The cynical view is that Swindell went to Beijing to protest the shortage of TV cameras in Boise. Cynical, yes, but also naive. Yes, this protest was orchestrated for a time when the eyes of the world were turning to Beijing, and reporters, on the eve of the Games, were looking for a story. This was calculated for maximum effect, maximum exposure. As my 13-year-old would say, "Duh." Folks, this is how the process of public activism is played. Timing matters almost as much as message — the pros pay attention to both. Am I supposed to be surprised?/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Related: Swindelled in China, and: IPT: 'Are Swindell's actions newsworthy?'/Unequivocal Notion

During my two years as a news editor of the Lewiston Tribune, I learned two things about headline writing -- I was so-so at it, and the heds that Bill Hall and Jim Fisher wrote for their editorials were superb. As the highlight of my swing shift (1982-82), I proofed their pages. One day, I asked Bill why the editorial page headlines screamed: "Read me, read me." He responded that he'd rather have a dull editorial than a dull headline. With so many other things to read in the paper, the headline served the role of carnival barker trying to get the fleeting attention of a browser distractedly taking in the many sights and sounds of the midway with kids in toe and cotton candy in hand. The one who shouted loudest and offered the most interesting fare made the sale. Why am I telling you this? Bloggers tend to be lousy headline writers.

2:39 p.m. A pickup pulling a trailer with a flat tire from I90 onto I95 northbound is all over the road.
2:08 p.m. A 34YO female tore off her left index finger from the distal knuckle when she got her hand caught in the reins while loading a horse in a trailer at the Dalton Arena (16th & Dalton, I believe). Ambulance is en route to KMC with the horse woman and the amputated part.
10:10 a.m. A small white Plymouth truck is disabled on an I90 offramp in CDA, causing a traffic hazard.
9:47 a.m. Budget Motel employees (1519 Sherman) are checking room-by-room for a female who called to say she'd broken her foot, sounding frantic and drunk.

Pecky Cox/As The Lake Churns
A little girl digs for coins at this year's Huckleberry Festival in Priest Lake to benefit the Priest Lake Search & Rescue organization.

I know I'm not alone in experiencing the ever-increasing moments of sadness when local obituary columns are filled with faces and names I've known forever. This morning's paper provides yet another example of the cruel reality that "good byes" here are becoming much too redundant. Today our community must say good bye to Tom DeMers, Harry Roberson and Dona Meehan. I know that it would take several sets of fingers and toes to add up the years I've known these three Sandpoint folks who passed away over the past few days/Marianne Love, Slight Detour. More here.

HBO Numbers (for Wednesday, Aug. 5): 10209 page-views/5315 unique views

*Lost stuff/Tumblewords
*Natural consequences/A Butterfly Moment
*Junkies of the St. Joe/The Skinny On North Idaho
*Phantoms of the melodrama/Silver Valley Girl
*Wake up struggle/Synaptic Disunion
*Reading/TUBOB
*Pearls Before Swine wisdom/Wayward Episcopalian
*3BT: Juniper Pizza, coffee at Theo's, juicy Huckleberry/Kellogg Bloggin'

Question: Are you a regular reader of newspaper obituaries?

In this morning's Spokesman Review there is an article headlined Gregoire calls campaign as untrue, racist. It speaks to an ad denouncing concessions she allegedly made to the Indian gambling concerns for which both her campaign and the Democratic Party received substantial contributions. How many other interest groups do the same thing when something happens in their favor? Is it better to hide such efforts with a lobbying firm where the negotiators may be of another ethnicity?/Dogwalk Musings. More here.

Question: Do you agree with Dogwalk Musings that accusations of racism among politicians and their campaigns are tiresome?

