A few conversation starters

Just put a few interesting columns online that we won't have room for in the print edition. So nice to have that unlimited Internet space.

First, from Llewellyn King, "How to hate government while profiting from it"

What should we call people who yearn for the government to be shrunk, while they themselves know no paymaster but the federal treasury? Self-loathing capitalists?

Many of Washington's Beltway bandits are firmly in this camp. They talk down every federal department or agency — except the one that sustains them.

Second, an interesting question: "Are appointed judges better than elected ones?"

A Koch Brothers-backed campaign is seeking to vote out three Florida Supreme Court justices. Some states elect judges, some appoint them and others, like Florida, have hybrid systems. Are appointed or elected judges better?

Elected judges work harder, but appointed judges work smarter.

Finally, a market researcher weighs in on the pending publishing industry merger with "Will Penguin-Random raise the price of my book?"

I have a new book out, and it's been for sale at various prices. Try $9.99, $13.75, $16.17, $18.25, $21.66 and, with tax, $27.18.

Welcome to the tumultuous world of book selling and book pricing, particularly online, where “bots” scurry around virtual bookshelves, checking competitors' prices. Lawsuits, buyouts and mergers also flourish as publishers and online retailers vie for control. 

Enjoy!