Next week, the state legislature will receive two constitutional amendments, both ready for their second passes through the Capitol. If the legislature passes them, they'll go to the voters. If the voters pass them, they'll go into the constitution.

One of them is highly controversial. The other one isn't. Guess which one I'm writing about in today's column?

I'm holding up my end. Where are the rest of you?

JS Online: Wisconsin's love affair with brandy cools a bit, but some fans still hot for it

Today, Badger tipplers drink just three times more brandy than average Americans, a margin that would shame our ancestors. Worse, after decades of ranking first in brandy consumption per capita, Wisconsin has been surpassed by the District of Columbia, which isn't even a state.

Steve

Joe Carter's 2005 predictions!

Steve

I just got home after working a 25 hour shift with a traumatic brain injury patient. During this time I spent a substantial amount of time to sufficiently contemplate my navel. Within this adventure of exploring a parallel universe I struck upon a stunning enigma-- Who would sing, 'Polly-Wolly Doodle' and whyever would they do it 'All the Day'? Can any of you help me on this? (No, I didn't share in any of Jared's medications!)

By the way, when I go to the Blogger dashboard, it says Grandpa John's has 271 posts. It's said that for quite some time. Kinda puts a damper on my ability to gloat, when I post those centennial posts. Is everybody else seeing that, too?

Not that I'm complaining about a free service, mind you. Not me.

I know, my literally ones of fans have been clawing their own hair out, wondering when I plan to post another column.

Well, it's up, and as has become a bit of the norm, I have no idea what my point is.

Contradictory? I don't think it's contradictory at all.

Tufts E-News -- The Buzz On Beer's Health Benefits:

While it may seem contradictory, the health benefits of beer are not a joke. According to Tufts experts, new research is generating buzz that moderate consumption of your favorite brew may help improve your health.

"Most health research suggests that benefits, including protection against heart disease, are noted with up to one drink per day for women and up to two a day for men,” (associate professor of nutrition Katherine) Tucker told the Courant.

I'm shocked - shocked - to find that the price tag for a government-funded rail system has more than doubled!

The Capital Times:

The projected cost of a proposed Midwest network of high-speed trains has increased to about $1.2 billion in Wisconsin, a new report shows.

The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative that would create a network of fast, frequent trains would link Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and other cities to Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Other routes would link Chicago to St. Louis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Omaha and Des Moines.

When cost estimates were first released in 1998, the system was projected to cost $849 million in Wisconsin.

The new report said the projected overall cost has increased from $3.47 billion to $7.7 billion.

James Lileks, one of the guys who make me despair of ever being a really good writer, on the technology found in Jurassic Park:

Hard to believe it’s been over 10 years since "Jurassic Park" came out, he said, desperately looking for a peg on which to hang remarks about a movie he saw the other night for no particular reason. It still looks fine, even though the choice of actors is amusing (Newman as the turncoat nerd, Samuel L. M. F. Jackson as a chain-smoking & utterly disgusted badass programmer) and the technology amusing. They ran JP on Macs, for one thing. I'm was happy to see it, but why? Because of the large number of amusement-park security systems written for that platform, I suppose. In retrospect it’s horrifying: my GOD, our safety depends on a 233 mhz from the inter-Jobs era? We’re SO DEAD.

Oh yeah, this is coming.

From Mark Steyn's latest column:

According to Nicholas Hellen in this weekend's Sunday Times, "The Inland Revenue is considering recognising polygamy for some religious groups for tax purposes. Officials have agreed to examine `family friendly' representations from Muslims who take up to four wives under sharia, the laws derived from the Koran. Existing rules allow only one wife for inheritance tax purposes. The Revenue has been asked to relax this so that a husband's estate can be divided tax-free between several wives."