"Everything's good in the world tonight, when Smokey sings," goes ABC's catchy 1987 hit and so tonight should be positively perfect, at least in Sandpoint where Smokey Robinson himself will be appearing as part of The Festival at Sandpoint's opening night festivities. I have to ask: Has SmoRo been dabbling in the botox? In recent publicity shots, he sure looks pert for a gentleman pushing 70. I hope they're giving him best injections LA has to offer because the man deserves it. Without Smokey and his pal Barry Gordy, there never would have been a Motown Records, and if there never was a Motown Records, maybe there never would have been a Diana Ross and the Supremes or a Stevie Wonder or a Mary Jane Girls and that's just too depressing to even think about/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. More here.

Question: What's your favorite MoTown group, singer or song?

Rajah Boss/Spokesman-Review
The Blue Angels flying team arrives at Fairchild Air Force Base Wednesday. The team is in town for an air show Friday through Sunday. Story here.

Urine Road: Oregon State Police officers say people are filling up plastic bottles with urine and chucking them out the window, leaving them along the side of the road on Interstate 84. We’re not just talking one or two bottles – but 200-300 human-waste filled containers along a 25-mile stretch of the freeway between Ontario and Huntington. Police think long-haul truck drivers might be to blame/KTVB. More here.

*Twin Falls police probe baby beer YouTube video/Twin Falls Times News
*House, Senate campaigns set Lewiston debates/Lewiston Tribune
*Silverwood rollercoaster safe again, reopens/SR
*Spokane Chiefs name new coach/KXLY
*Crash kills 1 of mayor's grandsons, injures another/Missoulian
*Twin Falls bridge not deficient after all/Twin Falls Times News
*Minnick strategy: Paint Idaho's Sali as fringe/AP
*Shirtless LDS calendar creator planning 2009 version/KCBI

Orbusmax Special: 'Waddling Bandit' admits 30 NW bank robberies here.

Item: Local writers win bad-prose prizes/Seattle Times

Bad Opening Line: "Nobody knew just who the steely-eyed stranger was, where he came from, where he was headed, or what his intentions were while he was in Dodge City," wrote McKenzie, 54, an aerospace quality consultant. "He wasn't an hombre you'd want to stick your tongue out at or flip off, and any man who tried to tickle him would be asking for a long stay in a pine box."

Question: Can you write a bad opening line for a novel based on a Huckleberries Online theme, blog, or commenter?

Duncan stuck by his request to take over the questioning of jurors himself, even after listening to his lawyers conduct extensive, detailed questioning of the first two prospective jurors, so the judge allowed him to take over – though Duncan said he probably won’t ask any questions. “You understand that the court has been on the bench for 46 years, and I’m urging you and telling you that this is a huge mistake,” U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge told Duncan. “You understand?” “I understand that,” Duncan responded/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Ray Stubblebine/Hasbro, AP

I was going to save this photo for HBO @ Noon. With Editor Steve Smith arriving in a few minutes, however, I decided to post it now. Above, Cavity Sam, left, the patient in Hasbro's "Operation" game, shows off his new boxer shorts to show host Lydia Hearst, center, and underwear model Jed Hill at an underwear fashion show during the 6th Annual National Underwear Day in New York Tuesday.

Question: Boxers? Or briefs?

It is good and all that they are trying to raise awareness about what is going on in China, but it's pretty clear the only reason they are there now is because there are cameras there. Why haven't they ever protested in China before? Are they afraid of actually being tossed in a cell when the cameras aren't there? Why haven't they ever gone to the middle east to protest the oppression of women there? I think it is also pretty clear that they didn't get the repression they wanted the first day, so they probably upped the ante for the second protest/Unequivocal Notion. More here.

*Has Risch lost talk radio?/MountainGoat Report
*The blindness of hate/Adam's Blog
*A deal pro-choicers can't refuse/Clayton Cramer
*Sali's blog/IdaBlue
*Friends arrested in Beijing/IVA
*What would Jesus unfurl/Left Side of the Moon
*Simpson skips debate/Red State Rebels
*Fire deaths underscore issues with fire suppression/Rocky Barker

Am I the only female that is vain about my beautiful, long, fingernails? One just broke. I think I need comp time until it grows out/JeanieSpokane.

