- Independence has its price. Russian stocks dipped 6 percent after president Dmitry Medvedev said he would recognize the independence of breakaway regions South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Stocks took a dive after the president delivered a national televised address announcing the decision.
- Are the Democrats the new "Western Party"? They certainly hope so. The New Yorker looks at the significance of convention host site Denver and says that before Dems can ye-haw their way into the White House they should take a page from Gov. Bill Ritter's playbook.
- The best investment this year may be none at all -- that is, of course, unless you're paying cash for a shredder. ID theft is on the rise and already there have been more data breaches this year than in all of 2007. Nearly 500 businesses, government agencies and universities have reported loss or theft of consumer data this year.
- The U.S. Dept. of Homeland security is promoting remotely readable drivers licenses for citizens who live in border states. Could they be used to track you? Absolutely.
- Cow-dung caves, jaguar-dinosaurs, velvet and bone: India's first contemporary art museum opens this weekend signaling an important turning point for the future of the country's art.
