A Statement from John Kerry's first choice for Vice President:

Sen. McCain:

It’s a big thing this war.

It’s a fight between right and wrong, good and evil.

And should our enemies acquire for their arsenal the chemical, biological and nuclear weapons they seek, this war will become an even bigger thing.

It will become a fight for our survival.

America is under attack by depraved enemies who oppose our every interest and hate every value we hold dear.

It is the great test of our generation and he has led with great moral clarity and firm resolve. He has not wavered, he has not flinched from the hard choices, he was determined and remains determined to make this world a better, safer, freer place. He deserves not only our support but our admiration. That’s why I am honored to introduce to you the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

We Are All Soldiers Now
I began this blog over 2 years ago for 2 reasons.

The first was to keep an evergrowing email list of folks both at work, and around the country informed without getting fired from my job for inappropriate internet use.

The second, and far more important reason, was as my own personal reaction to 9/11. This has remained a guiding principle of this site. It will remain so.

I may bounce around other topics, from Saturn to Haliburton and back again, but in the end, The War is the focus.

As part of that, I offer a reprise of my all time favorite Peggy Noonan essay, more appropriate now than the day it was written back in November of 2001.

As the conventions and General Election approach, the threat of another attack increases exponentially. Many analysts believe the purpose of an attack is to sway the election, much as the terrorists did in Spain.

If this is the case, it begs a very important question:

Who do you think the terrorists would prefer as President?

The easy and intellectually dishonest answer is neither George W. Bush or John Kerry. This avoids the question.

One of them will serve the next 4 years.

Who does Osama Bin Laden want in that position?

This, more than any other question, should influence your vote this November.

Remember this picture of Titan. By the far best picture we've ever had, it will pale in comparison to what will come from Cassini.

Calling Bush a Liar
Interesting perspective on this, from Nicholas Kristoff. No friend of George.

Halliburton:Some Facts

If you plug two words in Google, Halliburton and Cheney, your computer screams corruption. The left has taken over Google when you try to do a search.

Decided to do a little research in to the company. Here, from its own website, is a little bit about Halliburton:

"About Halliburton

Founded in 1919, Halliburton is one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the oil and gas industries. The Company adds value through the entire lifecycle of oil and gas reservoirs and provides and integrates products and services, starting with exploration and development, moving through production, operations, maintenance, conversion and refining, to infrastructure and abandonment. Halliburton employs more than 100,000 people in over 120 countries working in five major operating groups:

Halliburton's Energy Services Group consists of four business segments:

? Drilling and Formation Evaluation
? Fluids
? Production Optimization
? Landmark and Other Energy Services.

These segments offer a broad array of products and services to upstream oil and gas customers worldwide, ranging from the manufacturing of drill bits and other downhole and completion tools and pressure pumping services to subsea engineering.

The Engineering and Construction Group, known as Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR), is Halliburton's fifth operating segment. It serves the energy industry by designing and building liquefied natural gas plants, refining and processing plants, production facilities and pipelines, both onshore and offshore. KBR's non-energy business meets the engineering and construction needs of governments and civil infrastructure customers. KBR also provides operations and maintenance for a wide variety of facilities. "

One very important fact: There are few companies who do what Halliburton does. This may explain the awarding of contracts far more than any supposed special interest from Dick Cheney.

Watching Katie Couric Play Badmitton
Apparently NBC had larger priorties than the first pictures of Saddam on Trial.

Cassini at Saturn
There are some things NASA does right. Cassini is one of them. Make no mistake, folks. Cassini is a big deal.
Over the coming months we will get views of the most photogenic planet in the Solar System that will astound and surprise us all.
And I can't wait to see if Titan really has an ocean...of hydrocarbons.

The Socialist Agenda: "'Many of you are well enough off that ... the tax cuts may have helped you,' . The politician said, 'We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.' "

It wasn't Lenin.
It wasn't Stalin.
It wasn't even Gorbachev in the bad old days.

