Well, Steve, the stimulus probably has been a rousing success -- for those whose intention it was to "spread the wealth around." Which inevitably means pumping money to one's friends. And destroying immeasurable assets and opportunities in the process.

It's change, see!

Was in NYC a few days last week. Had a nice meal at a Bosnian restaurant in Astoria. The place was right under the el, so every few minutes a train rattled by overhead, reminding me of the early years at and around the Castle 1526: the F train a block away, the Culver Shuttle until it shut down in 1975.

Around here there are freight lines about a half mile away. At night when the air is clear and the windows are open we can hear trains clacking along. It's not loud by any means, but I notice that I'm hearing it. Which is unlike when we lived in Tuckahoe, where the Metro-North went roaring by every ten minutes and it hardly registered in our consciousness.

I want Steve to run for office. I want to apply for the job of "senior crony." I would administer the redistribution of cappicola (ensuring myself a tasty skim operation).