Dollar bills are people, too

Dollar bills are people, too

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News Headline: “How money is ruining our politics.”
Put it this way:
Add money to Cliff Clavin and you are faced with Donald Trump.

News Item: “The Wisconsin recall election for GOP Gov. Scott Walker has become the most expensive contest in state history… ."
News Item: ”… Estimates are that Walker is outspending Barrett by an 8- to-1 ratio… ."
One other thing about money and politics:
In a close election, money turned Wisconsin into Indiana this week.


News Headline: “Obama avoids Wisconsin while fundraising in Chicago, Minneapolis.”
News Headline: “Obama tweets support for Walker’s opponent on recall eve.”
At least President Obama gave it his all, despite the political risks, when the going got tough.
Right. The tweet.
That seems to be his all.

Lest We Forget that the Dark Ages Were a Faith-Based Initiative:
Louisiana’s new school voucher system will send funds to private schools including the Eternity Christian Academy, where science textbooks do not mention evolution but explain “what God made” on each of the six days of Creation.




News Headline: “Senate Republicans block equal pay for women.”
News Headline: “Republicans target Violence Against Women Act.”
Or to state evident GOP policy more clearly:
If women won’t stop complaining about a lack of fairness and equality, aren’t they, well, you know, just asking for it?


The Case for Zero Tolerance of Modern School Administrators:
A senior at Mount Healthy High School in Ohio was denied his diploma at commencement because of “excessive cheering” for him in the audience.
The decision was made by administrators who do not seem to know that there is no such thing as excessive cheering when a young man or woman has earned a diploma.


QT Early Warning System:
Thirty-nine days remain until National Respect Canada Day, which is also the first day of National Nude Recreation Week.
Please observe these separately.


QT Vote Count Countdown Update:
News Headline: “Will the two-party system survive?”
News Headline: “Is Rubio rising?”
News Headline: “Romney’s economic plan: Would it reduce unemployment?”
News Headline: “Wisconsin recall: Should Obama have campaigned?”
News Headline: “Will Obama crack down on big banks?”
News Headline: “Can John Edwards make a comeback?”
Yes, yes, no, yes, don’t hold your breath, no.
That seems to cover it.


M.G., a Crystal Lake reader, wants you to know there are more Google hits for “kind of” than for “sort of.”
The number of Google hits for “tap-dancing militant Islamic fundamentalists” has been holding steady at 1,280, by the way.


QT Modern Corporate Gibberish of the Week:
News Headline: “Konarka: Mitt Romney’s Solyndra?”



QT Yellowstone Caldera (the eruptions of which can be violent enough to send a layer of ash six feet deep as far away as Chicago and which erupts every 600,000 or so years and last erupted 640,000 years ago) Update:
A new Vanderbilt University study suggests that underground pools of magma, such as the one growing in recent years at Yellowstone, are unexpectedly “ephemeral” and “cannot exist very long without erupting.”
But do not let these alarmists trouble you.
Even if Yellowstone erupted, at least a third of the United States would remain habitable.
Maybe as much as half.


News Headline: “Paris Hilton pole dances on a fairground ride in Cannes.”
News Headline: “The Kim Kardashian/Paris Hilton feud is OVER!”
It has now been 1,818 days since Paris Hilton announced she would be leaving public life.
Not that anyone is counting.



From the QT Archive of Knowledge:
+  There are 16,502 pieces of debris in orbit around Earth.
+  Earth is 1,597,340 miles away from where it was yesterday.


Today’s Birthdays:  Securities and Exchange Commission, 78;  Gary U.S. Bonds, 73.


QT Grammar R Us Seminar on the English Language:
Bill Scott, an East Northport, N.Y., reader, writes:
“Regarding the photo caption you mentioned: ‘Where President Obama’s campaign headquarters is located.’  Should it be ‘headquarters is’  or ‘headquarters are’?  The plural verb sounds better.”
Many dictionaries have given up on this.
The dictionaries say that while “headquarters” is a plural noun, either a singular or plural verb will do.
These tend to be the same dictionaries that say singular verbs will do, also, for the plural nouns “data” and “media.”
These dictionaries should baled and sold by the pound for beer money.
The soldier’s quarters are small. He reports to headquarters that are spacious.
That’s it.
The plural of “lowlife” is “lowlifes,” by the way.

Write to QT at qt@wbez.org
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