With fear and trembling, I'm going to change course a little and ask for possible questions to pose to Lt. Gov. Jim Risch when he stops by for an online chat at 1:30 p.m. Friday. I already have 7-8 of the 12 I plan to ask. So don't jump on me if I don't use yours. I'll consider questions that are short and don't require a long answer (because I'll be typing the responses online here as Lt. Gov. Risch provides them). I'm also looking for rapid-fire questions that can be answered yes or no -- and will comprise one entry. Now, Sisyphus, didn't you want to know what the lieutenant governor had for breakfast?

The Associated Press captures footage of Boise Christian activist Brandi Swindell protesting in Tiannanmen Square in China. Brandi Swindell blog re: events. (Hat Tip: Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman)

Question: What will be the net effect of Brandi Swindell's protest?

Item: With lifeguards fired, pool closes: Teen staffers arrested for allegedly drinking in pool house/Meghann M. Cuniff, SR

More Info: A teen drinking incident is making August a bit more uncomfortable for some people near Holmberg Park. The park's pool closed two weeks early Monday after Spokane County sheriff's deputies busted nearly half the lifeguard staff for allegedly hosting a beer fest in the pool house over the weekend. It was a double whammy: The three teens were arrested and fired.

Question: What was the dumbest thing you did as a teen that involved booze?

Item: Washington pushes to require chicken pox vaccinations/KREM2

More Info: The push comes after 14 students at Jefferson Elementary became sick with chickenpox last year, and students who had not been vaccinated for the virus were advised to stay home from school. The state wants to avoid that situation this year, but officials are having trouble crafting a program that would be sensitive to the religious and personal preferences of parents.

Question: Should school children be required to have chickenpox vaccinations?

Item: Worth the wait: KMC emergency among nation's best at getting to patients in short time/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d'Alene Press

More Info: For those in pain, minutes crawl like hours. For the Kootenai Medical Center Emergency Department, that's important to keep in mind. According to federal statistics released Wednesday, average times that hospital emergency room patients wait to see a doctor has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade. But the patients needing immediate care at KMC shouldn't have to wait that long.

Question: When and why were you last in the ER with a health emergency for you or a loved one?

Jerome A. Pollos/Coeur d'Alene Press
Dick Phillips, 88, and his wife Maggie, 92, make their way to an appointment Wednesday on their electric scooters in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. The couple use their scooters to maintain their independence while going to doctor appointments or lunch dates together. Story here.

*Idaho Records/Sherry Adkins, SR
*Huetter dispute goes to state/Amy Cannata, SR Handle Extra
*Handle Extra columns: So, did she end up going, DFO, Huckleberries; Owner breathes life back into pet llama/Herb Huseland; and Rathdrum seeing boom in business/Mary Jane Honegger; and
*With teen lifeguards fired, pool closes/Meghann M. Cuniff, SR
*CDA school board taps ex-pastor for vacancy/Maureen Dolan, Coeur d'Alene Press
*Farragut searches for funds/Alecia Warren

Joni Peterson/AP
Paul Lunde, left, Al Floyd,second from left, Debbie Dixon, David Gorden, second from right, and Dean Peterson, right, model prototype kilt uniforms for postal workers at the National Association of Letter Carriers' convention this summer in Boston, where Peterson introduced a resolution to add kilts to the U.S. Postal Service uniform choices. You write the cutline.

I got two of THE SHACK today...one for reading and one for loaning.... I have had several people besides the ones here telling me, you HAVE to read this book... if it is that good... I don't want to lose my own copy, and it was cheap enough, I could get two/Cis.

DFO: OK, if Kendramama will lead the discussion, we'll do a book of the month thing on "The Shack." Kendra, are you out there?

RE: Defeated ShoshoneCo sheriff questions opponent's honesty
So nobody appears to be concerned about the charge that Yergler lied about having a degree from NIC and also about his campaign contributions? Anyone independently verified those claims yet? I'd hope at least a reporter will/Sam.

