Polygamy anyone?

As we broaden the traditional view of who can participate in a marriage, can legalized polygamy be on the horizon?

And you think divorces can be messy now!

Bloggers safe from lawsuits

They are as long as they post what someone else said. But make sure that your link is solid.

"In today's ruling, the California Supreme court said that granting such broad immunity for posting defamatory statements 'has some troubling consequences.'

Nevertheless, the court said, 'Until Congress chooses to revise the settled law in this area' people who contend they were defamed on the Internet can seek recovery only from the original source of the statement, not from those who re-post it.'"

Progress on the climate change front

Methane concentrations are leveling out.

"The researchers say there is no reason to believe that methane levels will remain stable in the future, but the fact that leveling off is occurring now indicates that society can do something about global warming. Methane has an atmospheric lifetime of about eight years. Carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas that is produced by burning fossil fuels for power generation and transportation – can last a century and has been accumulating steadily in the atmosphere.

“If carbon dioxide levels were the same today as they were in 2000, the global warming discussion would leave the front page. But to stabilize this greenhouse gas, we would have to cut way back on emissions,” Rowland said. “Methane is not as significant a greenhouse gas as carbon dioxide, but its effects are important. The world needs to work hard to reduce emissions of all greenhouse gases.”"

Leahy Seeks Documents

At long last, the oversight begins.

Focusing the Debate

In the context of immigration reform be sure to note that little public money is actually spent on health care to undocumented immigrants.

"'Our findings show a relatively small amount of tax money is spent on health services provided to undocumented immigrants,' said James P. Smith, the RAND chair in Labor Market and Demographic Studies and an author of the report. 'Costs will be much higher for educating the children of undocumented immigrants, so that's where debate should center, not on these relatively small health care costs.'"

Virus killing paint

Coming to a sterile hood near you.

"In their study, the researchers demonstrated the efficiency of the paint by coating a glass slide with the polymer. A drop of liquid containing a strain of the influenza virus was then placed on the slide, and the number of surviving viral particles was counted.

The coating was 100 per cent effective, according to the researchers - not a single viral particle was detected after contact with the coating.

Further tests with higher and lower concentrations of viral particles in the initial drop proved equally effective - in all cases, no viral particles survived.

According to the researchers, it took only five minutes of contact for all viral particles to be inactivated. This reflects the time it took for all the particles to reach the spikes, they said."

Big boost to US renewable energy could cost nothing

A recent study shows that we could improve our energy source profile without paying more.

No Surprise Here

Government-funded energy research has dropped.

Idaho First

Still the craziest district in the country.

So how bad is it in Iraq?

This bad. The horror of urban combat is now fully upon us. And we are still a long way of developing an effective counter-strategy. How many will die in the meantime?

On the bright side in Idaho

At least Sali won't be screwing things up in the legislature.

Meanwhile, back at the Supreme Court

Our justices try their hand at medicine and don't make the cut.

"After 120 minutes of exquisitely detailed medical inquiry, the justices have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they just are not doctors. They have tried valiantly to understand the medical testimony and to analyze the protocols. They struggle to weigh the risks of lethally injecting a fetus in the uterus. But that's just not why they went to law school.

By the same token, six congressional hearings and dozens of witnesses have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the United States Congress is not a body of doctors, either. Indeed, their ability to simply ignore inconvenient medical facts suggests that if they were doctors, they'd be rather rotten ones. If the justices are looking for the cleanest, easiest way out of this whole partial-birth abortion business, I would suggest that if institutional humility means anything at all, it means that when you can't understand the medicine, you stay out of the operating room. When you find yourself lacking the skills and experience to define the fine line between the intent and outcomes of similar medical procedures, or to weigh the hazards arising from each, perhaps the most prudent thing to do is to leave it to those who do."

They still miss me

When the Tri-City Herald says:

As a whole, this was the finest crop of candidates in a long time.

Mostly absent were the usual challengers who are uncertain why they're running or what qualifies them for the job.

Instead, with a few exceptions, we met accomplished individuals with vision and energy. The decision on whom to recommend to our readers was almost always difficult.

it's me they are talking about. No, not the "quality" candidates. The uncertain challengers. It's heart-warming to see the afterglow from last year's "Don't Elect Kendall" campaign still alive in the hearts of the TCH editors.

Of course, how they can call the likes of Jerome Delvin a quality candidate just blows me away. Not to mention that their congressional endorsee is about to take the 4th CD into utter oblivion.

The End of a Lousy Problem

It's the LouseBuster. It kills lice by drying them out. Rather like exposing a Republican to truth.

Election Night

Where will you be? I'll be Drinking Liberally in the Tri-Cities. Please note the location change from our normal haunt. We'll have candidates! Whoo-hoo.

Who woulda thunk...

...that the Republican power machine would have implode the way it has? Not even in Nancy Pelosi's wildest dreams. But it should also serve as a warning to all those who follow them into power. If you lie enough, if you cheat enough, if you are arrogant enough, if you spin enough, you will eventually be found out and it won't be pretty.

I sure hope the Democrats take a lesson, or you and I will be holding our heads in our hands a few years from now just the way Republicans are today.

Check out what John Cole has to say.

Reichert Lie Goes National

Couldn't happen to a more deserving fellow.

Keith Olbermann.....daaayammn!!!

This man shows us all the way we should talk. It's exquisitely refreshing to see that rare bird these days, a fearless journalist.

Dead Duck Doc

Here's something to share with the Doc Hastings supporters you may know.

Through no fault of his own (at least not any we know about) the 4th CD race has ceased to be about the merits or failings of Congressman Hastings. As Republican races across the country implode for all kinds of reasons from corruption to the general dissatisfaction with failed policies and empty promises, even Republican Party officials are focusing on damage control. They know the House is lost to them and perhaps even the Senate.

The voters in the 4th Congressional District (including Doc supporters) need to be thinking about what happens to the voice of our district in the coming Democrat-controlled House of Representatives. If that voice is a long-term Republican loyalist you can be sure he will be moved to the very back of the line when it comes to priorities. Doc's influence will be zilch, nada, beyond zero. The voters have to ask themselves if that is what they want for their district? The voters have to ask how many important things that are needed by this district are going to suffer because of Doc's imminent impotence?

Ask your friends if they are willing to sacrifice the needs of this district on the altar of loyalty to the Republican power structure? Is this the kind of cause for which they are willing to make a futile gesture?

Then ask them to consider this. Richard Wright is a truly decent man who has every desire to do the right thing. When he gets to Congress he is not going to be a party clone. He has a mind of his own and his most important goal in Congress will be to be the voice for everyone in his district. Because this race has been seen by the national Democratic organization as a backwater, down-the-list race he will not be beholden to them for his seat. Instead he will be free to serve his constituents the way they deserve to be served.

Somehow

Great piece by war survivor Kevin Tillman