In what is widely seen as a serious break with the environmental movement, President Obama has rejected an EPA proposal to tighten emission controls across the US. From the NYT: The Environmental Protection Agency, following the recommendation of its scientific advisers, had proposed lowering the so-called ozone standard from that set by the Bush administration […]

The finances of states and municipalities across the US are a mess. Short-sighted union leadership, willfully blind politicians, voters eager to reap where they have not sown, and even overly optimistic investment managers — there is more than enough blame to go around.On that note, we are happy to report yet another data point in […]

The steady drumbeat for greater efficiency and modernization in higher education continues. A piece in the Washington Monthly discusses the problems in the college admissions process, and provides some hope for the future: But there’s another culprit at work: the college admissions process itself. If you want to buy shares of stock, bid on antiques, […]

Rick Perry has charged to the head of the GOP pack largely on the strength of jobs record during twelve years as governor of Texas – especially following the 2008 recession while the rest of the country has struggled to stir up growth. A piece in the WSJ, however, predicts that Texas and other states […]

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post is cutting back on office space in Virginia and Maryland: “This is about office space, not personnel or coverage,” editors wrote in a memo to staff. The Post will retain existing bureaus in those states’ capitals, Richmond and Annapolis.Amid revenue declines and losses in recent years, […]

Many investors have held out hope that a rapid growth in manufacturing would speed the world economy out of its slump. Recent economic data has dashed these hopes. Global manufacturing has halted, and it appears that the West cannot rely on booming demand from Asia to dig it out of the crisis. The FT writes: […]

Solyndra filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday. It was supposed to be one of President Obama’s “showcase” cleantech companies. The Washington Post has the story. Solyndra, a California solar panel maker…shut down Wednesday, leaving 1,100 people out of work and taxpayers obligated for $535 million in federal loans.Energy Department officials said that less expensive solar panels made […]

Turkey’s “no problems with neighbors” foreign policy looks more and more like a hope rather than plan.  Problems with Iraq, problems with Syria, and now problems with Israel have gotten serious. From today’s NYT: Turkey said on Friday that it was downgrading its diplomatic and military ties with Israel and expelling its ambassador in a display […]

The economic news this morning is even grimmer than usual.  In Europe, the talks on restructuring Greece’s debt have broken down; officials from the lending agencies have flown home from Athens, cancelling scheduled talks and warning the Greeks that they may lose the next $11 billion of bailout money unless Greece both makes some fresh […]

Ethanol, especially in its purest Brazilian sugarcane form, was supposed to be the route to clean fuel and energy independence. Not so fast. The Financial Times reports that market pressures in Brazil, the 2nd largest producer of biofuels after the U.S., are pushing the price of ethanol above that of gasoline: In short, drivers generally […]