Welcome to 201k.com - A Commonwealth Perspective.

Having failed, utterly, to understand the finer points of religion, we've decided to pose questions in the hope that those less spiritually challenged than us -- and that would be just about everyone -- will be able to clear us up on a few things.

Starting with these:

1. A women is married for twenty years to a man she loves deeply, but, sadly, he dies young. After a time, because she is young, she marries another man whom she also comes to love deeply. After another 20 years she and that man both die.

Which husband does she spend enternity with in heaven?

2. A man with a pregnant wife dies tragically at age 25. His child is born, grows to be a man, and lives to the age of 78.

In heaven, is the son 53 years older than the father? How does this affect their relationship?

More to come...

Diane from Tough Enough emailed us this article

Brookline votes to impeach president
By O'Ryan Johnson and Jessica Scarpati/ Boston Herald and Brookline Tab
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - Updated: 11:15 AM EST

The town that voted last year to condemn spanking voted last night to send President Bush to the woodshed over the Iraq war.

Brookline Town Meeting last night voted to impeach the president of the United States in a 104 to 52 vote that was greeted with an eruption of applause and cheers.

Jonathan Margolis, who sponsored the article, repeated the embittered claims of the left that Bush lied to the nation and picked and chose which laws his administration would obey.

Margolis was forced to defend his proposal against detractors who suggested he was pushing beyond the bounds of Town Meeting authority.

"While I understand your sincerity and patriotism," Margolis told one opponent, "I respectfully suggest you go back and read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States."

Reached last night, a White House spokeswoman declined to comment.

Voting against the motion was Robert Sperber, who said he thinks Bush will rank as one of history's "least effective" presidents, but said Brookline's call for impeachment gives aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war.

Brookline is one of several Bay State towns, including Cambridge and Amherst, that periodically delve into national and foreign policy matters. Closer to home, it remains unclear whether the spanking ban has been effective within Brookline's borders.

Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents Dinner, April 29, 2006:

And though I am a committed Christian, I believe that everyone has the right to their own religion, be you Hindu, Jewish or Muslim. I believe there are infinite paths to accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

"Mickey Paine", posting on Salon.com's "Table Talk", December 25, 2005:

...to me, tolerance is key. I don't care what part of the Judeo-Christian spectrum any American comes from, as long as we all share the same American values, and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

...this is funny.

A brief diversion from saving the world to pose a question -- actually, two -- that have been bugging us for a while:

Why do people think it's ok to clear their lawns of leaves and grass by using power blowers to blow them into the street?

We're not talking about just before the street-sweeper comes by -- everyone does it then, and it makes sense. We mean on an on-going basis, weekly or whatever: how is it ok to just blow your lawn refuse into the street?

The second, and better, question is: when did it become acceptable for professional landscapers to do this? When did the deal become "I agree that for a certain sum I will come to your house twice a month, and instead of raking, bagging, and removing the leaves and grass I will just blow them into the street and your neighbors' yards, then pile everyone into my truck, race to the next guy's place, and send you a bill"?

How is that "cleaning up a yard"?

Obviously it's easier for landscapers to do this, so we don't blame them. But we're wondering who the first homeowner was who agreed to it. Who is the guy who didn't say, "What? No! No, I want you to bag up the stuff and get it out of here; that's what 'cleaning up the yard' means. I'm not paying you to just blow it into the street"?

That guy has a lot to answer for.

Count us as new fans.

Bush Gets No Respect From Chicks' Maines

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May 21,2006 | NEW YORK -- The Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines apologized for disrespecting President Bush during a London concert in 2003. But now, she's taking it back. "I don't feel that way anymore," she told Time magazine for its issue hitting newsstands Monday. "I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever."

As war in Iraq loomed, Maines told the London audience: "Just so you know, we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."

The remarks led to death threats and a backlash from other country stars, including a high-profile spat with Toby Keith. It also stalled what until then had been the group's smashingly successful career.

Bandmate Emily Robinson said she knew right away the remark wouldn't be taken lightly and got "hot from my head to my toes."

"It wasn't that I didn't agree with her 100 percent; it was just, 'Oh, this is going to stir something up,'" she told Time.

For band member Martie Maguire, the controversy was a blessing in disguise.

"I'd rather have a small following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith," Maguire said. "We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."

The Chicks' hits include "Landslide," "Goodbye Earl" and "Wide Open Spaces." Their new album, "Taking the Long Way," is due out May 23. The first single is "Not Ready to Make Nice."

Bush backs brother Jeb for White House
By Nedra Pickler, Associated Press Writer | May 10, 2006

ORLANDO, Fla. -- President Bush suggested Wednesday that he'd like to see his family's White House legacy continue, perhaps with his younger brother Jeb as the chief executive.

The president said Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is well-suited for another office and would make "a great president."

No, no, no, no, no. No.

If they'd wanted to elect the smarter one they should have run him in 2000. It's too late now.

The last thing we need is someone to affirm the disasters of the last eight years -- or worse, cover them up. America needs someone in the White House to lift the rocks and see what's underneath -- not someone to cement them over.

We can understand why George W. Bush would love to have his brother succeed him: he wants every document from his administration classified until the next ice age -- which, thanks to him, will never come. Just like he himself did for his father.

But we can't understand why anyone else would want this.

"I don't claim to have all the answers, but I have a lot of neat ideas I'd like to try" is the worst campaign pitch in the history of democracy.

What people want in a leader, Mr. Gabrieli, is leadership. No, we're not suggesting you pull a Mitt Romney and just say whatever you think people want to hear. But people want confidence as much as competence in a leader. Polite, intelligent, self-questioning policy wonks come in second -- just ask Al Gore.*

This is true even of the Democratic party base. No one wants Dr. Suess as governor. No one wants a leader who looks like he'd suggest passing the talking stick around so we can hear what everyone has to say. People don't want to hear what everyone has to say -- they want leadership.

You have beliefs? State them, boldly. That's leadership.

Here's what you need to say:

"Massachusetts is tired of hearing empty promises from politicians who serve one term then sail off into the sunset. I'm tired of it. Massachusetts deserves real leadership, not calculated talking-points that change with the weather. We lead the nation in guaranteeing the rights of all our citizens -- that's something I'm proud of, something all of us should be proud of, and something I intend to support and protect."

Etc.

* Yes, we know, he won. We're just making a point.

From: JPB
Date: May 1, 2006 10:23:50 AM EDT

Bush challenges hundreds of laws

President cites powers of his office

By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff | April 30, 2006

WASHINGTON -- President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution.

Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ''whistle-blower" protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research.

Legal scholars say the scope and aggression of Bush's assertions that he can bypass laws represent a concerted effort to expand his power at the expense of Congress, upsetting the balance between the branches of government. The Constitution is clear in assigning to Congress the power to write the laws and to the president a duty ''to take care that the laws be faithfully executed." Bush, however, has repeatedly declared that he does not need to ''execute" a law he believes is unconstitutional.