While the court explicitly limited its ruling to Los Angeles, relying heavily on statistics and evidence of the lack of shelter for homeless people there, cities across the country, and Portland in particular, will take note. “Human beings are biologically compelled to rest, whether by sitting, lying, or sleeping,

From McVeigh's Wikipedia:

In the wake of the standoff between federal officials and militiamen at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, McVeigh said he was further influenced by the 1993 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms raid on the Waco headquarters of the Branch Davidians. He visited Waco during the standoff, where he spoke to a news reporter about his anger over what was happening there.

In combat, he showed his loyalty to the country.

Washington Post:

The Army showered McVeigh with war medals, including a Bronze Star and the coveted Combat Infantry Badge.

A December 1991 Army evaluation released by McVeigh's lawyer, Stephen Jones, rated him "among the best" in leadership potential and an "inspiration to young soldiers."

So what happened to the man who would salute soliders who had served as far back as the 1960s?

McVeigh by now was railing at virtually every aspect of American government, and at least beginning to consider a violent solution, as reflected in letters he wrote to the Lockport Union-Sun and Journal in February and March 1992. The first bewailed rising crime, "cataclysmic" taxes, politicians serving only themselves and the disappearance of the "American Dream . . . substituted with people struggling just to buy next week's groceries." Just as communism failed, he said, democracy "seems to be headed down the same road. No one is seeing the big' picture . . . AMERICA IS IN DECLINE."

He closed: "Do we have to shed blood to reform the current system? I hope it doesn't come to that! But it might."

In his mind, said a source, war had been declared. He was merely responding, a soldier defending his country from oppressors.

Why do we think of McVeigh as "crazy?" Is it because the current lifestyle we enjoy, while with a great deal of shortcomings, is better than the alternative?

Morning in Olympia and some of us standing in line at Batdorf and Bronson were not feeling all that cheerful. A barista knew just what to do, this photo was shown to one customer, I next in line could not help but to admire, smiles washed across previously dour expressions.

From OregonLive.com:

OLYMPIA -- Western Washington will soon be home to an enormous biodiesel production plant under the terms of an agreement announced Tuesday.

The plant, to be built on land owned by the Port of Grays Harbor between Aberdeen and Hoquiam in Grays Harbor County, will be capable of producing 100 million gallons of biodiesel a year, enough to make it the biggest plant in the country.

Nationwide last year, biodiesel production was 75 million gallons, according to the National Biodiesel Board. But capacity is rising fast; construction began recently on an 85-million-gallon a year facility in North Dakota.

If you wonder whether nonviolent resistance can work even against oppressors as nasty as the Nazis, be sure to watch the powerful and inspiring documentary film the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation is broadcasting on Thurston Community Television (TCTV), cable 22 in Thurston County. It airs at 10:00 p.m. every Sunday night during May. You still have three more opportunities to watch it: Sundays May 14, 21, and 28.

“Weapons of the Spirit