BOSTON, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- A dog eating a watermelon helped cause a Boston man to repeatedly stab himself to prove to his brother he wasn't afraid of pain, police say.

A police report said the two unidentified brothers got into an argument this week after a dog belonging to one of the men consumed a watermelon owned by his brother, the Boston Herald said Thursday.

Tuesday's argument over the missing watermelon escalated into a shouting match between the siblings that allegedly caused one brother to repeatedly stab himself in order to show he didn't care if he got hurt, police say.

A burglar who broke into a home just east of Fresno rubbed spices over the body of one of two men as they slept in their rooms and then used an 8-inch sausage to whack the other man on the face and head before running out of the house, Fresno County sheriff's deputies said Saturday.

Lt. Ian Burrimond, describing the crime as one of the strangest he's ever heard of, said a suspect was found hiding in a nearby field a few minutes later and taken into custody on suspicion of residential robbery.

''We will see the day when the death rate from our food system will make the bubonic plague look like a head cold,'' Gregory warned. ``Don't eat fast food, don't buy at the supermarket. Go to your own backyard, or to an organic farm.''

The EPA recently completed a report concluding that greenhouse gases are pollutants that must be controlled. Rather than being forced to respond to the findings with new regulation, The White House ducked any obligation with an ingenious tactic. They refused to open the email that contained the report. The email remains unopened.

In awesome irony news today, newly uncovered documents show the commercial pitchman who's made a name for himself by daring crooks to steal his identity has had his identity stolen.

Actor and comic Tommy Chong says he is linked to FBI raids Wednesday in Newport and Clermont County's Union Township.

Chong tells Local 12 federal agents were after thousands of DVD copies of a documentary he recently made.

Tommy Chong, 30 years ago, appeared in the movie that made him famous, "Up In Smoke."

But today, Tommy Chong is 69-years-old and selling a different movie, called "The United States of America Vs. Tommy Chong."

The documentary details Chong's 2003 federal prosecution and guilty plea for distributing drug paraphernalia. He was selling pot pipes online. Chong served nine months in prison.
Wednesday night, Chong told Local 12 he's the focus of an FBI raid of two, local offices.

I think I wet my pants. Classic.

The Newsvine Team is honored to recognize the contributions from Walt D., by awarding Sir Walt the Random Act of Vineness. Not only has Walt D. been one of the most colorful and openly honest Newsviners, he has also dedicated himself personally to many causes deserving of our highest form of recognition.

* Vinemeet West - Walt D. took it upon himself to create one of the best gatherings of Newsviners yet. He invited members of this community to the small mountain town of Fawnskin, on the beautiful Lake Big Bear in California. Walt spent countless hours in preparation for that fantastic weekend, and everyone had a splendid stay as a result. Many Newsviners from around the world vicariously enjoyed Vinemeet West along with those in attendance, all as a result of Walt's generosity and initiative. Even though there were only a dozen or so Viners who could make it, we feel that this Community has grown a little tighter as a result of the candid reports from the attendees. Those reports added personalities to the names and avatars that we were already so familiar with. For this, we thank Sir Walt.

* Somewhat related to Vinemeets, Walt has also begun a tradition that has become synonymous with the creativity and fun that is Newsvine, by founding The Holy Order of the Rubber Chicken. Though not a very serious pursuit, the chickens he brought into this community continue to be a source of entertainment and have connected Newsviners from the far reaches of the Globe. What started as a small joke has taken us from California to New York, Turkey , Afghanistan, Kansas City, Ohio, Chicago, (....?), then back to California and eventually to Seattle, where the chickens currently await their next adventure.

* Lastly, and most recently, Walt D. contributed what is most assuredly the most firsthand account of a forest fire - alarmingly near to the location of Vinemeet West and occurring just a week after - dubbed "Butler 2", this fire quickly became the largest forest fire in the United States. Against all urging by the Newsvine Community and Staff, Walt ignored mandatory evacuation orders and stayed at home to document what nearly was the destruction of his small, historic town of Fawnskin. Many hearts reached out to Walt and his wife, as they stood their ground in the face of lethal conditions caused by fire. Walt steadfastly gave frequent updates on the progress of containment and posted photos and firsthand accounts of his experiences. Citizen reporting is at the heart of Newsvine, and though the Newsvine Team vehemently disapproved of his decision to stay, we honor his commitment of chronicling the natural disaster from within its reaches.

A great many nominations came in for Walt's RAV, and we are tremendously happy that he is alive and well to receive Newsvine's highest distinction. Congratulations, Walt.

This will either be a very short slice of mountain life or an epic tale of evacuation, resettling and rebuilding. Having been through the latter, I hope it's the former.

Fawnskin, CA 3:13 PM
A 5-acre wildfire is burning approximately 3 miles outside of town. Fire crews are on the scene and both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are dropping water and fire retardants. No evacuation orders have been given.

3:30PM

Fire has spread to 200 acres. Extremely high winds make containment impossible. Fire appears to be spreading to the north. If winds shift east, we will evacuate.

4:05 PM

Spoke with firefighters purchasing supplies in town: "We'll be OK if the winds shift west. We need them to go west.." "Some of those canyons up there are tricky, man."

Will we be OK?

(long pause) "I don't know."

5:21 PM

No real change. The winds are steady northeast. Due to the fire's proximity to the lake, helicopters can make many runs in a short period of time, dropping water on the fire. The sun will be down soon, the temperature will drop and the fire will lay down. Tomorrow's another day.

For Calvin:

The bureaucratic automatons at the USFS will give nothing but generic information and will verify nothing. My conversation:

"The fire was rumored to be caused by a controlled burn. Is this true?"

"The cause of the fire is still under investigation, sir."

"But did the USFS have a controlled burn today?"

"I cannot verify that, sir."

"You don't know what YOU did?"

"Sir, I cannot confirm or.."

"Can I speak with someone else?"

"Call back later "*click*

I have more resources but it will take a little while..

LAST NIGHT:

Walked down to the local bar and basked in the camaraderie that's shared among people who know their town may be destroyed soon. We laughed and joked and danced...

...walking out every few minutes to gaze at the glowing red sky.

8:27 AM

The fire is at 2,000 acres. A northerly wind is blowing the fire into Holcomb Valley. If this continues, it may miss us. If the wind shifts to the east, we're toast.

10:13 AM

As of 8:45am Saturday John Miller of the US Forest Service tells KBHR that the fire grown to 4,000 acres and is now the number one wildland fire priority in the nation.

