Fewest Vets in Congress Since 1940s

USA Today - November 20. 2012 – WASHINGTON — A decade of wars abroad has not reversed the decline in military veterans serving in the U.S. Congress. When the next session convenes in January, the two chambers will have the fewest number of veterans serving since World War II. It’s a continuation of a nearly four-decade-long decline of veterans in office since the peak of their service in the years after [...]

Some good items on Denninger’s Market Ticker blog about latest developments, including IMF chief comments on Greece:

I wouldn’t travel to Greece if I was Ms. LaGarde; she might find herself on the receiving end of the sort of animosity she has displayed for the Greek people…..

“I think they should also help themselves collectively,” Ms Lagarde said.

She added: “I think more of the little kids from a school in a little village in Niger who get teaching two hours a day, sharing one chair for three of [...]

Pope to cut back on foreign trips

“I think he won’t travel that much anymore, because it’s more and more of an effort,” Rev Georg Ratzinger said of Pope Benedict XVI, who has looked frail in recent weeks.

Rev Ratzinger, who is three years older than his brother, made the remarks during an interview with a Catholic news agency in Germany, KNA.

In a book published last week, he recalled how upset he was when his brother was made [...]

The U.S. takes another big step toward becoming a true Banana Republic

From Jesse’s Café Américain:

Max Keiser has made a simple but absolutely brilliant observation about crony capitalism.

There is a certain prevailing attitude being broadly promoted that if a person can pay for something, then they should have it, and if they cannot pay for it, then they can’t have it.

This is a fundamentally valid idea for ordering the discretionary aspects of an economy. Like most principles, it is based on a [...]

Southwest Airlines launches fare super sale

Celebrating its 40th birthday, Southwest Airlines started running a promotion that’s sure to turn a lot of heads.

Fares start at $40 for one-way trips up to 450 miles, $80 for trips from 451 to 1,250 miles and $120 for trips over 1,251 miles.

The tickets do come with some conditions — you have to travel between Aug. 23 and Nov. 16 and you can’t travel on Fridays or Saturdays.

There are [...]