Narnia stomped? I don't think so, King Kong only did $50 million for the weekend, and Narnia did $30 plus million in it's second week. Watch next week for Narnia to try and hold $25 million against limited competition. The mark of a great movie is the ability to win for months at a time.

Looks like New York transit workers have decided to go the way of steel and auto workers. Outsourced, laid off, and replaced by people that actually want to work. My vote is for Mayor Bloomberg to walk to work for the next six months and break the union.

So W breaks the law and wiretaps some criminals without permission from the liberal courts, catches criminals, and the liberals leak the information so we can't catch any more? That's brilliant.

Inflation dropped, let's say that again ... "dropped" by the greatest margin in 31 months. Time for efficiency to kick in or wages are going to have to go down.

I was watching CNBC this morning, T. Boone Pickens predicted oil at mid $40's in early 2006 and then back up to much higher levels by late 2006. Looks like lots of good news for the elections in 2006. Oil back down, inflation back down, interest reates to level off, W's popularity coming back up ... Republicans can hold House and Senate.

Steve Forbes suggested that the tax cuts in 2003 created the heated economy of 2003 and 2004 ... he wants the cuts extended for ever. I would agree if they cut the budget by the same abount. We've allowed government to grow way too large, again, at all levels.

And, surely each of the millions of purple fingers already served as a dagger in the hearts of the world’s “progressive” “liberal” internationalists — no need to point out an upsurging economy

Terrific Article on Iraqi Elections

Read thru the mortgage fraud blog, kinda chilling. I am still glad we've made the committment we have to doing all the deals possible, but none that cross the line of honesty. We may lose money occasionally when we can't make a deal close, but we won't lose our integrity.

In a change of direction that will confuse the market, housing starts and permits and new home sales were all higher in the latest reporting period. Now, be careful of overeacting to these numbers, the market will be a bit smaller in 2006, but not to the catastrophic levels suggested by the "bubble" fans. Housing will grow because the country is growing. People are still getting married and leaving home and moving up. But ... costs are escalating way too fast! Inflation went down in the last month (see above) and housing costs are pushing up on arbitrary shoves. Time for some efficiency and some innovation, and fast.

At least Portage is talking about a legal park impact fee, that would be a first for them.

Valpo Stormwater Board basically getting an overhaul, now before we go off half crocked and combine with the Utility Board, let's get some common sense leaders in place. That Utility Board is an embarrasment to our city.

Valpo finally gets a contract to buy the County Seat. Beware the current owners are full of trickery, don't be surprised if this still has to go to trial, but within the next six months the city will get the County Seat, finally.

More later today, stay in touch, stay abreast of what is going in the world, it's a small world now