R&D: Egyptian Protests Increase, A Former NFL National Champion Writes About Democratic Party Politics, and Rahm Emanuel is Cleared to Run for Mayor

Here is your R&D for January 28th:

Egypt shuts internet, rounds up opposition leaders as protests start from the Christian Science Monitor
Egypt is now the major area of the Middle East suffering from civil unrest.  President Hosni Mubarak looks poised to crack down on the protests, as internet communications have been shut down.

Bayh predicts moderation will serve Dems well from Politico
Former Indiana Senator Evan Bayh believes that Democrats lost the House in 2010 because they veered too far left.  Bayh believes that Democrats lost sight of the economy because of their push for healthcare reform.  As a sidenote, this article is written by James Hohmann, who was the 2004 and 2005 NFL national champion in United States Extemporaneous Speaking, and who is now a writer for Politico.

Supreme Court: Emanuel on Chicago mayor ballot from the Chicago Tribune
The Illinois Supreme Court has cleared the way for Rahm Emanuel to run for Chicago mayor by overruling an Illinois Appeals Court that took him off of the ballot earlier in the week.  Emanuel is expected to win the election.

Not just talk from the Economist
The introduction of cell phone technology can drastically improve the economic situation in developing countries.  This article from the Economist sheds light on why that’s the case.

Cold truths about electric cars’ cold-weather shortcomings from the Washington Post
The Obama administration has been a big champion of electric cars.  However, how would those cars fare in the winter weather that most of the country has experienced over the last two months?  According to the Washington Post, not good.