This is bad.

11:14 AM

Received evacuation order. Not sure if I'm going to leave...

12:27 PM

I'm going to stay as long as I can. This is my home. I can't express to you people how sublime this is....planes and helicopters flying into a thousand foot plume like hornets into a barbecue. Helicopters flying over the house screaming my life is in danger. Screw 'em. Whose isn't?

2:32 PM

The fire is now just north of us. Holcomb Valley, the site of the old gold rush town appears to be going up. All that history....

4:25 PM

I am directly under the flightpath of the helicopters now. It sounds like a bad Oliver Stone Vietnam movie. The sheriffs are roaming the streets looking for looters. If I leave my property I will be scooped up. Funny, I don't remember moving to Baghdad.

6:35 PM

Ran the gauntlet of looter-stalkers to go to Fawnskin Market (still open to accommodate the firefighters). A local girl had decked herself in full groupie regalia (skintight black ensemble with all the appropriate naughty bits peeking out) and was holding court with a group of six firemen. Though she was laughing hysterically, I can't imagine they had anything that funny to say. The sun is going down, the temp will drop soon. Hopefully, the fire will lay down.

7:55 PM

The flames are now visible from the house. Beautiful, actually!

10:09 PM

Now that the temperature has dropped....the lazy undulations of the flames...

It's like a vicious feral beast slumbering. I can't, for the life of me, take a picture that does it justice. I wish you all were here to see this. Magnificent.

10:50 PM

The fire breathes... it actually breathes! It inhales air and smoke and exhales flame. I am so glad I stayed. I am so glad I got to see this.

11:50 PM

Every time I satisfy myself that it's safe to retire, the fire belches a gigantic orange ball of fury into the sky. Fatigue is getting the better of me, though. As far as I can tell, the fire is moving north and west. Good news for Fawnskin. Very, very bad news for Running Springs and Green Valley. My thoughts will be with them as I fall to sleep. This will be my last post tonight.

Sunday 7:50 AM

No change that I can see. Firefighters have a base camp at the marina below my house. If I see them flee, I will too. Promise.

8:43 AM

From KBHR:

The Butler 2 Fire has now consumed 15437 acres and is 12% contained. Firefighters worked the fire all night keeping it away from structures in Fawnskin. The mandatory evacuation remains in effect for the communities of Fawnskin and Green Valley Lake. Winds continue to hamper the fight along with low humidity but fortunately temperatures will continue to drop for the next few days.

11:10 AM

White smoke! We have white smoke, everybody! It's looking much better.

2:35 PM

Damnit. The wind is blowing east, as I had feared. The fire has jumped the hill and is just outside of town. Maybe a mile away. Very bad turn of events.

3:22 PM

The fire is clearly visible from my house...less than a mile, I think. There is a C130 and two smaller fixed-wings dumping retardant, as well as three or four helicopters.. The fire department may pull out soon, according to a Sheriff I just spoke with.. This sucks.

5:00 PM

From KBHR:

Currently the winds have picked up and shifted slightly, causing two fire crew divisions working near Fawnskin to pull back to safety zones. It is not believed that the fire has moved any closer to Fawnskin, but it still remains dangerously close at one half mile from town

I'm staying, folks. The C130, airplanes and various helicopters are queued up dumping water and retardant. They are really hammering that bastard. There has been no visible spread in the last hour or so. The smoke looks awful but so far is not so bad as to make breathing difficult. 12% containment so far.

6:06 PM

For the third time today, the sheriffs have come and tried to drag me out. It's getting humorous now (they are amused too). Once the air support stops at sunset, we are on our own. This promises to be an entertaining night! According to my law-enforcement pals, the fire is now moving down the hill into town.

7:19PM

It's bad now. The fire is moving down the hill into town. My wife is screaming at me that we should leave. Screw it. I will see this through. I will document this. The wife can go and and I've told her to. The rest of the journalistic sissies have all left.

I'm staying.

Until the end.

10:06 PM

If last night was spectacular and sublime, tonight is quiet and eerie and ominous. The temperature has dropped to the point where the fire has laid down and is barely visible. A black delta of smoke is now directly above us. I will set an alarm and sleep in 2 hour shifts.

11:20 PM

We are blanketed in smoke now. My clothes reek and my lungs hurt. I can't tell what's going on because visibility is so bad. I can still see the firefighter basecamp. They're staying, so I am too.

MIDNIGHT

I can't see anything anymore. My eyes are burning. Somewhere in the darkness, I can hear heavy equipment. All respect and gratitude to the firefighters; it is so much worse where they are. I will take my catnap now. See you in 2 hours.

4:39 AM:

The wind has shifted again and the smoke is blowing elsewhere. It's quiet and clear now. The fire is visible on the hill just above town. It flares up from time to time, but doesn't appear to be moving.

MONDAY 6:42 AM

No change. If we make it through this day, I think it'll be ok. The wind is still blowing more towards the north.

8:06 AM

The copters are back in the air. Most of the firefighters' activity seems to be concentrated on North Shore Drive to the south of the fire. There are many homes there. It occurs to me that there are quite a few homes in the woods on that hill that must be just yards from the fire at this point.

10:00 AM

No change. A grey haze hangs over Fawnskin. No flames visible right now.

11:17 AM

Spoke with a firefighter who was taking a break in town. He said they made "a lot of progress" on the fire up the hill last night. He was optimistic because the humidity is up and the winds are down. "We have lots of contingencies in place if the fire gets into town."

4:00 PM

Woke up to good news From KBHR:

We have just been on the fire scene, and reports are good on the Butler #2 Fire. There are presently 120 handcrews of 20 firefighters each aggressively attacking the fire on the ground, with the active fire burning now 2 ½ miles west of Fawnskin. This is a marked improvement as, earlier, the fire line had reached as far east as a half mile from Fawnskin. Fire officials report that containment efforts to the north have been successful, and the west-bound perimeter of the fire has also seen considerable progress today. Word is that fire crews expect to have the upper hand in fire suppression efforts later today, or tomorrow.

Several helicopters are attacking the hot spot above town relentlessly. Still a lot of smoke, but I haven't seen flames since this morning. If the KBHR report is accurate, they have beaten the fire back almost two miles!

I hope that I have effectively expressed my gratitude to the firefighters for the phenomenal job they have been doing. The pilots, the Forest Service crews and especially the Fire Department ground crews (who have been working round the clock) are the only reason I am able to post any of this...or even remain in my home.