We are recording angels
at the newspaper
not guardians, not nurses,
we watch and we scribe
from a high
we don't advertise bake sales
for 3 year olds dying of leukemia
bald headed and scared
we will run the obituary
it will be as nice as the family
chooses but how much life
does a 3 year old live?
we have word limits, of course
everything costs money these days
we aren't a charity
but we hope the bake sale goes well
it might make a good feature
it's already August
and we haven't done a dying baby yet/TUBOB.

Question: Should Huckleberries publish announcements about fund-raisers?

Scott Stantis/Birmingham News

Editor Steve Smith will drop by the CDA bureau this morning at 11 o'clock to discuss Huckleberries Online. I have a long wish list for him. We'll see how that goes. Meanwhile, I'll drop this Wild Card on you now while I work on the Idaho blogs roundup ...

A faulty sensor made for some tense moments on Silverwood's newest attraction this evening, the Aftershock. Around eight o'clock, as the cars were approaching the second tower of the roller coaster, a safety sensor was tripped, causing the ride to stop/KREM2. More here.

OK, here's the video that everyone is discussing, from Matt Drudge to some of you Idaho bloggers. Indeed, it's funny. Story here.

Question: Does this YouTube video change your opinion of John McCain? Or Paris Hilton?

In the many things of interest in the North Idaho blogosphere, Digger's written his second column for the Moscow-Pullman Daily News here. Larry Spencer slams the Education Corridor in a letter to the Coeur d'Alene Press editor here. And you can read the obituary for Roger Hodel, 59, of Naples, who died in a motorcycle wreck Sunday, here. You can comment on these items or start your own thread with this Wild Card ...

... still causing ripples here.

Item: Japan marks 1945 Hiroshima atomic bomb attack/Reuters

More Info: Tens of thousands bowed their heads at a ceremony in the Japanese city of Hiroshima on Wednesday, the 63rd anniversary of the world's first atomic attack, as the city's mayor hit out at countries that refuse to abandon their bombs. A bell tolled at 8:15 a.m. to mark the exact moment when the bomb dubbed "Little Boy" was dropped on the city, killing tens of thousands immediately and many more later from radiation sickness.

Question: If we could have a do-over, would you support dropping the A-bomb?

Jerome A. Pollos/Coeur d'Alene Press
Stephen Arbic, 16, sands the rough edges off of his set of stilts he made Tuesday at Art on the Edge in Coeur d'Alene. Children were practicing using their new stilts in preparation for an upcoming art festival.

Duncan Case: Joseph Duncan’s standby attorneys told a federal judge Wednesday that the confessed killer is so crazy and irrational that they can’t ethically follow his wishes, and asked to withdraw from the case. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge angrily refused. “Motion denied,” he declared, then called a recess in the sentencing trial, which had just resumed Wednesday morning after a three-month delay. It’s scheduled to start again Thursday morning with jury selection/Betsy Russell, SR Eye On Boise. More here.

*90% gas service restored to Post Falls/SR
*Autopsies confirm Moses Lake men died from blasts/KXLY
*Minnick praises Otter, criticizes Sali/Eye On Boise
*Idaho Dems file complaint against Risch/Red State Rebels
*Gonzaga's freshman enrollment eclipses 2007-08/KREM2
*Shoshone water bond passes on 3rd try/Shoshone News Press

Itsuo Inouye/AP Photo
U.S.' swimmer Amanda Beard, left, chats with an unidentified official during a training session in the National Aquatics Center at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Tuesday. You write the cutline.

Top Cutlines

1. Though Beard denied consuming any alcholic beverages before the meet, her bitter beer face gave her away -- CindyH.
2. And they say fluoridation is harmless -- GaryC.
3. Momma Beard was right. When I made this face after taking in a few gulps of air at the Beijing airport my face did stay that way -- Inland Empire Girl.