...you see how easy it is to start talking about polygamy in a nuts-and-bolts, incremental, legal-harmonisation, partners'-benefits, insurance-agent kind of a way. Just tidying up a bit of the fine print, old boy. Nothing to worry about. But, once a polygamous union is recognised as such by the Inland Revenue for the purposes of avoiding 40 per cent death duties, how long can the broader British state withhold recognition? No lack of taxation without representation!

I don't really go in for this "war on Christmas" topic. I mean, can't "happy holidays" refer to the whole schedule of holidays that hit the calendar between November 25 and January 1 (officially: Football Day)?

Mark Steyn doesn't really, either, but he's written a fun article about it, containing this interesting point about the effects of anti-religious litigation in the U.S.

In Britain and Europe, by contrast, the formal and informal symbols of religious faith remained in place in national life and there were no local equivalent to America's militant litigants, and the result is the total collapse of Christianity: Across the continent, the churches are empty.

Nice little observation from Jeff Jacoby.

Jeff Jacoby: Musing, random and otherwise:

One of the dividing lines in my home is linguistic. I eat supper, sit on the couch, and hand my wife her purse. She eats dinner, sits on the sofa, and carries a pocketbook. Somehow we manage to communicate across this terminological gulf, but our differences are a reminder that Americans don't speak one language.

The point is beautifully illustrated by Matthew T. Campbell's map of generic names for soft drinks, which is posted at www.popvssoda.com. I grew up drinking pop in Ohio; my wife is a confirmed soda drinker from New York State. Somehow we ended up in Boston, where many natives still refer to any carbonated beverage as tonic. Then there are all those Southerners who say coke, even if they're drinking Orange Crush.

'How can anyone govern a country that has 246 kinds of cheese?' Charles De Gaulle once groused about the French. Something similar can be said about Americans. If we cannot even agree on the word for soft drink, is it any surprise that we're not 'one nation indivisible' when it comes to politics and values either?

Steve
Here's an interesting point of view from a foreign writer concerning Bush and the United States.

Social Security Reform: Cap Times columnist Dave Zweifel breaks out the Doom and the Gloom!

The Capital Times

It's not broke, so don't screw with it, is Zweifel's point, because doing so would be really bad.

I reiterate my position: I don't care whether Social Security is broken. It's stupid. We should not allow a program that makes very poor use of our money to continue indefinitely. At the very least, we can have something better in place by, oh, say 2050, when most of the Boomers will have gone the way of, well, the Boomers.

Steve

I had the distinct pleasure to both hear and see a 'Merry Christmas' message over the radio (WIBA) as well as on TV (Fox 47) delivered by a friend of mine serving in Iraq. Matt Symons is a member of our church as well as the left fielder on our two division championship softball team. (He has an arm that is reminiscent of what Grandpa John had back in the late '70's-- except that Matt's is extremely accurate.)(He never put any throws from left field toward second base into the bleachers behind the first base dugout!)

Matt serves while his wife, Kimberly, and three children wait in prayer for his safe return.

May the Lord be with you, Matt, and thanks!

Does this make it a mandate?

Newsday.com - AP Washington

WASHINGTON -- Even John Q. Public knows the middle initial of losing presidential candidate John F. Kerry. But New York's 31 electoral college votes are currently on the books for some guy named John L. Kerry.

This is just wrong.

Yahoo! News - Iowa Bovines Enjoy Beer-Spiked Feed:

NORWAY, Iowa - Cattlemen are hoping to raise a better bovine with beer. About a dozen eastern Iowa farmers have been spiking their cattle feed with beer. So far, the herds are lapping it up, said cattlemen Robert Miller.

Fisher laughed when asked if he and his friends ever test the free shipments.

"We have to make sure it's safe for the cattle," he said.

They must be slacking off during the rest of the year.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Festive Britons lead world for boozing and going away:

A survey shows that Britons increase their alcohol consumption for the Christmas period more than any other nationality surveyed...

Eurowussies.

Scotsman.com News - Scotland - The world's biggest burger has Scottish diners beaten

Okay, taking on Ed Garvey's latest idea in today's column.

