Brian Gongol
Do yourself a favor: Take two minutes for a self-exam today
Take a minute or two and conduct some basic self-screenings for cancer. Early detection saves lives. There's lots of misinformation about cancer that finds its way around the Internet, largely because we've been trained to wait expectantly for some sort of magic-bullet solution to cancer. But cancer risks can be significantly reduced through a balanced diet, exercise, and early detection and treatment. Meanwhile, science is making great progress towards improving genetic detection, which holds great promise for some types of cancer. Instead of forwarding hoax-ridden e-mails about "cancer cures" and false threats, people should instead remind their friends and family to assess their health once a month.
"Fear will follow greed in due course"
The IPO in shares of LinkedIn made all kinds of news in the financial press today, but it's just another symptom that we're in the midst of a new technology stock bubble. Just because something is shiny and new doesn't make it a brilliant investment.
When nobody else will save you, you have to save yourself
People living downstream along the Mississippi River have taken levee-building into their own hands, trying to protect their own homes
Nonprofit agency and contributor get into a fight over Twitter comments
Amazon.com says e-books are now outselling real books
English queen visits Ireland
She gave a conciliatory speech to representatives of the formerly-occupied territory, but the fact that England still has a monarchy when countries like Ireland long ago chose to become republics is sad. Nations need a head of state -- but why should a head of state ever get the job by inheritance? Queen Elizabeth is undoubtedly doing a reasonably good job in the role, but it should have been chosen by merit.
Senators worry that a new project for wireless Internet could break GPS signals
Demand for wireless data transfer is increasing at a massive rate, but satisfying that demand could put other essential services at risk. It's hard to believe, but the wireless carriers seem to have catastrophically underestimated how much demand consumers have for bandwidth.
How "full" should a full-ride athletic scholarship be?
The Big Ten is looking at adding more to its full-ride athletic scholarships, to add costs for things like incidentals.
The surveillance society quietly rolls on
Sioux City, Iowa, has a bunch of police cameras -- along with others attached to things like city buses. Just because we *can* continuously monitor things practically everywhere doesn't mean that we *should*. People who think they're being watched all the time develop an unhealthy relationship with authority.
Railroads pouring lots of money into new track
At least he admits to having preconceived notions
A New York Times reporter tours northern Iowa and finds it's not quite what he expected
Really high corn prices mean that farmers are nearly planting on the gravel roads
Iowa high school girls' sports are moving to five size classes
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