Journalism students outclass the pros

Here is an informative article on a promising and at-hand alternative to using embryonic stem cells to advance the science. The use of stem cells from umbilical cords holds the promise of more than 70 diseases, yet lacks sufficient funding.

If President Barack Obama is so interested in advancing science, maybe he should look to this noncontroversial alternative.

Congratulations and thanks are owed to Medill Reports, a news service available here, written and produced by graduate journalism students at Northwestern Univerity's Medill School.

CTA's pension fund fiasco

Here is an eye-opening, must-read story about the unnerving state of underfunded public pensions, including the Chicago Transit Authority's. A must read for people who aren't scared enough yet.

Now they're getting it

The Government Accountability Office will closely watch how Illinois spends its stimulus money, according to reports.

Seeing as how Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley won't tell the public where its stimulus money is going, maybe the GAO can start by smoking out the list.

"Experience tells us that the risk for fraud and abuse grows when billions of dollars are going out quickly, eligibility requirements are being established or changed and new programs are being created," said Gene L. Dodaro, acting U.S. comptroller generator.

Especially when one of the old requirements is that the money has to go to one of the mayor's friends.

And the Obama campaign propaganda machine said that it didn't matter that he was hatched in the cesspool of corrupt politics. Think aain.