— Bumper sticker of the week: Thanks, corporate news! We couldnÕt control the people without you.

— Quote of the week: ŌMaybe the 150 Gwich-Õin men, women, and children in Arctic Village can, with the aroused and impassioned will of the American people — the rest of the American people — turn back young George BushÕs dreams of oil and old Dick CheneyÕs relentless, nearly religious pursuit of those ancient hydrocarbons buried beneath a landscape so pristine and astounding as to seem like the initial creation itself.

Is it still like the story of Genesis — still just at the beginning — or more like a reverse kind of NoahÕs Ark, with more and more being told to get off the ship? Year by year in Congress, the debate rages, being cleaved and decided by only one or two votes — like wild animals fighting over tendrils, ligaments, scraps.Ķ Caribou Rising, Rick Bass

— EveryoneÕs after prostitutes: The Bush administration does not want family planning organizations to help prostitutes, even though they are in danger of getting and/or spreading AIDS. And now, Peoria is cracking down on the oldest profession known to mankind. Frankly, I think itÕs ridiculous and a waste of time. Why not just elect them to office. Than they can screw all of us.

— GOP plays sorry game: The GOP apologized to the NAACP for playing racial politics over the past years. Ah, the fine art of Karl Roving. Do whatever you want, whenever you want, than apologize. All will be forgiven. Or eventually, forgotten. We fall for it every time. ItÕs like a drunk who backhands his wife every time he ties one on. ŌGee honey, IÕm sorry. IÕll never do that again.Ķ You can only fall for that line so many times, then itÕs time to kick the bastard out.

— The War on Drugs: Get arrested for breaking the law. Do, maybe, a little time. Get huge fines because every governmental body is broke. CanÕt pay the fine. No jobs, criminal record. System threatens you, pay fine or else. Sell drugs to pay fine. Get arrested for breaking the law 

— Art in the Park: Artists are a rare breed. They think their work, however good or bad, is worth a lot of money. The imagination, while a scarce commodity nowadays, does have a limited amount of value. For someone trying to break into the field of high priced artwork, youÕd think it would make sense to sell things a bit cheaper, at least until you made a name for yourself. But most artists seem to think Picasso or Van Gogh got nothing on them. What they need is a marketing genius like me. For $10,000, IÕd give them some real advice.

— Road construction: I saw the stereotypical road crew the other day, with one guy working and five watching. A taxpayerÕs delight. They should have put up a road sign: Warning, Big Orange Truck — Sleeps Six.

— Alien Nation: I feel more and more alone, separated from my own country and the citizens I

thought I knew. How can we let ourselves be so deceived? How can we let a proud and glorious form of government, born out of revolution and the sacrifice of tens of thousands, become a fiasco of unaccountability? ItÕs like a nightmare, what is happening right in front of our eyes. I at the same time feel helpless and outraged. I donÕt know whether to retreat to a cabin in the woods, or camp out on the White House steps, demanding justice and shouting down the ignorance and arrogance of the Congressmen. So much betrayal and disillusionment. If only it were just a nightmare.

— A little lame and lacking in logic: I hate to be the one to bring up logic, cause frankly, I hate using it. But to demonize the sale of alcohol at Bunker Links at this time in our history is to cast Galesburg back to its beginning, which wasnÕt all that great in the first place. ItÕs a little late to worry about how available alcohol is in the community. YouÕd have to work hard at finding a place in Galesburg where you wouldnÕt be within 2 or 3 blocks of its purchase. As the old saying goes, itÕs everywhere. The decision is way past being a moral one. ItÕs a business one. Call up other municipal courses that sell beer. Ask them if it has helped their bottom line or hurt it. Is it worth the risk? Have they had trouble? Then vote, not based on emotion or innuendo, but sound, illogical business advice.