Benedict XVI first Christmas address
A summary from the Washington Times – Pope issues call to battle terror, poverty – World – insider.washingtontimes.com
NY Times article on municipalities healthcare cost obligations; Washington Times on aging of America
It’s incredible, but very few state and local municipalities have ever done the actuarial studies needed to determine what their future liabilities are going to be to their retirees. Or put it another way, the future liability of the taxpayers of the state or local municipality. This New York Times article focuses on NY City, … Read more
Christmas Eve
Spending the evening at home with one excited nine year old, and a twelve year old who’s a little excited. And Brigid who’s prepping a turkey for tomorrow Go here to track Santa NORAD Tracks Santa 2005 Merry Christmas!
A thoughtful Washington Post editorial – “Legacy of Courage”
The Washington Post ran this editorial yesterday – it begins: "HERE IS A STORY of courage, hope and love, though you have to go backward in time from this Christmas season of 2005 to get to those things." A Legacy of Courage
Postings and comments from other mantle cell patients, their family, and their friends
A bit more often then once a week, I have received either comments or email, or regular mail, from people who have been touched by mantle cell lymphoma. It’s been fmaily or friends who’ve mostly contacted me. I am not sure how folks have found me – possible through the link at the Lymphoma Information … Read more
Got my “Darby” shot today
Darby is the short name for Darbepoetin, the red blood cell stimulating medication. My dosage was upped to 300 mg.’s (from 200) and the plan is to give me the shot every two weeks. This will probably pep me up. I am feeling a bit fitter the last several days. But my endurance is still … Read more
Christmas Party at Colleen’s
My friend Colleen Murray and I go back a long ways. I met her in 1975 when we were both teaching at the Catholic grammar school in Croton. I taught there for two years – math and science to grades 5 thru 8. The second year I was there, she was named principal. I left … Read more
Of eyelashes and eyebrows; backs and pain
I must admit, I really look like hell. Tim commented the other day "Dad how come around your eyes it’s all dark? And you know your eyelashes are all gone." I said "No they’re not." And he said "They’re all gone on the bottom." So I checked in the mirror and he was right. Still … Read more
The Laffer Curve – Can tax receipts rise if taxes are cut?
Here’s a link to one chart and a four paragraph blurb BuzzCharts: Jerry Bowyer on the Laffer Curve and the Tax Cuts of 2003 on NRO Financial showing how "supply side economics" works. Cut taxes, the private economy grows, and that spurs additional tax revenues. What could be simpler?
NYT’s John F. Burns on the Iraqi election
NY Times foreign correspondent John F. Burns has won two Pullitzer Prizes, and he is a great reporter and writer. (In 1986 the Chinese claimed he was a spy, and expelled him.) Here’s his column in the Times today:Freedom From Fear Lifts Sunnis in Iraqi Election – New York Times