(no subject)

Article on native plants (well, to the east coast) in today's NY Times.

Today's blare of headlines about the FBI, and Mr. Ashcroft and Mr. Bush's willingness to forgo mere civil liberties is rather scary. Having lived through the McCarthy period when FBI agents would drive into the wilds of North Dakota to question farm families about their political leanings, regularly tap phone lines, infiltrate any organization that was against the Vietnam war and blackmail senators and presidents to ensure funding and a strict hands-off policy, I think we're moving back rules that were put in place for very good reason. Thinking that "They won't do it again" belies a firm belief in magic.

We are entering a dark and scary time, not because of foreign demons, but because of the domestic ones we are letting loose amongst ourselves.