Media General opened its window on Washington 30 years ago, three blocks from the White House. Last week, the recession closed it.

WASHINGTON As his presidency drew to a close, George W. Bush revealed that life in the White House hasn’t been bad, not bad at all. It was, in fact, “joyous” every day, he said, as inconceivable as that seems in an eight-year period that included 9/11, war on two fronts, Hurricane Katrina, an economy skidding into a ravine, and presidential disapproval ratings persistently in the dumps.

Karl Rove, trying to polish the tarnished image of his former boss, wrote last week in The Wall Street Journal, “In the 35 years I’ve known George W. Bush, he’s always had a book nearby.“

Hey, did you hear? Santa Claus is laying off Rudolph after the big night. Like other employers, Claus has to, ah, rein in costs. He can’t afford to keep and feed nine reindeer, even if they are tiny, for another whole year.