Some Things to Ponder

Another one of those days where as much as I might sit and stare at the blank white space here, nothing fills it.

• Fantasy author Jim C. Hines has a spot-on piece, "Lincoln U’s Big Fat Fail"

  In 2006, Lincoln University in Pennsylvania instituted a policy that students with a BMI of 30 or higher must take a "Fitness for Life" class. The students affected by this rule are now seniors, some of whom may not be able to graduate, either because they haven’t gotten their BMI tested by the university or because they have a BMI of 30 or higher and haven’t taken the class.

  As a follow-up, he posted a link to Kate Harding’s slideshow of various BMI ranges
• TV Writer Ken Levine tells some of the behind-the-scenes tales from A Charlie Brown Christmas that make our possession of this treat seem even more special.

  A holiday tradition is A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS and we pretty much have a Mad Man to thank for it. John Allen was a Don Draper at McCann-Erickson in the mid 60s. On behalf of Coca-Cola he was lobbying for Charlie Brown. It would be the first animated adaptation of Charles M. Schultz’s classic PEANUTS comic strip. But Allen had to really twist arms because in typical fashion, CBS hated it.
  
  They thought the animation was awful, the story too thin and depressing, the jazz score inappropriate for kids, and of course wanted a laugh-track.

• Over at the Campaign for Liberty, Sheldon Richman discusses the similarities between Inconsistent Conservatives and ProgressivesListening to the leading voices of conservatism and progressivism, one gets the feeling they are not quite listening to themselves. On any given day you are likely to hear each side make arguments against the other that fully apply to itself in some area of public policy.
• Last, but not least, Jon Stewart on Climate-gate/problems the Left is having under our new prez

  The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
  Scientists Hide Global Warming Data
  www.thedailyshow.com
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