I'm going to assume that its purely coincidence that the day my sister starts her new job, this is the Dilbert strip for today. Good luck, Patty!

The question "are we in a bubble" has been an unsettling gremlin that's been following Staci and I around during the last 3 months while we house hunted (notice past tense there!). Both Cafe Hayek and Tyler Cowen tries to explain what other market forces may be at work besides a bubble.

Those of you who understood that the millenium didn't start until 2001 will not be confused when I say that today I enter my fourth decade. Yup, today is the big three-zero for me! So as not to dwell on my birth, here are some other equally momentous events that happened on this date:

Two quick things I've realized now that Staci and I have started to look for a new house:

1. Google can make a killing by licensing their beta maps application to real estate listing sites. The maps are so much better than the stuff microsoft and other map providers are selling.
2. Trust your realtor for the most up to date listings, especially in a fast market like in the DC area. Realtor.com's listing of houses can lag the market by a week.
   

This post is mainly for Dave, who's brother just got a job in alaska. USATODAY.com - Extensive new study details states' drug, alcohol use

Alaska has the nation's highest rate of illegal drug use; binge drinking is particularly prevalent in the upper Midwest; and Utah's reputation as a clean-living state is well-deserved, according to a landmark federal study.

Well, I missed the State of the Union address this week because we were in Baltimore picking up our wedding album. Here are some links from FactCheck.Org about the president's proposed Social Security reforms.

FactCheck.org Bush's State of the Union: Social Security "Bankruptcy?", That term could give the wrong idea. Bush also makes private accounts sound like a sure thing, which they are not.

Ugh, i don't know why I'm still up at 2am. I think I'm afraid, this server will crash again like it already did twice today. I think the hardware is getting old, but it hasn't been 2 years since we got it. If you see me tomorrow and i'm less than responsive or attentive, now you'll know why. Oh, and if you owe me money for this server, I wan't my 2 dollars!

When I read Chile privatized their pension system in the 90s, and I believe Bolivia went on to do the same thing, I thought that it was a good idea that should be implemented here. Now that el Presidente Hierba is trying to ram it reform through the system, I'm not so certain. It's hard to believe that there is a crisis if the system can meet its obligations for the next 4 decades or so. But, you can't also argue that it'd be better for people to save on their own, using the market to get a better return on their investment than what one would currently get from the system.

Happy New Year to all of you!

Writing was light last month for a number of reasons, chief among them the holidays and a much needed week off from work.

If you are looking for a way to donate to diaster relief for the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, you can donate to the Red Cross through Amazon. It takes no time at all.