links for 2010-12-10

In the 27-year-history in which such things have been tracked, more people are paying cash for purchases than ever before. Which is to say that people are living within their means, something rarely done in modern American history. Although in the short term this is bad news for the economy, I have to believe that it's in our best societal interests.

The expression that the vice presidency is "not worth a bucket of warm piss" originated with FDR's first (of three) vice presidents, John Nance Garner. (It's often bowdlerized as "warm spit.") Garner left his position as House Speaker for VP, and wasn't happy about it. He quit when Roosevelt sought a third term, apparently unable to spend any more time as "Roosevelt's spare tire."

Half of the post-WWII presidents have been left-handed or ambidextrous. Ten percent of the general population is left-handed.