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I just misread a headline in the New York Times as "Bipartisan Push to Improve Stimulus to Brain". It was the first headline I'd been excited about in weeks.

Turns out they were talking about reducing the size of the financial stimulus plan. Too bad, I was looking forward to the stimulus to my brain.

I just got back from Manila, Philippines, where everyplace and everyone was a stimulus to my American brain. Shacks out on stilts in Manila Bay have turned into a village of floating shanties - maybe it's like living in your car here, except over there you can't afford a car, either. I am looking forward to finishing my 2008 list (it's only February, after all,) but meanwhile, everyone should know that things are looking much the same overseas as here, except we have it better than everyone else.