11 Oct 2005
A wintry chill over the markets

I'm actually fearful for the coming season - I've noticed a drop off in orders for milks and eggs: the question many of my customers are facing is "eat well or buy gas". Buying gas is winning, because without gas they don't get to work, and without the work they may not be eating at all!

All those folks who've been decrying the crass materialism that is the Yuletide season in this day and age may finally get their wish: a Christmas without much shopping or over-the-top gifting. Which may be nice from a spiritual standpoint, but could portend an economic disaster of the first degree.

It's going to be a cold winter in many parts of the country—in more ways than one.

(link) [U.S. News & World Report]

00:00 /Politics | 0 comments | permanent link

Does smoking cloud the brain?

OK, which is it? My bet is on the previous report, that smoking (specifically nicotine) helps memory. Why? Because a pharmaceutical company is putting some money on the line in that case, and here all we seem to have is a bunch of bureaucratic busybodies (the NIH) trying to find one more reason to browbeat smokers into quitting.

Smokers often say that smoking a cigarette helps them concentrate and feel more alert. But years of tobacco use may have the opposite effect, dimming the speed and accuracy of a person's thinking ability and bringing down their IQ, according to a new study.

(link) [EurekAlert!]

00:00 /Politics | 1 comment | permanent link