I also hold her to a higher standard because I feel she is on our side. The side of reason, responsibility, and truth.

Frankly I find it amazing which stories go away and which ones stick around. Lacey Peterson... why do I even know that name? Yet the Downing Street Memo hardly ever gets talked about. There are key people who have the ability to advance the conversation along the correct lines. These are the people whom we should apply pressure.

The question about the media that haunts me is this: Does the media deliberately try to influence politics (Fox is a given)? I am sure they chase ratings... but do they deliberately misreport news in favor of ratings? How do these mechanisms work and what can we do to stop them.

Bruce Fein has been a huge proponent of Impeachment and for that I have been hugely thankful but he is also usually FAR right in all of his politics. Yes, sometimes even Republican's can't help but be incensed by how Bush/Cheney have discarded our Constitution!

As far as his credentials go, I guess that would depend on what grounds you are judging . His attacks on Clinton during his impeachment were non stop and the glee he seemed to find in doing so was always clearly evident.

Let him help in getting the "current criminals in office" OUT of office, but all in all I am still not sold on the guy.

Bruce Fein has been a credible, strong, and persistent voice sounding the alarm for the last few years about the big issues surrounding the "unitary executive," separation of powers, rule of law, and abuses of power such as signing statements. I would definitely like to hear Maddow interview him. Thanks for suggesting it.

but what was cool princessie's question? AND what was Rachel's answer (or should I just shut up and try to find the show myself)?

I was talking to a friend from NW Indiana who seems pretty tuned into Indiana politics and he told me that Bayh will not be on the ticket but he will play a major part in the campaign in Indiana, Kentucky, and Southern Ohio specifically. While the Obama camp is not expecting to win in Ky and probably not in Indiana either, they think that Bayh will help in those states and the idea is to have McCain use resources in those two states, rather than coast.

Nice to hear your guest give props to Birch Bayh. Bayh was also part of the big ERA push and a key pointman for Title IX legislation. I did volunteer work for his short-lived presidential campaign in '76. Too bad he wasn't able to do better in Iowa that year. I haven't heard much in the media about him lately - would make an interesting guest. Just wish that his son would be more like him.

..... we can talk for HOURS.

But first things first. I am not well versed in the medical marijuana world. But recently I was talking to my gardener, and I was telling him about making tinctures from herbs (VERY easy to do), and he told me that in Mexico a common folk remedy is to put pot leaves in alcohol and let it sit. Just like you would a tincture. Then people use it to rub on sore muscles. I found that FASCINATING!!! AN actual folk remedy based on pot!

Having said that, I am an advocate for the medicinal uses of plants. I hate this whole illegality of plants. The plants did nothing wrong, but since people are misusing them.... Hmmm... come to think about it, that is the same argument of the gun lobby... LOL.

Anyway, I believe that there always is an alternative for any plant. I have no scientific research to back this up, but I believe that all habitats provide the cures needed for all diseases (OK, maybe the Amazon is likely to have more healing plants than the desert.... but please don't let that minor fact detract from my flawless logic). Therefore, I would encourage you to look for natural alternatives in your region and advocate for native plants, rather than sticking to one plant or the other.

One book I use is Indian Herbalogy of North America, among others (yes, it's Herbalogy.... I am not making a typo Mr. Crusty). I even used this book to help me select the Native California plants I planted in the backyard.

Then, look for what you are after. For example, got nausea? Try ginger. Got pain? Try California poppy (just be careful. Like all poppies, its properties are opiates and if you need to get a drug test you will test positive. Not unlike eating a poppyseed muffin... which by the way, it's a great thing to do if you are stressed. Having a bad day? Go to the local coffee shop and gobble up a poppy seed muffin!). Got glaucoma? Try gumweed.

This is where alcohol comes in very handy.... HIC!

If you have an herb you like, most likely you can make a tincture out of it. Simply place the herb in a jar, and add vodka. I've read people say that the strongest the vodka the better, and other don't really care. So I figured that way back in the day these things were not as scientific, so I try to fill the jar with as much of the herb as possible. Then I just pour vodka over it and let it sit for a couple of weeks (shake twice a day). This is for fresh leaves...

If you are using dry leaves -- say medicinal marijuana for your sore muscles -- use less. That is, about half a jar of herb to a jar-full of vodka. Never tried it... so if you do let me know how it works for you.

Maybe this was more than you were bargaining for. So sorry if I overwhelmed you with info. :)

Or is it, "Here here"? Whatever; I'll donate $17.48 and a slightly-used whoopie cushion to the Home for Feeble Swashbucklers, should I take this "war hero's" bait.

"Class...class...SHUT UP!!!"--Sister Mary Elephant

Or have the posts been removed?

..... Hey Essic, interesting articles. I liked the photo on the NYT one.... the guy REALLY looked like a troll.

But you mentioned IP addressed in your post. My understanding is that the IP address is related to the network you log into the Web through. Say, I log in from work, then my work's network would be tracked. If I log in from home, then my home network (say AT&T) would be tracked. So what happens if I were to take my laptop to a coffee shop? How does IP tracking work in that kind of scenario?

Non-network-administrator minds would like to know.

Hmmm. I wonder if he'll try to attract former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Serge "The Senator" Savard to his campaign?