Austerity could be a cure or a toxin

A 2010 research paper by a pair of Harvard professors said too much public debt seriously undermines growth. But now a school of thought gaining momentum by the day suggests that going lean is the wrong way to go.

Religious disputes heading to court

Arguments over whether Nativity scenes can be displayed on town squares have given way to battles over whether some forms of expression are appropriate in religious and nonreligious contexts alike. Nearby courts recently have taken small bites at this very large pie.

The media battle of speed vs. accuracy

Think of news sources as a pyramid, with social media at the top, then blogs, websites, broadcasters and then the printed newspaper. The closer we get to the top, the faster the information comes, but the more skeptical we should be about its accuracy.

Physician, heal thyself

The problem of belligerent doctors has long been recognized and was revisited recently in a disciplinary action taken against an obstetrician-gynecologist by Missouri’s medical licensing board.

The car wash follies

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, by choice, is a public figure. And public figures trade some privacy rights for the ability to make the laws the rest of us have to follow. So Cleaver should release the agreement he made with Bank of America over his debt for the purchase of a car wash.