I am, of course, aware that he's in jail for corruption and fully agree that punishment is due, but making his punishment imprisonment only underscores how deeply entrenched our craving for revenge, and our enjoyment in others being tortured, is buried in our ostensible wish for justice and deterrence.

Wouldn't it have been better if Cunningham had to drop his trousers on TV, been smacked on his fornicatin' lyin' ass resoundingly, and then sent to a crappy trailer where everyday he'd have to take the bus to work as a toilet cleaner for public parks and stuff. It has it all, really; the best deterrence is public humiliation and spanking is fare and just if it's done publicly and humanely...yeah, it hurts and it hurts a rich guy just as much as a poor guy...there would be no special treatment since it would be on public display.

Cunningham, like all corrupt politicians, always use their public service as their defense...well, let's let him keep his defense...what better public service could there be than to insure public toilets were spic n span. Oh, and it would cost a lot less and maybe it would provide an eye-opening experience of the type that will infuse corruption monkey cunningham with a sense of just why people get p.o'd when officials act like they are special and beyond the laws.

Of course,it is all voluntary...if cunningham wishes to find out how life was for the prostitutes who needed to make themselves sexually available to survive, well, maybe he'd find that out in the prison system we have, thanks in part to guys like cunningham who did nada to see that we have a just and fair system for all...and not just "fair and just" for guys like cunningham. Can it be any more humane and fair than this?

Tancredo's not an idiot, per se, but his take on the energy future of the country and indeed the world is in complete agreement with the anti-science crowd...those that have deep faith that some immaginary space being wants us to use all that the earth has to offer without regard to consequences...short sighted, just as Xians have always been encouraged to think since the world is soon going to be re-made with a benevolent bearded figure as their king...pathetic.

I love Alice and her work. It's done so much to bring an awareness to so many people and they in turn will share it. The results are obvious and growing.

I heard that the professional sports teams in Oakland are trying to get the taxpayer to help 'em get a new stadium or threatening to leave...again...Oh the poor sobbing sports fans and their millionaire idols...how hum...in the mean time yet another of the great movements in human culture is springing up in the SF Bay area...I think they should give the Coliseum to Alice and have her organization transform it into a vertical urban farm and market. It would quickly become a center for transformative food gardening technology and attract the attention of the local biotechnology centers and for people who love food all around the world.

As likeable as he is, this is what bothers me about Huckabee. If he can't see the reason that is behind why he's being tricked by charlatans and shamans, then how would he be able to see beyond the wool he has pulled adamantly over his own eyes and would very much like the rest of us to try on for size.

He fails to fully appreciate that these laws and regulations came about after shortsighted industries took the money and ran. I'd love to live in a world without a lot of regulations and if it weren't for the greed-heads that abused the social contract of "not screwing you neighbor" we'd be a lot closer to that idea. At one time there were very few rules on resource use, short of age-old prohibitions aimed at preventing the despoiling the public green but when one was rich enough for one's own well, then what the hell it become everyone's obligation to get their own....yeah...even before the EPA. How can that be? You mean people were likely to screw everyone over public resources for money even before we started to write-up and enforce laws that we need to protect us from the greedy?

When Gingrich become honest about how the situation we face now is related to the oh-so wonderfull invisible (and presumably un-indictable) hand of the economy, we'll hold his perspectives somewhat suspect.

...we love what we know and we know what we are taught,a nd this is a meaningfull lesson. Let's hope this incident does incrementally what the Exxon Valdez did for our consciousness while putting the actual accident into perspective. It's not the end of the world but in a world where there are so few robust populations of wild animals anymore, this really sucks and is why resposnible action for safe practices, especially when it could impact the environment so profoundly, is still so important.

Keep this in mind: the Exxon Valdez settlement is still being delayed by Exxon who is still arguing that they shouldn't have to pay..5 billion dollars, held in escrow for over 20 years while awaiting final dispensation...who's getting the interest on that? Also, why wasn't that ship equipped with double hulls to guard against this kind of accident? Too expensive? Ha! What? So expensive that if they did this the number of richistanians might plummet...heaven forbid.

...which among people of quality is best served cold. Let's hope this famous observation from the old movie "Kind Hearts and Coronets" hold true for Mr Kerry and that its fullfillment brings attention to the tragic result of our nation's failure in leadership called the Bush/Chaney presidentcy.