NEW YOU CAN USE: How To Pick A Husband If You Want To Have Kids. “Most people just will not like these choices. Nothing here is good. It’s reality, and of course it’s not as good as fantasy. The only good, real thing is that you have choices, and you can figure out who you are and what you need and you can get what you need. The only thing worse than the choices I’ve just laid out is not making a choice.”

Plus, in the comments: “If you can live off of $45K then you can marry a breadwinner who earns $45K. The more money you need in order to feel like you have a breadwinner, the harder it is to find a breadwinner.”

FRACKING AND HIGHER EDUCATION:

North Dakota, unlike almost every other state, is poised to make an unprecedented spending increase in its higher education system. The state’s governor has proposed a 14 percent increase — about $90 million — in the 11-campus system’s operating budget for the next biennium, as well as an additional $177 million in one-time capital expenditures. Politicians and education leaders hope an infusion of cash will help transform the system – which has struggled with inconsistent direction and leadership – into one of the country’s best.

The proposal stands out in higher education because most states are still cutting budgets in the wake of the economic downturn, which led to a 25 percent decline in per-student funding between 2006-07 and 2011-12, according to the College Board. At the same time, Republican lawmakers in other states have begun to question the value of state investments in higher education, with some calling for even greater austerity.

The situation in North Dakota couldn’t look any different. The state’s economy did not take any meaningful hit during the economic downturn that began in 2008, so the increases would come on top of decent budget years to start with. Recent developments in natural gas and oil drilling have dramatically transformed the economy of the western portion of the state, generating multibillion-dollar budget surpluses for a state of about 700,000 people. And Republican lawmakers are eager and excited to invest in higher education.

Okay, we know about the oil. But what about the rest?

Higher education leaders and politicians say that while the economic picture is unique to the state, the system would not be seeing an increase in funding had it not been for a concerted effort on the part of the board and system administration to prove that such an investment would be a good move on the part of lawmakers.

And they say their experience holds lessons for public institutions facing lawmakers who are increasingly skeptical about higher education funding. In particular, they said their efforts to provide a detailed road map, meet initial goals, hear and respond to private-sector interests, demonstrate efficient operations, and establish personal relationships with lawmakers all helped build confidence in the system after a period of prolonged skepticism.

The big secret seems to be transparency and accountability. Go figure.

HOW’S THAT HOPEY-CHANGEY STUFF WORKIN’ OUT FOR YA? (CONT’D): Law Firm Partners Face Layoffs in 2013.

ED MORRISSEY: 5 Who Could Lead the Republican Party in 2013.

AT THE EPA, A CULTURE OF LAWLESSNESS.

Bill Quick comments: “Everywhere you look in America today, there are two sorts of law: First, the sort the Ruling Class reserves to itself, to enforce or ignore at its preference. Second, the vast, Leviathan law enforced in toto against all the rest of us, a monstrous edifice that makes us all criminals at the whim of the enforcers.”

It’s not actually enforced against the rest of us in toto, just those who are the focus of the enforcers’ whims.

Related: Bad news for America: “The stronger the rule of law, the stronger the economy.”

RASMUSSEN: “More Americans than ever (39%) now think that if people can’t find work for an extended period of time, the government should do nothing at all to help them.”

INTELLIGENCE: What Did Google Earth Spot in the Chinese Desert? Even an Ex-CIA Analyst Isn’t Sure.

It’s an Orion spacecraft project. Background here.

A READER EMAILS:

I was in Birmingham, AL this afternoon and went to two of the biggest gun stores around. Both were packed with shoppers but not with merchandise. At Hoover Tactical (a terrific shop and range – http://hoovertacticalfirearms.com) I picked up a lightly used Ruger “assault” rifle that had just come in on consignment earlier today; another shopper tried to buy it out from under me! They had one other similar weapon in the store (a no-name knock off), also used. Since there were no other AR type rifles to be had, hand guns were flying off the shelves. I bought two, several others sold to multiple people while I was waiting on my background check, and there were more people looking at remaining handgun stock.

