Potomac Confidential

Potomac Confidential fills the midday lull with discussion of the latest news and a rigorous slicing and dicing of the issues that define who we are and where we live.

In his weekly show, Washington Post Metro columnist Marc Fisher veers wildly from serious probing to silly prattle, and is open to topics local, national, personal and more.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

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Marc Fisher: Welcome aboard, folks. Oh my, Orrin Hatch is playing mayor now. He wants Washingtonians to have more guns. How does the Senator from Utah feel about the city's inability to keep its juvenile wards in good care? Would he like to wade into the trying question of how to deal with juvenile criminals for whom we have no secure and therapeutic facility? Or is that one a bit too hard? Easier to just hand out the guns, huh?
That carjacking the other night raises some fascinating questions. I'm sure the mom was tremendously relieved that the operators in Dallas were able to listen in on her children as their kidnapper hurtled along Rt. 50--and goodness knows what might have happened if the Mercedes version of OnStar, called Tele-Aid, hadn't been tracking the thug's movements. But do any of you have concerns about the ability of Tele-Aid and similar companies to turn on the microphone remotely and listen in on the goings-on in your car? Or does this case prove that such privacy fears are outweighed by the good those devices can do?
And, of course, whatever else is on your mind. Let's go...

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Arlington, VA: A quote from Jack Evans in yesterday's Post:

"I'm appalled at the people in Virginia. They're living up to their reputation of being narrow-minded. When you think of people in Virginia, you think of them as backward, and they confirm it on something like this..."

Two Points:
1. If the mayor is serious in his plans to lure 100,000 new residents to the city, he may want to tone down his city officials. I had no idea my Arlington address a mere half-mile from the residents of the city suddenly meant that I was backwards.

2. If it wasn't for the residents of "backwards" states such as Virginia and Maryland, DC residents alone would not be able to support the emergence of numerous restaurants and bars that have helped with the renaissance of downtown DC.

Bottom Line: Show a little bit of respect. Even though there is not currently a commuter tax, we do pump a significant amount of money into the city. If it matters, I am for a commuter tax. However, boorish comments from DC officials such as Mr. Evans, certainly make my argument for a tax a much more difficult one.

Marc Fisher: First, Jack Evans elegantly brings the process of winning a baseball team to a screeching halt by telling the lords of baseball that they can "stick it where the sun don't shine."
Now, he tells off the entire state of Virginia. Backward and narrow-minded, huh?
Give this guy two merit badges for rhetoric.
I, too, am all for a commuter tax, but tell me, is this the right moment to be suing for a tax? Just as the Republican Congress is showing signs of granting the District representation in the House? Methinks Evans needs to change his meds.

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Derwood, Md.: Marc -

D.C. Council Member Jack Evans is quoted in today's Post: "I'm appalled at the people in Virginia. They're living up to their reputation of being narrow-minded. When you think of people in Virginia, you think of them as backward, and they confirm it on something like this." N. Va. Leaders Decry Talk of Commuter Tax, (Post, July 16)

Any idea what he and the rest of the D.C. Council think of those of us that reside in the Free State?

Marc Fisher: I don't know, but I can't wait to hear his pearls of wisdom on the subject of Maryland.
It's a winning strategy, certain to garner plenty of political support from our suburban friends: You're backwards fools, now give us your money.

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Alexandria, Va.: Regarding the lawsuit about the D.C. Commuter Tax, how can it possibly succede?

I'm no lawyer, but Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says: "The Congress shall have Power... To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States..."

I read this as for better or worse Congress can do whatever it wants to do in the District, and it can't be overturned by anyone else. So, what does this lawsuit expect to be able to do?

Marc Fisher: Yes, the Constitution grants the feds the power to control the District. But that in no way prevents Congress from giving the D.C. government authority to tax commuters, just as more than 40 states do.

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Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.: I'm outraged by Senator Hatch's bill in the Senate to repeal the D.C. handgun ban law. I'm also confused. How is this a Federal issue? I thought the district had home rule. Not to mention the fact that Hatch claims that the handgun ban is un-Constitutional, i.e., in violation of the Second Amendment. Wouldn't that make this an issue for the courts?

I'm also a bit frustrated. I've written an angry letter to Sen. Hatch, but is there anything else a D.C. resident can do?

