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• Position: Brief Article

The Poverty Myth

An invitation to a panel discussion at the conservative Cato Institute in Washington, D.C.: "Have we suffered from lackluster productivity and falling real wages since 1973? According to a new book from Cato Institute adjunct scholar W. Michael Cox and journalist Richard Alm, that perception is not just wrong, it's spectacularly wrong. We're much better off than we were a generation ago. We have more assets, more leisure time, and higher quality goods. Indeed, the poorest Americans have many material goods that weren't available to middle-class families in 1971. In this talk, Cox and Alm will take aim at the `myths of rich and poor' and ask why people believe so many things that aren't true about our economy."

Sensitive Folk

From an article in The Washington Post about a folk concert featuring Carole King, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Defense Secretary William Cohen: "The crew of this American aircraft carrier rained a torrent of bombs and missiles on Iraq. But today, standing amid idle warplanes, several thousand of them gathered on the sunny deck and crooned, `You make me feel like a natural woman.' Sheepishly at first, and then with increasing gusto, the warriors giddily followed the lead of musician Carole King.... On the USS Enterprise, [Cohen] danced with a Navy officer as King sang `Locomotion.' ... Television crews were barred from filming the event to avoid offending Kuwaiti religious feelings."

Jolly Holiday

An ad in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald: "Homelani Memorial Park is excited about the upcoming Holiday Season. We realize that family is important as most of us will gather for the Holidays with our loved ones and feel the importance of togetherness. Therefore, we are offering for a short time `Our Family Stays Together Program.' ... Exciting opportunities for loved ones and families of every size to stay together forever! Buy one lot--receive space for three. Buy two lots--receive space for five.... Buy five lots--receive space for twelve. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

Artificial Intelligence

From an article in The Boston Globe: "A German couple out for a drive near Berlin ended up in a river, apparently because their luxury car's computer did not indicate they had to wait for a ferry.... The driver kept going straight, in the dark, expecting a bridge, and ended up in the water."

Killing 'em With Kindness

From The Washington Post: "The U.S.-operated Radio Free Iraq, broadcasting from...