While these numbers are quite small compared to the 4+% growth of the 3rd quarter, a 1/2% increase is huge. Economists also expect the numbers to return to their lofty levels moving forward as most of Q4 was driven by reductions in government spending (a good thing) and by slow car sales - and some energy related spending crunches by consumers.

The amazing thing is the number of jobs this economy continues to create. The Clinton economy created a ton of jobs as well (sorry, can't look it up right now). Despite the recession, September 11th, Hurricane Katrina, Corporate accounting scandals (Enron, etc.), this economy is booming.

sharptalk

I went to a shooting range on Saturday with my 13 year old son who wants to be a marine.

I'd never been to a shooting range and have never owned a gun.

I guess I've earned my Southern conservative credentials now.

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the way the news works?

Just over a week ago, all anyone could talk about was Dick Cheney. There was even the lunatic fringe saying there was an administration scandal going on in the "cover-up" of Dick Cheney's shooting accident. They were breathless and consumed.

Now it's old news.

Here's where I'm going to get a little cynical. It was replaced in the news by the port buyout news. While this is obviously "sexy" news, I think it may have been played hard because it looked bad for the administration (but then, what hasn't looked bad for them in the last 15 months?)

But it has been misrepresented as "turning over America's ports to an Arab country". Once again, the press is breathless in its pursuit of.....ummm....well....bigotry against Arabs?

Now I know that it sounds awful. In fact, that's the dream of a liberal press. But I expect in about 3 weeks, Congress will approve the deal on some non-binding vote and the news will have moved on to something else that might embarrass the Bush administration.

But I wonder if the Arab community in Detroit will remember the comments made by Congress (Republicans and Democrats)? Especially those running for President in 2008.

I have been very critical of an Islamic community that riots over cartoons while being silent over their own slicing the heads off the innocent. But the truth is, Arab-Americans have had years to commit any form of terrorism they wanted here in America. Any of us could.

But they haven't. They've been model Americans. Even though I'm sure they're absolutely sick of being looked at as terrorist sympathizers and possible terrorists themselves.

Maybe that should be the news.

Oh, and that the UAE has been an invaluable ally in fighting terror.

Oh, and that we really aren't "turning over the ports" to a foreign nation".

Exept that would be expecting too, too much. Too much truth. And too little Bush-bashing.

sharptalk

In the last year I've done these things for the first time ever:

Ridden an air boat around a bunch of alligators in the everglades.
Ridden a .horse as an adult (today - see post below).
Played Christmas songs I'd just learned on guitar 2 days earlier in front of 50 people at a Christmas party (for over an hour).
Sang karaoke for the first time.
Finished writing my book.
Saw the Yankees play baseball (for the first time) at the Devil Rays stadium, which by the way is dreadful.
Started giving hard, but honest feedback to my peers at work (this contorts me more than stretches - the word "stretches" isn't violent enough) along with a lot of good positive feedback.
Led an initiative at work that resulted in 500 lbs being lost by 57 people in an eight week period.
Began writing songs again.
Started my first ever blog.
Opened a commodities account with a broker.
Started teaching my 14 year old son to drive.
Led singing at my church.
Taught 35 middle school kids to memorize Romans chapter 12.
Wrote a song with someone else (never collaborated before) and recorded it.

The truth is....I'm worn out.

What have you done for the first time ever in the last year?

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If you knew me, you'd know that the last thing on earth I'd be caught doing is riding a horse. Not because I dislike them, but just because I haven't done it 37 years and I kind of think it might run off with me.

Well, today I rode a horse at an authentic Dude Ranch in Baldero, Texas. Pretty cool. But my butt hurts.

I don't like being stretched. Not one bit. And this definitely stretched me. But sometimes it ends well. Even if your end doesn't end so well.

I could really enjoy this.

sharptalk