Jonah

"If Mitt Romney can be pushed around, intimidated, coerced, co-opted by a conservative radio talk show host in Middle America, then how is he going to stand up to the Chinese? How is he going to stand up to Putin?" So asked Bryan Fischer, a radio host with the American Family Association, after claiming credit for Richard Grenell's scalp. Mr. Grenell is the openly gay former foreign policy spokesman for the Romney campaign. Before that, he worked for Ambassador John Bolton at the United Nations, easily the most revered diplomatic official among the base of the Republican Party since Jeane Kirkpatrick.

"They do that because they were born that way. " If you say that about homosexuals, you are tolerant and realistic. If you say it about blacks, you are racist (unless you're black yourself). If you say it about women, you may or may not be sexist, depending on who is manning (er, womanning) the feminist battle stations. If you say it about men, you just might be a writer for Esquire. But if you say it about conservatives, you're a scientist. Over the past decade, a new fad has taken hold among academics and liberal journalists: call it the new science of conservative phrenology.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a man whose political success is largely attributable to the aura of befuddled incompetence he uses to disarm his adversaries, was a failed Watergate baby. In 1974, a slew of often sanctimonious and very liberal Democratic politicians rode the tide of understandable national disgust with Richard Nixon to Congress. Then the lieutenant governor of Nevada, Mr. Reid ran for the U.S. Senate, hoping to tie his opponent to the "imperial presidency" that had allegedly sprung up ex nihilo under Nixon.

So now it's Ron Paul's turn. The diminutive Texas libertarian is poised in the latest polls to win the Iowa caucuses. Obviously, this would be rough news for Newt Gingrich - who's in third place and falling - and very good news for Mitt Romney, who has used Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain and now Mr. Paul as blockers to fend off challenges from the various "not-Mitt" candidates of the moment. (Mr. Perry must feel particularly disoriented because he's been both blocker and blockee.)

5.1, 9.3, 8.1, 8.5, 8, 7.1 and 3.9. While that might sound like a controversial series of Olympic curling scores, these numbers in fact add up to a grave problem for PresidentBarack Obama. They are the quarterly percentage gains in gross domestic product starting in 1983 through to Election Day 1984. And they aren't the only significant numbers. In 1984, real income for individuals grew by more than 6 percent and inflation plummeted. The unemployment rate in November 1984 was still 7.2 percent - relatively high - but it had dropped from 10.8 percent in December 1982, and it was clear the momentum was for even lower unemployment.

Alea iacta est . That's what Julius Caesar proclaimed as he crossed the Rubicon river in 49 B.C. It means "the die is cast. " By crossing the Rubicon with his army, against Roman law, Caesar guaranteed a head-on conflict with the overconfident Roman ruler Pompey. Outnumbered, Caesar was presented with the choice: win or die. The recent special election in the 26th Congressional District of New York was a political Rubicon. The Democrat, Kathy Hochul, ran against the Republican budget, specifically Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to save Medicare by turning it into a voucher program starting 10 years from now (excluding all current beneficiaries)

Kelly and Sean Simone , of Columbia, announce the birth of their son, Elliot Joseph Simone , on April 28, 2011, at 9:19 a.m. He weighed 8 pounds, 12 ounces. His sister is Sabrina, and his brother is Jonah. His grandparents are Karen and Gene Shipp, of Columbia; and Patricia and Anthony Simone, of Port Tobacco.

On April 13, 2008, MASTER JONAH ALEXANDER RESPASS; beloved son of Harry and Krista Respass. On Thursday, friends may call at VAUGHN C. GREENE FUNERAL SERVICES (RANDALLSTOWN), 8728 Liberty Road, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. On Friday, Master Jonah Respass will lie in-state at Colonial Baptist Church, 9411 Liberty Rd., where the family will receive friends from 10:00 to 10:30 A.M. with services to follow. Inquiries to (410) 655-0015.

On March 4, 2008, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN LINDSAY, devoted father of Sherise L. Lindsay. Also survived by brothers, Waddell and Jonah Lindsay Jr., sister, Bernette S. Davis and a host of other family and friends. Arrangements were handled by WYLIE FUNERAL HOME P.A. Of BALTIMORE COUNTY, 9200 Liberty Road. Services were held Saturday, March 8th at Jones Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2100 W. Baltimore Street. Interment took place at King Memorial Park. Inquiries www.wyliefuneralhome.com