Corporate welfare watch: "It's hard to believe that this started out as a potential $4 billion problem," said Mr. Rangel, referring to the current annual value of the old export subsidy that is being repealed. "How in the hell do you reach $128 billion from $4 billion?"

Is there an economic calculus to suicide, in addition to the psychological?

Singer/actress Bette Midler helps build a boathouse in Harlem's newest park.

Tuition hikes at public colleges aren't a problem, so long as the hikes are matched by equivalent financial aid increases, so sez profs from Yale and UC Berkeley.
Speaking of tuition hikes, the Onion once again has the straight story.

The NY Times' Circuits section today asked various forward-thinkers what new gadgets they'd like to see. Among the respondents: John Perry Barlow, Scott Adams, Martina Navratilova, Cris Collinsworth, Patricia F. Russo, Michael Powell, Donald Trump, William Gibson, Moby, Margaret Cho, and Bill Joy.

First it was the export of junk computer parts laced with toxic chemicals to China. Now the US is gonna export scrap ships laced with toxic chemicals to the UK.