Taking Marriage Private

"WHY do people — gay or straight — need the state’s permission to marry? For most of Western history, they didn’t, because marriage was a private contract between two families. The parents’ agreement to the match, not the approval of church or state, was what confirmed its validity."

from New York Times

Stem Cell Breakthrough Is Like 'Turning Lead Into Gold'

"If the new method proves successful, "we can disconnect the whole stem cell debate from the culture war, from battles over embryo politics and abortion rights," said Marcy Darnovsky, associate director of the Center for Genetics and Society."

from Wired

Recession in America

"IN 1929, days after the stockmarket crash, the Harvard Economic Society reassured its subscribers: “A severe depression is outside the range of probability”. In a survey in March 2001, 95% of American economists said there would not be a recession, even though one had already started. Today, most economists do not forecast a recession in America, but the profession's pitiful forecasting record offers little comfort. Our latest assessment (see article) suggests that the United States may well be heading for recession."

from The Economist

Should Hillary Pretend to Be a Flight Attendant?

"It turns out that men avoided women whom they perceived to be smarter than themselves. The same held true for measures of career ambition — a woman could be ambitious, just not more ambitious than the man considering her for a date."

from New York Times

Church ordered to pay $10.9 million for funeral protest

"A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality."

from CNN

New Apple Trojan Means Mac Hunting Season Is Open

"It's Mac season. The next two years will be interesting."

from Wired

Is it El Chupacabra?

"Was the hairless canine-turned-roadkill last summer near Cuero a Chupacabra?"

from Fort Worth Star Telegram