This morning’s NY Times struggles with a seeming paradox.  The nation is in a recession and the national crime rate is down.

How is this possible?  Turns out no one can really explain it.  Lord knows there are a lot of proposed causes for upticks or decreases in crime rates.  Prison rates, active policing, low-profile immigrants,  improved public housing policy, better medicine, expanded gun ownership,  abortion, poverty levels, illegal drugs.

Sure everyone has their hunches.  Problem is, according to the article, no one has ever really effectively argued any of these supposed correlations into the realm of causation.

Back during our discussion of what makes the Decatur Book Festival “independent”, DBF founder Daren Wang explained the importance of the “sponsor” as the festival’s major source of funding.

As an example of his willingness to sell naming-rights, Daren mentioned the DBF had even discussed selling sponsorship of the festival’s port-o-lets.

Well, if you thought he was joking, you be wrong.  This morning, Daren writes in to announce that Decatur’s Renewal Design-Build will sponsor the festival’s port-o-lets.

Sounds like a win-win to me.  DBF picks up another sponsor and Renewal differentiates itself from the other sponsors.  Just think of all the free publicity.  Look, it’s already happening!

Up next?

Next, I’m going to find someone to sponsor the extension cords we use to power the booths.