One of the biggest problems with care delivery in our healthcare system is the huge variation in the quantity and quality of care provided by different doctors and hospitals. The WSJ reports on new efforts to use big data to cut costs and improve quality by standardizing care. Hospitals and healthcare providers across the country […]

Via Meadia hasn’t said much about the Zimmerman trial; that was by design. There’s nothing morally wrong with following every twist and turn of a court case, but in our book that is entertainment and drama rather than news. When some event captures the attention of the country and even the world like the Simpson […]

Texas passed its much-contested abortion law on Friday, and it appears to be immediately headed to the courts. The hubbub from the pro-late term abortion camp is that the new law in Texas is insane and outrageous. We will see whether the courts uphold it, but to many voters this will look like a law aimed […]

Humans may never have to worry about the supply of fresh water again. The University of Texas at Austin reports that some of the university’s scientists have found a new way to desalinate sea water, potentially easing concerns over one of the crises facing human civilization we’ve been told is just around the bend: The […]

Readers interested in the Affordable Care Act should take note of an excellent new resource from the Wall Street Journal. The paper has collected all of its running coverage of the ACA implementation as well as a lot of extra features and put them on a single “Health Law Rollout” page: This guide explains the […]

There’s a good story in the New York Times detailing the fight between Los Angeles’ taxi industry and a set of insurgent smart phone powered companies looking to disrupt the status quo. On the surface, this story is not that different from one we looked at earlier this year taking place in New York and DC.But interestingly enough, […]

With an election coming up, and India’s economy slowing and the currency falling (something that hurts many Indian companies who have borrowed in foreign currencies), the government is looking to juice the economy. To that end, an investment treaty with the US looks very attractive and seems to be in the works. By offering US […]

In the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan, the German government made the much-heralded decision to close all the country’s nuclear reactors as part of its Energiewende, or “energy revolution.” The “revolution” also included government mandates and massive subsidies for renewable energy.While Germans gleefully embraced the “Nuclear Power? No Thanks!” movement and global greens pointed […]

Houston has officially topped New York City as the greatest exporter of goods in the US—exports totaling $110.3 billion. The reasons for the shift should be familiar to anyone who’s been following the economic miracle in Texas. The FT reports: “The largest component of Houston’s exports, accounting for a third of the total at $37bn, is petroleum […]

Need cash for college? Female students are increasingly turning to a built-in revenue source: selling their eggs. USA Today reports: While payment for donated eggs can be high, ranging anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000, depending on the selected method and clinic, the process is lengthy — sometimes taking up to six months to complete. Donors […]