Marc Fisher: Alas, we have only very limited home rule. The mayor and council have authority over administering the city, and they make up a budget, but it must be approved by Congress, and Congress loves to tinker and meddle and test out notions that they'd never get away with trying out back home.
All you can do is make your anger evident and approach representatives of other Americans, the Congressfolk who represent everyone but us.

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Mt. Rainier, Md.: In the so-what-else-is-new department, I see Orrin Hatch has a burr up his rear end about D.C.'s gun control. The Republicans seem to genuinely hate this city, which makes me wonder why they don't use their current political advantage to just move the national capital to Utah or Nevada or someplace else that's relatively free of liberals. The sad, sick thing is that they CAN tell this gun-ridden, crime-ridden city to stop trying to control the weapons of destruction.

Marc Fisher: Who hates Washington more, the Congressional meddlers or the president? Tough one. I loved the quote in today's story asking whether this initiative means that Hatch would like to lift the ban against citizens carrying weapons into the Capitol.

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Mr. Fisher,
Man, I respect a reporter who is not afraid to take on the controversial and hard-hitting topics. Your column on watermelons was bold and daring. It has "Pulitzer" written all over it.
Seriously, I don't mind a little "summer fluff". No one wants to be challenged to think and to care all the time, although I do agree with your premise.

Marc Fisher: Seedless vs seedful watermelon is the most pressing social issue of our time, or at least of our summer. I do not apologize for taking on the forces of seedlessness. Those slimy white pseudoseeds are a blight upon our existence and their eradication is our common quest. Thank you.

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Silver Spring, Md.: My late mother said she backed increased testing for elderly drivers. She later sideswiped another car, telling her passengers "Oh, that always happens." My sister had to take away her keys (my mother accepted this). Eight people were killed yesterday when an elderly driver plowed into a farmer's market. We don't yet know the cause, but AARP adamantly opposes any increased testing for elderly drivers, saying it is discriminatory, especially when teenagers have more accidents per capita. But the reality is that driving tests currently are mainly capable of indicating (not proving) whether one CAN drive safely (which would help in the testing of elderly drivers), not whether one WILL drive safely even if physically capable of doing so (applies more to teenagers). I am a member of AARP and think that for the most part it's a great organization, but on this matter I personally oppose them. Politics should not count more than lives (okay, it usually does on many fronts, but it's a nice idea).

Marc Fisher: When I lived in Miami, an old lady named Gertrude Carmiol drove her beloved car into a bus bench, killing a bunch of people. She said she thought it was a garbage can. Only that horrific incident forced the state to require retesting of some very old folks, and only under certain circumstances. Sadly, the old folks' lobby is feared by all elected officials, so people will continue to die because we lack the courage to do something that is obvious and unintrusive -- a simple check to make certain that people can actually see where they're going.

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College Park, Md.: Marc, in your brave and valiant fight against pallid and wan fruit and vegetables, may I suggest visiting your local farmer's market? A new one is starting today in Penn Quarter, and there's always the Dupont Market. You want normal watermelons and great Granny Smiths? Support the farmers who grow them.

Marc Fisher: Right you are. Glad you mentioned that new farmers market in Penn Quarter. Isn't it interesting that farmers from far away see the powerful growth of Washington's living downtown, yet the big supermarket chains continue to ignore the fact that we are on the verge of having more than 10,000 people living downtown -- without a single food market to serve them.

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Washington, D.C.: LOVED your commentary on the watermelons. Our kids grew up believing that the whole point of having watermelons was not the taste or nutrition but, rather, the associated contests and games -- kind of like bobbing for apples. After the seed-spitting competition, they would toss the rinds into the street during a lull in the traffic, and then watch for them to explode when cars ran over them. Those were the days!

Marc Fisher: Exploding fruit is one of the great comic devices on the planet. Never underestimate the comic power of gravity. (And thanks for the support.)

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Washington, D.C. via Jax, Fla.: Marc,
Do you think there is any use in my hoping there will be a MLB team in Washington in the near future? I mean, could we really get a team, or is baseball just jerking us around (again!)?

