I suspect that most every elk hunter who habitually pursues the wily animals (and it is a habit, much like smoking, and for some equally addictive) can tell you about the one shot they yearn to have a second chance at.

The arrow that nicked an unseen limb.

The bullet nudged off course by a sudden gust.

I’m referring, obviously, to shots that missed the target.

But there are other cases, albeit of extreme rarity, when the hunter’s aim was true but he wishes, given time to reflect, that he had not pulled the bowstring or the trigger.

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski tried out his Tom McCall impersonation recently, but it just didn’t come off.

McCall, who served as governor from 1967-75, uttered his most famous pronouncement in 1971. During an interview with a CBS television reporter, McCall, talking about conservation and tourism, said: “Come visit us again and again. But for heaven’s sake, don’t come here to live.”

At least McCall invited people to come to Oregon and spend their money here.

Kulongoski just tells people to stay out.

Problem is blight properties

To the editor:

Regarding the recall issue: Everyone seems to think this is all about the firing of Mr. Brocato, in which I disagree.

Many of the newcomers to town are just frustrated with the lack of a city ordinance that will take care of “blight properties.” We all know about the rentals owned by the council members in question. We want results on this for the sake of our town, properties, and economic well-being.

Baker County’s Planning Commission acted wisely in rejecting a proposed ordinance that would have outlawed mercury vapor lights in areas of the county outside city boundaries.

Although its putative goal is valid — reducing light pollution — the ordinance is so draconian in its details that planning commissioners could not in good faith have endorsed it.

We had been 99.9 percent certain that anyone who honors Adolf Hitler must, in the manner of a toddler, lack a certain intellectual vigor.

That is until last week, when some moron with a hunk of chalk supplied the one-tenth of a percent we were short.

So you need to renew your driver’s license.

Which is the greater inconvenience: Waiting in line to get the new license, or paying a fine because the DMV was closed and your brake light burned out and you handed the police officer your expired license?