Thursday: Headline Review

I officially declare Thursday to be "Headline Review Day" here at Collective Hunch. Some of these may look familiar, others you may have missed.

Local News
New traffic woes - Apparently potholes, constant construction and road rage aren't enough - now we have to deal with zombies during our daily commute? I envy those work-at-home folks!

Two local dogs will be competing at Westminster, in an attempt to keep the trophy won by Uno last year in the area.


US News
Yesterday, the FBI announced that they are reviewing evidence in the 1982 Tylenol Murders. This case is only 6 months younger than I am, but it's comforting to know that "unsolved" doesn't mean "banished to the attic and forgotten about."

Your ex-wife was murdered, but that doesn't get her out of her lease - I predict a quick change of heart on the part of the landlord of the victim.

The Obama administration cancels Bush-era oil-drilling leases in Utah. Because, like it or not, oil cannot be our only answer to our energy issues!


World News
Germany offers its citizens $3,250 to ditch their old cars in favor of newer, environmentally cleaner ones. Das ist groß!


Politics
The President has imposed caps of $500,000 on executive pay at companies taking federal bailout money. He's a better man than I am - I agreed with Senator McCaskill when she suggested they should get no more than the President himself (and when she called them idiots for giving multi-million dollar bonuses knowing their companies were in trouble).

Crappy luck for the President, finding out that two more of his cabinet nominees had tax "issues." Bonus points to him for acknowledging that he "screwed up" and reinforcing that his administration does not have two sets of rules - one for the elite and one for us normal folks. People make mistakes, and they need to take responsibility for them. For some, it means simply paying back taxes and fines. For others, it means that plus not taking a cabinet position. At least they can step up and say, "this is my fault and I am taking responsibility for it." Unlike my former governor, who seems unable to take a hint.


Business
Signs of the time - I thought this list of 10 businesses that could be extinct within 10 years was interesting.


Tech/Science
Scientists in South America discovered fossils of the longest snake ever known.

It looks like the transition to digital TV will be postponed until June. This ticks me off, for the same reason that I was bothered in school when teachers would add "extra" work time (which was really just taking away time from something else) because some of my classmates complained about not having enough time to complete projects. It's also the same reason I'm bothered by parents who make empty threats to misbehaving children -- if you don't follow through, you're not effective. I went online & requested my converter-box-coupons, I went to Wal-Mart every Saturday until they restocked their supply. My theory - if something is important enough to someone, they will expend the effort to learn about it and take the necessary steps to conform. So what if people who - after listening to the "DTV is coming!" commercials for a year - aren't ready? In case of disaster, turn on the radio, get on the internet, go somewhere that has televisions! We were a "radio-only" society for over thirty years, I'm sure that people could survive without television again.


Health
Kudos to Bill Gates who, during a presentation on malaria, released mosquitos into the audience and said, "Not only poor people should experience this."

We all know exercise is important, but finding the time isn't always easy. Seriously, though - if the President and First Lady can find the time to work out, perhaps the rest of us should be reexamining our schedules for that block of time.


Just for Fun
Are those pigeons in your pants, or are you just happy to . . . oh, those are pigeons in your pants. A funny picture, yes, but a reminder that the black-market wildlife trade is alive and well.

Maybe you should open those letters from the local authorities . . . lest you be jailed for $30,000 in parking fines. Where the heck was this woman parking?

"Animal control, can I help you" . . . "Yes, I'm calling to see if someone could come help me find my 23-foot python?" Those sneaky little snakes - I wonder how long they've been plotting this escape? Luckily, they were found and returned safely to their owner.


Today's positive item:
Finally, dogs' "basking" behavior explained:

(originally from ihasahotdog.com)