Ron Hart

“First Lady Michelle Obama told Regis & Kelly she was expecting jewelry on Valentine's Day. She said it wouldn't be anything extravagant because Barack tends to be responsible when he's spending his own money.” -- Jay Leno (more)

Lost in the Egyptian democracy movement, the ouster of Hosni Mubarak and the huge, deficit-spending, $3.7 trillion budget just submitted by Obama (worry not -- he says he has a plan to cut the deficit 10 years out) is what is important to Americans: What has been going on with our celebrities? (more)

Facebook really seems to have "legs." I thought the phenomenon of this social networking site would have slowed down a few years ago after folks reviewed my family reunion pictures from Dollywood, but I was wrong. Perhaps I will post pictures from my upcoming trip to Euro-Dollywood, which I think is in Alabama. (more)

Last week our puppet show in Egypt ended, but it was a good run. (more)

It was a mixed reception for China’s President Hu when he visited the United States last week. Like all politicians, he highlighted our shared interests and downplayed the giant pandas in the room: fair trade and human rights. We owe China so much money that most Americans were relieved he did not start foreclosure proceedings. (more)

“If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns.” ~ old bumper sticker (more)

When loon Jared Loughner shot Congresswoman Giffords and others, the left went into a tizzy trying to paint him as a right-wing “tea bagger.” It was clear the mainstream media focused initially on trying to pin the shooting on their sworn enemy, the right. (more)

“Personally I wouldn’t advise a gay leading man-type actor to come out.” -- Richard Chamberlain, a gay actor (more)

As I do at the end of each year (which usually elicits many e-mails, but I am going to do it again anyway), here is my look back at 2010. (more)

The resounding win by the Republicans in November holds the promise of getting some control on spending in Washington. It seems, for the moment, that Congress is focusing on this goal, thanks to its members' feet being held to the fire by the Tea Party. (more)

“Which country is suffering from too much freedom of speech? Name it, is there one?” -- Julian Assange, 2010 (more)

The Democrats' main tax-writing congressman and for years head of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel (D-NY), finally had to accept the terrible punishment for his ways and means of getting money by being the first congressman censured in about thirty years. For the record, as the Congressional Ethics Committee sees it, there has been just one unethical politician in their ranks in the past thirty years. Good to know. (more)

With the TSA handling more packages than Fed-Ex this holiday season, we need to revisit our overreaction to the sucker punch that was 9/11. (more)

“Politicians will always spend every penny of tax raised and whatever else they can get away with.” (more)

Government, which grows not out of necessity but by insisting upon itself, needs to slow down. We need to revisit the balance among freedom, cost and security and not continue to double down on bad policies. (more)

With the elections over, politicians can now go from lying about their opponents in attack ads back to their normal pastime: lying to the American people. (more)

Facing historic losses in the midterm elections, President Obama took to urban radio to reassure his base and whine his case. He said he does not get enough credit for all he has done. He took a situation that was in trouble and terrible disrepair two years ago and brought it back from the brink of destruction — referring, of course, to the Republican Party. (more)

"Political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality….I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot. You know the kind of books I've written about the Civil Rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous." -- Juan Williams on “The O’Reilly Factor” (more)

“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.” -- Adam Smith (more)

“Anyone who fights for the future, lives in it today.” -- Ayn Rand (more)