HM: TUBOB & Poolman

Courtesy: Bill Sali congressional office
Congressman Bill Sali and other members of Congress meet with General David Petraeus in Iraq on Tuesday. Sali’s spokesman, Wayne Hoffman, said, “He wanted to see first-hand the efforts on the ground. He also wanted to visit with our troops, see if they’re getting everything they need, and to examine the type of medical care they’re receiving.” Sali joined five other members of Congress and a Veterans Administration official on the trip/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise.

*My pending online chat with Lt. Gov. Jim Risch (at 1:30 p.m. Friday) is attracting attention in the Idaho blogosphere. It has been mentioned in a KCBI story -- and on Julie Fanselow's Red State Rebels here and Unequivocal Notion here.

*I've been reading Kendramama's copy of "The Shack" by William P. Young. I'm tempted to bring back the Book Club to discuss it. But Kendra would have to lead the discussion. We'll see.

*Dunno what to do about requests for ink re: fund-raisers for sick or injured people. I get them occasionally. Would you want to read about them here? Or should I continue to pass on them?

*Do you want to read stories and links to Sportslink posts about Washington State and Gonzaga at Huckleberries Online. Of course, I'll post Greg Lee's Sportslink stories about UIdaho sports.

Got a call recently from Robert Bloom, a Rathdrum, Idaho man who is trying to wring business out of the strong smoking ban that Washington voters overwhelmingly approved in 2005. Bloom's answer: the "Smōk Shaque." The shaque, as pictured in Bloom's brochure, looks a lot like a steel garden shed. He wants to lease these to bars and other previous bastions of smoking to put outside for smokers who need to light up/Rich Roesler, Eye On Olympia. More here.

2:46 p.m. Single-car crash @ 15th & Best knocks out power pole (and, my wife sez, the electricity in the Borah Triangle).
1:17 p.m. Ropes, ladders and other tools belonging to Art on the Green have been left at North Idaho College.
10:35 a.m. 63YO male with a history of heart problems has passed out twice between Alton's and Schucks on Appleway.
8:41 a.m. Motorist reports southbound newer silver Honda Civic ran red light at Ramsey & Hanley.

Taxpayers should be livid and disappointed with their leaders. People should be demanding to know why Benewah County isn’t partnering with the Tribe on these issues. They should be furious that public safety is lowered because some in county government refuse to recognize the Tribe as a government entity or just choose not to get along with the Tribe. The people of Benewah County are paying the price for the county’s inability to find common ground with the Tribe/Coeur d'Alene Tribe (guest opinion in St. Maries Gazette-Record). More here.

A letter by Shoshone County commissioners charges that an incident between Benewah County Commissioner Jack Buell, his wife Eleanor, and Coeur d’Alene Tribe marine officers is being sensationalized. Commissioners, in a July 31 letter sent to the state’s Congressional delegation, the governor’s office, and county commissioners throughout the state ask for help to stem “growing antagonism that people insist on ignoring.” In the letter, signed by Shoshone County Commissioners Sherry Krulitz, Jon Cantamessa and Vince Rinaldi, commissioners say they aren’t questioning the accuracy of the reporting, but feel the events surrounding the boater traffic stop were “trivial"/Ralph Bartholdt, St. Maries Gazette-Record. More here.

Alan Berner/Seattle Times, AP
At Dogwalk Musings, the blogmistress sez she enjoys artist David Govedare's wild horses just as they are -- unfinished. She doesn't want the artist to add a giant basket as he intended. Click here.

My Blog, My Opinion: I encourage those that consistently disagree with my opinions to seek other methods of entertainment, as I'm really not interested in having outsiders control my site. In most cases, I have tried to be somewhat democratic about allowing diverse opinions that may disagree with those that I have published online. I do however, draw the line at giving a person a soap box on MY blog site, the forum to tear me down/S&S Herb, Bay Views. More here.

