Reading Frog Entrails

The Iowa caucuses may be over by the time you read this. But it doesn’t matter. The caucuses are the second-most fraudulent event on the nation’s political calendar. The first, of course, is the Ames Straw Poll. It’s entirely meaningless, but...

Three Cheers for the Nine-Spotted Ladybug

Great news, people! A colony of nine-spotted ladybugs has been discovered in Amagansett, New York. This uplifting story is a rich organic mixture of state pride and nature’s resilience, along with America’s scientific pluck, teamwork, serendipity, and bug...

Runaway Spending Cuts

Slash the budget, That’s our plea; Just don’t cut What’s dear to me. Budget cuts are slippery. What happens when your state cuts aid to municipalities or the federal government cuts special help to your local school? Who ends up getting hurt most?...
‘Tis the Season to Shop at Tiffany’s

‘Tis the Season to Shop at Tiffany’s

The economy is expanding, the unemployment rate is down, and consumers are spending again. The National Retail Federation expects holiday season sales to be up 3.8 percent over 2010, and other organizations predict increases of 3.5 percent to 4 percent. It all sounds...