Originally published in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, February 23, 2004.

Well I actually did have bit more already written to supplement this week's comic, but I've decided to bag it for two reasons.

First, Jane and I spent nearly three hours this afternoon discussing disability and long-term assistance insurance with our agent, Denny. (We refer to him as "Denny the Shyster," although he's one of the most honest people we've ever met, but "Denny the Honest Insurance Agent" just isn't any fun. We were working with another guy years ago, and we called him "Dave the Hornswoggler." Mafia members have zingy nicknames, why can't insurance agents?) Anyway, after that meeting, nothing really seems very funny.

And second, I had written down some smarmy, irreverent, and irrelevant comments, which of course is pretty much standard fare. But given this week's topic (Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ"), after dumping out my thoughts, I reread them with a bit more care. Turns out that I really didn't have a problem with the smarmy and irreverent, but with the irrelevant. The comic is not at all local, fairy clear (I hope), and my commentary didn't add a darn thing.