Which Kind of Mistake is Worse??

In the past 10 years we've had two United States presidents. Both have become notorious for their presidential mistakes. Each has their own snafu: Clinton the Monica debacle and Bush the Iraq war. Clinton obviously made a mistake in judgement to allow kinky pandering in the Oval office. Bush's mistake involved an overzealous and quick decision to go to war without having all the facts straight.
So as recent history has shown these are admittedly presidential mistakes. However, for Clinton's zippergate, he was served an impeachment trial. Bush is left to his own devices, maybe tortured by his own dream? For the life of me I can't figure out, how Clinton's mistake is worse than Bush's. Why aren't at least ceremonial impeachment hearings be held?? Isn't death, injury, destruction and PTSD a tiny bit worse than the possibility that some sort of presidential spooge hit the carpet???

Keeping Up With the Joneses--Alaskan style

I always love to comment on how many Americans are obsessed with the game of "Keeping Up With the Joneses". Or as it is also know: achieving some sort of perceived status through material gain...
One of the most interesting things about Alaskans is that most of them don't participate in that sort of lifestyle. Sure, new folks move to the state all the time and proceed to hide in color-coded gated communities, or lobby for more shopping malls. Yet outside of Anchorage, the majority of Alaskans still march around in dirty coveralls and drive beat-up pick up trucks. What makes it interesting, is that Alaskans have money, they just don't care about the status quo. If they did--I have devised a list of how to 'keep up with your Alaskan neighbors'...

1- Collect as many jalopies as possible, then arrange strategically throughout your property.
2- Build the perfect out-house and get it published in any of the outhouse books & calendars.
3- Go shopping in rubber boots- "xtra-tuffs"- it shows that you just may have been fishing.
4- Park a giant RV on your front-lawn, then use it only once a year.
5- Also obtain a large steel, shipping crate. Store yard sale finds within in.
6- Do not side your house--only leave the Tyvek showing, this proves that you are smarter than the tax assessor.
7- Obtain a horse or livestock to take care of the yard. Never be seen pushing a lawn mower.
8- Park the snowmachine in clear view, then everyone will know you are adventurous.
9- Always be seen in dirty work overalls. It shows that you are tougher than any professional.
10-Make sure your pick-up truck has large tires, is covered in mud & has at least one obscene bumper sticker.

Do you really want the right to bleed to death?

Living in Alaska, it is easy to fall into a quasi-libertarian mindset. I really enjoy living sans zoning and regulations. Not that we do anything radical at my place--no major farm animals or jalopies here. But there sure is something nice about knowing I could have them if the mood should strike me.
The sad thing is, I also know about all the pitfalls that come about when no one is watching over you. We live in a home built without building codes, which besides the frozen sewer vent pipe, hasn't posed a safety hazard. My neighbor, on the other hand, accidentally poisoned her family while cooking in a home with a gas stove that has no oven hood (vent)! That wasn't even a home-made cabin, but a decent house built by a 'reputable' Alaskan home builder.
Folks out here don't want to be regulated. For example there is a huge fight for the Borough to leave home property owners alone who want to build near certain river beds. However, these same rivers are currently eroding, so folks on the other end are screaming for the Borough to bail out there homes that are falling into the river!
It's pretty incredible stuff. I also know that the government spends a lot of money cleaning up after people and their "rights"--not to wear helmets, seat belts or the right to enjoy tons of other reckless behaviors. Taking care of oneself--they call it. But does that mean we leave the splattered motorcyclist on the road and allow the magpies to take care of it??? Having worked in the Alaskan disability field, I can tell you that tons of State & Federal Medicaid money go for self-inflicted disability care. It ranges from drunk and driving brain injuries, to ATV crash paraplegia to chronic obesity and lung cancer. All our rights gone wrong--and the tax dollars pay for it.
To me libertarianism is like socialism--a good idea in theory, but just doesn't work in reality.