When I was in law school I helped with a panel discussion on campaign finance reform that included Eugene McCarthy (he generally opposed contribution limits).  The guy who had actually invited McCarthy and brainstormed the event dropped out of school and I had to scramble to fill in.  One of my jobs was to get McCarthy to and from the airport.  I recruited and older married student as driver since he had a nice SUV.  McCarthy showed up with by himself, no entourage, charmed everyone around him regardless of their politics.  He was a great storyteller and seemed to connect with everyone from the hotel clerk to the law school dean.
The day after the panel, the driver I recruited got a sick child at the last minute.  This meant that I had to get McCarthy to the airport myself.  At the time I drove a '87 Hyundai with no air, no radio and 30-40 pounds of fast food wrappers and assorted papers all over the floor.  I had washed it exactly once, right after I bought it.  A piece of molding had fallen off the passenger door leaving an ugly scar of adhesive.  The dash was mottled with coffee stains.  I had no time to get the car "Clean for Gene."  McCarthy did not bat an eyelash when he saw his humble chariot.  He got in there and acted like he rode in a piece of shit Hyundai everyday.  We talked all the way to the airport and a few days later he sent me an autographed copy of one of his books.  He was a great guy.

 

Garrison Keilor has a remembrance on Salon.

In the fictional DC Universe, Ti'julk Mr'asz, codename Gates, is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Like all natives of the planet Vyrga, Gates has a largely insectoid body. He is also noted for his strong political views, tending towards communism, socialism, and anarchy.

Gates was the third non-humanoid member (after Quislet and Tellus) in the history of the Legion (the first after the 1994 Reboot). He was also unique amongst Legionnaires in being their only unwilling member, having been drafted by his planetary government to represent them in the Legion (which he perceived as being militaristic and inherently fascist).

From a Wikipedia entry.

This is almost as bad as the time I learned about the Brian doll.

N.C. House Speaker Jim Black's $30,000 government provided legal war chest reminds me of the parallel governments that operate in this country:  "Dad Government" and "Granddad Government." 

Black has not been charged with a crime but has received subpeonas to produce documents and other information for a federal grand jury.  He asked for permission to bill the state for his legal fees for responding to the subpeonas.  Since he got the OK for up to $30,000 provided that no lawyer charge more than $300 per hour unless the normal hourly rate is less, he obviously got through to Grandad.

Dad government tells us that making do with a court-appointed lawyer earning $65 per hour is just fine and builds character.  The state even has cost studies showing that it can provide competent public defenders that cost taxpayers about $65 per hour.

But wait, Black is dealing with the federal government and he needs the federal expertise that federal practitioners can provide.  Dad government says $90 per hour will get you a court-appointed lawyer in a federal case. Dad also puts a $7000 cap on the fee in a felony case.

So by the numbers:

 

A George Will column takes Congress to task for creating an "entitlement" to digital TV.  He paints Congress as bleeding hearts for catering the "welfare state" by subsidizing the purchase of converter boxes that will allow analog TV's to work on a digital signal.  The tone of the column is "see how ridiculous the WalMart-hating liberals are?"

A cute column about seemingly boneheaded government move.  I might agree that subsidizing TV seems extravagant, but Will has the motivation for the subsidy all wrong.  Congress is not feeling sorry for the wretched TV-deprived masses yearning for clear reception.  Congress is doing a favor for some friends.  Here's how I picture the TV subsidy.

Congress requires TV broadcasters switch to digital so the government can make billions auctioning off the broadcast spectrum.  The broadcasting lobby objects because of the expense and repeatedly urges Congress and the FCC to move the deadline back.  However when you dump millions on sports franchises for the right to broadcast games and charge millions for a 30-second Superbowl ad the "we can't afford it" argument wears thin.  So the broadcast lobby brings up the plight of the widows, orphans, senior citizens, children and family farmers who will be left behind with sets too old for digital TV.  Opposing powerful lobbies create gridlock.  Then the two or so equipment makers who will manufacture the converter boxes smell government money in the water.  Lobbyists are dispatched and a deal is hatched, the government will pay some or all of the cost of the converter boxes guaranteeing the manufacturers a fat proft and the TV broadcast lobby is deprived of its faux-populist argument against digital conversion.

This column is a case of Will seeing exactly what he expects to see.  The story here is not "entitlement mentality run amok."  It is bringing home the bacon to an industry with a subsidy that will result in hefty campaign contributions.

 

Faux mall Santa caught with his pants down. "How would you explain that to them that Santa Claus is walking around pulling down his pants?" a mall shopper said. "How would you explain that to them? Yeah, that's disturbing."

From the testimony of a firefighter at an arson trial:

 

N.C. Judge Evelyn Hill has been suspended by the chief justice for "persistent intemperance."

 

Criminal case reversed due to her commentary