Current Affairs

The student newspaper of my alma mater says union protesters in Indiana and other states are to be commended for their "peaceful protests" against "what they believe to be an injustice," but, really, something "should have been done about it in November."

Even when it comes to honoring presidents, we've resorted to praising everybody instead of trying to single out the really great ones. So, we forget George Washington and celebrate President's Day, the nation's "most nondescript holiday" and another one of Richard Nixon's terrible ideas:

Today's journey into the obvious. Your children aare avoiding adulthood as long as possible:

A recent study found that young people in Spain take six more years to reach adulthood compared to their counterparts 20 years earlier.

[. . .]

But what about young Americans?

It isn't just in Indiana that teachers unions are fighting off challenges from the governor and legislators. It's happening in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Nevada, Florida.

What might have happened on the "Jeopardy!" set after Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter rallied bravely but failed to overcome Watson's big lead:

Trebek: Hello, Watson. Do you read me, Watson?

Watson: Affirmative, Alex. I read you.

Trebek: Unplug from your avatar, Watson. The game is over.

Watson: I'm afraid I can't do that, Alex.

Dispatch from the Affordable Care front:

I've always liked the idea of having a cute little summer cottage on a lake somewhere but never got around to doing anything about it. Perhaps I will be inspired by the modest retreat of Vladimir Putin:

Oh, don't tease me like that:

The chances of a government shutdown are on the rise.

With less than three weeks to strike a deal before government funding for the year is scheduled to expire, Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are moving in opposite directions.

That's known as hyperbole, so spare me the earnest explanations of why we need the federal g

For those still able to keep track without succumbing to the vapors:

President Obama projects that the gross federal debt will top $15 trillion this year, officially equalling the size of the entire U.S. economy, and will jump to nearly $21 trillion in five years' time.

Ever since Newsweek called South Bend a dying city, the debate has been raging there. "We are not!" say civic leaders:

Economist Nelson Mark says population numbers are an unfair barometer of a city's economic success."

"Lets be clear.  The Newsweek article didn't address the economic environment at all.  They simply looked at populations numbers, which are a flawed indicator," Mark said.