July 21, 2007

It’s summer. The warm sun means you can put on shorts, pack your stuff and head off for a stretch at the beach, in the woods or at a resort hotel or maybe plan to have your cake and eat it too in a European café. Or can you?

A major earthquake hit Japan’s Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant this week. That should give pause to those who advocate looking to nuclear power as concerns about global warming escalate.

Solidarity in India
Arkansas priorities: public health or arrests?
Skeptic’s questions
Who is to blame?
HP rocks

On July 24, the city of New Haven, Conn., will become the first in the country to issue a municipal identification card that can be used by anyone who lives in the city regardless of immigration status. The Elm City Residence Card can be used at city libraries and parks and for other city services, parking meters and banking.

After 1929, in the midst of the Great Depression, America still retained a capitalist system. Although certain socialist-type policies such as welfare were implemented, no sweeping changes were made in an economic system that could have easily been seen at the time as a total failure. Why do you think radical changes advocated by socialists and communists failed to come about during this period?

I’m not so much of a world traveler, but I do know from friends who travel that there are few places you can go where you won’t find a McDonald’s, a Kentucky Fried Chicken or a Wal-Mart. One of those few places is Cuba — no McDonald’s, no Exxon Mobil or Citibank.

It appears that none of the Republican presidential candidates have respect for the words on the Statue of Liberty, as all would take harsh measures against immigrants. It also seems that they are willing to ignore the damaging effects of the North American Free Trade Agreement, despite the defeat of nearly every Republican candidate in races last fall in which free trade and fair trade were issues.

PWW readers and correspondents sent in their favorite summer reading suggestions to share with you. Enjoy!

Hall of Famer and baseball legend Willie “the Say-Hey Kid” Mays was honored at the 2007 Major League Baseball All Star game on July 10, at the San Francisco Giants’ waterfront ballpark.