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Hmm. Paolo is not too happy with W. right now.

Last week, of course, he "commuted" Scooter Libby's 30-month sentence (so Libby doesn't have to serve jail time, just pay the $250,000 fines, which the GOP is conveniently covering). I could at least handle that.

I mean, why not grant a man's Independence for Independence Day, right? Tis the season. Or, as the P-I puts it, "Why not give a hand to someone who is helping cover up the political motivations behind leaking the name of a CIA agent whose husband happened to be an outspoken critic of the campaign to wage a war on Iraq?" And W. is so appreciative he said last week that a full-on pardon isn't out of the question. Someone's feeling the love.

But today, the AP reports that W. has invoked executive privilege to deny requests by Congress for testimony from two former aides about the firings of federal prosecutors. I thought those U.S. attorney firings alone smelled fishy, but combined with several investigations into use of executive powers (Read: wiretapping), the White House reeks like the Port of Tacoma.

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Back in the day. Nonna holding Jimmy and I front and center. Jimmy's sisters Mariangela (left) and Antonella (right).

Senior portrait.

Playing guitar.

Me at one of Jimmy's memorials.

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Bellingham's nightlife seems to have been fickle as of late -- with Casa Que Pasa and Callaloo both closing and then reopening and, more recently, The World Famous Up&Up changing ownership and combining with Rudy's Pizzeria. And now The Western Front (my old newspaper) reports that The Nightlight Lounge is forced to close its doors for, like Casa Que Pasa, not paying taxes.

According to the article, the popular club and music venue owed more than $39,000 to the state. Nightlight venue manager and my acquaintance Spencer Willhoft said when it was time to pay taxes, "It was basically an all or nothing situation. We didn't have all, so [the state] got nothing."

Nightlight Lounge owner Matt Feigenbaum said he expects the closure to be temporary and The Nightlight Lounge could reopen as early as today.

I got an email from a guy in a band I played with in Bellingham and he says he's heard rumors about Chiribins, The Rogue Hero and Fantasia possibly closing soon, too. Isn't Bellingham supposed to be a booming city that can't handle its own growth? Why can't businesses in the 98225 figure out how to pay taxes and turn profit in light of this growth?