That quote would be from Hillary herself, helping to promote Barbara Boxer, and of course her hubby's lie-ography.

Pilgrim's Progress? - John Kerry's dubious approach to religion. By Steven Waldman
One more from Slate. Love this opening quote:
As you may already know, one of America's two political parties is extremely religious. Sixty-one percent of this party's voters say they pray daily or more often. An astounding 92 percent of them believe in life after death. And there's a hard-core subgroup in this party of super-religious Christian zealots. Very conservative on gay marriage, half of the members of this subgroup believe Bush uses too little religious rhetoric, and 51 percent of them believe God gave Israel to the Jews and that its existence fulfills the prophecy about the second coming of Jesus.

Liberals could read these statistics and sneer about "those silly Republicans" were it not for the fact that it's the Democrats who hold these beliefs. And the abovementioned ultrareligious subgroup is not the so-called "Religious Right" but rather the so-called "African-Americans."

And that's just the start. Great look at Mr. Kerry's, ahem, religion problem.

Unfairenheit 9/11 - The lies of Michael Moore. By Christopher Hitchens
This critique by Christopher Hitchens is worth a long, slow perusal, like a nice hot shower after a roll in the crap of Michael Moore....

Jayna Davis - From Oklahoma City to the Middle East
I'm currently reading a staggering book, The Third Terrorist, by Jayna Davis.
Here's her website. Worth looking at frequently.

The High Cost of Liberal Media Bias

Governments True Role in Space
Great look at how government, limited government, can help lead the way into space.

Dales' Electoral College Breakdown 2004
A great blog, with links to each state's electoral count. I'll put it on the Perma links to the right.

Ray Bradbury Wants His Title Back

What A Day In History
Historians may well look back on 6/21/04 as one of the most momentous days in history. For the first time, humans left the planet's atmosphere, unconstrained by either gravity or government. The promise of space is beckoning once again.

A Looming Bombshell
The Catholic Bishops are meeting in Colorado...The clock is ticking for Democratic Politicians who claim to be Catholic.

Reporting For The Enemy
A major press conference occurred at the American Enterprise Institute, with graphic videos and pictures of torture and abuse.
Only 4 or 5 reporters showed up.
Here's a profound quote:

Terrorism is sometimes called asymmetric warfare — America had to adjust to new tactics to deal with small bands of terrorists who were able to turn our airplanes into weapons against us. Now it turns out that we also face asymmetric propaganda — where the terrorists gain a p.r. advantage precisely because what they do is so horrific that our media aren't able to deal with it.

The U.S. military hasn't figured out a strategic way to deal with this problem.

But neither has the press.

Media analysts like Washington Post ombudsman Michael Getler admit it sounds "sanctimonious" to justify publishing prison abuse photos — but not al Qaeda beheading videos — in the name of showing "the reality of war." But that is just what he did.

AEI spokeswoman Veronique Rodman, puzzled by the minimal interest in the Saddam torture video, is sure that if it was a video of equally horrific torture committed by U.S. troops, the press would find ways to show or report it.

Reporters have to face up to the fact that right now, if we highlight the wrongs that Americans commit but not — out of squeamishness — the far worse horrors committed by others, we become propaganda tools for the other side.

A Portrait of a Pickle Walking Through History
I'm still nursing some bum fingers, but had to comment on this. After President Bush praised Mr. Clinton, the former President said that he "felt like a pickle walking through history."

I heard him say it every hour on the hour from the local radio station, and a few times at the half hour. Apparently, it was the most profound thing he had to say as he and Hillary's portraits were unveiled.

Just one question...

Would somebody, anybody, PLEASE explain to me what the heck THAT sentence MEANS!?!?!?!?

I mean, everyone laughed. Must've gotten the joke. So, what did I miss?

It strikes me as the most inane, stupid remark to come from Clinton's mouth since he gave us the meaning of "is."

But since the Media present all laughed, they must have understood the joke. Or maybe its just that they still hang on Clinton's every word.....