Marc Fisher: Yes to both. Baseball is up to its usual games, trying to see where it can get the best deal--meaning, the most money. Washington and Virginia are in no position to be handing out big barrels of cash, so baseball is backing off (the Jack Evans kiss-off accelerated that process.) But on the other hand, baseball really has nowhere else to go. Puerto Rico is a joke, Montreal cannot sustain a team, Portland is way too small.
So the question is whether baseball just swallows hard and sends the Expos here, or tries to muddle through and then contract the team out of existence after this labor contract expires.

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Southwest Washington, D.C.: The MLB has let it be known that they are seriously considering keeping the Expos for another year. I have trouble understanding this. Clearly they believe that the three proposals they have so far are not acceptable. But the financial conditions of D.C., Northern Virginia and Portland, Ore. are unlikely to be much better next spring. What is the MLB trying to get? If you were D.C.'s mayor, what would you be doing to get a team?

Marc Fisher: Next year is much worse for all parties. DC and Virginia have made it clear that this is the year. No one wants to have to deal with stadium financing in an election year.
If the mayor really wanted to get a team here, he'd confront Evans publicly, present the council with a clear site and financing plan, lobby hard, win support for that plan, and join forces with the anti-stadium folks in Virginia, perhaps even getting them to help pay for a city ballpark.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Marc, what did you think of the All Star Game? I liked it, and can't wait for D.C.'s turn to host.

Marc Fisher: That was a hell of a game, very exciting, clearly taken seriously by the players and managers (well, maybe not Dusty Baker), and yet, it still doesn't work as a concept. I'm fine with making the game count for home-field advantage in the World Series, but if you're going to do that, you need to let the teams be real All Star teams, and that means letting the managers and perhaps the players as well do the voting, not the fans.
The current online voting system is too open to manipulation, as we saw with Hideki Matsui being elected to start simply because fans in Japan flooded the system with votes for their native son. Matsui is, so far at least, a journeyman batter, and there he was starting in the outfield in the All Star Game.

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Laurel, Md.: Marc, did you see Ralph Nader's op-ed in Outlook on Sunday? It said some of the things that have been discussed in this forum for some time, although I've never really been able to connect the episodes into a coherent narrative.

What I think I understand is, MLB (who owns the Expos) knows there's no better place to locate a team than the D.C. metro area. The real hold-up is how much will local governments put into a stadium, thus increasing the value of a team by that much.

Is that pretty much the issue on which we're held up? If so, I'm glad D.C. isn't giving in. OTOH, if this long economic slow-down gives way to another long expansion, suddenly other cities might put a package together.

BTW, there is one advantage to municipally-owned stadiums -- you can take your own food into Camden Yards.

Marc Fisher: There are no other cities to put together a competitive package. This is the largest market in the country without baseball, by far. There really is nowhere else to look.
You could look at that and say, ok, we're in the driver's seat, let's not spend public money on a ballpark. Or you could say, baseball owners are less than rational and they're fully capable of saying Nah, let's just shut the team down. In that case, you have to play their game, and that means some degree of public financing. And that is only justifiable if the city gets real benefits from it -- and that only happens if a stadium is used to extend downtown and create a significant bump up in the tax base. That's why the site selection is so crucial.

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Westcliffe, Colo.: Man, you are OUT of it. The following places will get MLB before the D.C. area - Mexico City, Las Vegas, Edmonton, San Antonio, and Xanadu. But keep up the great watermelon work. This is a niche in journalism that's been so badly neglected. Spit.

Marc Fisher: Spit is a great beat. It crosses all of the newsroom's jurisdictional lines. It's a great cultural story, a business story, it's local, national and foreign.
Not one of the places you mention will ever get a baseball team, with the possible exception of San Antonio.

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"without a single food market to serve them": How about the Safeway in the Watergate? Not in the Penn Quarter, and not a good selection, but there in downtown nonetheless.

Marc Fisher: The Watergate isn't downtown by any stretch of the imagination. If you count that, you also have to count the Fresh Fields on P Street or the markets on the Hill. But downtown is downtown, and there ain't no markets there.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Those OnStar capabilities are creepy. Are there any rules or laws to govern government access to Tele-Aid? It was recently brought to my attention that police in Europe can -- presumably with a court order -- use mobile phones with GSM (the predominant system in Europe, as opposed to TDMA and CDMA in the USA) to eavesdrop on people if the phone is simply "on". Luckily, TDMA and CDMA aren't amenable to that use.

