The WSJ has an article by Thomas Sugrue about America’s long fascination with home-ownership. It’s an illuminating piece and a good overview of the history of government supported home-ownership programs in the 20th century in the US, including some commentary on how certain populations were discriminated against. One aspect the article does not explore is how home-ownership reduces labor mobility and tends to increase commuting times, the Economist wrote on this subject not too long ago.
Glenn Beck gets the Daily Show Treatment.
Jon Stewart takes on Glenn Beck’s inconsistencies. It’s the funniest bit you’ll see this month about the hypocritical posturing that some commentators have engaged in over health-care reform.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Glenn Beck’s Operation | ||||
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NY Times – Stephen Hawking Defends Care in Britain
The NY Times Prescriptions blog writes on the brouhaha created when Investor’s Business Daily claimed Stephen Hawking (the disabled physicist) would have been uncared for under the British health-care system. Of course, Stephen Hawking is British and he had something to say about the NHS.
NY Times – 10 Steps to Better Health Care
Atul Gawande and fellow contributors write about ten hospital systems in the US who consistently deliver better patient outcomes than their peers, and how their experience can help improve the delivery of health-care across the country.
NY Times – A Turbulent Past Lurks in a Serene Swiss Lake
It seems the Swiss decided to dump large quantities of ordinance into various alpine lakes after the end of World War II. The NY Times writes about how a fisherman will, every once in a while, snare a hand-grenade.
NY Times – A Century-Old Principle: Keep Corporate Money Out of Elections
NY Times op-ed on the history of corporate funds influencing politics.
NY Times – Iranian Lawmakers Demand Say on Cabinet, Hinting at a Rift Among Hard-Liners
The NY Times reports on a letter sent by a large number of parliamentarians to Ahmadinejad asking that they be consulted on any cabinet appointments.
Economist – Iran’s enduring turmoil: It is far from over
The Economist writes about the political drama unfolding in Iran and the longer term implications this has for Iranian society and the current regime.
NY Times – The Pour – Where Anxiety Is All That’s Flowing
The NY Times’ wine critic writes about the tough business environment winemakers and grape growers in California are facing.
WSJ – Tehran Court Tries Top Reformists
The Journal’s coverage of the show-trial resorted to by the Iranian regime in an attempt to suppress and intimidate the opposition.