Cold Hamp Night

Things were hoppin' in downtown Hamp last night.

Wiggin's Tavern is all done up for the holidays.

They are famous for their old fashioned Indian Pudding at Christmas time.

Later we went to Sam's Pizza to listen to Joe Carvalho and the Watershops.

There was a gay rights protest in front of the courthouse in Springfield yesterday. Of course no demonstration has status unless Michaelann Bewsee is there, as captured by Joe Oliverio.

The Fraser Institute's annual Economic Freedom of the World Report is out and it has bad news for Americans:

The United States is number one in economic freedom, right?

Wrong. Very wrong. The United States continued a years-long slide, plunging to a shocking 18th, its lowest-ever ranking.

The U.S. fall has been sharp and sudden. From 1980 to 2000, the United States was generally rated the third freest economy in the world, ranking behind only Hong Kong and Singapore. In 2000, the U.S. was in second place behind Hong Kong.

What happened? According to the report, much of this decline is a result of high spending on the part of the U.S. government, as well as excessive regulation.

"The United States, like many nations, embraced heavy-handed regulation and extensive over-spending in response to the global recession and debt crises. Consequently, its level of economic freedom has dropped," said Fred McMahon, Fraser Institute vice-president of international policy research.

Meanwhile, Cave Bear Nick was checking out the new Amherst Survival Center Friday. He's currently involved with a record label you can check out here. 

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