Another year, another hundreds of millions of dollars spent on fireworks displays, nationally, to celebrate our nation's independence - while millions of Americans still remain dependent upon the public dole for food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, etc.  Foodbanks and other charitable organizations face the possibility of not being able to continue to provide services.  Government officials - all together now - ooh! - aah!....Meanwhile, a defiant North Korea fires their own rockets, in the face of a famine that purportedly has taken two million lives in recent years - and for that our government is outraged!....A recent study shows that Tylenol is bad for one's liver.  So is alcohol, and I do not see warnings on liquor bottles.  Maybe a warning label on the Tylenol package - 'Don't dose and drive!'....Doctor's have now presented proof that a man's brain rewired itself, after 19 years of unconciousness.  Maybe there's hope for George W. yet!....Anna Lee Aldred has died, at age 85.  She was the first woman to be licensed as a professional jockey in the U.S.(1939!)....According to recent reports, there are figures available for Border Agent attrition, new/used home sales, movie box office receipts, inflated college grades, etc., but the most up-to-date results, nationally, for freshman highschool dropout rates, date from the 2002-03 school-year.  Is it any wonder the public feels betrayed?  Those in charge are hiding results for their own benefit(Follow the money!)....34% of women agree with the statement, "If my dog were human, he'd be my boyfriend."  And in some mid-southern states, oh....never mind!....The Tour de France is underway, with some of the biggest names, ie., Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, ineligible, due to positive drug/doping results.  There's always  MLB!....Don't let the media or the Fed fool you when they report that troop fatalities, in Iraq and Afghanistan, are 'non-combat related.'  Just because they are not shot or blown up does not mean that they are non-combat.  That is the only reason that they are there!....Arizona-financed new school construction costs are soaring.  A new approach may now be to limit new schools to 'bare bones' designs.  Districts may resort to raising local property taxes to pay for non-essentials.  Many districts mismanage tax dollars, by regularly purchasing unnecessary items, i.e., furniture, carpets, painting of  facilities, etc. - because the money is there!  Yes, I know -  Capital funds are separate from M & O funds - so use the money to build new schools or refurbish, as necessary, existing units, and not on unnecessary upgrades(ie., office furniture)  Fresh paint never taught anyone to read, unless it was graffiti!....Mexico saved hundreds of millions of dollars, by not printing their national election ballots in English!...