The BBC:

US President Barack Obama has used his first formal TV interview since taking office to reach out to the Muslim world – saying Americans are not its enemy.

Most ‘respectful’.

Not that many similar broadcasts by his predecessor made much difference.

Meanwhile that vasty Stimulus Package is working its way through the US system. A gloomy but convincing analysis, with some helpful graphs:

Or consider the gigantic—as in close to $100 billion—amount of extra federal money these guys are proposing to spend on education. Study after study has shown that, at a minimum, there is no clearly demonstrable educational benefit from more aggregate spending on schools … We will spend $100 billion on schools and not expect kids to read, write or do math any better. How can this be wise?

Hopeless change?