OK, SO WHAT'S REALLY UNDER THERE??!!

Minnesota -- currently wrangling bitterly over budgets -- is also waxing eloquently over bras. Along with panties, corsets, boxers and briefs. Yes, it's the new HISTORY OF UNDERWEAR in the St Paul History Center.

Serious students of social history are making serious mention of America's unmentionables. As they say: "We've got you covered whether you're interested in the metamorphosis from corsets to bras, or simply what was really under-there decades ago." Among the highlights are Munsingerwear's "wildly patterned bra & panty sets from the 60s" back to the "wonder bras from the 30's sporting cups dense enough to stop a bullet."

As you muse over the exhibit literature, it's hard not to wonder about what other unmentionables are out there.

One that rushes to mind during their days of bank failures is how so many bank CEOs keep failing upward. Colin Barr of Fortune Magazine writes: "You've got to hand it our inept but too-big-to-fail bank execs who raked in $1.15 billion in cash and stock this year -- an average annual paycheck of $19 million -- in a decade when the biggest banks ripped off everyone in sight. Including their own stockholders."

Another unmentionable is the 90,000 checks in government subsidies that went out last year to farm landowners who live in cities but own farms raising corn. The New York Time reports: "Nationwide, 10% of the subsidized farms get 76% of all the handouts or $447,873 per recipient over the last 16 years."

It would be far too easy -- and disingenuous -- to scorch these particular incomes. However, it may be far too easy to guess why today's media spotlight has suddenly picked up three of the bit players on the stage of American life: cops, firelighters and teachers. This glaring, blaring light certainly helps keep the public's attention off other and pricier unmentionables. And while municipal pension plans do reveal some shockingly inappropriate money-grabs, the current headline exposes are dealing with only 3% of these pensioners.

I know. Because I'm one of the unmentionable 97%...