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An essay is presented on human life expectancy. It offers an analysis of the culture related to the pursuit of human longevity and examines the psychological and social dimensions of the impulse to extend life expectancy. The author relates his experience with the pursuit of longevity, discussing medical advancements such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat Parkinson's disease and stem-cell research to treat brain conditions. Cancer, heart disease, and stroke are also discussed.

Discusses the efforts of the United States government at welfare reform. Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) cash welfare program; Posture of Republicans; Negative-income-tax idea; Social engineering; Guaranteed income approach; Problems; Expectations.

Discusses criticisms against affirmative action. Groups and sectors opposed to affirmative action; Background history; Economic aspects; Racial issues; Justifications used by affirmative action oppositors.

Discusses the book `All's Fair,' by James Carville, Mary Matalin and Peter Knobler. Memoir of the 1992 presidential campaign; Rule about not lying to the press; James Carville's career as a campaign consultant; Difficulty in integrating political values with one's personal life.

Discusses various aspects of a socialized health care system. Republican view on health care portability; Tax increases with political reform; Community rating; Death spiral; Justifications for the socialization of health care; Health care costs.

Opinion. Focuses on the US Congress' plans for to reduce the annual increase in federal government spending. Changes in the Armed Forces after reduction of the defense budget; Examination of the projected tax revenues for the 1995 fiscal year; Congress' low opinion of baseline budgeting.

Opinion. Argues that the rich are the ones most likely to benefit from the flat tax. Confusion on issues of tax simplification, progressivity and over-all level of taxes; Fallacy of the claim that money saved is taxed twice; Middle-class political support for what amounts to a tax reduction to the rich.

Comments on the ignorance of Americans. Formation of views about United States foreign aid without knowing anything about it; Problems caused by opinion polls; Communications revolution's erosion of representative government; Need for a new form of democratic piety.

Reflects on Republican Speaker Newt Gingrich's proposal for a laptop tax credit at the House Ways and Means Committee. Public opinion about Gingrich; Retraction of the proposal at the Progress and Freedom Foundation; Feasibility of extending laptop credit to poor Americans.

Presents a humorous column in which the author urges parents not let their children become like the political pundits we are constantly exposed to in the media and flood our psyche's with numerous opinions on important issues that often turn them and the issues into shallow novelties that lose their importance. Overkill; Eric Alterman's book, `Sound & Fury: The Washington Punditocracy and the Collapse of American Politics'; The television show, `The McLaughlin Group.'