Fr. Robert Sirico of the Acton Institute echoes what my father always taught me in his recent essay "Economic prosperity and morality go hand in hand." There's something so satisfying about common sense.

Surely, in this case, the economic and cultural concerns intersect. In daily life, the separation between economy and morality is all but impossible to maintain. Paying your bills is good personal finance and good business. But it is also reflects the moral obligation to keep one's promises.

To treat one's employees fairly or to put in a good day's work show prudent economic management and are the right way to treat others. In a market economy, there are rewards for those who keep promises and work honestly and diligently. Investors who consider the broad picture and think long term do better than those who do not.

Sports Illustrated columnist Tim Layden is spot on with his pick of Pat Tillman for Sportsman of the Year.

It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you live your life.

In another news flash, we find that Mom's home cooking can be hazardous to your health. I used to feel guilty for depending on Domino's Pizza or Chinese carry-out on those nights (most of them, these days) when I don't feel like cooking. It seems that I've been doing myself and my loved ones a favor unawares. (Save the thanks for later, Kemosabe.) My house has been safer than most, apparently, from overloads of nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde and any number of other bad actors through my reluctance to fire up the oven unless unusually incentivized.

Who knew?

Do you suppose there are as-yet-unknown health benefits from having allowed the weeds unfettered access to my garden?

The latest Band-Aid charity project is a recording called "Do They Know It's Christmas?", referring to the deprived population of Africa who have neither snow nor Santa to help them duplicate the West's advanced appreciation of the holiday. Reuters gets it right, noting that African Christianity and therefore the celebration of true Christmas is light years ahead of much of the Western world, notably Europe.

"Africa has some of the world's fastest growing parishes -- partly because the spiritual world offers some hope to the millions of Africans whose plight moves donors in the West. Countless churches have sprung up across the continent and Africans are even exporting missionaries to the West who might ask if Europeans 'know it's Christmas?'"

Mind you, the group, which includes such pop notables as Paul McCartney and other people who I concede are famous but of whom I have never heard, has a worthy goal in mind.

"Much of the money raised by the new single will go to Sudan's volatile Darfur region, where tens of thousands have died since March alone from disease and malnutrition -- and where most of the victims and needy are Muslim who would not be celebrating Christmas in any case. "

I don't plan to buy the recording - pop Christmas songs never make it into my holiday music rotation - but I will be happy to pray for the Africans of Sudan. Please join me.

Toronto Star columnist Thomas Walkom states that Pres. Bush is fair game for arrest and prosecution under Canada's War Crimes Act.

The Wall Street Journal suggests that Vice-President Cheney might want to have a regime-change strategy in place in case his boss needs a helping hand next time he's north of the border. I don't know. The Canadians I know are pretty sensible and tend to be prudent and generous. I'm confident that Mr. Walkom doesn't express the will of the majority of the Canadian people. But just in case, maybe we want to make clear the amount it would cost to reimburse their 50 percent share of what it costs the U.S. to defend North America's borders. All in all, mutual good will might be worth preserving.

Oh, that was rude. I take it back.

How about this. If you give back Pres. Bush, we'll send you Michael Moore. We'll even fund a big bash at the Toronto Film Festival. We'll throw in Barbra Streisand, too.