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No question, it's easier to hold onto a principle when we're feeling secure than it is when we're afraid. But just because it's hard doesn't mean it's not worth preserving our core values. As the Japanese became our allies after World War II, we began to regret that we had ignored our principles, even as we were fighting to protect them. No one was proud of what we did to our Japanese citizens and, fortunately, we were able to avoid doing the same thing to our Muslim citizens after September 11th. But we had to make a conscious effort to keep away from that cliff and some folks did drift pretty near the edge. We had plenty of worried Muslim citizens a decade ago, and I'm sure there are still some who keep looking over their shoulders. We should take some pride, I think, that we resisted a repeat of the actions we took seven decades ago. Although there's no doubt that we did some significant ethnic profiling after September 11th, and are still doing some today. During the past decade, the New York police department took some heat for mounting cameras near mosques and infiltrating them. But at least, when it became known, there was a public debate, and a renewed agreement that we didn't want a repeat of what we did to our Japanese citizens. One thing that occurs to me now is that, in order to keep such ethnic profiling at bay today, the NSA has devised a workaround that involves profiling everybody. Seventy years ago, we couldn't keep everyone under surveillance, so we rounded up our Japanese citizens and put them inside barbed wire. Ten years ago, strategically placed cameras let us keep many of our Muslim citizens under close watch where they lived and worshipped. Now, to avoid that kind of scrutiny again, and since the technology allows it, our government has decided, in secret, to put everyone under some level of surveillance. As the technology matures, I expect we'll all be under closer watch. And, as our government becomes more and more committed to secrecy, the opportunities for debate will be closed off one by one. At least we don't have armed guards surrounding us. Not every day anyway.

One thing that troubles me is that my already wispy hopes for a midterm Democratic resurgence in the House are getting downright gossamer. Fortunately, my Representative supported the Amash-Conyers amendment. A couple weeks ago, he hosted Nancy Pelosi at a fundraiser in a fairly well-to-do enclave that probably hasn't hasn't seen a protest in decades. It did this time. The progressives were out in full force, demonstrating against Pelosi who has been vocal in her support of the NSA and who was one of the "no" votes. I'd have been there too, had I known about it. Me!! Who's been one of her most vocal supporters! I'm glad I'm not in her District, as I don't see a way I could check her box, you should pardon the expression. The last thing the Democrats need to do, by my lights anyway, is to drive off any of their most loyal supporters in 2014. And here they are, finding a way.

Usually just a splash of eau de toilette, though never right after shaving.

Respected the US Constitution, same as today. ( Did I pass? )

Personally, I'd vote for more exhibitionism rather than less. Could it be that Wiener is on the right track and the rest of us have some catching up to do?

Sir, here's the extra fluffy king-size towel you requested.

From the get-go, this has made the most sense to me. And it's where I expect ObamaCare will end up as the years go by. My suggestion, in a post long ago and far away, was to lower the enrollment age for Medicare by a couple of years annually until, by 2040 or so, we would have the single-payer system that makes sense for all. And the insurance companies would have had several decades to adapt their business models. Of course, even such a sensible, gradual approach may not be very likely to get past Republicans.

Seems to me only those who have actually experienced addiction are qualified to judge other addicts, and everybody else is lucky to just be guessing.

It's a crappy day in Shitterton, and Sir Henry decides he could do with a bit of fresh air.

You rang? Perry Como, mellifluous though he may be, is a mere parvenu compared with the enduring greats like Ted Fio Rito, Little Jack Little, and Basil Fomeen. To this day, nothing gets me into my 'boogie shoes' quicker than hearing the needle dropping onto the shellac of Diga Diga Doo ! Perry who?

I've read enough about this story to know that two of the pilots are named Lee, so I'd like to think this wouldn't have got by me. Had that not been the case, however, I'm pretty sure I would have just sounded them out as written and hoped for the best. Maybe by the time I got to 'Fuk', the light would have gone on. I hope so anyway, but I couldn't guarantee it. Besides, had I been a Fox newscaster for any length of time, I expect I'd have long ago stopped paying attention to most of the horseshit that rolls by on the teleprompter. And apologizing for it would be a full-time job all by itself.

If you can't change the corroded battery contacts, you may be able to sandpaper them down to shiny metal. The important thing is to make a good connection between the contacts and a new set of batteries. You can also look in your closet for the AC adapter that came with the keyboard. That's another way to get power to it. If you can't find it, Radio Shack sells universal AC adapters. Take the CASIO along with you and ask the salesperson to show you the right connector for your unit. Who knows? You may even find a husband!

