Middle-Aged Brains Are Already Past Their Prime

A study of more than 7,000 British civil servants finds that age-related declines in cognitive ability start as early as 45. The results suggest that efforts to head off mental problems late in life need to begin in middle age, the study's authors write at the end of their paper.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/06/144789189/middle-aged-brains-are-already-past-their-prime?ft=1&f=1007

fox news

Indiana House Dem Leader Hints at Another Walkout

The leader of Indiana's House Democrats hinted Wednesday that party lawmakers may walk out for the second year in a row to oppose the same Republican "right-to-work" bill blocked last year by their five-week boycott. The proposal would make Indiana the 23rd state to bar businesses and private unions from mandating that workers pay union fees for representation. 


Source: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/MWwsBIPYEq8/

sarah palin

Will Republicans Hand the Left a VAT Victory?

Daniel Mitchell, WSJ
In a recent interview on these pages, presidential candidate Mitt Romney refused to rule out a value-added tax (VAT). He suggested that this hidden form of a national sales tax"”which is embedded in the prices of goods and services during the production process"”might be appropriate, particularly as a way of financing other tax cuts.He's not the only Republican to speak favorably of a VAT. Herman Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan featured a flat tax and national sales tax. Very few people realized, however, that the final 9 was a VAT.  

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2012/01/04/will_republicans_hand_the_left_a_vat_victory_270521.html

barak obama

What Vietnam Taught Us About Breaking Bad Habits

In the 1970s, a sizable number of U.S. servicemen in Vietnam self-identified as heroin addicts. But when they returned stateside, the number of these soldiers who continued their addiction was surprisingly low. Why? Turns out a massive disruption in their environment and routine played a big role in helping them change their behavior.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/01/02/144431794/what-vietnam-taught-us-about-breaking-bad-habits?ft=1&f=1007

nancy pelosi