Runner-up for poet laureate: UW lobbyist ("state relations director) Randy Hodgins, with these lines in a recent blog post:

So let’s have a final systems check. Shoes are polished, tie is straight (for now), shirt tucked in and two pens clipped inside the coat pocket. Time to get started and remember, it’s always more fun when you keep your eyes open and raise up your hands during the bumpy parts of the ride.

-Also a nice turn of phrase -- at least to water-strapped Eastern Washingtonians -- was this, from the Association of Washington Business' Richard Davis, weighing in on Democratic vows to keep the budget modest this year:

Given the recent budget increases, a big boost this year would be like irrigating a flooded field. It's just not necessary.

-The Evergreen Freedom Foundation's initial roundup of "Stupid bills," a category in which they include proposals to require a special permit for huckleberry-picking, to ban smoking in cars containing kids, and a tax exemption for beekeepers. Click here for the list.

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