Thursday digest

- With the American economy growing at a torrid pace and no domestic terror attacks in almost five years, could it be that W. is a victim of his own success?

- A couple of very interesting interviews: Gwyn Morgan, not soft and cuddly enough for the opposition parties to be allowed to work in Ottawa, and Christopher Hitchens, the ultimate libertarian.

- I am enjoying how Harper is thumbing his nose at the national press gallery but I think that by openly questioning their professionalism, he basically threw any chance he had at getting fair coverage during the next campaign out the window.

- Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has stated that he'll hold a referendum on Palestinian statehood over the Hamas-dominated legislature if they don't agree to his proposal within 10 days. This is intended as a way around Hamas' unwillingness to recognize Israel. This is a statesman-like move, in my opinion, because it forces Hamas' hand. (Call me alarmist, but I wouldn't be surprised to see attempts on Abbas' life over the next few weeks by Palestinian extremists.)

- And from the washed-up hippie file, we have Joan Baez living in a tree and Bob Dylan being played by a woman in an upcoming film.

What's next, Cindy Sheehan fronting a Janis Joplin cover band and playing at moveon.org fundraisers?