Unwilling to believe The Web is really closing, AdamSmith decides to stick around for just one more.

True enough. But what do we do? Do we sit back as our government learns more about what we're doing and we learn less about what it's doing? How long will it take us to revert to where we were 250 years ago? Are we already there and just too dumb to know it?

If we didn't buy a product just because it was made by a straight guy, then I think your analogy would be valid. But Card goes beyond just being a straight guy and actively opposes rights which are important to gay folks. He would, if he could, have prevented my friends from getting married this morning. And Charlie. And Lucky. If there were a gay guy who tried taking away the right of straight couples to get married, I wouldn't buy his books either. Card is entitled to his views, as I am entitled to mine. The difference is I don't go around poking my big bazoo into his business.

Congratulations, Charlie! I went to my first all-groom wedding this morning in the rotunda at San Francisco City Hall. They've been together for twenty years. Very nice.

As this is an all-volunteer site, I don't think anyone is obliged to put up with behavior they don't enjoy. Nor do I think it's an act of 'manliness' to endure rude and unpleasant behavior from folks one has never met. Who needs it? There are plenty of manly men around who are just as pleasant and affable as the day is long. Not that this site is overrun with unpleasant behavior. Far from it. Not only have OZ and TY done a great job of setting acceptable boundaries, but I think most posters here are pretty good at moderating themselves. But that's not always the case on all sites, and a little vigilance can't hurt. As we are reminded whenever a favorite poster disappears. I'll also add that I think the responsibility for site health and longevity lies with the person who writes something unpleasant, rather than the person who reads it. Sometimes a reader is already creeped out by the time he realizes he's reading a snarky post or PM. Whereas someone who writes a creepy post or PM always has the opportunity to refrain from hitting the 'send' button. I think most of us can overlook an error in judgement from time to time but, if it becomes the norm, then the site can go off the rails pretty quick. I remember a site called 'EscortSpeak' where the members all had skin as thick as a water buffalo but, even then, folks began to drift away until there was no one left to pay the bills. I also remember my own experience being creeped out at Daddy's a few years ago not by just one poster, who was obnoxious as could be, but by a couple of others who stood on the sidelines and cheered him on. I figured if that's the kind of site they want, more power to them, but I myself had other places I'd rather be. My hope is that this site remains a supportive one where folks keep looking for ways to keep everyone under the tent. Even if someone is having a bad day and feeling crabby, it might be better just to say so before lashing out at someone else. I think most everyone here has a good heart and can be counted on to help soothe another poster's jangled nerves.

It usually improves mine.

Perhaps RA1 could give him a lift.

Tomorrow, there will be a group marching in the SF Pride parade in support of Bradley Manning. Daniel Ellsberg, 82, will be among them. There was a kerfuffle in April when the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee board named Manning Grand Marshal, and then rescinded the nomination a few days later. I hope he is aware of the strong support he has.

Plus the District of Columbia!

They can save their money as far as I'm concerned. I was at a small winery last year and asked the winemaster - mistress, actually - why there were two different-colored oak barrels. She told me the darker ones were French toasted oak barrels that weren't as harsh as the lighter local oak barrels. It finally dawned on me that the harshness I picked up in some white wines was from oak. She went on to tell me that oak had become a fad in recent years and, to reduce the time it took to impart oak flavor, the Australians had gone so far as to flow the wine over a bed of oak chips. Yech! She said that, thankfully, the fad was starting to die out and that she was glad the emphasis was swinging back to the grapes. I've found that most places will be able to make a recommendation for low-oak whites, and I always ask.

Everett prepares to diagram the sentence. He has requested a large piece of chalk, and a footstool.

Some nest! I think there's an egg in there somewhere but how am I supposed to sit on it underneath all those shoes? You promised me you'd add on a nursery after the last one. That was three weeks ago. All you ever do is sit around here drinking all day. And I'm still waiting for that worm you went out to get this morning. I told you you'd have to leave early if you wanted to stand a chance but, no, you had to stay out all night crapping on windshields. It's a good thing I'm so patient and sweet. And it's starting to smell in there, worse than the last time and I'm getting sick and tired of just putting up with it and suffering in silence. By the way, your mother called and she wants you to . . .