5:42 PM

Aircraft are aggressively fighting the fire farther and farther back into the hills. This may be the end of the crisis. Tonight will tell.

7:08 PM

Just watched the last two airdrops of the evening (a DC10, maybe, and some smaller craft). The wind is cool and gentle, blowing east and south. The air is clear enough to open doors and windows in my house again. If the present conditions continue, I will feel comfortable sleeping through the night (I need it badly). Depending how things are tomorrow, I will post final thoughts in the morning and wrap this up. I will update every couple of hours tonight as needed and as long as I am awake.

7:44 PM

Now that the sun has set, it's much clearer what is happening. There is a pronounced red glow to the west and south. There are still visible flames on the hill above town, but nothing like the last two nights. No change in wind speed or direction. Temperature dropping. All is well, so far.

9:41 PM

All is quiet, peaceful. One final vain river of smoke emanates from a dull orange glow. The moon is setting, blood red, behind it. The air is sweet and pure. I will enjoy a scotch and then reaquaint myself with sleep. Thank you for being with me, everyone.

7:57 AM

I'm wrapping this up. The fire is at 53% containment. With the exception of some homes to the south of the fire, Fawnskin appears to be safe. I expect the mandatory evacuation to be lifted soon.

What I did here wasn't bravery; it was foolishness and hubris. All the while I was cowering here posting updates, there were thousands of men in the woods with shovels and chainsaw, actually doing something important.

Every year this mysterious pole rises. It has become something of a tradition.

The female reporter looks particularly threatening. Good job, boys! Way to bust heads!

THE spot was only 30 seconds, almost a blur amid the action at the Super Bowl. Yet the hubbub after a recent commercial showing two auto mechanics accidentally falling into lip-lock while eating the same Snickers bar went a long way toward showing how powerfully charged a public kiss between two men remains.
Snickers withdrew a commercial featuring an accidental kiss that many people did not find amusing.
Football is probably as good a place as any to look for the limits of social tolerance. And the Snickers commercial — amusing to some, appalling to others and ultimately withdrawn by the company that makes the candy — had the inadvertent effect of revealing how a simple display of affection grows in complexity as soon as one considers who gets to demonstrate it in public, and who, very often, does not.

The demarcation seemed particularly stark during the week of Valentine's Day, when the aura of love cast its rosy Hallmark glow over card-store cash registers and anyone with a pulse. Where, one wondered, were all the same-sex lovers making out on street corners, or in comedy clubs, performance spaces, flower shops or restaurants?

"There's really a kind of Potemkin village quality to the tolerance and acceptance" of gay people in America, said Clarence Patton, a spokesman for the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project. "The idea of it is O.K., but the reality falls short."

With One Word, Children's Book Sets Off Uproar
The word "scrotum" appears on the first page of "The Higher Power of Lucky," by Susan Patron, this year's winner of the Newbery Medal, the most prestigious award in children's literature.
The inclusion of the word has prompted some school librarians to pledge they will ban the book, and reopened the debate over what constitutes acceptable content in children's books.
What do you think?

Whatever your political bent, voting in America usually consists of choosing the lesser of two or more evils. Before you cast your ballot today, ask yourself, "Am I voting for this candidate because I have any confidence in him/her as a leader or because I really don't want the other party to win?"

Regardless of whether you are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Lib, Con or Independent, if you are honest with yourself you will admit to the latter. Yes, you are voting this year's sleazy moron into power for the sole purpose of blocking an even sleazier moron from the position. Within a year, remorse will inevitably set in when you see what your favorite creep does with the power you have granted him/her.

I say, "no more!" It's time to write in a candidate who won't disappoint. A man with a clear-cut vision and true leadership.

Kim Jong Il.

While Kim Jong is clearly more suited to a higher position than mere Senator, once he's in, I'm positive he'll do that voodoo that he do and by 2008 we'll have a strong, viable Presidential candidate who can truly lead and not just serve as mouthpiece for partisan hacks and special interests.

If we band together and write in Mr. Il for all state senate races across this great nation, he's bound to win at least one (I'm guessing Minnesota)! Here are ten reasons to set Kim Jong Il on the path to being the greatest American leader since George Washington:

1) He loves America

...more than most Americans. He loves American movies, American music and especially American women. Surely, once he's in power, we can sacrifice one or two models or actresses to keep our leader sated. Paris Hilton could finally have a purpose in life. Kirstie Alley might even suffice now that she's lost the weight.

2) He is a "dear leader"

Ask any North Korean. That's what they call him. When was the last time we referred to an American politician as "dear leader?" Certainly no one calls Bush that. No one even referred to Clinton as "dear leader." Well, maybe Monica...

3) Big Hair

Not since the glory days of the Stray Cats has a man worn hair so high and with such authority - but we all want to do it. Right, fellas? Kim Jong is the man to usher in a new era of high hair and higher hopes.

4) No more partisan politics

It won't be necessary to "reach across the aisle" if the aisle doesn't exist. The legislative process will be a well-oiled machine with new laws being enacted on an almost daily basis. No squabbling... no posturing. Filibuster at your own risk.

5) No more American obesity epidemic

We'll all be lean and beautiful in Kim Jong's America. Obesity is unheard of in North Korea. All temptation to overeat will be removed by strict rationing. Constant marching will keep us in shape. We'll all look like Keanu Reeves or Lindsey Lohan.

6) No more perpetual wars

Quagmires like Iran or Afghanistan will be unheard of. The average war will take 20 minutes with the offending states silenced at the push of a button. Our troops will all die of old age and STDs - as it should be.

7) Our streets will be safe

Oh sure, all politicians promise to put more cops on the streets. Kim Jong will have soldiers watching over us! On every corner! Try selling crack or mugging old ladies with an AK trained at your head!

8) Cheap American goods

That pair of Nikes you've been dreaming about will now cost 5 bucks. And it'll be made right here in America. Probably by you!

9) Parades

Everyone loves a parade and Kim Jong Il puts on the best! You'll be spending mandatory quality time with your family every weekend cheering miles of patriotic floats and goosestepping heroes.

10) Daffy Duck

How can you dislike a man who loves Daffy? Think of it... that haughty eagle on our National Seal would be replaced with a beloved cartoon icon! How could you help but smile every time you looked at a dollar bill?

...and there you have it. Try coming up with ten good reasons to elect the schmuck you're about to vote for. I trust we'll all do the right thing.

