Numbers for the new year

Re-entry is hard. But I am cheered by plowing through the accumulation of the Winter Break mail, which contains all those end-of-year sum-everything-up magazine issues. The best-of lists, the worst-of lists, the most-of lists, etc. Becca brought my attention to an essay by Patricia Marx in the December 19 issue of Time Magazine called "Check Out My New Numbers." It's a fun ride at the expense of the President, a theoretical response to his dismal poll ratings. Here's a sample of numbers that his "people in the White House have totally made up":

69% of heads of families who have saved $1 million or more due to the President's tax laws enthusiastically support the President's tax laws.

Only 2% of Americans who have at least four years of college education blame George W. Bush for the defeat of our country in Vietnam.

87% of the ranchers in Montana say they are in favor of the way the President handles dry brush and scrub on the Crawford ranch.

And...97% of stem cells zealously endorse the President's stem-cell policies.

Fun stuff.