The Single-Parented Brain This is a study on animals, not humans, but it seems likely that we'll soon have evidence from MRIs and other tools to measure what it means to the brain to be the child of a single parent or a family that breaks up. Shirley S. Wang writes in the WSJ about small... »

Meet The Victims At Ft. Hood "Allah Akbar!" 13 innocent people dead. »

Tragedy Or Jihad? Everybody wants to believe the lone crazed gunman theory -- and stay way-clear of Islam. First, if you're wondering why the guy was able to gun down so many soldiers: I heard from an army spokesman (a major, I think it was) speaking to CNN that they aren't allowed to carry guns... »

Organ Transplant Regulations Are Killing People I've blogged on this a number of times, and a friend of mine, Virginia Postrel, actually gave a kidney to another woman, AEI's Sally Satel. I'm blogging this again because Thomas Sowell has an eloquent piece up about it on Investors.com. An excerpt: On the most basic economic principles, it... »

How To See "Rude People" Much Sooner Than Everybody Else I wrote to Amazon: Some of the readers of my syndicated column and blog want to pre-order but they're getting a message that books are set to get to them December 2. I know they came to McGraw-Hill's warehouse last week, so you may be... »

How To See "Rude People" Much Sooner Than Everybody Else I wrote to Amazon: Some of the readers of my syndicated column and blog want to pre-order but they're getting a message that books are set to get to them December 2. I know they came to McGraw-Hill's warehouse last week, so you may be... »

Requiring Actual Proof Of Guilt Men accused of domestic violence can have their children and more taken away from them upon mere accusation -- with no evidence required. The Connecticut Supreme Court just changed this -- and other states should follow...and it's just amazing that this even needs to be said. Christian Nolan writes for... »

Welcome To The Doctor Shortage What do you think...do you want to spend years and countless thousands of dollars going to med school, and then more sleepless years doing your medical residency, if, on the other end, the pay will be peanuts (but the malpractice insurance sure won't)? Herbert Pardez, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian... »

Euphemistically Speaking The greatest in idiotic office-speak, from the BBC: 2. "My employers (top half of FTSE 100) recently informed staff that we are no longer allowed to use the phrase brain storm because it might have negative connotations associated with fits. We must now take idea showers. I think that says it all really." Anonymous, England »

It's Now Illegal To Be A Crazy Cat Lady Own more than three cats without a kennel license, and you'll be breaking the law in Dudley, Mass. I hate cats, but I hate overregulation more. It's sprouting up in every sector, from business to petty stuff like this. We're all felons, now, writes Radley Balko, quoting... »

Incoherent Reader Rant Of The Week It's actually too boring to print, but I was amused by the ending: BTW, I believe that Wanda Sykes is funny. You are not funny. (but thems my unedumacated umpinnion, ya see?) I wrote back: Be sure to walk up to people in the grocery store and tell them they're unattractive.... »

Thanks To Everybody Preordering My Book Woke up to this rather lovely stat on Amazon -- not bad for a book that's not even out yet!Order yours here: I See Rude People: One woman's battle to beat some manners into impolite society. »

Have Another Bowl Of Bitchy A reader didn't like my advice to a woman to return the heirloom engagement ring her fiancé gave her after the relationship broke up. She wrote, in one of the questions from the Advice Goddess column I just posted: You gave bad advice, telling that poor girl to return her... »

How To Say "Keep Your Underparented Brats At Home" With A Smile The Mommy Mafia gets very offended by signs in bars banning children, and signs in cafes telling children they must behave. Here's a clever way around offending them that still gets the message across, a sign posted in New York's 9th Street Espresso: Unattended... »

"There Is No Freestanding Constitutional Right Not To Be Framed" Absolutely sick stuff from an excerpt from a WaPo editiorial. The header of this blog post is a quote from a brief filed by Iowa prosecutors hoping to persuade the Supremes to dismiss a lawsuit against them for allegedly fabricating evidence and causing two men... »

Yet, They Keep Voting In The Same Incompetent Losers Peggy Noonan writes in the WSJ that people have figured out that we're "governed by callous children": The most sophisticated Americans, experienced in how the country works on the ground, can't figure a way out. Have you heard, "If only we follow Obama and the Democrats,... »

The Menace On The Road Who Shares Your Genes Moving piece in The New York Times by Michelle Huneven. An excerpt: He did not go gentle into the carless life. He had Hertz bring him a car, but because he had no license, the agent wouldn't leave it. Then he started sending letters threatening me with... »

All You Need Are Working Ovaries To have a child. And to be the cause of a terrible tragedy. Suddenly, that lady who runs an organization, projectprevention.org, that pays women to have their tubes tied, etc., is looking like even more of a hero. Make your tax-deductible donation to her organization here. Thanks, Patrick »

The Bully Bill The WSJ writes that Pelosi is willing to do just about anything, even lose seats in 2010, to pass this disastrous health care bill: At this point, Democrats have dumped any pretense of genuine bipartisan "reform" and moved into the realm of pure power politics as they race against the unpopularity... »

The Adult Dependent For how long do you get to suck off your divorced spouse's funds? Jennifer Levitz writes in the WSJ about "The New Art of Alimony": Paul and Theresa Taylor were married for 17 years. He was an engineer for Boston's public-works department, while she worked in accounting at a publishing company. They... »