Here's the scene: you're watching your favorite show, So Ya Think Ya Can Dance or perhaps Ice T's Rap School, when suddenly you experience an irresistible urge to take a soldering iron to your eyes. Surprisingly, this is not due to the content of the shows but the relentless barrage of sleazy, condescending and dishonest campaign ads playing throughout the commercial breaks. Ad after ad insulting your intelligence with innuendo, jingoism and shot after shot of freckled faced kids frolicking in sunlit meadows.

Put down the soldering gun 'cause Unka Walt's got the cure for what ails you. I've always been taught "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" and clearly we can't beat 'em. So let's saturate the Newsvine "airways" with obnoxious political ads of our own! I'll begin with three of the most ubiquitous examples of campaign crap:

Halfass Heroic Horn-Honking

In a time of confusion and strife ( shots of general unrest; riots, protest, Hindenburg exploding, etc.), one candidate has the vision to lead California to a new age of prosperity (shots of wheat fields and barbecues or similar garbage). Walt D's leadership has stood the test of time (shot of me reading history book to entranced kindergartners).

Kindly old lady: "He's such a nice boy when he's sober!"

(shot of me playing frisbee with a dog)

Freckled-faced everykid: "He hardly ever beats children!"

(sunrise over majestic mountains)

Vote Walt D. - He's not as bad as they say.

Chastising of Challenger

Walt D's opponent, Yar, claims he is an "open-minded christian" (slo-mo shot of Yar in unflattering pose; picking his nose or some such), but let's examine the facts... Yar has repeatedly admitted to being a pirate (clip of Captain Hook menacing the Peter Pan kids),

Important-looking academic type in front of blackboard: "Pirates historically were savage thieves and murderers. Why, if they had had nuclear weapons in the 16th century, they would have surely destroyed civilization."

(stock mushroom cloud footage)

Kindly old lady: "I don't want a candidate who nukes people!"

Freckled-faced everykid: "I'm scared of pirates!"

(slo-mo shot of yar through negative filter, eyes glowing)

Yar....he frightens children. Shouldn't he frighten you?

Paid for by Fawning Sycophants of Walt D

Pandering Proposition Promotion

Opponents of Prop 999 claim that it gives Walt D god-like powers and authority, but let's examine the facts...

You know who else has god-like powers? God. You love God, don't you? Well, don't you? (shot of white-bearded God from Sistine chapel, face slowly morphing into Walt D). God is good and so is Walt D when he's sober... which is 65% of the time!

Opponents of Prop 999 say its forcible conscripting of Jessica Alba as Walt D's concubine is cruel. Let's set the record straight. (clip of Alba from "Sin City," gyrating in chaps) Only Walt D has the leadership skills to oversee Miss Alba's moral development and with his god-like status, she will surely be revered as a saint! (Jessica Alba morphs into Mother Teresa) Vote for Prop 999 or do you hate God?

Kindly old lady: "Why, I go to church everyday!"

Fade to Bob Dylan's "You Gotta Serve Somebody."

Wow. I almost feel like voting for me now. So let's hear your ad. Shamelessly promote yourself. Spoof a real candidate or proposition. Slag your fictitious opponent. Remember, no matter how badly you do, it won't be as bad as the real thing.

In 2003, serial rapist and Max Factor heir Andrew Luster fled the U.S. to Mexico during his trial for the drugging and raping of three women over a four year span. His was subsequently tracked and followed by famed bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, Chapman's brother Tim and son Leland to Puerto Vallarta where Luster was living under an assumed name. Chapman placed Luster under arrest and prepared to return the fugitive to the United States. One would imagine the Mexican authorities would be grateful to have this dangerous scumbag out of their country but here's what happened next:

As bounty hunting is illegal in Mexico, Dog, Tim and Leland were arrested by the Mexican authorities and Luster was handed over to the United States government by the Mexicans. He was subsequently found guilty and is currently serving a 124 year prison sentence. Bounty hunting is illegal in Mexico, and Dog, Tim and Leland were arrested by the Mexican authorities. After being released on bail, Dog, his family and team, returned to Hawaii and to their lives as bounty hunters.

For the next three years, the Chapmans tended to their bail bonds business, their bounty hunting and their successful TV show. Then, last month, this happened:

Dog, Leland and Tim were taken into custody by U.S. Marshals early Thursday, September 14 in connection with charges stemming from their 2003 arrest of convicted serial rapist, Andrew Luster.

Dog, Leland and Tim were all released on bail on Friday, September 15th, 2006, as the judge concluded they are not flight risks. While out on bail, they will be required to remain in the state and wear electronic monitoring devices until they return to court for extradition hearings to face trial in Mexico. No date has been set for those hearings.

Dog, Tim and Leland now face possible extradition to Mexico and incarceration in a Mexican jail, where Dog has said he "wouldn't last two days," having made so many enemies tracking and arresting Mexican fugitives.

The question is, should a man face imprisonment and possibly death for the "offense" of bringing a serial rapist to justice? Here is a letter from Congressman Tom Tancredo to the Dept. of Justice expressing his outrage (PDF).

This is a travesty of justice, folks. If you agree, I urge you to take a minute and sign this petition to the American and Mexican governments.

I've just gotta know...

As I was reading this article, it dawned on me that conspiracy theories, especially 9/11 related ones, are arguably the most hotly debated topics on Newsvine (religion is a close second). There are two possible reasons for this:

1) A very vocal fringe element will post indefinitely on any 9/11-related thread desperately defending their view of reality.

or...

2) This is not a fringe element at all but a rapidly forming consensus among Newsviners

Most of you are familiar with my feelings on this subject, but for those of you who aren't, I will briefly summarize them (and I won't even use the term "moonbat"):

The events surrounding 9/11 are confusing at best and the government has not been completely forthcoming in clearing up the many inconsistencies. However, shadowy conspiracies involving robot planes or cruise missiles, the payoff or coercion of thousands of people "in the know," and the disappearance or fabrication of scores of airline passengers is, to put it lightly, very hard for me to swallow.

Maybe I'm in the minority. Maybe I'm the moonbat. Maybe I'm living in a dreamworld. If so, I blame the Masonic/Zionist Illuminati with their reverse engineered alien mind-control bots.

Let's find out once and for all. Please participate in this - the most historically important poll of our times.

JEFFERSON CITY, August 8 (UPI) — Missouri OK'd an initiative that would ensure residents have access to any treatment discovered through medical research and allowed under federal law.

The secretary of state confirmed Tuesday that supporters had gathered more than enough voter signatures to qualify the measure for a public vote and said
it will appear as Amendment 2 on the November ballot.

