Enjoy freshly cooked fry bread while you watch “Little Big Man,

Young Democrats to meet in South Sound Summit

Democrats from around the South Sound will meet on Saturday, February 4 at Pacific Lutheran University to chart their course for the year. “This year, with dozens of state, federal and local elections, will be important for Democrats,

In the land of del.icio.us tags, things can change quickly, so my current observations might not be meaningful later.

Check out +olympia+government . Is that spam or is that spam? I see countless variations of tax attorney David Jacquot entries. His site states that he is in Idaho.

My question is, does that qualify as spam? Maybe it does not. All us del.icio.us users can use tagging as we like. Also, can anyone come up with some good puns about delicious spam? Surely this situation is ripe for jesting.

That is the title of The Evergreen State College Magazine, Winter 2006. If you don't get yours in the mail as an alumni, pdfs are available.

I've only just opened my copy, already pleased to see beautiful photos of the Longhouse Education and Cultural Center.

A new study commissioned by the federal government recommends that Canada legalize polygamy and change legislation to help women and children living in plural relationships.

The paper by three law professors at Queen's University argues that a challenge to Section 293 of the Criminal Code banning polygamy might be successful, said Beverley Baines, one of the authors of the report.

Using the recent legalization of same-sex marriage as their basis, the report's authors believe polygamy supporters could argue that, under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, they have a right to have multiple spouses.

Continued

I'm posting this article because, as some have suggested, I'm merely using various arguments as either a "red herring" or as intellectual exercises.

Later in the article there is discussion that while the government may not recognize polygamy, it could become decriminalized.

Again, I'm not using this as a basis for prohibiting same sex marriage in this country but I don't suggest the unreasonable or the impossible. It would appear raising the polygamy question in this country and how one might confront it is a lot more than the "semblence" of a coherent argument.

Paul Martin's (now ousted) government felt compelled enough to commission a study on the legal ramifications of polygamy.

To expand upon an earlier statement, maybe in thirty-years we'll wonder why the government prohibited consenting adults from engaging in any relationship.

Then again, I'm just protecting the radicals.

From the SeattlePI:

OLYMPIA -- The Senate today voted 25-23 to approve a gay rights bill and ended the debate over legislation that emerged in Washington the same year singer Anita Bryant began her "Save Our Children" crusade against such protections.

The bill would ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, lending and employment.

Twenty four of 26 Democrats were joined by one Republican and approved the bill with a one-vote majority.

Rep. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, has championed the legislation for a decade. The openly gay legislator, who waited in the wings for the vote, embraced his partner as the clerk read the vote count.

"I'm very happy," Murray said. "It's a moment of joy."

Earthquake, floods, personal loss, day to day intensity, rallies and marches. All this and more can take a toll. Sometimes even seemingly minor events can later cause nightmares and intrusive thoughts.

Debriefing helps.

1. Drink water, eat food - Remember the basics.
2. Talk & Listen - Talk things through, express yourself. Write, draw, anything that works for you. You might find that you have a lot of talking  and expressing to do and that is fine. All your feelings are okay too. Listen if you can. Remember that telling yourself or others that "it wasn't that big of a deal" or "you shouldn't be so upset" serves no one. This isn't the time for an intellectual critique.
3. Do something else - Take a break. Get some exercise. Watch a movie, read something unrelated to what you experienced. Find something to laugh about.