1. But land–rights activists, who in Alaska and across the West have complained for decades about persnickety law enforcement in and around federal parks, adopted Hale and his family as camera–ready symbols of America‘s frontier spirit.

2. Instead, his office issued a lengthy, detailed, persnickety rebuttal –– despite the fact that there wasn‘t much to rebut, except the concerned observations of unnamed friends and associates who worry about his emotional state.

3. Powell, who was a military aide to Weinberger, recalled his boss‘s persnickety side ("He hated split infinitives . . . he even insisted we send back thank–you letters for thank–you letters"), his calm ("He loved to take naps, usually in the middle of meetings") and even his tolerance of a driver who picked him up drunk on Thanksgiving and wished him a "Happy Easter." The two words that sullied Weinberger‘s career –– "Iran–contra" –– got only an oblique mention by Powell, who spoke of "the one moment of his despair." The military declined to share its guest list with reporters, but the list of pallbearers included some of the top officials from Reagan‘s presidency: Joint Chiefs chairman John Vessey, national security adviser William Clark, energy secretary John Herrington, deputy defense secretary Will Taft.