Poynter Online - The Blog-Only News Diet
Interesting look at using blogs as your primary news source.

Lech Walesa On Reagan
The death of Reagan is still too fresh for me to write about. Also, I'm fighting some pain in my fingers and wrists, made worse by too much typing.
My own view of The Great Communicator is close to Lech Walesa's:

GDANSK, Poland--When talking about Ronald Reagan, I have to be personal. We in Poland took him so personally. Why? Because we owe him our liberty. This can't be said often enough by people who lived under oppression for half a century, until communism fell in 1989.

I too, see Mr. Reagan in personal terms. More about this in coming days....

I'm not sure you could find a more symbolic picture than this: Gorbachev honoring Reagan.

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Metro -- Five days of Reagan funeral events
The Schedule of Events for this week.

Tampico and Dixon Illinois: Where I will Be This Weekend
The birthplace and boyhood home of Mr. Reagan seem like appropriate places to be the Friday after the funeral. Me, the Mrs, the kids, and a couple of their friends will be found there this Sunday. I suspect we won't be alone.

Reagan on Religion in America: "I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us, it makes us strong. You know, if we look back through history to all those great civilizations, those great nations that rose up to even world dominance and then deteriorated, declined, and fell, we find they all had one thing in common. One of the significant forerunners of their fall was their turning away from their God or gods.
Without God, there is no virtue, because there's no prompting of the conscience. Without God, we're mired in the material, that flat world that tells us only what the senses perceive. Without God, there is a coarsening of the society. And without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under. "

Ronald Reagan 1984

Here is Mr. Reagan giving this remarkable speech.

Reagan's Economic Legacy
It won't take long for Liberals to attack the memory of Mr. Reagan.
It's a typical knee jerk liberal reaction, but not based on the facts. Some nights, I just ignore those reactions, but NOT this night, with Mr. Reagan's body not even cold. So, at the risk of boring you with numbers, an excerpt from an article by Peter Sperry from 2001:

HOW DID REAGAN'S POLICIES AFFECT ECONOMIC GROWTH?

Despite the steep recession in 1982--brought on by tight money policies that were instituted to squeeze out the historic inflation level of the late 1970s--by 1983, the Reagan policies of reducing taxes, spending, regulation, and inflation were in place. The result was unprecedented economic growth:

*

This economic boom lasted 92 months without a recession, from November 1982 to July 1990, the longest period of sustained growth during peacetime and the second-longest period of sustained growth in U.S. history. The growth in the economy lasted more than twice as long as the average period of expansions since World War II.10
*

The American economy grew by about one-third in real inflation-adjusted terms. This was the equivalent of adding the entire economy of East and West Germany or two-thirds of Japan's economy to the U.S. economy.11
* From 1950 to 1973, real economic growth in the U.S. economy averaged 3.6 percent per year. From 1973 to 1982, it averaged only 1.6 percent. The Reagan economic boom restored the more usual growth rate as the economy averaged 3.5 percent in real growth from the beginning of 1983 to the end of 1990.12

HOW DID REAGAN'S POLICIES AFFECT THE FEDERAL TAX BURDEN?

Perhaps the greatest myth concerning the 1980s is that Ronald Reagan slashed taxes so dramatically for the rich that they no longer have paid their fair share. The flaw in this myth is that it mixes tax rates with taxes actually paid and ignores the real trend of taxation:

*

In 1991, after the Reagan rate cuts were well in place, the top 1 percent of taxpayers in income paid 25 percent of all income taxes; the top 5 percent paid 43 percent; and the bottom 50 percent paid only 5 percent.13 To suggest that this distribution is unfair because it is too easy on upper-income groups is nothing less than absurd.
*

The proportion of total income taxes paid by the top 1 percent rose sharply under President Reagan, from 18 percent in 1981 to 28 percent in 1988.14
*

