Brian Gongol
Propaganda often works in the short term
China's conduct of the Olympic Games has given it a lot of good publicity around the world for the last two weeks or so, but the fact remains that people were thrown in prison for even daring to apply to use the protest zones that had supposedly been set aside for that purpose. The fact remains that the central government in China knows its days are numbered; technology and rising material prosperity will inevitably challenge the political totalitarianism they've been trying to sustain for half a century. Whether that ends with a peaceful transfer of power or in an explosion of secessions and coup attempts can't be predicted with certainty. But it's very likely that the recent collapse in the Chinese stock market, along with high inflation, are increasing the pressure for political change. Economic growth has been offered as the trade-off for political freedom in China for years. If that growth stumbles or stops, then the trade-off is no longer in balance.
A little ham with everything
(Audio) Just as brilliant as bacon salt, just a little more fictitious: A ham-flavored fork
Lincoln raises water and sewer rates by 3%:
