Politics and other nightmares

Oil prices have fallen to $122 a barrel, and gas, I noticed on the way to work today, is $3.80-something a gallon. Demand is down in the U.S., and the dollar has strengthened. Isn't it funny how that works? Today's conditions aren't any more likely to be permanent than $147-a-barrel oil or $4.25-a-gallon gas were, but might we sound a small warning to those who are still stuck in panic mode, like the editors of the Indianapolis Star?

Hoosier Dan Quayle hasn't been in the news much lately, but that might change, unfortunately:

There have been murmurings recently that a major American political figure is being aggressively courted by ABC to compete on the next edition of "Dancing With the Stars."

It's been widely discussed that how a poll question is worded can affect the outcome of the poll. Apparently, that's true for ballot initiatives as well:

Supporters of Proposition 8, the proposed state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, said they would file suit today to block a change made by California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown to the language of the measure's ballot title and summary.

Good God almighty, isn't there anybody left among the morons in Wahington who can do the simple freakin' math and connect the !@*!*^&*# dots? On the same day we have this story:

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government's budget deficit will surge past a half-trillion dollars next year, according to gloomy new estimates, a record flood of red ink that promises to force the winner of the presidential race to dramatically alter his economic agenda.

You can have enough medicine to feel good, but, you know, not enough to feel good:

A medical marijuana cardholder who deputies said had too many plants was arrested Friday morning.

 Detectives with the Marion County Sheriff's Office Street Crimes Unit served a search warrant at the home of Marc Kauffman, 56, just before 10 a.m. and found that he had 35 mature marijuana plants and eight immature marijuana plants in his house, deputies said.

We must have a conference center! The future of the city depends on it!! This group that plans to build one says it will "move in another direction" if we don't pass a food and beverage tax to fund it!!!! And the state says the tax must be passed between Jan. 1 and July 31!!!! Hurry, hurry! hurry!!!!!!

Sadly, such tactics would probably work in this part of the state; but at least they're smarter than that in Richmond, for now:

Not many have noticed, but our cities are changing:

The high-minded, sophisticated foreign policy debate continues:

With just 100 days until the election, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama are accusing each other of shifting their positions when it comes to Iraq.

Obama accused McCain of altering his stance after the senator from Arizona said 16 months would be a "pretty good timetable" for troop withdrawal, and McCain said Obama was becoming more inline with his position -- a "conditions-based" plan for withdrawal.

As opposed to, you know, the fabulous times over the last 50 years:

Returning to the birthplace of the Cuban revolution for the island's biggest political event, President Raul Castro Saturday night prepared Cubans for tough times ahead.

"As much as we desire to resolve all of our problems, we can't spend more than we have," Castro said under a slight drizzle on a humid night. "To make the best of what we have, it is indispensable to save on everything, most importantly fuel."

Dancing is considered an art, so when Iowa enacted a law aimed at curbing strip clubs, it provided an exception for dancing in "art centers." Along comes a 17-yeard-old girl, who happens to be the niece of the sheriff, who decides to get up stage and strip at a place called Shotgun Geniez in Hamburg. The club's owner has been charged with violating the state's indecent exposure law: