Winter is dreadful when other drivers around do not know how to drive in it. We are getting killed with winter weather in the DC area and it just won't stop.

There was a hearing in the Maryland State Senate on a proposed bill to extend the statute of limitations on sex abuse cases and strengthen mandated reporting laws. Here is the webpage for the bill, SB 412.

On Sunday a legislative alert was announced in all the churches asking Catholics to call their reps because this law would break the confessional seal. It just didn't make sense to me, no rational lawmaker would ever attack the confessional seal or any protected speech such as Doctor-patient, lawyer-client, etc. So I went to the Maryland General Assembly page and checked out the bill and it does not appear to me even come close to challenging the confessional seal. In fact, it specifically exempts anything revealed in confession as an item for mandated reporting.

It seems that the local hierarchy may be trying to defeat the bill because of the financial repercussions for the Archdiocese of Washington (which contains half of Maryland) and the Archdiocese of Baltimore. If they are trying to crush this bill which protects children by spinning with the confession spiel, that is sad. I cannot see any reason why they would present it that way when the proposed bill specifically exempts confession. Who said that the Catholic hierarchy is not politcally astute?

24 was good last nite. Have no fear, Jack Bauer can't die because he is presently shooting the 24 for next season, so somehow he will survive a megaton nuclear explosion. I think the acting on that show is pretty good. The Kate and especially Marie Warner have put in some strong performances. The president is getting better. Cheryl is pretty good. The president's chief of staff has always been quite good. K. Sutherland? Truth is that I can't stand him , but he is actually quite good.

Alias, has taken a definite turn for the better. However, the problem with them is that they are still moving way to fast. I thought the show was in the toilet when the Alliance, the multi-trillion dollar renegade arch-enemy of the US was destroyed, but it appears that Sloan is attempting to reconstitute an alliance, which now makes sense. The relationship between Sidney and Vaugh is stupid and nothing good can come of it. She show has pretty much fallen of its pedestal but at least it is no longer in free fall.