The tired looking woman behind the counter (with a really nice looking pistol on her hip) said people had been 4 deep at the counter earlier this year. The folks said they call manufacturers daily and are lucky to get 1 or 2 “assault rifles” at random intervals and many “don’t even get behind the counter” before they are bought. Ammo for the rifles is impossible to find but the store had just gotten in a big shipment of .45 caliber – $99 for 250. It was flying out the door as well.

The other store put me on a 3 page list of people who wanted to know when more rifles would come in.

There’s no question that America is better armed than it was two months ago, all thanks to President Obama! Assuming the Republicans in the House don’t prove spineless (a major assumption), the net effect of the Obama gun control initiatives will be to a massive increase in guns owned by private citizens, record profits for gun stores and manufacturers, and a very alert citizenry. This second term may yet work out better than expected!

Naturally, please don’t use my name on this if you quote this……

Oft evil will shall evil mar.

UPDATE: Related thoughts from Kurt Schlichter:

GOP, remember Napoleon’s admonition to never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Let Obama try and force the red state Democrat senators to come out against guns. Let the Democrats tear themselves up while we watch and gobble popcorn.

Heck, we should egg them on – like by trying to force a Senate vote on, say, a provision which reaffirms the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms for the protection of their families and communities and directs that all federal law shall be interpreted toward preserving and protecting that right. Let’s see how all those Democrats paying lip service to the Second Amendment feel about voting on that.

And if some bill finally limps out of the Senate, hopefully without a single GOP vote, Speaker Boehner should mimic Harry Reid’s fiscal cliff antics and just let it die. No debate. No discussion. No vote. Obama’s dream of disarming his opponents, paid for with the careers of several sitting Democrat senators, will die in the hopper.

It will be a thing of beauty.

If played right.

BEN SMITH: Eric Holder Is Obama’s “Heat Shield.” Watch out for burnthroughs, dude.

AVOCADO: An App For Couples.

AT AMAZON, NEW YEAR’S MARKDOWNS on Men’s Athletic Clothing, and Women’s Athletic Clothing.

Also, deals on cellphones with plans, as well as cellphone accessories.

BACKFIRE: Obamacare Amendment Forbids Gun and Ammo Registration.

THE MASS SCHOOL SHOOTING THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN: “In Tennessee, nut job tries to get his mass shooting on only to be shot dead by an armed school resource officer. Oddly, this story isn’t getting much press.”

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Yay! Illinois swears in new state legislature, including 3 awaiting trial for felony bribery, fraud and gun crimes.

BLOWBACK: Fox’s ‘The Five’ Retaliates Against Gawker’s NYC Gun Owner List by Airing Founder’s Phone Number.

ALEKSANDR SOLZHENITSYN on subjects relevant to gun control. So why is Obama so eager to force a confrontation?

1800 LUMENS: Reader Michael McNeill recommends this, which he calls “a honking, wrath-of-God flashlight.” It’s 1800 lumens. He writes:

I particularly like the flashlight’s “Zoom” feature, which many of these flashes lack. It does take the special 18650 Li-Ion battery (x 2), which (together with their charger) can be pricy, while cheaper ones may not work as well in these flashes (they can overheat, etc.), according to some of the reviews (of other such; this flash has no reviews as yet).

I went with an expensive, quality battery brand, based on Panasonic cores, to wit:

Two 3400mAh PROTECTED 18650 Orbtronic (Panasonic NCR18650B cell inside) Li-ion Rechargeable Batteries, and Smart 3 speeds battery charger Kit (Latest Version), $69.99.

3400mAh 18650 PROTECTED Li-ion (Panasonic NCR18650B inside) Orbtronic Battery – Latest Model-Top Button, $15.99.

The flashlight’s cheaper on its own than the one I mentioned last night, but as a package it’s not.

YEAH, BUT THAT’S NOT AN EXCUSE FOR GIVING UP: Elections Have Consequences. Or for failing to note those consequences in a pointed fashion.