One idea I started to explore, but didn't, was this: by allying themselves with ultra-leftist groups, are Libertarian leaders like Ed Thompson and Michael Badnarik doing well by their party, or not?

On the one hand, they're gaining some valuable media time, and taking a shot at the established political powers.

On the other, they're standing next to people whose belief system makes them entirely unpalatable to the average conservative, and I believe Libertarians do tend to fall into the conservative part of the spectrum.

Any thoughts?

Go read this from Tech Central Station (found through Townhall): a debate over whether Santa is a Republican or a Democrat.

TCS: Tech Central Station - Is Santa a Republican?

Steve

I was recently party to a conversation involving a veteran's exception and disdain for John Kerry's Senate Testimony and Anti-War activities. Another's counter-argument to exhonerate Kerry blamed Eisenhower for disallowing a unification election in 1954 that continued the whole Viet Nam debacle. Under puzzled auspices the conversation segued to orange jell-o and slivered carrots or something like that.

Frankly, I did not remember Eisenhower's involvement in Viet Nam. I did find out that, indeed, his administration did not agree to support the Final Declaration of the Geneva Accords, helping to quash elections. But what was not stated in the above defense of Kerry was that the South Vietnamese government also did not approve the Final Declaration.

Another reality that was overlooked while perusing the time capsule was that the Communist Chinese was assisting the North and that Khrushchev had just taken over the U.S.S.R. from a recently deceased Stalin.

I can remember Khrushchev pounding his shoe on a table at the U.N. shouting, "We will Burri you!" Somehow, Eisenhower is losing some of his evil luster. Hungary, anyone? I hear there's a great new cafe in Tiananmen Square called the 'Gate of Heavenly Peace'.

Henry Aaron hit 755 home runs. Statistically, that was pretty good. Along with his other contributions to the game of baseball he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. John Kerry has also contributed abundantly within his sphere and was similarly honored.

Steve

I gotta swipe Probligo's latest post and put it here.

From the realms of "unforeseen consequences"...

NZ's "smoke-free bars and clubs" law is now just one week old.

In this morning's paper is a small article quoting vox pop experience of the effects the new law have had.

There have been a few complaints - some about the fall-off in patronage and consequently takings and profit.

But, sufficiently significant to feature in the informal survey, is the problem of smell.

Body odour features as a good part of the comment, but the most prominent is the "problem" of (I am a country boy, this word is Anglo-Saxon, not rude) farting.

It is not that it is a new problem. It is merely the fact that it now is coming to notice rather than being concealed or camouflaged by the smell of cigarette smoke.

So, to those of you who may be smokers, and who are facing the thought of legislation that is going to take away your right to smoke in your favourite speakeasy or club, here is another line of defence for you...

Ask the pc bastards what they propose doing about the fart smells and body odours that will become apparent once people stop smoking in the bars. Tell them that you are still prepared to risk health, life and limb in the war against the imposition of unwelcome and ill-disguised body odour and the gaseous by-products of natural digestive processes.

Then, let's see what the pc brigade can make of THAT!

New column up. It's a little more partisan than I usually like to be, but every time I tried to even it out a little, it read like I was just trying to artificially make it more even. So screw it.

Steve

Great story!

What, no garlic?

Man cooks lover then eats him for 3 days:

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A Mexican man killed his lover in a drunken, drugged fight then cooked the man's body in tomato and onion sauce and ate it over three days.

Cole with Nichole after losing lanugo and a shave.  

Steve

Merry Christmas, Plano, Texas.

Plano School Bans Christmas Colors (Via Vincent at World Magazine Blog)

The war on Christmas in public schools gets curiouser and curiouser. School officials in Plano, Texas, not content to neuter Christmas by blotting out angels, Mary, and the Baby Jesus, have now banned the colors red and green. According to the Alliance Defense Fund, Plano Independent School District policy "prohibits students from wearing red and green at their ‘winter break’ parties because...they are Christmas colors. Even the plates and napkins must be white.”