"We're extremely pleased that Missourians will be able to decide for themselves if they want to protect their right to access the same stem cell
research and cures as other Americans," said Donn Rubin, chairman of
Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures. "Some politicians in Jefferson
City have repeatedly tried to take away that right, by proposing
legislation that would ban and criminalize promising types of stem cell
research and cures in Missouri. The Stem Cell Initiative will prevent any
such unfair bans. It will protect the right of Missourians to have access
to any stem cell research and cures that are allowed in our country and
available to other Americans."

As I type this I can look out my window see the sickly orange-grey smoke plume becoming more pronounced. Southern California is burning once again. The temperature in the desert is expected to reach the 100s and the wind is already forty mph. There is no reported containment on the system of fires that has already consumed 30+ homes. It is predicted that at least 100,000 acres will burn.

Last week a series of freak thunderstorms moved through the area with short periods of intense rain and hail separated by longer periods of rolling thunder and "dry strikes." These lightning strikes tend to cause latent, smoldering fires in the brush which flare up days later. A number of these fires have united into an uncontrollable firestorm.

It's been two years since the last time we were evacuated. We stayed in a hangar at San Bernardino Airport for over a week. I will complete this post then go to the shed and grab my luggage and pet carrier. Even if the mandatory evacuation order is given, I will stay as long as I can (I lasted two days after the order in the last fire.)

This is just the beginning of the Fire Season.

Update:

Thur. July 13 8:26 AM

The fire is now at 15% containment, having consumed 37,000 acres and 41 homes. The flames "laid down" for the night, but now the temperature is rising and the familiar plume is becoming visible out the window again. There is a lot of speculation on the local TV news as to the threat to my community, but it is just that: speculation. No one can predict the wind.

12:37 PM

The fire is only 5% contained. It is reputed to be 7 miles from Onyx Summit. It will then be making its way into the community. A Forest Service spokesperson told me the wind is blowing northeast at the moment - good news as this would take the fire away from town. However during the conversation she informed me that the wind was shifting west...

Friday 6:42 AM

From KBHR:

The Latest Tactics (7/13/06)
At 9:00 a.m. today, firefighting helicopters began going to the Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency for secondary effluent water mixed with fire retardant to combat the Sawtooth fire. BBARWA Superintendent Joe Hanford and Senior Operator Fred Uhler helped rescue crews engineer the facilities last night to be a close and effective means of supplying water. The procedure entails pond water and retardant being pumped into tanks to mix; the helicopters pick up the mixture from the two tanks. BBARWA says the pace seems to be lessening this evening, but at the height of activity this morning, there was always at least two helicopters coming or going. More fire retardant was brought in today in a semi-truck.
Erwin Lake and Lake Williams Advised to Get Ready (7/13/06 2:25 p.m.)
No mandatory evacuations have been called in Big Bear, but local Sheriff's deputies have begun going door to door in Erwin Lake, advising them to be prepared in the event of an evacuation. They gave the same warning to Lake William residents earlier in the day. Once again, NO mandatory evacuations have been called in Big Bear at this time.

(7/13/06 12:29 p.m.)
On the Millard Complex Fire, the Forest Service expects rapid rates of spread to east and the northeast today, with the potential for spread to the north/northwest. At 4:00 yesterday, Unified Command was established between the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Forestry and Riverside County Fire. Crews are staged and trying to find safe anchor points. Forest Service spokesperson John Miller said today that Millard is at a higher elevation at upper Whitewater Canyon and was no immediate threat to Route 38. It is headed toward Cat Claw Flats, and as of 1pm today, the Millard Complex was measured at 6930 acres and still only 5% contained.

(7/13/06 11:49a.m.)
Fire crews are taking an aggressive stand near Onyx Summit with aircraft today, as the area is inaccessible by land. The Sawtooth Complex Fire is 3-4 miles east of Route 38 and 2.5 miles east of the incident communication site on top of Onyx Summit. They are laying the flame retardant PhosCheck around the site to preserve communication for emergency workers. The Emergency Operations Center for Mountain Mutual Aid has been opened in the Big Bear Valley, where all government agencies and utility companies have been meeting to coordinate their efforts. They are planning to have a community meeting in Big Bear within a couple of days; we'll announce the details once they're available.

Uniformed officers from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department will undertake a public safety alert by going door to door near Onyx Summit and through Lake Williams to provide residents with fire information. People are discouraged from using the forestry roads 2N02 and 3N03. The public should avoid forestry roads because of personal safety and because agencies need to move equipment. In addition to the resources currently being used, the Forest Service and the local fire agencies have standing by 2 dozers, 2 hot shot crews and 2 strike teams of engines.

Lake William residents have been given a "pre-warning," which lets them to know to be prepared in the event of a mandatory evacuation. Lake Williams is the only community to be given such warning.

Update:

Fire Bulletin (7/14/06 1:22 p.m.)
Mountain Mutual Aid Agencies met this afternoon, and the mood was optimistic. The Sawtooth Complex Fire did not progress much yesterday; and yesterday's perimeter map is still basically accurate. The weather is on our side for now: humidity is up and winds are calming down. Everyone acknowledges, though, how quickly Mother Nature can turn. On the western section of fire, there's a large area that they're calling "cold." There is one hot spot, and they're fighting it with air tankers and helicopters, and will follow up with hand crews. Sawtooth is expected to merge with the Millard Complex later today, but that poses no greater threat to Big Bear. There has been very little movement west, and according to Incident Command, things are looking good right now. Big Bear City Fire Chief Dana Van Leuven commented, "We're not out of the woods but a lot of good work has been done."

I've spent most of my life around members of the Intelligence community. This fact precludes me from joining in many of the discussions on Newsvine regarding Intelligence activities and failures as it is impossible for me to maintain any objectivity or decorum in the face of the constant misrepresentation and demonizing of men and women who, for the most part, are simply doing a difficult and necessary job. Keld's column at times is enough to make me chew my own face off.

Now we have this: a huge story on the FBI's foiling of a potentially devastating plotted attack on the Holland Tunnel. I fully expected to see, in the subsequent thread, the usual parade of comments from terrorist apologists, conspiracy kooks and others desperately trying to fit this information into their world-view with cliched tirades against federal policy and what-not. Instead there is a strange silence from the "usual suspects."

Not that I'm complaining...

