Generally, "conflict of interest" is a legal term. It means I, or a member of my family, takes or took, at some time in the recent past, renumeration from someone I write about.

As defined in any law covering such topics, I do not have a "conflict of interest". I have not taken money from a political candidate in almost six years. No member of my family, even broadly defined, has done so in four years (at least that I am aware of). If having friends is a conflict, perhaps I should plead guilty, but as you know, I have very few friends.

Surely there is a statute of limitations on such matters, and even if there is not, I have written some nasty things about people who in the distant past have put bread on my table--I won't name names because one of them indicts people for a living.

Have you ever written anything nasty about someone who once put bread on your table?

Look, it flatters me that you feel so driven to publish attacks against me, a writer for a blog you dismiss because no one reads it. I probably get more reads from the links from your attacks (usually concerning articles I've chosen not to put here, because they would not be appropriate for this site--and I'm trying not to pick fights) than I ever would otherwise, So I guess I owe you. Thanks.

But, surely, you have better things to do with your time, Michael.

And you too, Phil.