Joan,

Data shows that school populations are on the decline as we move from "Echo Boom" populations into "Echo Echo Boom" populations. There's been a continued decline of about 10% in enrollments since 2002 or so, and it is not likely to uptick again until 2012.

That's a long way around the barn of saying that expansion of school facilities might not be the most prudent investment. Yes, of course temporary classrooms should be replaced with more permanent dwellings and technology upgrades should happen throughout. Agreed.

BUT ... School construction can quickly lead to wage inflation if the construction capacity gets constrained early. I do not know the numbers off the top of my head, but can speak from personal experience in MA watching school construction costs rise at ridiculously high rates in the mid 1990s as the state literally threw money at school infrastructure investment.

As I wrote on OpenSalon (shameless plug) I would much prefer hearing policy wonks articulate how the investment will cascade through a regional economy and alter that business climate rather than having Pelosi and McCain barking at one another over the political divide about it.

Emotion has to leave the discussion and facts need to enter it.

While the commentary makes for nice defenses from the work perspective, but how about a few from the sex perspective.

I would like to see what impact it would have on the numbers if internet porn coupled with masturbation was to be on the shelf for those two weeks while they simply bettered their minds by reading such erudite on-line musings as found here. Or cut out the ability to click on You Tube and watch hour after hour of people getting hit in the groin.

No, limit it just to work and intellectual betterment issues.

The answer, Ms. Berman, lies on our darker side. We want our porn and our you tube videos. To hell with current events.

Glenn, the guy capitulated immediately. He apologized on air right away. I fail to see the similarity to the other situations other than for the utterance.

As a someone on the tail end of the boomer generation, that was a fantastic read.

I would much prefer to see the potential future presidents rolling up their sleeves and trying to work to unclog the capital markets than scoring style points in a closely choreagraphed "debate."

The debates can wait. The capital markets cannot.

First Talbot goes and finds a guy who watched her from her days on the High School Basketball through to being her mentor on the City Council before having a falling out. Now Talbot seems to be blaming Ms. Palin for a "boom town" atmosphere that started in that community in the mid 1970s.

Or Before Ms. Palin was even in high school.

Didn't the left bitch when Hillary slammed Obama for a kindergarten essay? How is faulting a woman for commercial development issues dating back to the 1970s much different?

I also hear Ms. Palin tears the tags off her furniture cushions as well.

You guys are really reaching.