Tuesday, September 19 is...

Independence Day (St. Kitts)
San Gennaro (Naples)
International Day of Peace (United Nations)

If you were unaware of the existence of St. Kitts, as I was, here's a Wikipedia link for you. Here's another one on San Gennaro.

The third holiday is a bit ironic, because late last night Ted Sporer decided to re-open the debate on Iraq as WWIII in the comments of this post. I'm intrigued by this debate, but anything I would say wouldn't be as good or well-researched as what Chris Radloff said on Friday. So I'll present you with both links and allow you, gentle reader (and you, hardass reader), to decide.

Some other things worth noting today:

It appears some residents of Clear Lake may have gone in for a tattoo and come out with something even more permanent and life-changing. Here's the Register story. I have no tattoos, but even if I were to get one, I think I'd want at least some assurance that it's safe. I probably wouldn't want to get a tattoo in someone's house.

Here's a dangerous debate waiting to happen: WIC, which provides financial assistance for 68,000 mothers and their children in Iowa, looked at nutritional problems in mothers and children, and as a result, cut allowances for milk, eggs and cheese, replacing them with allowances for fruits and vegetables. The battle lines up this way: WIC wants to make sure mothers and their children are getting the biggest nutritional bang for the buck. Producers of eggs, milk and cheese want people to keep buying eggs, milk and cheese. We already have one massive sinkhole in Iowa where the battle between profit and the common good has left us with neither (health care). This battle threatens to shake out in a similar way.

I attended the West Des Moines school board meeting last night, and while I did not speak, I was proud of many who did. This Register story touches on a few of them but missed most of my favorites.

Just days before the season premiere of CSI: Miami, we have NIMBY: Albia. The tendencies of some groups to avoid giving others a second chance is part of the reason 40% of Iowa's prisoners will be released and end up reoffending.

In this morning's update on the Economic Freedom Fund, Chris Woods linked to this post from yesterday, calling it "a good one that can change the whole frame of discussion on political advertising." I don't know if I'd go that far, but it is refreshing, to say the least.

And, of course, today is Talk Like a Pirate Day. Avast.

KL