Short Cuts

SHORT CUTS
"Laura Bush presided over the White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony last week on the South Lawn. The ceremony was especially moving this year. The Nativity Scene depicts Three Wise Men from Detroit asking the Baby Jesus for his first miracle." --comedian Argus Hamilton
"What 'entitlements' for some people mean is forcing other people to work for their benefit. As a bumper sticker put it: 'Work harder. Millions of people on welfare are depending on you.'" --Hoover Institution economist Thomas Sowell
"If it were up to me, I'd reverse things entirely. I'd give Social Security to the young, as they're the only ones who can possibly support themselves on it, and I wouldn't set them on their career paths until they were at least 30 and ready to settle down. Under my system, there'd be no retirement age. Old folks, as we all know, are the only people really eager to serve in the work place, and the only ones who, in response to a customer's complaint, would never think of saying, 'Why are you telling me? I only work here!'" --columnist Burt Prelutsky
"The lesson seems to be: If you get away with murder, make a point of being on your best behavior. People may not be so forgiving the next time around." --columnist James Taranto on O.J. Simpson's Las Vegas sentencing