Average effective income tax rates were cut even more for lower-income groups than for higher-income groups. While the average effective tax rate for the top 1 percent fell by 30 percent between 1980 and 1992, and by 35 percent for the top 20 percent of income earners, it fell by 44 percent for the second-highest quintile, 46 percent for the middle quintile, 64 percent for the second-lowest quintile, and 263 percent for the bottom quintile.15
* These reductions for the lowest-income groups were so large because President Reagan doubled the personal exemption, increased the standard deduction, and tripled the earned income tax credit (EITC), which provides net cash for single-parent families with children at the lowest income levels. These changes eliminated income tax liability altogether for over 4 million lower-income families.16

Critics often add in the Social Security payroll tax and argue that the total federal tax burden shifted more to lower-income groups and away from upper-income groups; but President Reagan's changes were in the income tax, not in the Social Security payroll tax. The payroll tax was imposed by proponents of big government over the past 50 years, and it is they, not Ronald Reagan, who should be held accountable for its distributional effects.

Nevertheless, even if one counts the Social Security payroll tax, the share of total federal taxes increased between 1980 and 1989 for the following groups:

*

For the top 1 percent of taxpayers, from 12.9 percent in 1980 to 15.4 percent in 1989;
*

For the top 5 percent of taxpayers, from 27.3 percent in 1980 to 30.4 percent in 1989; and
* For the top 20 percent of taxpayers, from 56.1 percent in 1980 to 58.6 percent in 1989.

On the other hand, the share of total federal taxes, if one includes the Social Security payroll tax, declined for four groups:

*

For the second-highest 20 percent of taxpayers, from 22.2 percent in 1980 to 20.8 percent in 1989;
*

For the middle 20 percent of taxpayers, from 13.2 percent in 1980 to 12.5 percent in 1989;
*

For the second-lowest 20 percent of taxpayers, from 6.9 percent in 1980 to 6.4 percent in 1989; and
* For the lowest 20 percent of taxpayers, from 1.6 percent in 1980 to 1.5 percent in 1989.17

CONCLUSION

No matter how advocates of big government try to rewrite history, Ronald Reagan's record of fiscal responsibility continues to stand as the most successful economic policy of the 20th century. His tax reforms triggered an economic expansion that continues to this day. His investments in national security ended the Cold War and made possible the subsequent defense spending reductions that are largely responsible for the current federal surpluses. His efforts to restrain the expansion of federal government helped to limit the growth of domestic spending.

If Reagan's critics had been willing to work with him to limit domestic spending even further and to control the growth of entitlements, the budget would have been balanced five to ten years sooner and without the massive tax increase imposed in 1993. Today, Members of Congress from across the political spectrum should stand on the evidence and defend the Reagan record.

To the extent that President Bush's proposals mirror those of Ronald Reagan, his plan should be a welcome strategy to lower the tax burden on Americans and to make the system more responsible. If the advocates of big government in Congress cooperate with President Bush rather than merely continuing to fund obsolete, wasteful, and redundant programs, there is no limit to the prosperity that Americans can generate.

Peter Sperry is the Grover M. Hermann Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs in the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

Michael Moore Hates America.com
A fun site, alot more informative (and truthful) than anything to come out of Mr. Moore's mouth.

Our Own Worst Enemy
From Victor Davis Hanson

My friends, we live in a world that is lit by lightning. So much is changing and will change, but so much endures, and transcends time.

History is a ribbon, always unfurling; history is a journey. And as we continue our journey, we think of those who traveled before us. We stand together again at the steps of this symbol of our democracy -- or we would have been standing at the steps if it hadn't gotten so cold. Now we are standing inside this symbol of our democracy. Now we hear again the echoes of our past: a general falls to his knees in the hard snow of Valley Forge; a lonely President paces the darkened halls, and ponders his struggle to preserve the Union; the men of the Alamo call out encouragement to each other; a settler pushes west and sings a song, and the song echoes out forever and fills the unknowing air.

It is the American sound. It is hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic, daring, decent, and fair. That's our heritage; that is our song. We sing it still. For all our problems, our differences, we are together as of old, as we raise our voices to the God who is the Author of this most tender music. And may He continue to hold us close as we fill the world with our sound -- sound in unity, affection, and love -- one people under God, dedicated to the dream of freedom that He has placed in the human heart, called upon now to pass that dream on to a waiting and hopeful world.

