nation and world
CBS News reports on personal finances in tough times
The past couple of nights, Katie Couric's CBS Evening News has run a series of stories on personal finance in these tough economic times. The stories contain good information and good advice. The top video features a family from Rochester.
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George Bush's exit interview
In an interview today, I think President George Bush said some good things. I hope he writes an honest and transparent book -- it could be very revealing.
"I regret saying some things I shouldn't have said," Bush told CNN's Heidi Collins when asked to reflect on his regrets over his two terms as president. "Like 'dead or alive' and 'bring 'em on.' My wife reminded me that, hey, as president of the United States, be careful what you say."
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On Tuesday, the president also referenced the moment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, during which he declared an end to major combat operations in Iraq.
"They had a sign that said 'Mission Accomplished.' It was a sign aimed at the sailors on the ship, but it conveyed a broader knowledge. To some it said, well, Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over, when I didn't think that. But nonetheless, it conveyed the wrong message."
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"I remember the conversation I had with my predecessor Bill Clinton," Bush said. As a matter of fact, [I] called him yesterday and said, 'Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president, and I remember how gracious you were to me. I hope I can be as gracious to President-elect Obama as you were to me.' ''
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"It was interesting to watch him go upstairs," Bush said. "He wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep. Clearly, this guy is going to bring a sense of family to the White House, and I hope Laura and I did the same thing. But I believe he will, and I know his girls are on his mind and he wants to make sure that first and foremost, he is a good dad. And I think that's going to be an important part of his presidency."
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"The election of Barack Obama is an historic moment for our country. There are a lot of people in America who did not believe they would ever see this day. It is good for our country that people have hope in the system and feel vested in the future and President-elect Obama has a great opportunity," Bush said. "I really do wish him all the best. I am just as American as he is American, and it is good for our country that the president succeeds."
Erie Canal making a comeback as commercial waterway
Did you know it's cheaper, cleaner and more efficient to ship goods on the Erie Canal rather than by truck?
There were 42 commercial shipments on the canal this year, compared to 15 last year.
The canal still remains the most fuel-efficient way to ship goods between the East Coast and the upper Midwest. One gallon of diesel pulls one ton of cargo 59 miles by truck, 202 miles by train and 514 miles by canal barge, Ms. Mantello said. A single barge can carry 3,000 tons, enough to replace 100 trucks.
As the price of diesel climbed over $4 a gallon this summer — the national average is now about $3.31 a gallon — more shippers rediscovered the Erie Canal.
Within five years, a city the size of Batavia could be powered by a small, safe, inexpensive nuclear reactor
This certainly sounds promising.
From the Guardian UK:
Nuclear power plants smaller than a garden shed and able to power 20,000 homes will be on sale within five years, say scientists at Los Alamos, the US government laboratory which developed the first atomic bomb.
The miniature reactors will be factory-sealed, contain no weapons-grade material, have no moving parts and will be nearly impossible to steal because they will be encased in concrete and buried underground.
The US government has licensed the technology to Hyperion, a New Mexico-based company which said last week that it has taken its first firm orders and plans to start mass production within five years. 'Our goal is to generate electricity for 10 cents a watt anywhere in the world,' said John Deal, chief executive of Hyperion. 'They will cost approximately $25m [£13m] each. For a community with 10,000 households, that is a very affordable $250 per home.'
Palin lashes back at media and anonymous McCain staffers
This video is notable for the way Sarah Palin strikes back at the national media and their unethical use -- and it is unethical -- of anonymous sources to levy personal charges at her. Whether the charges are true or not -- and she says they're false -- they're of the sort that should only be reported when sources are willing to put their names behind their statements.
Can the Old Right rise again?
The blog at The American Conservative wonders if the Old Right can seize control of the GOP. The Old Right would be the non-interventionist at home and aboard, the Robert Taft wing, of the GOP -- the traditional conservative movement that once dominated the party (before rought 3/4 of current Americans were alive).
