Sorry about the lack of posting lately. Life intrudes...am simply too busy at the moment. Not sure with the way things are going when that will change. Alas.

The World Cup is now an exciting distraction in my life. The following article highlights an Oregon connection. When play begins in the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Friday, Benton County will be represented both on the field -- in...

The World Cup is now an exciting distraction in my life. The following article highlights an Oregon connection. When play begins in the 2010 FIFA World Cup on Friday, Benton County will be represented both on the field -- in...

The student population in the Rogue River School District has been declining for years. That has caused district leaders to face a number of uncomfortable decisions regarding how to shrink the budget and number of teachers. The educators there are...

The student population in the Rogue River School District has been declining for years. That has caused district leaders to face a number of uncomfortable decisions regarding how to shrink the budget and number of teachers. The educators there are...

From a U.S. Department of the Treasury press release published on March 29. Today, building on the first Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets (the "HFA Hardest Hit Fund"), the Administration announced an expansion of...

From a U.S. Department of the Treasury press release published on March 29. Today, building on the first Housing Finance Agency Innovation Fund for the Hardest Hit Housing Markets (the "HFA Hardest Hit Fund"), the Administration announced an expansion of...

The choices are hurt the children, hurt children and some newer teachers, or shared sacrifice. Sadly, the latter is the path least chosen. Grants Pass officials had been expecting a "status quo" budget for the coming school year — no...

The choices are hurt the children, hurt children and some newer teachers, or shared sacrifice. Sadly, the latter is the path least chosen. Grants Pass officials had been expecting a "status quo" budget for the coming school year — no...

Keeping the Bar Low: Evidently the renewable energy sector feels it can't be competitive if its manufacturing has to be green. The renewable energy sector was in high spirits yesterday (2 June) as Members of the European Parliament decided to...

Keeping the Bar Low: Evidently the renewable energy sector feels it can't be competitive if its manufacturing has to be green. The renewable energy sector was in high spirits yesterday (2 June) as Members of the European Parliament decided to...

For the third year now, National Geographic and opinion research firm GlobeScan have teamed together to produce the Greendex, a metric designed to discourage consumption. As one would figure, the U.S. scores poorly. The Greendex is a comprehensive measure of...

For the third year now, National Geographic and opinion research firm GlobeScan have teamed together to produce the Greendex, a metric designed to discourage consumption. As one would figure, the U.S. scores poorly. The Greendex is a comprehensive measure of...

ODFW is still doing nothing more than pretending it's dealing with the problem wolves in Wallowa County. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will kill two wolves from the Imnaha pack after confirming that members of the pack have killed...

ODFW is still doing nothing more than pretending it's dealing with the problem wolves in Wallowa County. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will kill two wolves from the Imnaha pack after confirming that members of the pack have killed...

During the recent British elections, the Science Party--despite garnering a fair amount of press coverage--got just 177 votes. Michael Brooks, the party's candidate for prime minister, is a contributor to New Scientist magazine. I subscribed to New Scientist for awhile,...

During the recent British elections, the Science Party--despite garnering a fair amount of press coverage--got just 177 votes. Michael Brooks, the party's candidate for prime minister, is a contributor to New Scientist magazine. I subscribed to New Scientist for awhile,...

I've noted this before...just as people are addicted to nicotine, governments are addicted to the revenues from nicotine. The Iowa Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that as of June 30, it would stop giving out free samples of the...

I've noted this before...just as people are addicted to nicotine, governments are addicted to the revenues from nicotine. The Iowa Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that as of June 30, it would stop giving out free samples of the...

Australia trails only Canada in the mining and exportation of uranium (previous blog here). Yet for years, there has been a very active anti-nuclear movement in the county. Australia gets 77 percent of its electricity from coal, yet it shuns...

Australia trails only Canada in the mining and exportation of uranium (previous blog here). Yet for years, there has been a very active anti-nuclear movement in the county. Australia gets 77 percent of its electricity from coal, yet it shuns...

Healthy Lifestyles in Unhealthy Places: Bicycling rather than driving to work would seem to offer several benefits. For instance, the rider gets good exercise, doesn't produce auto emissions, and helps reduce congestion on the roads. But, there are downsides. Cycling...

Healthy Lifestyles in Unhealthy Places: Bicycling rather than driving to work would seem to offer several benefits. For instance, the rider gets good exercise, doesn't produce auto emissions, and helps reduce congestion on the roads. But, there are downsides. Cycling...

Because of recent discoveries, Pakistan has risen to seventh in the world in coal reserves. Meanwhile, the nation's natural gas supply is dwindling, which is adversely impacting power production capacity. Thus, Pakistan is looking to its cheap--and dirty--coal as a...

Because of recent discoveries, Pakistan has risen to seventh in the world in coal reserves. Meanwhile, the nation's natural gas supply is dwindling, which is adversely impacting power production capacity. Thus, Pakistan is looking to its cheap--and dirty--coal as a...

Remember that Oregon Liquor Control Commission employee who living under an assumed identity--that of a child who was kidnapped and murdered in Cincinnati in 1985 (previous blog here)? "John Doe" wouldn't give his real identity because of "safety concerns." However,...

Remember that Oregon Liquor Control Commission employee who living under an assumed identity--that of a child who was kidnapped and murdered in Cincinnati in 1985 (previous blog here)? "John Doe" wouldn't give his real identity because of "safety concerns." However,...

Gabon is a nation about the size of Colorado that straddles the equator on the west coast of Central Africa. Offshore oil deposits are largely responsible for Gabon having Africa's third highest GDP per capita ($13,900), behind (neighboring) Equatorial Guinea...

Gabon is a nation about the size of Colorado that straddles the equator on the west coast of Central Africa. Offshore oil deposits are largely responsible for Gabon having Africa's third highest GDP per capita ($13,900), behind (neighboring) Equatorial Guinea...

Nearly a decade on, there's still no end to the victims coming forward and reporting past sex abuse at the hands of various members of the Catholic hierarchy. The church continues to try and limit the financial damage via compartmentalization...