…for allowing me to rejoin this stable of thoroughbreds. My mother told me once, in a fit of exasperation, that she could leave me in a strange country and in two hours I’d know every loose screw and odd-ball within 200 miles. And that’s before she evey met any of ya’ll! I have spent my time away in productive pursuit of knowledge and understanding. I know my role here is to catch the spears you throw, and I am game for that. And while you’re limbering up, I’ll go over a couple of things I’ve reaffirmed as truisms: you can’t borrow yourself out of debt, you can’t pave your way out of congestion. I’m still having a little trouble with ‘human settlement patterns,’ but I have figured out why good Baptists don’t engage in intercourse standing up. They don’t want folks to think they’re dancing!