The Dow tops 12,000! Corporations announce record profits! Unemployment is low! Economic growth is steady!

Before cheering that good news, here’s some other numbers to consider, based on a recent article by Kevin. G. Hall of McClatchy:

“Consumer prices have risen as high as or higher than wages for 27 of the previous 29 months, according to a U.S. Labor Department measurement taken in September.

“For the median-income four-person household, it cost an average of $865 to heat a home with oil and $586 with natural gas between 1999 and 2004. Last winter, it cost $1,496 with oil and $946 with gas.

“For the typical family, gasoline costs have gone up 57 percent from the average price per gallon between 2000 and 2003.

“Health insurance premiums for workers have gone up 84 percent since 2000. Most employers have raised co-pays and deductibles, too.

OK, back to those cheers. Um … yay?

Time to guard the strawberries. Am I the only who pictured Capt. Queeg from “The Caine Mutiny” when Spokane County Assessor Ralph Baker accused his workers of trying to torpedo his candidacy by sabotaging the Web site?

“This is the captain speaking. Some misguided sailors on this ship still think they can pull a fast one on me. Well, they’re very much mistaken. Since you’ve taken this course, the innocent will be punished with the guilty. There will be no liberty for any member of this crew for three months. I will not be made a fool of! Do you hear me?”

Revelations. Confession is good for the soul, but working for the White House is not.

David Kuo, formerly the deputy director of the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, wrote a book about his experience called “Tempting Faith.” Why did he do it?

“I feel a pressing spiritual need to say what I think is important. And I really think that what is important is to be able to warn Christians about politics, that they should not throw so much at politics, because they’re being used, and it will not answer the problems, and it corrupts the name of the God we’re trying to serve.”

That’s why they have an expiration date. The Congressional Research Service analyzed the amount of government revenue expected from economic growth spurred by the tax cuts enacted since 2001. It found that they are likely to generate 7 percent of the total cost of the $1.1 trillion in tax reductions.

Just something to keep in mind when you hear politicians claim that the tax cuts have narrowed the deficit or that they need to be made permanent.

News you can use. Halloween costume tip for Republicans: Cut out campaign-related headlines from newspapers and tape them to a sweat shirt. When asked who you are, reply, “Bad News.”