Perhaps in this silence we can breathe a sigh of relief for the possible thousands of innocent lives that have been saved. Perhaps we can let our ideological guard down long enough to acknowledge that the FBI is capable of being diligent and effective despite past mistakes. Maybe we can appreciate the extremely difficult task with which they have been charged and applaud a job well done.

Come on people, if one fireman had pulled one child from a burning building, he would earn our gratitude and respect.

Can't we, just this once, give the same gratitude and respect to a group who have just saved thousands?

I am reposting this because the original thread was too huge to delete everything. We need a clean Arena to absorb the blood and entrails. Please refrain from posting comments here until 4PM EST. Of course Adam, Celestina and Miss Dev may post. Minimal introductory posts from Gladiators are acceptable if Celestina allows.

(Disclaimer: Arena of Death is not representative of Newsvine in general. Newsvine is an intelligent, polite forum where we try to "get smarter" and respect each others views and opinions, no matter how much we disagree. Now that I have THAT out of the way....)

YOU WANTED A DEATHMATCH?? YOU GOT A DEATHMATCH!!

The Gods of Carnage have indeed smiled on us, for this promises to be the most brutal event imaginable. Let's meet our Gladiators:

From "The Heart of Rock n Roll"...the great state of Ohio... He's a deep thinker who still knows his comic books. A true American dissenter, keeping us all honest. The Master of Meta. The Lord of Liberals. The Viceroy of Vonnegut....He can say "Your @ss is mine" in Japanese...

MYKOLA BILOKONSKY!!!
His opponent...

From Raleigh, North Carolina...a Southern intellectual with a tall can of frosty whoop@ss, just itchin' to be opened... Ridin' eighteen wheels of right-wing, Russian-lit readin' fury... The Hippie Pit Bull. The Conservative Crusher. One Baad Mother Trucker...

PHAEDRUS72!!!

The subject in dispute:
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY!

Lest you labor under the delusion that this match will be boring, let's let the combatants speak for themselves. Take it away, boys!

Phaedrus72:

Your arrogance is truly sickening. What makes you think I'm outmatched by the likes of you? You think a couple years of college makes you smarter than me? Remember, I've already been there and done that, and been around the world too. Got the t-shirt. Your mom was still wiping your ass when I finished college.

blockquote>
Mykola Bilokonsky:

I'm gonna drag Phaedrus into the ring, then proceed to stare at him until he nails himself to the wall for me, all the while quivering so badly he can hardly hold the hammer. That should take all of 30 seconds.

It's too bad the Arena will be too covered in Phaedrus-goo to be usable for a while.

Our referee again will be Celestina (and possibly Miss Dev). Special guest MC : Adam Hobson.
Match is scheduled from 7-11PM EST, Wednesday, June 21

And now some boring point-score stuff:

After introductions, match will proceed as follows:

3) Referee will decide who goes first, presumably through coin toss or bribery. All others remain silent until match begins.

4) Each opponent has 6 minutes to post a comment, then a 3 minute rebuttal, alternately

5) Referee will announce voting at which time all voting spectators will weigh in. Votes are tallied and match resumes.

6) Steps 4 & 5 are repeated until a KO or TKO is declared or time limit expires.

7) Referee announces winner.

8) Thread deteriorates into gloating, whining and heckling.

RULES: Each voting spectator awards points once after each round (see step 4). Points are awarded and tallied.Referee can contest points awarded according to discretion. Point values are as follows:

Irrefutable facts - 1 point

Dismantling of opponent's logic - 2 points

Genuinely witty snide comment - 3 points

Humiliating verbal or intellectual spanking - knock down

Devastating bazooka-like mind-bomb - KO

KNOCKOUTS: KOs are decided by majority of votes. KOs can be overturned by referee.

3 rounds in a row to one combatant constitutes a TKO. 2 Knock downs constitute a TKO. TKOs cannot be disputed by ref as they are based on refs acknowledgement of previous scoring.

OTHER RULES: Any comments during actual match that are not part of event shall be deleted. Referee's decisions are final.

Referee can stop or pause match at any time if just cause is given.

(Disclaimer: Arena of Death is not representative of Newsvine in general. Newsvine is an intelligent, polite forum where we try to "get smarter" and respect each others views and opinions, no matter how much we disagree. Now that I have THAT out of the way....)

YOU WANTED A DEATHMATCH?? YOU GOT A DEATHMATCH!!

The Gods of Carnage have indeed smiled on us, for this promises to be the most brutal event imaginable. Let's meet our Gladiators:

From "The Heart of Rock n Roll"...the great state of Ohio... He's a deep thinker who still knows his comic books. A true American dissenter, keeping us all honest. The Master of Meta. The Lord of Liberals. The Viceroy of Vonnegut....He can say "Your @ss is mine" in Japanese...

MYKOLA BILOKONSKY!!!

His opponent...

From Raleigh, North Carolina...a Southern intellectual with a tall can of frosty whoop@ss, just itchin' to be opened... Ridin' eighteen wheels of right-wing, Russian-lit readin' fury... The Hippie Pit Bull. The Conservative Crusher. One Baad Mother Trucker...

PHAEDRUS72!!!

The subject in dispute:

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY!

Lest you labor under the delusion that this match will be boring, let's let the combatants speak for themselves. Take it away, boys!

Phaedrus72:

Your arrogance is truly sickening. What makes you think I'm outmatched by the likes of you? You think a couple years of college makes you smarter than me? Remember, I've already been there and done that, and been around the world too. Got the t-shirt. Your mom was still wiping your ass when I finished college.

Im quite sure you have Lenin and Stalin posters hanging in your dorm room, don't you? You know you do, right along side your Kurt Vonnegut blow up doll.

Mykola Bilokonsky:

I'm gonna drag Phaedrus into the ring, then proceed to stare at him until he nails himself to the wall for me, all the while quivering so badly he can hardly hold the hammer. That should take all of 30 seconds.

It's too bad the Arena will be too covered in Phaedrus-goo to be usable for a while.

Our referee again will be Celestina (and possibly Miss Dev). Special guest MC : Adam Hobson.

Match is scheduled from 7-11PM EST, Wednesday, June 21

And now some boring point-score stuff:

After introductions, match will proceed as follows:

3) Referee will decide who goes first, presumably through coin toss or bribery. All others remain silent until match begins.

4) Each opponent has 6 minutes to post a comment, then a 3 minute rebuttal, alternately

5) Referee will announce voting at which time all voting spectators will weigh in. Votes are tallied and match resumes.

6) Steps 4 & 5 are repeated until a KO or TKO is declared or time limit expires.

