A recent survey by the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, run by the U.S. Department of Education, found that about five percent of adults in the United States are not literate in English. These 11 million people cannot read a newspaper or comprehend documents such as bus schedules or prescription labels.

The illiteracy rate was about the same or had increased slightly compared to previous surveys.

One wonders how much progress we have made in the past 150 years. According to the 1850 census, 89 percent of the free adults in Iredell County were able to read and write. They grew up before the first public schools were established in North Carolina, and thus were educated either in private schools or at home.

Spending for government buildings doesn’t stop with the cost of construction. When bureaucrats move into a new building, they expect new furniture.

The new county Social Services building on Eastside Drive in Statesville cost about $6 million to build. The county commissioners recently approved a budget amendment appropriating $464,230 for furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Architectural fees for the project totaled $345,000.

Almost every household in the United States has at least one TV. Recent data from the Census Bureau reveals that about 25 percent of the households classified as “poor” own an expensive, big-screen TV, compared to about 40 percent of high-income households. About 65 percent of the poor households have cable or satellite hookup, and 74 percent have a VCR or DVD player.

Lower income people are less likely to spend money on computers, although they cost less than big-screen TVs. The survey showed that fewer than 20 percent of low income households have a computer, and only 15 percent have internet hookup. By contrast, 83 percent of upper-income households own a computer, and 74 percent are online.

New Hampshire is now taxing the view. Technically, there is not a “view tax”, but tax assessors take the view of neighboring property into account in computing the tax value of real estate.

In some cases, the “view tax” can be extremely costly. David Bischoff built a one-room, mountaintop cabin for $9,000. The dwelling has no electricity, no running water, and no phone service. But due to the spectacular view, the tax office assessed the cabin at over $200,000. Bischoff will owe about $4,000 in property tax.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco was harshly critical of Washington’s response to Hurricane Katrina. She says her state is facing a $1 billion dollar shortfall due to hurricane damages, and 18,000 state employees may be laid off. She has asked for billions more in federal aid.

But only a few weeks after the hurricane, Blanco approved a $564,000 renovation of the governor’s quarters. The remodeled offices feature Swedish granite countertops, walnut paneling, and hookups and mounts for two flat screen TVs.

A spokesman for Blanco said the job was bid six days before Katrina hit, and there was a concern the state could be sued if the project was canceled.

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was named “Person of the Year 2005” in an online poll conducted by the Black Entertainment Television network. He beat out Oprah Winfrey and other more mainstream contenders.

Farrakhan is known for his off-the-wall, racist comments. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he charged that President Bush had ordered the levees in New Orleans blown up in order to flood black neighborhoods.