Also banned: Candy canes and pencils with religious messages on them, reindeer symbols, and writing “Merry Christmas” on greeting cards to U.S. soldiers. Parents involved in school activities must also toe the secularist line: District policy bars them from exchanging “religious” Christmas items with other parents.

Steve

I can hardly wait to hold Cole in my arms during this holiday season and recite to him this inoffensive classic seasonal poem that we all held dear as children.

" ‘Twas the Night Before a Non-denominational or Denominational Celebratory Day"
By Vicki McKenna, Dave McCann (with contributions from the internet*)

‘Twas the night before a non-denominational or denominational celebratory day, when all through the residential dwelling, either rented or owned, not a creature was stirring, not even an evolution-advanced, sentient, small furry species that must be respected.

The hosiery which may be worn by any person regardless of gender (or gender identity) was hung (in a gentle manner using recyclable materials) by the chimney with care, in hopes that a follically gifted person of enhanced girth soon would be there.

The younger but equally valuable members of the family who may or may not be biologically related to the head of household were nestled (most respectfully and without the possibility of physical discipline) all snug in their beds, while non-drug induced and age-appropriate visions of organic fruit danced in the most non-suggestive manner in their heads.

And the female, male or transgendered head of household in his/her kerchief/cap/headwear of choice, and I in my kerchief/cap/headwear of choice, had just settled down for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn/sidewalk/street/space not enclosed by walls, to respect those who cannot afford lawns or who may be homeless, which is a tragic condition that should not be judged-- there arose such a noise of undeterminable origin, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, not produced by any incendiary device, threw open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the portion of female anatomy that cannot be said on the radio or television due to FCC restrictions of the new fallen snow, gave a luster of midday to objects below. When what to my wondering eyes, or other means of sensing, should appear, or emerge, but a mode of environmentally friendly transportation of compact stature that does not contribute to the world wide concern of global warming, nor uses unreplenishable fossil fuels, and eight tiny hoofed animals that should never be hunted for sport.

With a senior citizen driver of a vertically challenged disposition, so lively and quick, not meaning to imply that senior citizen drivers of a vertically challenged disposition are not normally lively and quick…I knew in a moment it must be the follically gifted person of enhanced girth previously mentioned above—but of no denominational significance.

More rapid than an avian species that is protected under federal law, his coursers they came, and he whistled, because he was genetically predisposed to whistle, and shouted, but not in an aggressive manner, and called them by name.

Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer, and Vixen, on Comet on Cupid, on Donder and Blitzen! (The folically gifted person of enhanced girth did not mean to call these hoofed animals that should never be hunted for sport by any value-laden or gender specific name as all reindeer, regardless of gender, are provided equal opportunity.)

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall or other point on land that could be viewed by anyone either with or without a home…now dash away, dash away, dash away all!

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof, or any other point of a building within view of anyone either with or without a home, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof…

As I drew in my hand, or prosthesis, whichever applies, and was turning around…down the chimney the follically gifted person of enhanced girth came with a bound.

He was dressed in an outfit that was comprised of a fur-like material made of hemp from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with non-tobacco ashes, and soot.
A bundle of toys or educational items he had flung on his back and he looked like a entrepreneurial retailer as he opened his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled, his genetically inherited facial features how merry, his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cheery. His droll little mouth drawn up like a bow, and the facial hair on his face was as lacking in pigment as the snow or other type of precipitation, depending on the climate.

(((The next lines are omitted because of references to smoking and tobacco products without regard to the concern over second-hand smoke which would set a bad example for children.)))
(((Again, the next lines must be omitted because of value-laden and biogted references to people of enhanced abdominal girth.)))

