“I have this nagging suspicion that our manufacturing problems are not really problems at all, but rather a symptom of a dysfunctional relationship with dirt.”

That may not seem like something worthy of testimony before Congress, especially coming from a professional teevee show host.  But these are no ordinary times, and an ordinary (if really good looking) guy like Mike Rowe is extraordinary for stating what might be the most stunning statement of the obvious:

“…The bulk of our output (is) tied to clean jobs. What do we have to show for it? Record unemployment, a looming skills gap, a crumbling infrastructure, and a dearth of manufacturing.”

The conclusion?  America needs to get dirty again.  Simple – yet brilliant.

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It hasn’t been a good month for popular conspiracy theories.  Several theories with different levels of popularity have been thoroughly put down, including the idea that President Obama was not born in Hawaii, bin Laden was already dead, and very quickly the idea that the raid conducted to kill him was a fake.  The world appears to be just what it is on the surface.

That doesn’t mean that there will be an end to rumors and the “official” retelling of some major events won’t continue to be doubted by people that believe they are elaborate diversion away from the truth.  People like to believe that things aren’t how they seem because dark forces in charge of the world explains why any one of us seems to have little power over our own lives.  But some research on my part has yet to come up with a single good example from history that was later shown to be a vast conspiracy.

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When the ticker ran across the screen announcing the death of Osama bin Laden, I didn’t know what to think at first.  It wasn’t too long before I decided that what I wanted more than anything was to see how the rest of the world was reacting – not online, but in person.  I went up to the neighborhood bar to watch the news and have a quick drink.

All I knew was that I wanted to remember where I was when the news came.

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April 23 was the 29th birthday of the Conch Republic. It was an important day because once it turns 29 it can start lying about its age. Lying is an important part of the story because a well told lie is the heart of any legend.

You may not have heard of the Conch Republic, the Independent Florida Keys. To some people, that’s just as well. But the story needs to be told because it is a tale of lust, greed, power, and … well, actually, it’s just a lot of fun. You can get a lot further with a good gag than you can by being a jerk. And so it begins.

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