Learn From War

Everyone who leads a public life steps in the crap once in a while. (Some way more frequently than is believable.) But something you would think every single one of them would know:

Any time you try to emphasize your side of an argument using a simile involving "holocaust," "Nazi Germany," "under Hitler," "book burning," or "concentration camp," you are going to almost immediately have to stand before the press and ask for forgiveness for your insensitivity.

WalMart is going through this exercise right now (they were banned from opening a new store by a city ordinance, and they ran an ad with vintage 1940 book burning images). But we watched it happen no fewer than three times here in Washington state recently during the Senate and house discussions on stem cell legislation.

There are lots of ways to effectively make a point. This, clearly, is not one of them.

Greg and I were out "fishing" today (I say it eliptically because I have never caught a fish on Greg's boat) and we came upon the buoy on the south tip of Whidbey island. This guy lay there the whole time without waking up until we forced the issue.
click pic

It took a long time, and we had to start the engine, but he suddenly woke up. Unlike the average sea lion, he didn't get all cranky and loud. He just kind of watched us move on by.
click pic

And then, as if trained on buckets of mackeral, he waved goodbye. No kidding.
click pic

The Smith's new dog, Roxy, sleeping on the ceiling.
click pic

It's not done yet, but this is sort of an 'after' shot of the Chelan place. The flooring is finished, the paint is on, and thanks to Bill the baseboards are now in. As done as this room is going to get for a while...
click pic