My column for the Arkansas News Bureau this week is about Rep. David Sanders’ bill that would change Arkansas’ nickname from “The Natural State” back to “Land of Opportunity.”

My take is that they both are too vague. A nickname should point to something specific and unique about your state.

Here is the link.

My Arkansas News Bureau column this week discusses some very good news: adoptions of foster kids are on the rise. You can read the column here.

Part of the reason they are up is because more couples in which both parents are white are adopting African-American children. Some friends of ours who did this in 2007 are featured in the column.

My column for the Arkansas News Bureau this week is yet another of my rants about the country’s fiscal irresponsibility. This week, it’s about the tax cuts enacted in Washington. Once again, Congress and the White House have managed to give Americans a huge gift without asking for anything in return. They even cut Social Security taxes at a time when everyone knows Social Security is on a path to insolvency.

But the bill will come due, and our kids will pay it. Couldn’t they have at least tried to enact some spending cuts along with the tax cuts?

Anyway, here is the column.

I have made the following statement in the past about having children: “It’s worth it, but it’s barely worth it.”

That was in reference to the financial strain, the limits it places on you professionally, the friendships it turns into acquaintanceships, the reduced sleep, etc., and did I mention the financial strain?

Last night, my wife called as I was driving home and said my girls, 9 and 6, were peering out the window looking for me. Whenever lights appeared in the cul-de-sac, they were running to the door. Both ran outside and greeted me when I arrived.

It’s worth it.

Interesting, though long, read here. Zuckerberg comes off as a somewhat nerdy but earnest and even caring person – who has changed the world.

I’m on Facebook but rarely use it. It’s a good thing and I’m glad it exists, but I find it too shallow and intrusive and don’t really care that my fifth-grade classmate doesn’t like President Obama.

While I was reading the article, I had a “friend” request from somebody named Kevin Wood. I don’t know how Kevin Wood is. I’ll probably confirm just to be nice.