News Roundup

• From the "History Rhymes" Department - The government of Cuba has announced that it will be releasing several thousand inmates from its prisons.  I believe the next play in the Castro brothers' playbook is to hold a massive boat lift of people they don't want in their worker's paradise, necessitating an equally massive humanitarian effort on our part.  Some might consider this a creative way to save money on your prison budget.  I see it as another way in which the Obama administration parallels that of President Carter.
• From the "Bad Year" Department - The Russian space agency has had a pretty bad run of luck lately.  Several high profile missions, including a supply run to the ISS and a probe to Mars that didn't quite go well.  The latest is a satellite launch that didn't make it to orbit.  This will tell you how far Russia has come.  30 years ago, we would be reading of a glorious opportunity for new rocket scientists to continue the glorious path to the stars set by their late predecessors.  Now, the head of the agency holds a press conference, admits fault, and predicts that a new generation of scientists will step forward.  Russia isn't exactly going gangbusters toward liberal democracy, but it's a sight better than it was a couple of decades ago.
• From the "Bless His Heart" Department - President Obama has flown to Hawaii to join his family for the Christmas holidays.  I expect he will be taking a much needed break from his hectic schedule for the next few weeks.  I certainly hope he finds time to get in a couple rounds of golf, seeing as he's almost had to take up that hobby recently.  I also certainly hope that the First Lady has a chance to indulge a bit in that epitome of healthy eating that is Hawaiian cuisine.  Lord knows she's earned a break from her campaign and lifestyle of healthy eating.  I'm sure that all of the assistants, security, military personnel, and other people who always accompany the President and his entourage will be thankful for having the opportunity to spend Christmas in a tropical paradise without being encumbered by their family and friends.
• From the "This Ain't Christmas" Department - Nike has cranked up the Michael Jordan money printing machine it's kept stashed in the basement of its corporate headquarters again.  Apparently, this year's model has the magical ability to cause otherwise peaceful and law-abiding people to start rioting in order to get their own pair.  Either that, or the people who lined up two days before Christmas to buy shoes include a fair percentage of jerks.  You be the judge.