of the industrial manufacturing segment of the American economy. We can replace the forging of automobiles with the forging of controversy by the [...]

I hate Swiss cheese (meaning, the stuff called “Swiss cheese” in America, not necessarily all cheese from Switzerland), but I would take the Swiss health care model over no reforms at all (I guess we call that American cheese, which is also terrible). From the New York Times: The Swiss Menace By PAUL KRUGMAN Published: [...]

This is a short blog post from SocialEdge.org, but a must-read. It is important to also look at the concept of healthcare “rationing” from a global perspective. Healthcare Rationing: What Price Is A Life? Was Dick Cheney’s quadruple bypass surgery worth the money? In the United States healthcare reform is policy wonk talk for changing [...]

Sounds like the wine industry is wising up and realizing that shipping millions of tons of glass around the country, or even the world, just to transport some Two Buck Chuck doesn’t make any economic or environmental sense. You will now be seeing more wine in plastic bottles. Good move! Plastic reshaping wine trade — [...]

Courtesy of my lovely grandma, the best grandma in the world. Sorry, they only made one copy of her. But you can make as many copies as you want of her peach pie recipe! It’s the easiest to make and deliciously fresh. The peaches are not cooked, so make sure to use nice, ripe ones. [...]

President Obama visited my home state of Iowa yesterday, on Earth Day, to highlight his administration’s energy agenda, including reduced greenhouse emissions, increased renewable energy production, a cap-and-trade emissions reduction program, and the creation of an advanced energy innovation industry as a pillar of the US economy. See the AP article. Obama used the town [...]

WASHINGTON, DC — In a move widely lauded for its potential to reduce energy usage, President Barack Obama signed today an executive order formally changing the name of the country from the previous “United States of America” (USA) to the new title “America, United States of” (AUS). The renaming is intended to quickly move the [...]