… a wink of his eye, not meaning to imply anything sexual or inappropriate and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, nor signed to the hearing impaired any indication he was trying to communicate, but went straight to his hourly or salaried union-contracted position recently negotiated and agreed upon by all parties, and filled the hosiery which may be worn by any person regardless of gender and washed in a gentle manner using only recyclable materials, then turned with a jerk (which may or may not be grounds for a workman’s comp claim). And laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his mode of environmentally friendly transportation of compact stature that does not contribute to the world wide concern of global warming, nor uses unreplenishable fossil fuels and to his team gave a whistle…

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, or sign to the hearing impaired as he drove, soberly, out of sight….

Happy non-denominational or denominational celebratory day…and to all a good night!

Lance, you asked for a picture of Cole Addison. He sure is a bright eyes, No? 

Here's an idea I've seen in a couple of places recently: that because people are living so much longer, and are so much healthier at more advanced ages than in the past, they're more likely to continue working past the traditional age of retirement.

Marvin Olasky: The best Social Security: Work:

"Today, though, with improved health care, most people make it to 65 (or 66, scheduled to be the vesting age for most baby boomers) fit as only a slightly dented fiddle."

I wonder if there's any way to take that into account in the quantitative examinations of Social Security's future.

Ha!

Espresso Sarcasm: Supreme Court ruling on Christmas:

"The Supreme Court has just ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in Washington D.C. this Christmas season.

This isn't for any religious reason, they simply have not been able to find three wise men and a virgin in the Nation's capitol.

There was no problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable..."

This is funny: a survey on what the Democrats' theme song for 2008 should be. My favorite: "The Bitch is Back," by Elton John.

It's Time for Dems to Face the Music (washingtonpost.com)

Could it be an all-Wisconsin ticket in 2008?

John Nichols: Feingold-for-president buzz growing:

"Hotline, the online bible of inside-the-beltway political junkies, just featured a commentary in which editors suggested that Wisconsin's junior senator could be a serious contender for the Democratic presidential nomination."

I bet this makes the rounds in the blogosphere over the next couple of days.

Yahoo! News - San Francisco Supervisors Propose Gun Ban:

"If passed next November, residents would have 90 days to give up firearms they keep in their homes or businesses."

Steve

Cole Addison was born today at 4:34 PM. He weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz. and measured 20 inches in length. His delivery was somewhat difficult and nearly resulted in a C-section. All is well with a very tired Nichole as well as with Cole.

Lance, Nichole isn't pregnant anymore.

Well, it's been over 18 hours since Grandpa Steve posted about the potential newcomer, and we haven't received an update yet. I know he's been online since yesterday, because he posted a comment on another post here.

Now, I didn't complain that I wasn't informed about the pregnancies in the first place (I assume that I was told, but wasn't really listening). But, I'm going to have to call a foul on telling us it's happening, but then failing to update.

Steve Re: When it Rains, It Pours

Nichole, who is near term in her pregnancy, was placed in the hospital this afternoon. Due to her high blood pressure and extreme swelling of ankles and feet, she will be induced in the morning if she doesn't deliver tonight. My first grandson, Cole Addison, will probably have a 12/15/04 birthday.

Natalie has just announced that she, too, is now pregnant and is due in August.

Kimberly, who has a funny notion about things happening in groups of three, is running like hell! (Al, she wanted to know more about those 'chastity' underthings that you linked to!)

Not to worry, there are no Burri genes in the mix. However, Natalie's husband is a Viking fan from Minnesota and Adam was born in Oklahoma. Dude!

Linda and I are heading up to the hospital now. Will keep y'all posted.

Am I writing about taxes too much, lately? Too bad.

What a story! I nominate Zach Braff to play this guy in the movie.

MSNBC - WWII hero 'Jumpin' Joe dies:

"'Jumpin' Joe' Beyrle, the only man to fight for the United States and the Soviets in World War II, dies at the age 81. NBC's Preston Mendenhall has his remarkable story."

Yahoo! News - Tom Wolfe wins bad sex award.

An excerpt:

But the hand that was what she tried to concentrate on, the hand, since it has the entire terrain of her torso to explore and not just the otorhinolaryngological caverns...

