Follow this link to story about the health benefits of kissing.

According to the article:

Couples who share a passionate kiss this Valentine’s Day will enjoy sensations of relaxation and excitement because of a complex series of chemical processes, as well as their love for their partners.

I knew there had to be news other than the economic crisis.

The study authors try to come up with a chemical/mechanical explanation for why hormone levels rose and that these hormones might affect the mind and body. One thing that just occurred to me is that perhaps the mind is the cause of the hormone and other physical ractions, not the other way around.

Follow this link to the story published in The Nation by Naomi Klein about what could happen if politicians do not work to solve the economic crisis.

Her story discusses some of the street level protests in Argentina, Iceland, Latvia, South Korea and Greece.  Some of these protests brought down governments.

I certainly hope that does not happen in this country or any other major democracy in the world.

One of my worst fears is that the current situation will give the principles of capitalism such a bad reputation that we could end up with the likes of communism again.

Follow this link to the column by Paul Krugman about the Senate cuts to the President’s stimulus plan.

When I heard that the centrists had cut some education spending from the plan, I thought it sounded like focusing on exactly the wrong thing to cut.  Apparently Krugman feels the same way.

It’s time for Obama to again ask, “Are these people serious?”

Follow this link to read my letter to the editor published in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

This letter is in reference to the earlier article I mentioned in the post titled Lack of spending prolonging recession.

I am hoping that the discussion that has ensued over my letter will spur some people to rethink their opposition to the plan.

President Obama reminds us of the importance of the Economic Recovery Bill. Have you helped further the cause today?

Follow this link to hear nearly all of President Obama’s inspiring speech to the Democratic conference as covered by C-SPAN.

I know you have heard snippets of this speech on fhe news shows.  Those snippets were very tantalizing.  The whole speech more than lives up to those enticing snippets.  Unfortunately, the video cuts off a little bit before the end of the speech.

Follow this link to C-SPAN’s coverage of President Obama introducing members of Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

The President makes another strong statement about why we have to get on with the business at hand.

Previously the Congress readily forked over money to the lying, power grubbing former President who had a history of turning Congressional good intentions into executive bad implementation.  They should certainly be able to do at least as much for a President who promises to be open and transparent and has not shown any inclination to be anything but a man of his word.

These words of Barack Obama as quoted in Huffington Post are what I have been waiting to hear.

Now, I read the other day that critics of this plan ridiculed our notion that we should use part of the money to modernize the entire fleet of federal vehicles to take advantage of state of the art fuel efficiency. This is what they call pork. You know the truth. It will not only save the government significant money over time, it will not only create manufacturing jobs for folks who are making these cars, it will set a standard for private industry to match. And so when you hear these attacks deriding something of such obvious importance as this, you have to ask yourself — are these folks serious? Is it any wonder that we haven’t had a real energy policy in this country?

When they try to use ridicule, sometimes you have to ridicule right back.  If only Gore and Kerry knew this, there would have been no Bush presidency.

Follow this link to see the invitation to our Obama Economic Recovery Meeting.

Saturday, February 7 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Steve and Sharon’s Home (Fiskdale, MA)

We are limited to about 10 attendees

We will get together to discuss how to evaluate different aspects of a recovery plan.

Of all the competing parts of plans that have been proposed, how do we tell which ones are more likely to work?

Follow this link to read the Associated Press story published in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Right on the front page of the newspaper there is mention of the “paradox of thrift”.

This article should go a long way to help people evaluate some of the conflicting proposals for stimulating our economy. Finally, word may be reaching the hinterlands about why tax cuts are not the most effective way to stimulate the economy.

Imagine a world where citizens could discuss the economy based on some actual knowledge about how the macro economy really works.