HBO Numbers (for Wednesday, Aug. 5): 9530 page-views/5278 unique views

*Narrative of a not-quite-triathloner/Here In Idaho
*A blog is not journalism in its common form/Bay Views
*Reading/Simple Mind
*Rekindling the light/Gathering Around The Table
*Dear Tony Bourdain/JeanC's Cat House
*3BT: Moving mountains, joshing Katrina, family joke/Kellogg Bloggin'
*Check out 'MapMyRide'/KMPO
*Dad/Live, Love, Laugh, Hope

Question: Are you happy with David Govedare's galloping horses on a ridge at Vantage, Wash.? Or do you want him to finish his work by adding a basket to show the horses spilling out of it?

City officials have put an on-call engineering contract with a local firm on hold after The Bellingham Herald disclosed that the company’s vice president may not have legitimate credentials. The vice president of Apollo Geophysics, Matthew C. Ringstad, appears to be on a list of people who purchased fake degrees from a diploma mill based out of Spokane/Sam Taylor, Bellingham Herald. More here.

A no-contact order prohibits Christina Haynes from seeing her children, but neighbors say they want orders keeping Ms. Haynes away from them as well. Ms. Haynes, who is charged with child abuse and aggravated battery on her 3-year-old daughter, was released from jail last week. Keith Mabbutt and his wife, Norma, said they will likely be called as witnesses if the case goes to trial. The Mabbutts were among neighbors and acquaintances of Ms. Haynes and Charles Smith who say they reported what they construed as child abuse by the couple to Health and Welfare officials. They want an order prohibiting Ms. Haynes from calling or talking to them/Ralph Bartholdt, St. Maries Gazette-Record. More here.

Not until September of next year will the numerical triple play come our way but on Friday, 8/08/08, multitudes of happy couples will take the marital plunge, including Jenna Umthun and Rob Udzinski. I'm still marveling over the odds of two people with last names beginning with the letter "U" finding each other/Kerri Thoreson, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: My surname would be Aguiar-Oliveria, if I hyphenated it. Fairly unmanageable, hunh? What would be your hypenated surname?

Robin Loznak/Roseburg News-Review, AP
A hummingbird perches on a barbed- wire fence along a pasture near Elkton, Ore., Monday.

Guv's Dog Gets Boot: Two years ago, Governor Brian Schweitzer's border collie got busted for strolling off-leash in Missoula two years ago. Yesterday, he was kicked out of the Western Montana Fair. Schweitzer tried to get into the fair but the assistant police chief pointed to a sign at the main gate that read in large letters: "Please -- no horses/bikes/skateboards/dogs"/AP. More here.

*Did exploding battery kill Moses Lake man/KREM2
*Punished BSU receiver apologizes but doesn't say what for/Idaho Statesman
*Montana wants Stimson to pay $5M to remove PCBs/Missoulian
*Record number of Treasure Valley homes unsold/KTVB
*Idaho fuel tax revenue slips for first time in 6 years/KTVB
*Diploma mill co-conspirator gets 3-year term/SR
*Alaska Air, Horizon customers told of credit card misuse/KCBI
*24 calves stolen from Jerome dairy/Twin Falls Times-News
*Eastern Idaho town recalls mayor/Twin Falls Times-News
*No charges to be filed in Moscow hit-and-run death/Lewiston Tribune
*Lewiston Potlatch workers vote to strike/Lewiston Tribune

Orbusmax Special: Ex-Oregon AG loses 3 grandchildren when plane crashes into beach house here.

As innocent as it may seem, the recent Wiener Dog racing at Rathdrum Days is under challenge by a Spokane woman who contends exclusive rights to such canine activity. Spokane's Margo Mossburg, who identified herself as director of Dogs Rescue Northwest, made a blistering telephone call to the Rathdrum Area Chamber of Commerce immediately after the conclusion of the recent Rathdrum Days. "I need to speak with someone about stealing my event and fundraiser," she contended, quickly adding her intention of going to an attorney "if you hold the races again in 2009"/Rathdrum Star. More here.

