I heard it on the radio, oh woe woe woe woe on the radio

* As I was driving home last night, the news guy on the radio made me laugh at a tragedy.

"A little girl is shot at recess by a stray bullet."

Here it is, further proof that we need to repeal the Second Amendment and round up all the guns and ammunition: Rogue stray bullets are roaming the streets shooting little girls.

Not funny, I know. The tragedy of the little girl is worse than the tragedy of imprecise language. But by making the bullet the culprit, rather than the idiot who misused a gun, the writer-anchor reinforces the illusion.

"People don't kill people; bullets kill people. If that bullet hadn't been available, the little girl would still be alive." That may not be what he meant, but that's what his words said.

* I used to believe this before I actually sat down and read the Constitution: Heard a guy on a national talk radio show say that the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade invented a right to privacy that isn't in the Constitution.

The Ninth Amendment says everything you need to know about rights that aren't listed in the Constitution: "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

The Constitution with its Bill of Rights is not a comprehensive list of individual rights. It's a comprehensive list of the powers and limits of U.S. government power.

That's why it should not surprise anyone when the head of that government refers to the Constitution as a "goddamned piece of paper." The only way he (or any of the last dozen or so presidents) can wield the power he does is by ignoring that piece of paper.

* I've come to the conclusion that the 1960s were a lost time in popular music that only produced around 200 songs that were worth hearing. That's the only explanation I have for the playlists on oldies stations.

First example that comes to mind: Buffalo Springfield released three albums, and yet the only track I ever hear on the radio is "For What It's Worth." Now it's a brilliant song whose theme boils down to my favorite advice: "Refuse to be afraid." But you'd think a band that featured Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina among other great musicians could come up with more than 2 minutes and 39 seconds of good stuff.

They did, of course. It's just disappeared from the airwaves. That's why so many people have turned off the radio and seized control of their playlists.

It's a good sign.