God bless you and may God bless America.

Ronald Wilson Reagan, from his 2nd Inaugural Address.
Goodbye Mr President. I will miss you.

This Victory for Dems in South Dakota May Not Be So Victorious
The Republican was down 29 points in February. The Dem won 51-49. We'll see how things play out in November......

A New Letter From Iraq:The Green Side
Sad that the media isn't reporting these things. Thank God for the Internet, or we'd be stuck with folks like, oh say, Mike Wallace.

Mike Wallace: Speaking of Bias
Not much doubt how Mike Wallace answered the Pew Research Poll.

The Pew Media Survey
I'm a little late posting this. Great survey from The Pew Research Center for People and The Press. Here's my favorite part:
Journalists at national and local news organizations are notably different from the general public in their ideology and attitudes toward political and social issues. Most national and local journalists, as well as a plurality of Americans (41%), describe themselves as political moderates. But news people ­ especially national journalists ­ are more liberal, and far less conservative, than the general public.

Ya think? Not that there's a bias or anything......

Private Spacecraft's Inaugural Launch Set for June 21
This date may very well go down in history as the date the Space Age really began. It's a big, big deal.

An Important Speech from The Air Force Academy

Like the Second World War, our present conflict began with a ruthless, surprise attack on the United States. We will not forget that treachery, and we will accept nothing less than victory over the enemy.

Like the murderous ideologies of the 20th century, the ideology of terrorism reaches across boarders, and seeks recruits in every country. So we're fighting these enemies wherever they hide across the earth.

Like other totalitarian movements, the terrorists seek to impose a grim vision in which dissent is crushed, and every man and woman must think and live in colorless conformity. So to the oppressed peoples everywhere, we are offering the great alternative of human liberty.

Why we should remember what we remember today
Great Editorial for Memorial Day:
Fly the flag. Wrench yourself away from the TV to tell your children that the reason they are not going to school today is because we are remembering the fallen soldiers. Tell them how, if those farm boys hadn't left their fields, taken their muskets and faced the British army, we might still be a colony. Tell them that if U.S. Rangers hadn't gone up those cliffs at Normandy, into the teeth of the German machineguns, then the Nazis might still be there. That the world, terrible as it often is, could be far worse, and throughout history it was the United States soldier who placed his life between us and the onslaught of tyranny. Remember the fallen soldiers as if they were your father, your brother, your sister, your son. Because they are.

Limbaugh's Prosecution: A Summary
Remember Rush Limbaugh and his addiction struggle? Here's a good rundown on the latest twists and turns.

Gay advocates denied communion at Holy Name

Fissues such as this are black and white. I hope this one doesn't come off that way. Here we go:
Its a question of beliefs and rights.
A Church has the right to withold communion from those who do not share the Church's beliefs. Roman Catholics are taking a stand across the cultural spectrum. Abortion, Gay Rights etc.

This makes them a target for the Left, using the same tactics honed from years of defending a disgraced President. "What about the sex abuse scandal? How dare you make judgements on us and our behavior (especially while we are so busily judging yours) and tell us what is right and wrong?"

Paul speaks to this in First Corinthians Five:

9:I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- 10: not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11: But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
12: What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13: God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you."

---------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

Tough words. Spoken to those in the Church, not outside it. Spoken to a Church in trouble. Spoken to a Church tolerating all sorts of sexual sin, up to and including incest.

And this is where what happened yesterday connects with the stand the Church is taking on Abortion.

