Bird’s-Eye: We start with a column that passes belief, without even slowing down. A conservative inveighs at little kids giving away free lemonade, because they’re giving away their parents’ things and they should be selling them. As a comment nails it, “Only a conservative could convince themselves that selling something that isn’t yours is somehow more moral than giving it away.” Then we’re into a list of 100 things you can do in a money free weekend, and if you can’t go completely money free (or find little girls giving away free lemonade), the Kinks do a great live version (punky and camp at the same time… only Ray Davies!) of their song Low Budget, chock full of fine suggestions on how to economize.

* There Is No ‘Free’ Lemonade Terry Savage Chicago Sun-Times

Three young girls — under the watchful eye of a nanny, sitting on the grass with them — explained that they had regular lemonade, raspberry lemonade, and small chocolate candy bars.

Then my brother asked how much each item cost.

“Oh, no,” they replied in unison, “they’re all free!”

I sat in the back seat in shock. Free? My brother questioned them again: “But you have to charge something? What should I pay for a lemonade? I’m really thirsty!”

His fiancee smiled and commented, “Isn’t that cute. They have the spirit of giving.”

That really set me off, as my regular readers can imagine.

“No!” I exclaimed from the back seat. “That’s not the spirit of giving. You can only really give when you give something you own. They’re giving away their parents’ things — the lemonade, cups, candy. It’s not theirs to give.”

* 100 Things to Do During a Money Free Weekend The Simple Dollar

* The Kinks – Low Budget youtube (Thanks, Dave!)

(full lyrics here)