You be the mediator: How would you negotiate a reasonable compromise to avoid the possibility of this situation escalating into an all-out Wiener Dog Race War?

IdaBlue's latest post suggesting a left-right pendulum for the Idaho blogosphere is fascinating. In response to being tagged an "ultra-left wing blogger" by Bryan Fischer/IVA, IdaBlue penned a graph indicating his view of the political leanings of the Idaho blogosphere. Binky Boy and 43rd State Blues are on the far left, in IdaBlue's estimation, followed rightward toward the middle by Red State Rebels, MountainGoat Report and IdaBlue (moderate left). From the middle-right to the right, he lists The Stupid Shall Be Punished, Huckleberries (middle-right), Idaho Values Alliance and Adam's Blog (both far right).

The Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee announced today that Lt. Governor Risch accepted an invitation to a debate in Boise on Oct. 7 sponsored by AARP Idaho. This marks the fourth debate that is set for the final four weeks of the US Senate campaign. The debate will broadcast on CBS throughout Idaho on Saturday, Oct. 11/Kevin Richert. Idaho Statesman. More here.

DFO: It'd be swell if Risch OK'd the League of Women Voters debate, too. But four debates seem to be a good start in letting voters see how you handle a toe-to-toe matchup with your opponents. Don't you agree?

"Welcome to the official Sali for Congress blog. From now until the election we will be keeping this blog regularly updated with information about upcoming events, updates on the stances I have taken on the issues and fun tidbits about what it’s like on the campaign trail/Congressman Bill Sali's new blog. Hat Tip: Unequivocal Notion, Bubblehead, Bill Sali Hates Idaho, Kevin Richert

"As a young woman, I passionately speak out against the pain and suffering that Chinese women must face daily through the practice of forced abortion and human trafficking. They routinely deal with the tragic and painful loss of children through forced abortion and young girls face the horror of being sold into sex slavery through human trafficking. My hope is through my witness today I may be a voice for them. "We pray that God will bring an end to these human rights abuses by the Chinese government and one day the world will see justice, liberty and freedom for the beautiful people of this wonderful country"/Brandi Swindell, Engage The Culture. More here. Hat Tip: Unequivocal Notion.

*Where am I on Idaho political blog pendulum?/IdaBlue
*LaRocco blogs Daily Kos @ Noon (PDT) today/43rd State Blues
*Gubernatorial papers/Political Game
*The audacity of Bill Sali/Unequivocal Notion
*What bloggers want -- or this one anyway/Red State Rebels
*Lynn Moses to federal prison today/IVA
*When jargon goes after Ann Coulter/Clayton Cramer
*McCain's broken maverick rhetoric/Adam's Blog

RE: Shoshone County Sheriff Chuck Reynalds letter to the News-Press today

During the primary election, I was defeated by Mr. Yergler whose platform included restoring honesty to the sheriff's office. Most of his support letters to the public attacked my honesty and integrity. I am submitting the following information for your consideration. Mr. Yergler's Campaign Brochure and in his presentations to the public in the forums clearly stated that he had graduated from North Idaho College with an Associated of Arts Degree in Education. Mr. Yergler did not receive a degree of any type from NIC/Chuck Reynalds, Shoshone County sheriff.

Question: Which city, county, legislative race in your area do you recall as being the nastiest?

Get the Flash Player to see this video.
Colin Mulvany/Video Journal

Spokane city pools that were slated for demolition treated canines to a few laps at A.M. Cannon pool Tuesday.

Item: Cd'A parking generates big bucks: Tickets, lot revenue helps fund Parks Department, other city operations/Ryan Shelton, Coeur d'Alene Press

More Info: The Coeur d'Alene Parks Department may be parking's biggest beneficiary. Every year, the department receives 40 percent of the public parking lots' revenue, which is put into the Parks Capital Improvement Fund and used to leverage federal grants. Parks Department Director Doug Eastwood said around half of the department's projects are funded partially by federal grants.

Question: When and where did you last receive a parking ticket?