Back from Vacation, Almost

We've been in the Red States this past week, enjoying surprisingly good food in Chattanooga, TN, and witnessing the alarming passion with which the rebels still fight the War of Northern Aggression at the Stone Mountain Laser Show near Atlanta.

Two observations about Red States that must be published: 1) The number of half-dressed high school girls who have painted their faces to look like Britney Spears that you'll see in a mall or outside a movie theater down South is disgusting. We assume they are high school girls, btw, because once they turn 19 down South, they get married and pregnant, not necessarily in that order. 2) The Home of Faith and Family Values is also the Home of Strip Clubs. Driving down any given corridor of I-95 or I-85 south of the Mason-Dixon line, you will see LOTS of signs advertising, "WE BARE ALL!", "CAFE RISQUE!", "TOPLESS GIRLS 24 HOURS A DAY!", and the like. The actual strip clubs and adult video stores are found every 20 miles or so. The adult entertainment disappears just outside of cities like Richmond and Atlanta, an area corresponding to the sprawling suburbs, but downtown, the "gentlemen's clubs" outnumber gas stations. Contrast Boston, that den of liberal corruption, where there are two strip clubs, total: one Chippendale's and one Glass Slipper.

We promise to catch up on blogging early next week.