The contrasting stories of Sweden and Japan suggest that although big crises can offer an opportunity to overhaul an entire economy, a prolonged period of sluggish growth makes structural reforms increasingly difficult.

ECONOMIST: A better way

The proposed overhaul of visitor visas would eliminate the six-month maximum admission period and visas would be granted for the amount of time needed for a trip.

BBC: The Grand Canyon

The bureau said Monday it plans to propose the new rules, required by the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law, by this summer and finish them by next January following a comment period.

WSJ: Servicers Face More Rules

Also, Columbia is due for an overhaul (or, as NASA insists on calling it: OMDP -- Orbiter Modification Downtime Period).

CNN: The space shuttle shell game