Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs, has yet to apologize for kicking a Rocky Mountain News photographer on the floor of the Colorado House last week. His fellow House members have asked that he do so and it remains to be seen what will happen if he doesn't. But as Rep. Paul Weissmaan, D-Louisville, pointed out, no apology is worth much if it is coerced. If Bruce deosn't apologize, his colleagues should just let it go.

They have effective ways to register their displeasure with Bruce, such as voting against any idea he raises from now on. They also could give him rotten committee assignments, such as the House Agriculture Committee, for example. It's not that the Ag panel doesn't do important work - it does. But the issues there, including water, livestock and wildlife matters, have little direct impact on Bruce's Colorado Springs House district. Bruce wants to weigh in on tax policy; that's hard to do on the House Ag committee. When it comes time to make assignments to interim committees, House leaders should use their power to take as much fun out of life as they can for Bruce. It should be clear to them that every time they give Bruce a platform, he will abuse it.

After my column, Bruce said he would never talk to me again. Now, if we can just get him to extend that promise to a much larger number of people.......

Turning to another recent column topic, the Chicken Man continues to survive in Woodland Park. The owner of the Wild Wings 'n Things restaurant there has used a man in a chicken suit to advertise the business along U.S. Highway 24. When a city official told the small business owner that Chicken Man was a violation of the city sign code, she circulated a petition, garnering hundreds of signatures. About 80 residents appeared at a Woodland Park Planning Commission meeting to weigh in on proposed changes to the sign ordinance. Since then, some citizens have begun pushing the idea of a chicken festival, trying to turn recent negative publicity about the town into a more positive thing.