7) Referee announces winner.

8) Thread deteriorates into gloating, whining and heckling.

RULES: Each voting spectator awards points once after each round (see step 4). Points are awarded and tallied.Referee can contest points awarded according to discretion. Point values are as follows:

Irrefutable facts - 1 point

Dismantling of opponent's logic - 2 points

Genuinely witty snide comment - 3 points

Humiliating verbal or intellectual spanking - knock down

Devastating bazooka-like mind-bomb - KO

KNOCKOUTS: KOs are decided by majority of votes. KOs can be overturned by referee.

3 rounds in a row to one combatant constitutes a TKO. 2 Knock downs constitute a TKO. TKOs cannot be disputed by ref as they are based on refs acknowledgement of previous scoring.

OTHER RULES: Any comments during actual match that are not part of event shall be deleted. Referee's decisions are final.

Referee can stop or pause match at any time if just cause is given.

See you there, everybody!

Ladies and Gentlemen - it's that time at last. The gauntlet-throwing, taunting and other preliminaries are behind us. Our brave gladiators wait in the wings. They ask no quarter, they hold no quarter. The very first Arena of Death match begins shortly.

It's Rukh vs. yar. The subject - Creation. So without further ado.....

What Hath Got Rot???

Drop whatever you're doing, don your togas or post-apacolyptic Road Warrior gear and abandon all pretense of civilization - the very first Arena of Death match is upon us! This match will take place on Monday June 19 from 8AM to Noon PST. It will be an extended match with no time limit on rounds or voting, but please try to speed it along so as not to prolong the agony of the defeated. Miss Dev, Celestina and Aine McDermot are all invited to referee. In the event none of them are available, I will officiate (I'd rather be a voting spectator - it is inappropriate for the referee to heckle).

Our brave combatants are:

You know him. You love him. You can't learn about religion without him....

It's YAR!!!

and....

RUKH!!!

The topic in dispute will be CREATION.

Sign up here or come early to claim yourself as voting spectator or just drop in anytime to enjoy the spectacle... it's bound to be a good match. Be sure to watchlist arena-of-death for more information.

So it's a Deathmatch ye be wantin'....yer uptown girls and fancy liquor ain't good enough fer ye no more...

If you haven't yet, I suggest you read THE ARENA OF DEATH before reading this article.

FORMAT:

AoD matches will proceed in the following manner - A brief introduction presenting the combatants, the subject matter to be disputed and the length of the match will be posted in the article section of the post. The match will then take place in the thread section in this sequence:

1) Referee or moderator will introduce each combatant after which combatant has an opening statement. This statement is for purposes of boasting, taunting and introductory purposes only. Disputed subject shall not be discussed in these statements.

2) Voting spectators shall announce themselves in brief statements. Only announced spectators are eligible to vote. Preliminary heckling may be included in these announcements.

3) Referee will decide who goes first, presumably through coin toss or bribery. All others remain silent until match begins.

4) Each opponent has 6 minutes to post a comment, then a 3 minute rebuttal, alternately

5) Referee will announce voting at which time all voting spectators will weigh in. Votes are tallied and match resumes.

6) Steps 4 & 5 are repeated until a KO or TKO is declared or time limit expires.

7) Referee announces winner.

8) Thread deteriorates into gloating, whining and heckling.

RULES:

Each voting spectator awards points once after each round (see step 4). Points are awarded and tallied.Referee can contest points awarded according to discretion. Point values are as follows:

Irrefutable facts - 1 point

Dismantling of opponent's logic - 2 points

Genuinely witty snide comment - 3 points

Humiliating verbal or intellectual spanking - knock down

Devastating bazooka-like mind-bomd - KO

KNOCKOUTS:

KOs are decided by majority of votes. KOs can be overturned by referee.

3 rounds in a row to one combatant constitutes a TKO. 2 Knock downs constitute a TKO. TKOs cannot be disputed by ref as they are based on refs acknowledgement of previous scoring.

OTHER RULES: Any comments during actual match that are not part of event shall be deleted.

Referee's decisions are final.

Referee can stop or pause match at any time if just cause is given.

If any voting spectator leaves match or ceases to vote, all previous votes by the squeamish scum shall be erased.

If a combatant fails to post within time limit, he/she forfeits round.

Okay...there's your basic rules. Let me know what you think.

Snickers, an American Black Bear in southern California saw her mother shot dead before her eyes. Mama had returned to the same house where she had foraged for food before, but this time the humans were ready for her.

Usually a story like this would end shortly after, with Snickers being "put down" by a local vet, but thanks to luck and some caring people, Snickers has a new life in the San Bernardino Mountains at Wildhaven Ranch.

Wildhaven was formed in 1994 as the physical facility for the San Bernardino Mountains Wildlife Society. In 2000, Wildhaven moved to its current 35 acre ranch in Cedar Glen, CA.

"It's been a wonderful experience...a privilege." says Diane Dragotto Williams, Executive Director.
Although Wildhaven Ranch, located near Lake Arrowhead in one of the most fire ravaged areas, is still recovering, they are once again open to the public. The ranch lost a million dollars in property. "I beg a lot," says Diane.

Wildhaven is a non-profit sanctuary and rehabilitation center for injured and orphaned animals, including bears, coyotes, deer, bobcats, eagles, owls and many others. It states its objectives as preserving the wildlife indigenous to the San Bernardino Mountains and leaving a valuable heritage to future generations.

Only unreleasable animals are able to be viewed by the general public. Rehab animals cannot be allowed to become too used to human contact as this will cause problems for them later on.

Many animals at Wildhaven are the result of misguided people trying to raise wild animals. Only trained proffessionals should attempt this and it is illegal in California without a license. Improper diet can cause severe health problems for the animals and exposure to pets and livestock can cause them to contract diseases which if returned to the wild can kill entire species.

Wildhaven rehabilitates and releases 200 - 400 animals a year.

The ranch also includes a Center of Learning where community residents, visitors, groups and particularly children can gain a better understanding of our wild places and wild creatures.

For those animals that cannot be sufficiently rehabilitated, Wildhaven provides a sanctuary where they can live a safe and fulfiiling life. These animals are often used as a resource in their educational programs and provide visitors with the opportunity to observe native species in their forest surroundings.

Educational programs include Wings n' Things (an up close and personal experience with birds of prey) and Paws n' Claws (a similar program with indigenous mammals such as bear, bobcat and raccoon).