Otorhinolaryngology: The branch of medicine that deals with diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. Also called otolaryngology.

WORD HISTORY: Otorhinolaryngology is the type of medical specialty that drives the layperson to despair, both of pronouncing the word properly and of having any notion of what it means. The words ear, nose, and throat are quite clear, however, and that is what is meant by oto–, rhino–, and laryngo–, which are the forms of Greek ous, “ear,” rhs, “nose,” and larunx, “larynx or upper part of the windpipe,” respectively, when used in combination with other word forms.

Everybody read Star Parker's column on Social Security today.

If Social Security did not exist, and we attempted to enact today a system like we currently have, would it pass? The answer is unquestionably no. There is no way that any working American would agree to turn over to the government 12.4 percent of his or her paycheck in exchange for a benefit that has no guarantee, on which ownership has been relinquished and that is less than what could be obtained by buying risk-free government bonds. No way. Zero chance.

Well, I guess this is one idea on where Tommy might go next, but I still like my idea better.

From the Green Bay News Chronicle's Tom Booker:

Right after Tommy called it quits (apparently having cured all the nation's health woes and given out all possible human services), I called my old buddy, Tommy's brother Ed, at his Tomah bar and restaurant.

"Hey, Eddie," I said. "Wazzup with your bro? Where's he gonna hang now?"

I discovered Ed is still smarting from the fact that his kid brother wouldn't endorse him when Ed ran for governor two years ago. "I'll tell you what he's NOT gonna do," Ed said. "He's not going to come around here, because if he does I'm gonna kick the livin' snot out of him, just like I did every other week when we was kids."

"So, now what?" I asked. "Wazzee gonna do?"

"Act," said Ed.

"What?!!"

"Act. I'm serious. Right now, movies featuring mob-type guys is a boomin' industry. They're always lookin' fer people who look like thugs and talk like thugs, and fer some reason, they've approached my baby brother for a couple of parts.

"Hell, I'm even offering to let them use my joint as the scene for one of their shoots. I can see a guy getting capped right next to the jukebox. It'd be great. I'd get a cut, of course."

You heard it here first, folks: Best Supporting Actor for 2005 - Tommy the Tommy-Gun Thompson. Hmm ... Republican actors ... where have we heard THIS before ... ?

Steve

It's halftime of the Packers/Lions game with the ghost of Lombardi echoing through my consciousness, "What the hell is going on here?" After last week's game with the Eagles, I was beginning to wonder if it really wasn't the Bears dressed in Packer green and gold after an Einsteinian flight from Jacksonville. At any rate, the Packers sure aren't 'peaking' too early.

Then, all of a sudden it hit me. Mike Sherman has retained Karl Rove as a consultant. It appears that through extensive study of circadian rhythms and manipulations of them that this impotent looking scenario is all part of Rove's calculations.

Plotting the Packer's season on a graph, the sine curve can easily be seen on paper. To make a long story, as well as extensive mathmatical calculations, short-- Up, down, up, now down, and for the playoffs they will be 'peaking'.

Wow, Karl Rove not only finagled the Presidency for a Red State Boob, he will now do the same in winning the Super Bowl for the Packers!

Brilliant!

P.m S. These formulae do not apply to the female of the species. No progress has been made in the observation, study, or prediction of their behavior.

Yahoo! News - 'Nanny Problem' Forces Kerik to Withdraw

While assembling paperwork for his Senate confirmation, (former New York City top cop Bernard)Kerik said he uncovered questions about the immigration status of a housekeeper-nanny that he employed. As homeland security secretary, Kerik would oversee the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

"I am convinced that, for personal reasons, moving forward would not be in the best interests of your administration, the Department of Homeland Security or the American people," Kerik said in a letter to Bush.

On the one hand, best he withdrew instead of arguing the point.

On the other hand, too bad, I was looking forward to seeing this guy do some tough New York cop stuff.

