The DC trip to see the Trompe l'Oeil exhibit went exceedingly well. The 
recommended Dim Sum restaurant met all expectations, above average quality 
and cheap prices ($2-$3 per dish). If you like dim sum or want to try it out,
I can only recommend: 

<pre>
<b>Good Fortune</b>
2646 University Blvd W
Wheaton , MD 20902
Phone: (301) 929-8818 
</pre>

The Trompe l'Oeil exhibit was a bit crowded as there apparently was a PBS
special on it three weeks ago. The exhibit did go to great length to entertain,
as the exhibit had benches made that had open books of the exhibit built into
the wood bench (so you sit down and go "book?", and try to pick it up, but it's
completely not a book, and completely attached to the bench), they also had
very life-like mannequins set up to blend into the crowd. One of the great
pieces they had was <a
href="http://nmaa-ryder.si.edu/collections/renwick25/castle.html">Wendell
Castle's "Ghost Clock"</a>. All in all, it was good.<p>

Talking to people, if we try to do another one of these, we should plan out
a little more of the day, i.e. have the main attractions planned, and also
a bunch of little attractions that we can go to in the evening or after the 
main event. We shall try. ;) 
<p>
<hr align=center width=75%>
<p>

On BigChart.com, they have an odd naming scheme for indices like the
<a href="http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/quickchart/quickchart.asp?symb=97199001&sid=5435&o_symb=97199001&freq=2&time=20">Wilshire 5000</a>. Twenty years
of data should be good to test Buffett's hypothesis that the Wilshire
5000 is fairly valued at 80% of GDP. 
<p>
<table width=100%>
<tr><td>
<table border=1>
<tr><th>Year</th><th>Wilshire 5K</th><th>GDP</th><th>%</th></tr>
<tr><td>1983</td><td>1453  </td><td>3378.5  </td><td>43  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1984</td><td>1723  </td><td>3813.4  </td><td>45  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1985</td><td>1702  </td><td>4109.7  </td><td>41  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1986</td><td>2164  </td><td>4375.3  </td><td>49  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1987</td><td>2434  </td><td>4612.3  </td><td>52  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1988</td><td>2417  </td><td>4957.0  </td><td>48  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1989</td><td>2738  </td><td>5379.0  </td><td>47  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1990</td><td>3419  </td><td>5720.8  </td><td>59  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1991</td><td>3101  </td><td>5886.3  </td><td>52  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1992</td><td>4041  </td><td>6183.6  </td><td>65  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1993</td><td>4289  </td><td>6521.6  </td><td>65  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1994</td><td>4657  </td><td>6887.8  </td><td>67  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1995</td><td>4540  </td><td>7297.5  </td><td>62  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1996</td><td>6057  </td><td>7629.6  </td><td>79  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1997</td><td>7198  </td><td>8124.2  </td><td>88  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1998</td><td>9298  </td><td>8627.8  </td><td>107  </td></tr>
<tr><td>1999</td><td>11317  </td><td>9092.7  </td><td>124  </td></tr>
<tr><td>2000</td><td>13812  </td><td>9649.5  </td><td>143  </td></tr>
<tr><td>2001</td><td>12175  </td><td>10028.1  </td><td>121  </td></tr>
<tr><td>2002</td><td>10707  </td><td>10313.1  </td><td>103  </td></tr>
<tr><td>2003</td><td>8343  </td><td>10800(est.)</td><td>77  </td></tr>
</table>
</td><td>
<img src="../pics/buffett.jpg">
</td></tr>
</table>

<p>
Not good. More stats work indicated, possibly more data required. Also,
I need to understand why 80%, as this doesn't seem to indicate that. 

<p>
<hr align=center width=75%>
<p>
<i>"War is an extended form of aristocratic sport."</i> - Michael Dirda on Richard Cobden's anti-war sentiments.
<p>
Somethings just jump right out at you. Cobden's criticism shows the degree of
absolute power enjoyed by the Victorian ruling class in England. Happily, our
government must maintain the mandate of the people; and currently there is 
plenty of media talk covering the American erosion of support for Bush's War.
<p>
If Bush doesn't get to "roll" into Iraq this winter, and he loses the 
presidential election, what are the odds of US going to war in Iraq? 
<p>