Today is February 17th. On this date in 1972, President Richard Nixon departed for his famous trip to China, as only he could. That historic visit resulted, of course, in the Shanghai Communiqué, a punk fusion band based out of San Francisco. Also, on this date in 1766, Thomas Malthus was born, and remained none too happy about that for some time. Also born on this date: Montgomery Ward (1843), Lou Diamond Phillips (1962), Larry The Cable Guy (1963) and Paris Hilton (1981). Clearly, February 17th has some explaining to do. Lastly, today is Random Acts of Kindness Day, in honor of which I’ll stop rambling on. You’re welcome. As always, consider this an Open Thread.

Greek Tragedies | Victor Davis Hanson
“What is strange to watch is the nature of the Greek furor: that the Germans are probably eventually willing to forgive hundreds of billions almost seems to enrage Greeks all the more — for their debtors’ unwillingness to go all the way by forgiving the entire huge sum.”

Who Killed The Jobs? | Powerline (h/t Kyle-MI)
“This chart tells you just about everything you need to know as you prepare to vote in 2012. Prepared by the Republican Study Committee, it depicts the percentage of Americans in the labor force from January 2005 (commonly known as the ‘good old days’ through January 2012.”

D.C. ‘Dirty Dozen’ Member Connie Mack- “It’s Check Mate with Hugo Chavez” | The Shark Tank
“Mack sides with Congressman Allen West in his assessment that Venezuela is becoming a nuclear threat due to its closer collaboration with Iran that strongly suggests the two countries are working on a secret missile installation that could launch missiles that could reach the United States.”

“Lifestyle Politics” | Wizbang
“You owe it to yourself to read ‘The Politics of the Accomodation,’ a lament by devout liberal Catholic Michael Sean Winters who has suddenly found his eyes opened to the truth about the Obama Administration and, in general, the social politics of the political Left.”

Today’s Word of the Day comes from Wordsmith.org.
Apollonian (ap-uh-LOH-nee-uhn): adjective Serene; harmonious; disciplined; well-balanced.