The $28 billion budget was approved by committees in both houses Wednesday. Since one calendar day must elapse before a floor vote, the votes will take place after midnight Thursday unless Republicans agree to suspend the rule.

If my expiration date is set, then it doesn't matter if I smoke or eat a gallon of ice cream a day; however, the quality of my life between now and that point will be improved considerably by eating well and taking good care of myself.

Freedom from all defects and imperfections, diseases, and distempers, infirmities and deformities, maimedness and monstrous shapes.

I can just imagine a medical examiner standing beside my corpse, pulling the sheet back so as to expose my head and torso, and explaining to a detective, “This poor man Hail Maryed himself to death!”