10:55 PM Back home again, in Indiana. Great, great trip. And now, back to work. (more muckraking on the way, I'm sure. No comment tonight, I'll try to weigh in later)

10:10 PM

"I respect the jury's verdict," President Bush said. "But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr Libby is excessive," Mr Bush said.

However, he said, Libby's remaining punishments - the probation period and fine - were "harsh" and would leave his reputation "forever damaged". [BBC link]

Here's to harsh treatment of GWB and a turn of events which will "forever damage" the little troll and the satanic minions who pull his puppet-strings.

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For Jimmy:

Frederick and some friends, standing on a public street across from their school, unfurled a banner reading "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." The school's principal read that as endorsement of, even advocacy of, an illegal act (marijuana use) in violation of the school's stated policy and educational mission. She ordered Frederick and his friends to take the banner down. Frederick refused and was suspended from school for 10 days. [George Will]

How is this a case of free speech? The kids are either in school or they're not. If they're not, then who cares what banner they fly? If they are, then who says they get to fly any banner whatsoever? I'm sure I'm oversimplifying things, just as George oversimplifies by complaining that "political free speech" is somehow in danger if restrictions are placed on corporate control of the media... oh, I know that's not how he'd frame the argument, but that's really what he's all about, isn't it? In his opinion, money should be able to form into ultra-powerful corpro-citizens with more rights than simple men and women. And no, I'm not oversimplifying his position on this one. Anyway, while I recognize the subtleties involved in restricting the free speech of minors, I don't see how this is such a big deal, and I say that as someone who's not allowed to make certain political statements while on the clock at my job.

But I guess I'm open to alternative perspectives on this, as I like the idea that kids still have rights...

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Soon to be Portland and California bound!