Didja hear the one about … Dead Man Walking who showed up at the local DMV Wednesday to renew his license? And was proclaimed "deceased"? Seems a coupla Senior Berry Pickers (Nos. 43 and 44) were waiting their turn in line when No. 42, another Seasoned Citizen, approached an open window. After punching his name and license number into the computer, the courthouse worker bee looked at the applicant as though she was seeing a ghost. Ah, she said, the computer sez you're dead. A goner. Kaput. The applicant was surprised, too (especially after checking his pulse to verify that he, indeed, was alive). Moments later, the Not Quite Dearly Departed got a reprieve from his bureaucratic death sentence when the county system crashed – and everyone took a break. Close call. But I wonder if the oldtimer checked the obit page in the local snoozepapers Thursday morning – for a second opinion?

• Remember our debate re: what constitutes a "rig." An anonymous caller offered a basic element for rigdom: "A rig has to be born in the United States."

• Gotcha: Sweet Herb/Bay Views wonders where the Bat Out Of Hell at the wheel of an Idaho Industrial Commission car (license No. X3695) was going Wednesday afternoon. Herb was entering the passing lanes south of Athol, headed toward Coeur d'Alene, when the bureaucrat blew by him. He tried to keep pace with her but decided to back off when she hit 80 mph. Be careful out there. Huckleberries has eyes and ears in many unsuspecting places

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