Another humdinger from the WSJ: 

"When the Internal Revenue Service tried to reduce the number of fraudulent returns it received, it raised the penalties on falsified forms. The result of the increased fees: Tax fraud went up by 22%.

This should not come as a surprise, research finds."

If only someone could share EJ's burden and, Oh, I dunno, decorate the logo for the holidays. 

Hear, hear!

Not sure if anyone has ever mentioned this to you before, but you just  might have the kind of talent to make something of yourself in the TV biz. 

Welcome Chuck!  I'm also in Mass--glad to see you here!

Thank you!

Haha, sorry EJ, didn't mean to encroach on the stage--just a cameo.  Who's the old guy in the photo by the way?  (kidding)

Fantastic exit music--well played Mr. Yeti, well played. 

Isn't that problem?  Withdrawing?

I get it, we tend to be more predisposed to a familial lifestyle, leading us away from any organized or long-term plan on affecting state and nation wide cultural change, but the reality is that we are faced with arguing with a cultural trend.  

We must stay engaged. Our conservative ideal of civic duty does not stop at just showing up--we must not shy away from conversation with our friends who disagree.  

Technically that was two plugs, but I'll give it to you.  A few thoughts on my own: 

1) Unsurprisingly, you write a heck of a lot more coherently than I do after an election night of our favorite bourbon (or you were just kidding about the Makers)

2) I concur on your enumerated list.

Thanks Judithann--Jeff, like I said.  No victory yet.  But if you excuse the cliche: by the yard is hard, by the the inch is a cinch

Which were a result of policies typically described as [ conservative or liberal ] ?

Ceaser, 

That's a very thorough analysis,  I regret not seeing until tonight! 

I was thinking of an 18 year old Elija Craig---but I'm sure that old rip van winkle stuff is okay too. 

Great post Dave.  I've driven cross country three times in a Saab (yeah, yeah, make your "Snaab" jokes) and picked up a few things of trucker etiquette.  Mostly though, I find that applying the maritime version of right-of-way works great: If it's bigger than you, stay out of the way.  

Dave, maybe you've posted this already, but how about providing a bullet point list of tips you've found that makes it easier for the truckers, and keeps the cars cafe?  (things from your perspective that might not be found in a typical driver's ed. manual) 

How are we supposed to keep the highbrow standard for political discourse when elected officials named Wiener continue to conduct the people's business unclothed?