Collegian Gets it Right!

It isn't often I read something in the KSU Collegian that's worth the time it took to read it, but today's editorial by Tim Hadachek is wonderful. In discussing the party switch by Senator Arlen Specter, Hadachek reminds both parties that nothing much will change. Specter already voted with the Democrats most of the time.

Hadachek also tells us that Specter's party switch isn't about ideology, or a perceived swing to the right in the GOP. It's all about Specter, and his reelection in 2010. Interestingly, Specter was livid in 2001 when Senator Jim Jeffords changed from Republican to Independent. That move cost Specter his chairmanship of the Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The whole party switch is to preserve Specter's cushy Senate seat. Surprised?

Quoting the last paragraph of the editorial:

So Republicans can politely ask that Specter not let the door hit him on the way out. Nothing changes in the Senate -- except that another slimeball career politician will probably be reelected in 2010. But that's hardly a new development.

Read the whole column here.

Lessons from SARS in dealing with North American Flu

The news about the North American Flu (normally called "Swine Flu" ... but there's apparently some good reasons to believe pigs are not to blame) makes this article from 2008 particularly interesting. There's some wonderful stuff on the rest of the website, too!

The Heroes of SARS

The environmental cost of spam

Tree-hugger or not, here's some news from the BBC we can all take an interest in:

Spam produces 17m tons of CO2

Here we go again ...

MADISON, Wis. (4/15/09)--Credit unions are a "bright spot on the banking front," Arianna Huffington wrote on her blog Monday in The Huffington Post (April 13).

"They're lending, their balance sheets are solid, and their capital levels are near record highs," Huffington added.

She also wrote that credit unions are owned by shareholders, put member service ahead of profits and have avoided the subprime loan fiasco.

Huffington mentioned on her Facebook page and to her followers on Twitter that she was going to write about credit unions, and asked readers to send in their thoughts.

Some reader responses posted on her blog:

"My own experience suggests that if you are looking for a secure financial institution in these turbulent times, think small and think local ... look for banking and credit institutions that have ties to your community," a reader wrote about his positive experience going to a credit union.
"A credit union saved me from Bank of America. Every day BoA had a way to take some amount of money from me--every day a fee ranging from 25 cents to 35 dollars. Once I went credit union, transparency came back into my life. I woke up with the same amount of money I went to bed with ... The robbery was over. I will never trust a large bank again."
"All I can say is that nothing beats the personal attention a credit union offers. It's the 'Cheers' bar where everybody knows your name."
"My 19-year-old daughter, with no previous credit history, was unable to get a car loan even when she was putting 50% down. Our credit union came through for her."