Here is my question: If the court (that is to say, if a judge) orders this girl back to her family, and she is subsequently killed....will the judge bear equal guilt with the murderer, and face the same penalties? If not, why not?

Nadler said "Congress must not be in the business of punishing individual organizations or people without trial, and that’s what this Amendment does." OH really? I wonder what his vote was, during the 'Punish employees of AIG and other recipients of government money" pile-on?

This is interesting. Is it "racism" if the perp is also a minority? Of a different minority?

I have been writing and writing to my congresswomen, asking the NOT to vote for this monstrosity, which we cannot afford and from which they themselves will be conveniently exempt. I keep getting this sort of form letter: "Thank you for your thoughts. We are all concerned about the country's finances, but I must continue to spend money on things we think are important, no matter how many people oppose them. If you have any more concerns, please feel free to send them to me, so they can be ignored again." It would be horrible, but not the least bit of a surprise, to learn that all of this "opposition" is simply a choreographed bit of acting; that all senators and representatives are so spineless that they can be arm-twisted, bribed or both into things they know their constituents don't want (can you say 'bailout'? I knew you could), and that none of us poor plebes and peons ever had any hope of affecting the outcome, no matter how vociferously we say NO NO NO. I used to believe we had a representative government. It's what I was taught in school. I don't think we have that at all anymore. If we did, our representatives might actually listen to us...you know, the idiots who had the bad judment to vote them in.

I picked one of these solid-cushion chairs today for $8 (no kidding) in a thrift store, but the orange vinyl cushion is disintegrating and it needs a complete re-upholster job. Which I do not know how to do. I would love to learn something about how to re-upholster it properly. I am also not entirely opposed to selling it to somebody who will restore and love it, with the understanding that while the wood itself is in solid shape (with some moderate scratches and a heavy patina at the sides where hands would have rubbed), the cushion is an utter loss. One way or another, it needs help, mine or somebody else's. I just couldn't leave it there. :D I