Monday, July 31, 2006

A Slip of the Pen - New York Times

A Slip of the Pen - New York Times

The issue of signing statements by the president is fascinating. At first thought, wouldn't it be better if the president just refused to sign a law he disagrees with? In this editorial Walter Dellinger gives examples of why a president may need to sign an omnibus bill which has a few provisions he doesn't approve.

The real problem here is the question of proportion. A president or Congress may need to do things that are, strictly speaking, illegal. The important thing is not to do it too often, only in cases of emergency. If the president would honestly reject bills he doesn't feel he can enforce, then the few cases of signing statements wouldn't be a problem. The system won't work if everyone insists on going past the boundaries every time.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

PICT0356


PICT0356
Originally uploaded by P_Linehan.
Crossing the bridge.
Here is the link to all the pictures in the set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/p_linehan/sets/72157594174435485/

PICT0384


PICT0384
Originally uploaded by P_Linehan.
This is a shot of the Lewiston-Auburn Railroad Bridge from the Auburn side. It has been converted to a pedestrian bridge with beautiful parks on either side. Who would have thought of such a great use of an old resource across the Androscoggin River.

The Grim Neurology of Teenage Drinking - New York Times

The Grim Neurology of Teenage Drinking - New York Times

I never realized before how dangerous underage drinking can be. This article highlights some of the neurochemical changes that can occur. Blacking out isn't just an obscure problem for alcaholics, but a real issue. This article shows it's more important than ever to avoid binge drinking. I would even argue avoid lighter drinking because of where it may lead.