Octopodial Chrome

The Rocky Mountain News, the better of the two local papers, had the temerity to give me a fortnight’s subscription for free. This is not the boon it seems; rather it’s been an horrible nuisance. Every morning, there’s a paper on my step, which I toss in my hall to read in the evening—which of course I never get around to doing, and so the dashed things pile up, mocking me.

Should I ever have an enemy, I shall subscribe him to both papers.

Bruce Bartlett has an informative article about poverty. Of the poor, 91% own colour televisions and 74% own microwave ovens. Correcting for errors in calculations, the poverty rate for last year (officially 12.1%) was actually 7½%. Moreover, over ½ of those classified as poor between 1996 and 1999 met the qualification for less than four months. As Bartlett notes, this sort of income mobility means that our measures of income inequality are also overstated.

Antarctica finally has a church. Concerned with the spiritual condition of those on post there, the Russian Orthodox built a church, disassembled it and are shipping it to King George Island. A Father Georgy will be assigned to the chapel.

Holy Russia used to do this sort of thing all the time, sponsoring chapels in foreign lands for the use of all Orthodox. It’s good to see that this has returned.

Thomas Hibbs has a very interesting review of Lost in Translation. I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about it, so perhaps I’ll see it this weekend.

I actually met Bill Murray once in downtown Denver. He was at the Celtic Tavern and so loitered outside until I got the chance to shake his hand. Nice guy—much taller than one might suspect.

Meghan Cox Gurdon continues here excellent Fever Swamp column with a tale of childish birthdays. Quite funny.

That’s one of the nice things about growing up: one can forget about birthday parties and instead go out, have a beer and enjoy oneself.