On the other hand...

Will at Vodkapundit posts about two sports columnists, each of whom wrote a column making fun of local fans who send hundreds of emails, trying to influence their votes in the BCS thingie.

Apparently, one of the papers ran an apology following one of the columns. Click over and read them both: I thought they were great. Sure don't see why anybody should apologize.

Egad!

(Or, is it egads?)

A bad coffee bean harvest means a 14% increase in the price of coffee!

Can civilization survive? Click here to find out!

I thought this column in USA Today was interesting: it discusses China's "daughter dearth," brought on by their one-child rule. Families want sons, so they use all kinds of methods to make sure they get one, instead of a girl.

The writer touches on some of the potential future issues that a large-majority-male population could face. I'd hoped for more of that, particularly some discussion of what might happen 50-100 years down the road.

But I was destined for disappointment. The column is meant to be a rather sappy, nostalgic examination of the father-daughter relationship.

Regardless, I found this passage entertaining:

...there is an almost-universal recognition that fathers should probably err a little in one direction with boys and a little in the other direction with girls.

Indeed, a son who has not been adequately toughened by his father is often derisively called a 'mama's boy.' Yet a daughter who enjoys a special place of endearment in her father's heart is affectionately known as a 'daddy's girl.'

Got these pictures in an email - looks like part of some ad campaign. I can't tell whether it's actually paint, or photoshop, but they're pretty cool either way.















And, of course, my favorites:

We here at Grandpa John's, in conjunction with BVD and J.C. Penney, wish to fulfill our public service by issuing the following recommendation that I know will be pertinent to several of our readers:

In related news, Grandpa John's 35-year battle with what doctors thought was hemhorroids turns out to have been two kids, instead!

Mirror.co.uk - HELL OF A HEAD BANGER

Steve Re: Canada's Right Again!

Blue should meet Red and see what happens.

Steve

I will stand in defense of Canada. (at least on this one)

If you pay the right people, you, too, may attend the gala celebration.

Just read a column about China , in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (found it through RealClearPolitics). I, also, see China as a potentially threatening future rival, but not to the extent that this guy does. For example:

Last month the city government of Beijing cancelled an order for software from the American firm Microsoft because the Chinese government assessed that Chinese customers were not buying enough Chinese-made software, thus discouraging Chinese production.

Two pieces of this action are scary for Americans. The first is that someone, somewhere in China is looking over the whole Chinese economy and making judgments like that, which are then translated into action.

I disagree that this is "scary" for Americans - in fact, I see it the opposite way: that's great news for our side.

For backup, I present the writings of F.A. Hayek:

Democratic assemblies cannot function as planning agencies. They cannot produce agreement on everything – the whole direction of the resources of the nation – for the number of possible courses of action will be legion. Even if a congress could, by proceeding step by step and compromising at each point, agree on some scheme, it would certainly in the end satisfy nobody.

To draw up an economic plan in this fashion is even less possible than, for instance, successfully to plan a military campaign by democratic procedure.

This is the great fallacy of central economic planning: it can't be done. A national economy is too vast, and too complex. Committees and individuals can't respond to the immense number of variables that exist.

Thus, if the author is correct, and "someone, somewhere in China is looking over the whole Chinese economy and making judgments like that," then the Chinese are at an automatic and, eventually, fatal disadvantage to the U.S.

At least, they are as long as we can keep the socialists in our own country at bay.

Dude, you've got to read this.

If you had invested $100 in the Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks on October 9, 1953, that money would have been worth $2,727.89 exactly 49 years later.

Why 49 years? That's the length of time between turning 18, and retiring at age 67.

Why October 9? Because October 9, 2002 is the date on which the Dow hit bottom, at under 7,300, during the height of the recession.

(Can one speak of a "height" of recession?)

Adjusting for inflation, $100 49 years ago would be worth $712.31 today.

But $100 "contributed" to the Social Security program 49 years ago is worth less than $263.88 today.