This week I posted an article from Intellectual Conservative, ten questions and answers to refusing Communion to Pro-Abortion Politicians. Question 9 speaks to what happened yesterday:

9. When gays and lesbians march up to the altar arm and arm for Communion, should they be denied?
Answer: Canon 915 states that if they are gravely manifest, obstinate, and persistent in their sins, then they must be denied. The Church condemns the sin of sodomy.26

Homosexuals who approach the Eucharist wearing ‘Rainbow sashes’ or are living known lives of perversion are certainly manifest, obstinate and persistent in their grave sin.27

Legal recognition of same-sex unions actually does homosexual persons a disfavor by encouraging them to persist in what is an objectively immoral arrangement.

There are absolutely no grounds for considering same-sex unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family. Marriage is holy, while homosexual acts go against the natural moral law. Homosexual acts “close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.”28

Believe it or not, this post is NOT about gay rights in the United States. I am firmly in favor of equal rights, period. It is, however, about the rights of Churches and organizations (yes, I do mean the Boy Scouts) to set their own beliefs and membership requirements. And be allowed to live by them. This too, is tolerance.
Its easy for the Radical Gay community to yell all sorts of perjoratives, from "homophobe" to "racist", seeking to compare their struggle to the Civil Rights movement of the 60's
Its harder for them to acknowledge the rights of others to peaceful assembly even when that assembly disagrees with their agenda.

Recalling a time when setbacks didn't deter us
Proportion and History. Mark Steyn recalls both.

Abortion and Roman Catholicism
Ten Questions about the debate, specifically for Roman Catholics.

An Editorial Note:
I am not Roman Catholic. Most of my inlaws are. I have a deep and abiding respect for the Church of Rome, though I most certainly do not agree with all its teachings. Because I do not abide by all the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, I do not take communion when attending a Roman Catholic wedding or other service. On the issue of abortion, however, I am firmly on the side of the Church in Rome.

Abortion and Christianity


There has been an attempt to somehow make the decision of some Roman Catholic Bishops to with hold communion from Democratic politians favoring abortion as political. The argument goes that this is a private matter between themselves and God.

It's not.

For Catholics, and Evangelicals like myself who agree with them, this is very different.

Two Catholics may disagree on taxes. We may even disagree on certain forms of government, monarchy vs. democracy for example. These are not fundamental tenets of faith.

Life and death is.

Abortion is about life and death for Christians.

The pastoral statement below, from priests for life.org, expresses it well.

"A Time for Honesty"
A Pastoral Statement by The Most Reverend John J. Myers,
Archbishop of Newark
May 5, 2004

Here is a quote.

But with abortion (and for example slavery, racism, euthanasia and trafficking in human persons) there can be no legitimate diversity of opinion. The direct killing of the innocent is always a grave injustice. One should not permit unjust killing any more than one should permit slave-holding, racist actions, or other grave injustices. From the perspective of justice, to say "I am personally opposed to abortion but…" is like saying "I personally am against slavery, but I can not impose my personal beliefs on my neighbor." Obviously, recognizing the grave injustice of slavery requires one to ensure that no one suffers such degradation. Similarly recognizing that abortion is unjust killing requires one—in love and justice—to work to overcome the injustice.

Among my most important responsibilities is that of pastor and teacher. In light of recent developments in our nation, I wish once again to affirm the teaching of the Church. Human life is a gift from God and as Catholics we have a most grave obligation to defend all human life from the moment of conception until natural death. God help us if we fail in this most fundamental obligation.

Fundrace.org
I am sooooo addicted to this site. Fundraising maps from across the country. While you have to spend time on the whole site, especially check out the Candidate rankings.
Who has the most grassroots support? George. With Reverend Al a distant 2nd.
Who has the highest Devotion ratings, those who are repeat givers? George
Who has the most Fat Cats contributing to his campaign?
John F Kerry. Hmmmmmm.

Victor Davis Hanson:Just Win, Baby
My style has been to refer you to articles, not spend alot of time doing my own writing. Probably wrote more of my own opinion today that I have in weeks. Here's a great perspective on winning from one of my favorites. Enjoy.

The Battle of Iraq
Frank Gaffney puts the Battle of Iraq in the perspective it deserves. Much like the Battle of Britain, a protracted attempt by Hitler to soften up England before invasion, the Battle of Iraq is but one theater in a global conflict.

