Top 5 Reasons That All This Snow is Good!

5.  The squirrels can't get to the bird feeder.  Of course, I can't find the bird feeder, but that's beside the point.

4.  The hot chocolate is hotter and chocolateyer.  (Yes, it's a word.  Don't waste your time looking it up; just take my word for it.)

3.  Watching re-runs of Wife Swap while eating lunch in the living room with Sarah.

2.  That warm feeling one gets knowing that everyone is in and safe.

1.  The federal government has been closed for an entire week.  Five whole days without them sticking their noses in our business and their hands in our pockets.  Now, Martha tells me that she has heard on the national news that it costs taxpayers $100 million per day to NOT open the government.  Huh?  Are our leaders trying to tell us that it costs us more if they do nothing than if they do something?

It is now clear:  Congress takes its cue from the Marx Brothers.  Check out the following dialogue from Animal Crackers between Groucho, as Captain Spaulding and Chico as Ravelli, a musician, and see if it reminds you of Congressional logic:

S:  What do you fellas get an hour?

R:  For playing we get-a ten dollars an hour.

S:  I see.  What do you get for not playing?

R:  Twelve dollars an hour.

S:  Well, clip me off a piece of that.

R:  Now for rehearsing, we make special rate.  That's a-fifteen dollars an hour. . . . That's-a for rehearsing.

S:  And what do you get for not rehearsing?

R:  You couldn't afford it.  You see, if we don't rehearse, we a-don't play.  And if we don't play, that runs into money.

If you don't believe me, check out the following C-Span footage of this Joint Congressional Committee hearing on the Conduct of the War on Terrorism: