Novelty is a neat thing. A first. Wonder turns into excitement, then anticipation. Once novelty wears off, though, it's gone forever. Remember the first. E-mail message. Now, checking the box is drudgery. Cell phone call.

Richard Mourdock shouldn't be an arbitrator, but he will probably be a U.S. senator from Indiana come November. Mourdock beat Sen. Richard Lugar in this week's Republican priimary.

Journalists and editors sometimes "bury the lede," meaning they put the most important information at the bottom of the story instead of at the top.

Not that anyone asked, but a frank commencement address: "Good afternoon graduates, faculty and staff, distinguished guests - no, not you politicians; sit down - I refer to the parents and grandparents who raised these young people.

A pleasing pattern. It was Toad Suck Daze last weekend, wasn't it? It did not rain, contrary to too many Daze of the past. Crowds were large, most folks were smiling, even if too many did eat too much, and vendors seemed pleased. Milestones.

Scott Roussel's departure from the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees signals one more step in a positive direction for the school. That sounded harsher than it was meant to be.

We love Toad Suck Daze. Big fans. Food's great. Entertainment is top-notch. The scholarships given away are a perfect use of funds generated by a festival.

Since the state's "scholarship" lottery first began, officials running the thing have found themselves on newspapers' front pages way too often - in other words, not in a good way. First, it was the exorbitant salaries the leaders were receiving.

Let's first answer a simple question: Are our annual federal deficit and national debt problems that we want to deal with sooner rather than later? If the answer is yes, keep reading.

Time moves on. You can go along with it or quickly find yourself left behind. Today marks an important day in the history and future of the Log Cabin Democrat. We have taken up residence in our new home, Suite 102 of Federal Plaza, 1111 Main St.