That's the difference between Bush and Kerry. Mr. Kerry and his ilk want to see Iraq as a contained conflict. Hence the reason for the constant, incessant comparisons to Vietnam. They wish to fight the same war, the same way. Why not? In their worldview, they won.

But Iraq is not Vietnam. Failure here would not merely mean the death of thousands and the subjugation of multiple countries as did our abandonment of Vietnam, while the United States remained free to wallow in Watergate and elect Jimmy Carter.

Political, and therefore military failure in Iraq would bring on multiple 9/11's.

Here.

In Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Diego, Greensborough.

We fight the Battle of Iraq so the Battle of America need not happen.

The Connection
An upcoming book by Stephen Hayes. Some details in this article. So let's review:
Mr. Kerry, Mr. Gore et al.
"Bush lied! He LIED to the American people!"

Sarin gas? yep. More to come
Al Qaeda Connections with Saddam? yep. More to come
The UN losing credibility as they would not take a stand to enforce their own mandates?
Yep. A whole lot more to come on that, as the Oil for Food scandal grows to a point whee even Mainstream Media has to take notice.

The only liars out there this Memorial Day weekend are those on the left desperately trying to lie to themselves and the American people that we are not at war. As the Memorial to The Second World War is dedicated, let's pay heed to the fact that since 9/11/01 we have been actively engaged in The Third World War. Let us pray that we are able to perform as well as that generation we honor today.

The Evil of Abu Ghraib: Not what you've been hearing
The stories of torture from Abu Ghraib have actually been ignored by the Media, as the truth would help build support for Iraq, therefore Bush.

Oil For Food Scandal: Where's The Media?
Not hearing much about this scandal, involving billions of dollars allegedly siphoned off by Saddam, France, Germany, Russia, and Kofi Anan's own son? They're too busy covering Al Ghraib.

Saddam and Al Qaeda: The Linkage continues
Nope, you're not hearing this from the Mainstream Media. But the links are building, slowly but surely.

Planning For Graduation...and The Next Attack
Peggy Noonan two days in a row! Just like old times, for those of you who were on the original email list.

Max Boot: Perspective on Casualties
Its the fact that this is in the LA Times that stuns me. Must've been an editor asleep at the switch or something.

Three Children Decapitated in Baltimore
You can't help hearing this and not thinking of Nick Berg. A copycat killing? Let's hope not.

Peggy Noonan Explains the booing of E.L. Doctorow
I sort of lost track of Peggy Noonan for some reason. This is a good one to come back to.
I posted this story last week.
My favorite paragraph:
Fast Eddy Doctorow told a story at the commencement all right, and it is a story about the boorishness of the aging liberal. An old '60s radical who feels he is entitled to impose his views on this audience on this day because he's so gifted, so smart, so insightful, so very above the normal rules, agreements and traditions. And for this he will get to call himself besieged and heroic--a hero about whom stories are told!--when in fact all he did was guarantee positive personal press in the elite media, at the cost of the long suffering patience of normal people who wanted to move the tassel and throw the hat in the air.

Have you seen these creeps? If you do, don't wait. Call 911 immediately. By calling 911 you could prevent another 9/11.

CBS and 60 Minutes Modern Benedict Arnolds
This letter from Pat Boone to the editor of NewsMax is worth reading. Mr. Boone was pilloried by the Mainstream press for his politically incorrect views. My suspicion is that just reading his name set off your own bias. I would ask you where that bias may come from? And what facts can you cite to back up any negative feelings you may have about him? Interesting question, don't you think?

A Week Later: The Media Discovers the Sarin Gas
I'm off to my son's Little League game, but just had to post this story on the confirmation of the Sarin gas.
Again, I refer you to Blaster's Blog for details.

An Important Speech: And The Usual Reactions

Good speech tonight. (Okay, you knew I'd say that) But it was. The President laid out the 5 point plan, and again linked what's happening in Iraq with the War on Islamo-Fascists.

