I have been on vacation during the past week, and would normally cut off my guest bloggers at the knees. But there are two reasons not to.

The first and most important is that they are doing a tremendous job. They are great writers and brilliant thinkers. They make my posts look like chopped liver. (Hey, wait a second! Maybe that’s a reason that I should cut them off. When you get used to steak, you hate going back to hamburger . . . Am I overdoing the meat analogies?)

Second, I have a promotional exam to study for. It will take place in less than two weeks, and intensive blogging is killing my study time. Something has to give, and, Gentle Readers, that is going to be you. A promotion means more money, which means a happier family. So, duty to family calls. But I want you to be entertained in the meantime, and these guys know how to do that.

So I am keeping the guest bloggers for the next couple of weeks. Try to keep your cheering to a dull roar.