I have confessed before that I suffer from just the slightes case of triskaidekaphobia. But at least I am free of paraskavedekatriaphobia. If you're not, at least know you are not suffering alone:
I have confessed before that I suffer from just the slightes case of triskaidekaphobia. But at least I am free of paraskavedekatriaphobia. If you're not, at least know you are not suffering alone:
I got some grief when I said "doing nothing" is sometimes the best option. Turns out I'm not alone in that opinion:
The compromise economic stimulus plan agreed to by negotiators from the House of Representatives and the Senate is short on incentives to get consumers spending again and long on social goals that won't stimulate economic activity, according to a range of respected economists.
The "I don't have any sticks and stones, so I'll do the best I can with names" attack:
"What Alex did was wrong and he will have to live with the damage he has done to his name and reputation," the commissioner said Thursday, three days after the Yankees star admitted using banned substances from 2001-2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers.
The mayor talked about gambling in his state of the city speech, and he tried to draw a distinction between "embracing the quest" for a casino here and "having the option." It seems like a pretty fine line to me -- it's pretty clear he's really enthusiastic about the idea of a casino. And what in the world does this mean?
A burglar in Bloomington bites off more than he can chew:
Police believe a church burglary has been solved through DNA found on a half-eaten doughnut.
[. . .]
Deputies sent the half-eaten doughnut to the Indiana State Police lab for testing. Authorities received confirmation in November that DNA left on the treat matched the man, who is serving a prison sentence at the Branchville Correctional Facility for an unrelated home burglary.
A miracle the evidence made it to the lab, w
I've frequently said my family was lucky because we escaped from Eastern Kentucky before the sociologists found us. Now, the poor folks who live there are more likely to be stalked by news crews earnestly trying to show the "hidden poverty" in America. ABC's Diane Sawyer is doing an hour-special on Friday night it, and they teased it on "Good Morning America" today. The Associated Press even did a feature on her special:
Hey, a school has to scramble for money anywhere it can:
The new multipurpose stadium on Mulberry Street could have a corporate name attached to it, according to district leaders.
Whenever a sex-education curriculum is proposed, there is the predictable outcry from some parents who argue that schools are taking over things that should be taught at home. But the sad truth is that sex education often isn't handled at home -- so if the schools don't do it, and the parents don't do it, the kids will have to make do with what they pick up from the popular culture and other kids -- just the way we learned. (And we all know how well that turned out.)
I know I've been a hysterical scaremonger over the stimulus bill, so let me be an adult about this and admit that I've been completely wrong about the whole thing:
Handing President Barack Obama a key legislative victory, negotiators from the House and Senate reached an agreement on a $789 billion economic stimulus plan, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday.
Let's hear it for the old folks!
At 10 years old, Stump the Sussex spaniel should be well into his dotage. Instead, the dog who technically retired four years ago took home Best in Show on Tuesday at the 133rd Annual Westminster Kennel Club show at Madison Square Garden, becoming the oldest to win the award.
This is an interesting comparison of our two most recent presidents:
What, nobody hangs out at the feed section of the hardware store to hook up anymore?
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. -- Love can be hard to find for small-town folks, but a Web site is helping change that.
FarmersOnly.com is geared specifically to those who love the rural lifestyle and are searching for someone who shares their culture and beliefs.
[. . .]
Time to think about those Forever Stamps again, all you snail mail sufferers:
The post office will get an extra 2-cents worth when you mail a letter starting in May.
The U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday that the price of a first-class stamp will rise to 44 cents on May 11.
It turns out that the state isn't the only government unit that likes to keep a little cash in reserve. There are 1,008 little fiefdoms out there with 1,008 little rainy day funds:
Indiana's 1,008 townships have amassed more than $200 million in taxpayer money that is stashed in reserves, yet no one -- township officials, state officials or lawmakers -- has made any effort to curb the property tax collections that generated the surplus.
Looks like Gary has trumped us. Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry has asked for a measly $300 million from the $5 billion Indiana is expected to get from the coming stimulus package.
Who'd have thought we'd see such a romantic, sentimental streak from New York City?
Mayor Bloomberg has a special Valentine's Day gift for New Yorkers - new NYC-branded condoms. And they're free.
No matter how challenged you are by life's ordinary tasks, you can find someone to help you with them these days. A Chesterton woman has started a business that helps people who are overwhelmed by all the stuff they accumulate. If you contact 123 Clutterfree Me, Lisa Brickley will charge you a mere $50 an hour to help you "realize your vision" for de-cluttering the house:
President Obama said the usual about his stimulus plan at last night's press conference:
And that is why the single most important part of this economic recovery and reinvestment plan is the fact that it will save or create up to 4 million jobs, because that's what America needs most right now.
Come to think of it, it's been so long ago that I can't even remember when:
"When Is the Last Time I Wrote a Letter?"
It's been a while since I've seen a truly silly study -- I feared they were all being sucked into the stimulus package. But here's a beaut:
Wendy Hill, professor of psychology at Lafayette College, Pennsylvania began the research to find out why the mundane physical activity of rubbing lips can elicit such a gratifying emotional response.
