While political attention is focused on the election and the economy, a few things seem to be slipping. Even Congress is focused on those two issues, even though it would be nice if a few more laws get passed that affect other things.
I’m speaking specifically of the alternative minimum tax exemption for 2008 and several tax benefits that expired at the end of last year. While Congress talks of $700 billion bailout packages, the rules for all of our 2008 tax returns haven’t actually be set. Before the end of the year, Congress needs to pass new legislation to extend …read more

This week, 27 senior statesman of both parties sent a joint memo to Congress, President Bush, both major candidates and all 50 governors. The memo warns of the long-term energy crisis approaching. It was signed by Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger and James Woolsey among others.
There’s one particular line of the letter that just sticks with me:
The United States is currently spending 50 percent less on energy research and development than during the 1970s’ oil embargo. We spend less than four billion dollars a year on clean energy R&D, which is less than we spend in three days on imported oil …read more

Image details: Two male doctors putting together a statue of a DNA strand served by picapp.com
In high school, I had to read Kurt Vonnegut’s classic short story, “Harrison Bergeron.” For those of you who haven’t read it, allow me to provide the premise — I’ll try not to spoil it because I think it’s worth reading.
Essentially, the story is set in a dystopia, where equality is not only encouraged, but required. The best and brightest are made equal with the rest of society through a series of handicaps — distracting noises for intelligent people, weights for strong people, ugly masks …read more