Marc Fisher: Well, maybe our cell technology is different, but don't be lulled into thinking that your cell conversations are private. Those are radio waves and scanners working those bands pick up those conversations very nicely. Makes for great listening if you're into that sort of thing.
I don't know what the laws are on Tele-Aid/OnStar. The TeleAid folks were quoted in the paper today saying that they had no way to patch police into the signal they were getting from the car, so they just had to relay what they were hearing verbally.

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You lived in Miami?: Wow, did you know Weingarten then?

Marc Fisher: Yes, there's an extensive Miami Herald mafia at the Post, including Weingarten, Joel Achenbach, David Von Drehle, a whole bunch of other writers and editors and a slew of the best news photographers in the nation.
Weingarten, you should know, ghostwrites all the stuff that appears under the name "Dave Barry."

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Bethesda, Md.: Re the OnStar issue: if someone puts on in her/his car, then s/he trades a certain level of privacy for security, no? Seems we have the right to do this. I'm sure the woman whose car was highjacked is glad she had it.

Marc Fisher: Absolutely. Doesn't bother me in the least, but I know there are folks out there who see this sort of thing as an undermining of our assumption of privacy. And goodness knows, most people treat their car as their castle even more than they do their home.

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Tenleytown, Washington, D.C.: Re: Backwards citizens of Virginia. Speaking of Jim Moran, did you see his priceless quote in the Reliable Source today after he ranted at some treasury official? When he finished, he apparently told the guy that he was probably a constituent, and he can just add his name to the list of constituents Moran had ticked off. Maybe Moran has been giving lessons to Jack Evans.

Marc Fisher: I do like the fact that Jim Moran recognizes that his boorish behavior has alienated his constituents. And he obviously thinks that some gentle, self-effacing humor about his wayward manner will defuse the anger out there. Unfortunately, he may be right about that.

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Annapolis, Md.: Shocked is the only word I can find to describe how I reacted when a U.S. soldier in Iraq said he would ask for the Rumsfeld's resignation given the opportunity. I wasn't shocked he said it, I was shocked the media carried it and for a brief moment gave the public some insight on how some troops really feel (I would even venture to say that the vast majority of them agree in thought but would not dare verbalize it). I wish we had more of the front-line perspectives.

Marc Fisher: I don't get your shock. If a soldier says something like that to a reporter, any reporter (with the possible exception of Fox folks) will go to town with it. That's a great story whether you're pro or anti war. Nightline last night played a nice balancing act, with one report on the creepy signs of quagmire in Iraq and another, from a part of the country where our guys are welcomed and appreciated, on how it all depends on where you are. Truth is a variable thing, and in volatile places like Iraq, there are many truths. As Kevin Sullivan's fine piece on today's front page illustrates, there are places where our troops have no control. And there are also places where life is coming back to normal and Americans are getting credit for that.

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Somewhere, USA: News reports quote CIA Director Tenet as saying that he didn't dissuade Bush from repeating the already-disproven story about Iraq trying to obtain uranium from Niger because he didn't look at any of the drafts, having left that to subordinates. While it was admirable for him to fall on his sword and accept "all" blame for the info being included in the speech, surely no one seriously believes this latest story. It makes his original story of "I was responsible; the President and Vice President never knew" less believable. This starts to remind me more and more of the Watergate and Lewinsky scandals: try to admit as little as possible, tell some bull story that maybe someone will believe, and say that the episode is closed and only the media cares. Is he supremely incompetent or lying? Or both? Yet, with all of this, and the huge mounting deficit (which the Republicans, who would have roasted a Democrat over such large deficits, now accept as "manageable"), Bush has relatively large poll ratings.

Marc Fisher: I think you hit it exactly right. Bush's numbers remain person because only folks here in Washington care about this mini-scandal about the accuracy of one line in a speech. It's clear that the line was part of a botched propaganda effort to win support for the war on the basis of there being some immediate threat of bad weapons. It's always been clear that the administration didn't know how to sell the war, so they tried a whole slew of different arguments and never really stuck to any of them.
But it's also true that the entire world agreed through the UN that Saddam was up to no good with his weapons programs, and that that had been true for many years. And there are enough refugees from Iraq's weapons programs in our country and elsewhere to make it absolutely clear that those programs were serious and had very bad intentions.
The rest is just a summer tempest.