In addition to serving as a sanctuary and refuge for animals in trouble, Wildhaven has been named by the Department of Agriculture to serve as the nuisance wildlife troubleshooters for the San Bernardino Mountains. Their staff provides skillful assistance and advice for problems like bats in the attic, raccoons in the build-up or rattlesnakes in the yard.

Wildhaven is also a qualified Volunteer Center, providing a workplace for students and those on probation who need community service, as well as for veterinary assistants who need hands-on experience. They also provide meaningful volunteer opportunities for mountain residents of all ages... especially retirees and young people.

Diane's next dream is "Bear River" - a two- acre enclosure that Snickers, Little Bear and others can frolic in and call home. Ideally this habitat will include a creek stocked with trout for the bears to enjoy. "I don't want this ever to look like a zoo where you see an animal pacing back and forth...I want them to be happy."

According to Diane, Wildhaven was founded in the spirit of stewardship, synergy and interdependence. "This is an urban forest. We are living in their home. We should respect that they were here first. We need to realize that that we moved to the mountains for this ecosystem....if you want an asphalt jungle, then move back down." "I've had people call and say 'there's a bear in my yard'- well, this is the bear's home!"

Wildhaven continues to thrive despite fire and financial woes. It is a testament to human responsibility and compassion that so many creatures that have been abused by humans have ended up in a place where humans are giving them a second chance.

For additional information or to find out how you can help, contact Wildhaven./p>

(Photos by Richard Millener)

So you're a conspiracy nut. You spend countless hours visiting websites with words like "Illuminati",'"shadow government", "freemason" and "Haliburton" in them. You've become adept at making innuendo and conjecture sound like Gospel. You spend even more hours frantically posting, trying desperately to convert others to your beliefs in the hope of validation. Like a player of "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon" you can deftly link any two persons or events in recent history; "George W. Bush's father was Ronald Reagan's V.P....Reagan was governor of California when Robert Kennedy was shot in L.A......George Bush shot Kennedy!"
Impressive, but deep down you remember when you had a life. You remember when you could discuss your views with strangers without getting the same look cows give you when you moo at them from a passing car. You remember when you had friends who bathed. Something is wrong. How did you get to this point?
It probably started innocently enough. You were surfing the web when you found a link entitled "Bush Sends Robot Planes into Towers." You knew you shouldn't look, but come on! Just a taste. Everyone else is doing it! You perused the site and thought to yourself, "This is just the sort of thing that will get the cute Goth girl brooding in the corner at the party to think I'm deep!"
You memorized the content of the site. The figures..the statistics...the arcane news sources...what a rush!
It had begun.
Now you're hooked, and like all junkies you need stronger and stronger stuff. After all, your new nutt-job friends depend on you to bring them the very latest in paranoid fantasy. You are King Wing-Nut.
...but it's getting hard. You wander the back ghetto alleys of the Internet fruitlessly in search of something new. You try to piece together the chronology of your descent into irrationality. First it was "Bush used 9-11 as an excuse to invade Iraq" (plausible). Then it was "Bush allowed 9-11 to happen" (somewhat less plausible). Finally it was "Bush planned and executed 9-11 with his Fascist cronies using robot planes in an attempt to take over the world!" (tilt!)
Well, little camper, I've got good news and bad news for ya. The bad news is there's no help for your problem. You're too far gone. Besides, you're a little too creepy now to be let back into society. But don't despair! I'm not without a heart. I promised you good news and here it is:
I've got the NEW STUFF! The kind! The best whack-job theory yet! Ready? Here it is....
BUSH PERSONALLY FLEW THE PLANES INTO THE TOWERS ON 9-11!
Both of them! Have you forgotten the pictures of W. training to be a pilot in the Air National Guard? And haven't you seen him training IN MORE THAN ONE PLANE? How could you have missed this? Here's how he did it:
Just as the first plane was about to impact the first tower, he expertly ejected using the skills George Sr. had employed to avoid death in WWII (forgot about that didn't you?) He then glided gracefully into the cockpit of plane #2 which had been commandeered by Condy Rice. Condy had sneaked onto the plane dressed as a flight attendant (she kinda looks like one.) After that, it was childs play to crash that plane, eject and race back to D.C., where everyone thought he had been reading to school kids (saps! It was actually Jeb with a little make-up.)
So there you go, my deluded friend. Your fix for today. Tomorrow you're on your own, but for now..GO! Go and spread the word! I expect to see this seeded throughout the web by noon Tuesday. There will be a quiz.

I voted for George Bush. Dear God, I voted for Bush! A good friend of mine was so upset by this, so sure that Bush would screw up the country, that in 2004 I made him a bet - $100 that Bush would prove him wrong. It may be time for me to pay up.
Now, I'm not an ideologue. I voted for Clinton (twice). My main reason for supporting Bush was that I believed Kerry wouldn't be strong enough on foreign policy. I thought that our reasons for being in Iraq were suspicious to say the least, but since we were there, I thought Bush as Commander-in-Chief would be more likely to "finish the job" and create less of a mess. I thought that with Saddam gone, the average Iraqi would still be living a better, safer life. Ironic huh?
For almost two years, like most of my fellow Bush-voters (the ones who will admit it), I stuck to my guns. I started to notice a queasy feeling every morning before I turned on the news. What godawful screw-up would I have to rationalize to myself today? I began to feel like a Philadelphia Eagles fan; "It'll be okay. We went to the Super Bowl last year, right? Right?"
After the Katrina fiasco, I was more than willing to direct my anger at Brownie. It wasn't Bush's fault if he appointed an incompetent weasel to such a critical post. I mean, sure, that seems to happen A LOT..but..er..he's only a man..and.. how could he have..uh..did I pick up the dry cleaning?...hmmm..
The queasy feeling has now turned to outright disgust on a daily basis. Could Kerry have screwed things up this bad? Perhaps. But he couldn't have done worse. The last two years would have been trying for anyone in office. At least have the leadership skills to explain to YOUR OWN SUPPORTERS how and why things are the way they are.

So today I'm coming clean. On behalf of all the disappointed, beleaguered Bush-voters who nurse their psychological wounds in secrecy and shame, I'll say it:
I was wrong! No excuse. Profoundly. Utterly. Dead Wrong.
Whew! I feel better now. Like a weight has been lifted.
I still won't vote for Hillary.

Apparently there was no real crime in Hermosa this week. This has to be a career move on the part of the D.A. He probably thought the family would roll over and it would be an easy conviction on his record. Your tax dollars at work, people.