Headlines below the fold

Increasing the minimum wage destroys jobs. No, not in Washington but here, where the government is now insisting that maids be over age 25 and be paid at least $400 a month...they estimate this means a 40% drop in Pinay maids to other countries, especially the Middle East, and will hit women from Muslim Mindanao the most.

------------------
Canadian David Warren discusses Somalia..like my previous post, he wonders if the press ignored the good news that some Ethiopians, Somalians and Kenyans opposed AlQaeda and their fascist attempt to subvert that country... thereby ignoring the heroism of local soldiers protecting their fellow citizens, and of course the heroism of US and Aussie special forces who help them....

------------------------

Remember the terrible earthquake in Pakistan last year? If you read follow up stories, it was probably either about wasting money or that the Taliban was helping victims. THE CSMonitor has a more realistic story about rebuilding, retraining, and cellphones.

---------------------

Why are Clinton and Carter trying to destroy Bible based religious policies of the Baptist church?

If the Republicans tried to do this, there would be hell to pay.

--------------------------------------

I'll pass on the Oscars...the only one I saw was Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada...and she really is great in it..

------------------------------

Science news of the day: want cleans sponges to wash your dishes? Zap them with a microwave...

or maybe not: A British firemarshal warns you might clean the sponge, but burn your house down...

---------------------

And finally:Great Balls of Fire: scientists have created ball lighting in their lab.