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What's scarier?: That the CIA knowingly promoted bad intelligence to the White House or that the CIA director was unaware of this bogus intelligence? (Maybe I can hide out in Canada for a while -- nobody seems to be after them)

Marc Fisher: If the CIA is pushing bad info, that's very bad. If the director of any agency happens to be unaware of details, that's the nature of running any business. You can nail any boss you want to by holding them to the 'How could you not have known?' standard.

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Baltimore, Md.: What's the feeling inside the Beltway about Howard Dean? Rather than a maverick fighting long odds (like McCain for interest), he suddenly is beginning to feel like a legitimate front runner.

Marc Fisher: Frontrunner? That's a bit excessive. He's certainly being taken seriously, but as his weak performance on Meet the Press showed, he's got a ways to go before he's ready for prime time. His main asset is that he has that always-valuable outsider status and that he's willing to talk a little more openly than Washington insiders do about the issues that people not closely involved with politics care about. But he's neither as liberal as his collegiate supporters think he is, nor as populist as his Internet friends hope he is.

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Alexandria, Va.: Since you mentioned senior citizen drivers, let me float a more general proposal.

Driver's licenses should be renewed every year (ok, maybe every two, but no less often) and everybody should be fully tested every time -- vision, written and road. It should cost AT LEAST $100 -- whatever it takes to staff the DMV so that you don't have to spend all day there, with some portion of the fee dedicated to support mass transit. All of this would ideally reduce the number of drivers, especially bad drivers.

Whaddya think?

Marc Fisher: Oh, so only people with money to burn should be on the road? I like the idea of more serious testing, and more frequent testing. The current written tests are a total joke. But money shouldn't be the barrier to getting a license -- real driving tests should be.

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Re: OnStar systems: Is there a way to disable/turn off the system when you are in the car but want some privacy?

Marc Fisher: I don't know. Anyone?

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Bowie, Md.: Marc, I think that to add balance to today's column, you should have at least acknowledged the possible health consequences of swallowed watermelon seeds.

No, a fruit won't grow in your tummy or make you pregnant; but they can perforate or block your intestines.

Marc Fisher: Really? The folks at the Watermelon Association told me there was no harm at all to eating them, but of course they'd be inclined to say that.

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City Museum and Penn Quarter: Hi Marc -
Have you been to the City Museum yet?
Thoughts? I'm considering checking it out once all the exhibits are open. I've been so curious about the inside of that building!

Also, where in Penn Quarter is the market?

Marc Fisher: Go check it out -- the main exhibit is really worth a couple of hours, and the giant floor map of the city is great fun. Don't miss the temporary exhibit on the history of DC sports. Skip the multimedia show -- it's an insult to your intelligence.

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College Park, Md.: It seems like every time I drive, I'm always avoiding an elderly driver who is either driving way too slow, driving erratically between lanes or is blatantly confused. Of course, people my age (22) and younger aren't the best of drivers, as we zip in and out of traffic and tailgate. Isn't there a way where driving tests could be more strict, as to include both types of trouble drivers? After all, Maryland did make its learner's permit process more complex with several tiers to complete before actually obtaining a license.

Marc Fisher: That would be good, but of course the old folks lobby would shout discrimination. Still, something needs to be done. We have an aging population and soon enough, we're all going to be suffering these incidents like they already do in Florida.

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Arlington, Va.: On elderly drivers,

When I lived in Florida the state requires only an eye test when you renew your license. So you stick your head into this device and read the letters.

A very elderly man in front of me proceeded to fail this test six times. Each time, the lady said "Try again."

Finally, he got it right, and they just renewed him and sent him on his way. I suspect he finally passed simply for running out of letters to guess.

I agree elderly drivers -- make that all drivers -- should occasionally have to re-test (I don't think a primer every 5-10 years is so bad).

It seems silly to license someone to drive at 16 and assume they retain the same competence until death.

Marc Fisher: It's also silly to license people at 16. I fail to see why anyone under 18 (or even 19) should be on the road. Parents will whine about how they don't want to be carting their kids all over the place, and I agree with that, but the fact is that if we raised the driving age, there would be a great clamor for better and more bus and train service, and that would be good for everyone.

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Alexandria, Va.: You're right about Jim Moran being past his prime. It's time for a REAL change in this district ... like a Republican.

