Tuesday Round Up...

So, say there's a bear that occasionally comes around your house, digs through your trash and craps all over your yard. You're a pretty tolerant person, however, and don't mind too much these intrusions, though your immediate reaction -- before taking time to breath -- is often one of anger and exasperation. Whenever you see him in the yard, which is always at night -- the only time he ever comes out -- you chase him away by banging pots and pans, but have yet to take more serious action. However, some of your neighbors, many of whom he has angered in the past, would shoot him if given the chance, or at least that's how the bear sees it (and to extent, you do, too).

One day, the normally cunning bear leaves a trail that you follow all the way to his den. Although you're sort of pleased with your cleverness in finding his hideaway, you're not quite sure whether it actually matters and you're a little hurt, as the path you had to take to find it was full of thorny bushes.

Nevertheless, the situation leaves you with, basically, three options: You can "handle" the bear situation right then and there on your own (but, as I said, you're a tolerant, non-violent person); you can tell all your neighbors about your discovery and see what comes of it; or you can keep quiet and put up with the occasional trash and bear crap in your yard, knowing that such piles are the price you pay for living in bear country.

So, what do you do?

Anyway, a few stories over the weekend warrant mentioning in a Round Up. So, let's get on with it, then.

I'd be lying if I said news of Brandy Britton's death didn't shock and sadden me. And though I agree with Freemarket that investigating Britton was not the best use of public resources and, more generally, that legalizing the profession would mitigate some of the negative aspects of the black market, the desperation and other factors that lead one to prostitution are things the State, whether through direct or indirect measures, will never eliminate.

A casual read of this story about large "retirement" packages for former county officials probably leaves the average taxpayer fuming. More reasoned analyses from Cindy V and Numbers.girl suggest such anger is misplaced.

Didn't someone recently say commercial development in the county was sagging? Evidence points to the contrary. The best quote from this story: "Surface parking in Howard County will be a fond memory." If only all such inefficient uses of land could be, too.