Oregon's Republican Senator Gordon Smith made headlines late last year when he took a public stance against the war that he voted for.  He even called it potentially criminal!  Well, he's now recanted that position.

How spineless of him to oppose the war when it appeared the ISG report might lead to a troop withdrawal, then support the war again when it became clear that Bush isn't going to listen to reality.

Please, somebody rid us of this fool.  He's up for re-election in 2008.

Someone disappeared today.

I don't know who.  I don't know from where.  And you and I will likely never know why.

Do you understand?

A couple of months ago, I lined up a housesitter for the summer.  I interviewed a few college students, offering free summer rent in exchange for watching my house and pets while I'm away.  An offer was extended and accepted.

Last night, my housesitter announced that she couldn't handle the isolation of being alone in an unfamiliar house in a city without friends and family.  She's already moved out.

I was planning to be on a plane in three days.

They came for the tenth amendment in the name of expansive federal powers.  I didn't speak up because I am not a terrorist.  Also, I don't grow wheat.  Or weed.

They came for the ninth amendment in the name of expansive federal and state powers of law enforcement.  I didn't speak up because I am not a criminal.

With apologies to the Eurythmics.

Well he's a born investigational digger
He's a born investigational kid
And if he had a dollar bill
For every crime he's solved
There'd be a mountain of money
Piled up to his head

This morning, for the first time in weeks, I mailed a letter that didn't have an IMPEACH sticker on the outside.  For this letter, the IMPEACH message was on the inside.

On the flip, the letter I sent to the mayor of my city.

Much of the press given to the bankruptcy bill currently in the Senate has been concerning the claim that bankruptcy is being used as a dodge, that dishonest people are using bankruptcy to duck their personal responsibility in paying off their debts.

The use of "personal responsibility" as a bankruptcy touchphrase is disingenuous.  In this modern era, in which corporations make obscene amounts of revolving debt available to individuals, it is worth remembering that corporations came into being as a means of divorcing business owners from bearing personal responsibility for their actions taken in the course of business.

In a society based on personal responsibility, there are no corporations.  There are only individuals who bear full responsibility for their actions, whether in business or otherwise.