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| Latest Commentary: | Volume VII, Number 68 |
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Senators McCain and Obama Co-Sponsor Good-Government Bill -- The appeal of Barack Obama and of John McCain stems in part from the perception that they are capable of acting in a bipartisan fashion for the public good. By the time the two of them make it to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, they will both have been branded unrepentantly partisan. However for now, they are acting together on a bill to increase the openness of government contracts. It appears there is a very good reason to nominate senators as opposed to governors; they actually have to work with the other side.
US-Iraq-Namese Deal Will Mean Perpetual Occupation -- The United States and the Green Zone government are negotiating an agreement, a “strategic alliance,” that will effectively establish a permanent US occupation of Iraq-Nam. Reported in yesterday’s Independent, the arrangement would set up 50 permanent US bases in the country, allow US personnel to undertake military action without permission from the Green Zone government, arrest Iraq-Namese citizens at will, and give US personnel immunity from local laws. So much for Iraq-Namese sovereignty if this happens. Continental, United Retrench to Fight Fuel Prices -- With oil the far side of $120 a barrel, the price of Jet A fuel is the single biggest problem (please, stop calling problems “challenges”) for commercial airlines. Many carriers have fought it with surcharges and reductions in staff. This past week, Continental and United went even farther, cutting capacity by retiring older jets. And yes, there will be more job cuts. Optical Illusions Stem from Ability to See Future -- Optical illusions are one of the more amusing parts of science. The amazement that stems from seeing something that isn’t so never ceases. Optical illusions, when the eye sees what isn’t there, are distinct from political delusion, which is when ideology and reality don’t match, and the individual opts to believe the ideology. Now, Assistant Professor of Cognitive Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Mark Changizi says he’s figured out why optical illusions happen. He explains, “Illusions occur when our brains attempt to perceive the future, and those perceptions don’t match reality.” © Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.
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