Marc Fisher: Dream on. The last election proved that even Moran at his worst can slaughter a Repo in that district. Only the Democrats can take down their errant colleague. And only if they band together behind one person challenger. So far, it doesn't look like that will happen.

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Pentagon City, Va.: Hi Marc,

I just wanted to let your final poster from last week (the whine about Metro's 4th of July service) know that this is not the first time Metro's changed its service routes for the 4th.

This is my 5th 4th of July in D.C., and they've changed the routes each year. They have brochures and maps in all the stations, each train car, and the map runs in the Washington Post.

For as much as we all complain about Metro, I think we can agree that they're good at moving large crowds. I'm certain they create their 4th of July maps in a researched and well-reasoned manner to move people efficiently in the directions the greater numbers need to go.

Relax, you're in Washington, D.C. on the most patriotic day of the year, along with hundreds of thousands of others. Next year, just pay a little attention to the news, and you'll be just fine.

Marc Fisher: I'm with you. They do a great job of moving huge crowds at special events. My only question is whether it was really necessary to shut down the Smithsonian station for that entire day. I can see closing it at the end of the fireworks to prevent dangerously overcrowded platforms, but earlier in the day, the only reason given for the closing was the inability to screen people as they entered the Mall -- and that's just a weak excuse.

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New York, N.Y.: Is it true that Bush has a sign on his desk reading, "THE BUCK STOPS WITH TENET?"

Marc Fisher: My bet is that Bush holds on to Tenet. He seems to like the guy, and in this administration, loyalty and friendship go a long way. They'll find someone else to throw to the wolves.

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Arlington, Va.: Unlike the inhabitants of Tenleytown, I think density is a fine thing (hey, I live in Arlington), but do you think there's any way to build mixed-use property without ending up with endless, bland chains as the bulk (or all) of the retail? When the Market Common in Clarendon was going up, the developers talked a good game about leasing to local merchants, but in the end that's not what we got.

Marc Fisher: Sure, you can set the rules however you wish, and downtowns around the nation are starting to realize that turning themselves into another suburban mall is not the answer. So they're specifically recruiting local businesses to create the kind of variety that will make their shopping districts a real attraction instead of a duplication.

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Chevy Chase: Think it would be wrong for Rep. Norton to walk onto the Senate floor and introduce a bill making Islam the state religion of Utah?

Marc Fisher: Good idea, except that she's not a Rep. She's a non-voting Delegate, barely more than an observer. Pretending that we have representation in the House, as she does, is a disservice to the city's residents.

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Chicago, Ill.: Orrin "Keep the Feds Out of Utah" Hatch is just another one of these hypocrite politicians who get outraged whenever the federal government does anything in their home state (e.g., Clinton's end-of-term wilderness declarations in Utah caused Hatch to hold a news conference in the desert) but then turn around and think they can behave the same way towards the colonists in D.C. It occurs to me that the biggest transgressors of this hypocrisy are states-rights Republicans. Have any Democratic members of Congress tried to treat D.C. as their own fiefdom? Thanks.

Marc Fisher: You're generally right, though Democrats have taken their shots at the city, too. Washington is just too juicy a target for many of the gents and ladies on the Hill to ignore.

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I have a question for ya, Vermont and L : So a co-worker's brother was walking home from a neighborhood bar last Saturday night. He avoided driving because he knew he'd have a few drinks in him.

The Fairfax County Police arrested him while he was walking home. Being drunk in public.

So what is someone to do if they can't drive home? Call a cab for the few blocks?
Sounds easy but why can't one walk home in peace?

Marc Fisher: This is one of the favorite sports of NoVa police. We had a bunch of such cases a few months back. Obviously, people coming out of a bar are easy pickings for cops looking to score some arrests.

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Silver Spring, Md.: My point was that in Europe they can listen to your conversations even when you're not using your phone to make a call. It can be used like a bug to pick up surrounding conversations. At U.S. embassies, you have to leave your cell phone at the guard's desk because of this.

Marc Fisher: Interesting. Thanks for the clarification.
And thanks to all whose posts I couldn't get to today. Good to have you along for the ride. Back here next week, same time, same station. And in the paper Sunday and Tuesday. Keep cool and write if you get work.

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washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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