Reality check from Public Policy Polling's survey of Registered Voters

(http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/2011/PPP_Release_US_0913925.pdf via jpmassar)

Their sample: Somewhat or very Conservative vs Somewhat or very Liberal?: 40% vs 29%

Some results: If you had to vote a do-over of 2008? Obama: 51% McCain: 46% (Actual 53-46)
Obama/Romney? +4%, Obama/Perry? +9%, Obama/Bachmann: +14%
Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme? Yes: 20%, No: 70%

Sadly, I would not bet on Obama's reelection, but the public is not as dumb as the GOP primary fight would lead one to believe. Oh, and
Believe in Global warming?: Yes: 54%, No: 37%
Believe in Evolution?: Yes: 51%, No: 37%

The bait and switch of school "reform"

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2011/09/12/reformmoney

What the piano is best at

As much as I love symphonies, classical piano usually seems like a budget get-what-you-pay-for orchestra to me. THIS and its like, OTOH, is what pianos exist for. (Well, that and Scott Joplin, which arguably IS classical.) I wonder if my piano lessons were more focused on the kind of music I wanted to platy if I would have progressed more rapidly and stayed with it longer than the five years I did.

Skip Edwards is the keyboardist. I like his and Rivers' version a lot more than Huey "Piano" Smith's original.