MAV is back from DC; had a wonderful albiet cold & wet time. He related how the "protesters" were a distinct minority and did not seem to be getting much sympathy from the crowd - or the local Gendarmarie!

MAV was with a group sponsored by the Washington Times Newspaper, which I understand is an "Alternative" (to the Liberal dominant "mainstream press" that is) publication, considering opening a branch here in Maine. I'm looking forward to it. Might even be an opportunity to branch out into journalizim - whaddaye think?

How about that innauguration speech? Now that was NOT your typical one-size-fits-all middle-of-the-road, don't-rock the-boat (or offend anybody) milktoast and banannas make-em-all-smile political blather we usually hear, was it? Kind of like bagpipe music; yer gonna love it or hate it with a certain level of passion, in most cases. (I don't know too many people who are "iffy" or "take-it-or-leave-it" about bagpipes... or Rush Limbaugh either, for that matter.)

You might hate his gutz, but at least "W" lets us know on no uncertain terms just where he's coming from and what he's about, right up front! I rather admire that kind of conviction and fortitude!

As to my crack about "Emperor" Klinton: those 63 pages or so of Executive orders, edicts, and proclamations (not to mention the pardons of many of his criminal cronies) spewed out of the White House in the last week or so did not go through the Constitutional process of legislative review, were completely devoid of representative oversight or approval, or even Judicial process, for that matter. This is a strategy expected of a monarch, despot, dictator, or EMPEROR... NOT a leader of a free Republic who holds himself in any way accountable to the People... or to God. If any of you enlightened Scholars out there can find credible evidence of any Republican in U.S. history even approaching this precident of Emperial edict, I'd be interested to know of it. Until then, I stand by my assessment sans appology, thank you very much.

Say, you like Ashcroft so much; have they announced who's gonna be Press Secretary yet? You're gonna love "Rush" even better! (he was absent from his radio show without explanation Thursday - meeting with the "Boss"?) Presidential Advisor Charlton Heston; now that has a nice ring to it! Wayne LaPierre might make a good Ambasador to the U.N., dont'cha think?

We note with a certain modicum of delight the belated but no less joyous announcement of the birth of "Revuruund" Jessie Jackson's bouncing baby bastard last week. Such impeccible timing - not unlike the revelation of G.W. Bush's scrape with the law 25 years or so prior, being shouted from the rooftops and from every front page and TV news pundit 3 days before the election. This may not balance the equasion completely... but it's a step in the right direction. By the way, where was the Revruund (I use that term rather loosly, as he is decidedly NOT one of my "Spiritual Leaders" nor do I recognize or respect him as a legitimate Minister of the Gospel - Sort of like "Jimmy & Tammy-Faye" Baker of PTL infamy) during the innauguration? Wasn't he supposed to be leading hoardes of the "disenfranchised" through the streets demanding that "every vote count" (except, of course, for the Military overseas absentee ballotts, or the Cuban - American communities in Miami Dade - who did not forget Elian Gonzalez quite as quickly as they were supposed to, or the thousands of uncounted Military absentee ballotts in California...)??

Where is your hero Algore? Last I heard he was seen driving towards Virginia, looking rather grim and sullen. Where shall we heare from him next? "Ya-all waant friaaaaahs with thayet?" Hold the pickles, Al!