Interesting News: Rep. Bill Janklow (SD) was found guilty of manslaughter, which was just a matter of time given his history of reckless driving. NY federal judges protested against a new congressional attempt to yet again limit their sentencing powers, this time even violating the privacy of judicial decision making to do so. The measure was yet another late add on to a noncontroversial bill that turned out to be controversial and ill advised. As is giving a big f-up to France, Germany, and Russia for not joining the coalition to invade Iraq by barring them from rebuilding contracts. Way to go assholes!

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! It also is Human Rights Day (Human Rights Week begins today), while the 15th is Bill of Rights Day. I just got a new pocket Constitution (has the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, justices of the Supreme Court, and various trivia ... great deal for $2.95); I guess it was a timely purchase.

A final (?) thought for now on the Locke v. Davey case (see below). I recently saw both sides provide statements to the press on C-SPAN, and the state lawyer provided an interesting fact. Not only does the state constitution of Washington bar state funding to religion (explicitly providing a broader bar than the First Amendment), it also has been interpreted to read that free exercise cannot be burdened (even by general laws) unless there is a compelling state interest. This too is broader than the First Amendment (as interpreted). Both provide a different way to protect religious freedom, debatable or not, claims that the state in effect is discrimination against religion are a bit problematic. After all, in a way, the state protects religious freedom more.