Random

...Standard & Poor's has given the Government of Guam a "Credit Watch with a Negative Outlook" designation. No one is surprised -- or honest enough to take responsibility for the mess. Nor does anyone seem to have anything close to a realistic plan to fix things.

...The US has a fallback strategy if the current surge fails -- fallback. This is a tough spot that we've created for ourselves. Our presence kindles violence. But if we leave the civil war will escalate and more innocent people will die. There has got to be a third way.

...And now for some good news. A rural Kenyan family has developed their own bio-gas generator which keeps them cooking.

...The National Association of Evangelicals is in for more (this time globally warmed) rough water. James Dobson seems to be in the middle of it all stirring things up. (via)

...MIT will become by year's end the first US university to offer all of its classes for free on the Internet -- that's 1,800 courses. Learners won't have the advantage of access to the faculty. Nor will they be able to get "credit" or earn a degree through the system. But there is a lot one can learn for free.

...On a slightly smaller scale -- I've given the PIBC blog an update using the new Blogger templates. Take a look at pibc.edu.