You can read the speech above.

What fascinated me was CNN, MSNBC and FNC. Most especially CNN and MSNBC. Chris Matthews devoted more time to Joe Biden's rantings than he did to the President's speech. And CNN dragged Madeline Albright out to say pretty much the same things.

It was the expressions on the faces of Albright, Biden, and Matthews that drew my attention. Absolute rage. The anger from those three flowed from the TV screen. It's not anger at Terrorism, or death. It's palpable anger at George W. Bush. Very difficult to watch, and I suspect, cannot be sustained over the course of the next few months...Stay Tuned.

Keeping Hope Alive on Our College Campuses
An appropriate reception to E.L. Doctorow's anti-Bush rant.

Bloody, but unbowed.

A Disturbing Conversation
The other day, a coworker came by my desk, just to chat. She knows I'm something of a news junkie, so she asked my opinion on the whole Prisoner Abuse Scandal.

I told her that while certainly awful, it paled in comparison to the Nick Berg video. Her response was a puzzled look, and the question, "What video? Who is Nick Berg?"

My coworker is in her mid-thirties, college educated, and thinks of herself as well informed.

After I told her, she was stunned. And then she asked, "Why haven't I heard anything about this?"

Good Question.

It's important for me, and other bloggers, to realize that most Americans get their news in short snippets, on the hour from whatever radio station they have on in the car, or at work.

Even those who get their news from the internet primarily use the mainstream sources: MSNBC, CNN, etc. Opening their eyes takes work, and assuming your average American actually knows what's going on is a mistake. Makes our task all the more difficult, yet necessary in today's world.

Sixth Grade Perversion
A frightening "game" from the New York Post. Very, very scary, if you have daughters, or sons for that matter.

Apologies, Anyone?
Victor Davis Hanson has the list.
Here's my favorite quote:
What is going on? The months of April and May have been surreal — scandals at Abu Ghraib, decapitations and desecrations of those killed from Gaza to Iraq, and insurrections in Fallujah and Najaf. The shock of the unexpected has led to hysteria and cheap TV moralizing by critics of the war, fueled by election-year politics at home, apparent embarrassment for some erstwhile supporters of the intervention who are angry that democracy in Iraq has not appeared fully-formed out of the head of Zeus, and a certain amnesia about the recent dark history of the United Nations.

Yet there are historical forces still in play that bode well for Iraq — aid pouring in, oil revenues increasing, Iraqi autonomy nearing, and radical terrorists failing to win public support — all of which we are ignoring amid the successive 24-hour media barrages. The combat deaths of 700 soldiers are tragic. We in our postwar confusion have also made a number of mistakes: not storming into the Sunni Triangle at war's end, not shooting the first 500 looters that started the mass rampage of theft, not keeping some of the Iraqi army units intact, not bulldozing down Saddam Hussein's notorious prisons, not immediately putting at war's end Iraqi officials into the public arena, not storming Fallujah, and not destroying al Sadr and his militias last spring.

Still, in just a year the worst mass murderer in recent history is gone and a consensual government is scheduled to assume power in his place in just a few weeks. Postwar Iraq is not a cratered Dresden or the rubble of Stalingrad — it is seeing power, water, and fuel production at or above prewar levels. For all the recent mishaps, two truths still remain about Iraq — each time the American military forcibly takes on the insurrectionists, it wins; and each time local elections are held, moderate Iraqis, not Islamic radicals, have won.

So let us calm down and let events play out. If it were not an election year, Mr. Kennedy would dare not say such reprehensible things. In two or three months when there is a legitimate Iraqi government in power, Mr. Friedman may not wish to level such absurd charges. And when the truth comes out about the U.N.'s past role in Iraq, both Iraqis and Americans may not be so ready to entrust the new democracy's future to an agency that has not only done little to save Bosnians or Rwandans, but over the past decade may well have done much to harm Iraqis.

But in the meantime, let these who have transgressed all join the president and the secretary of defense and say they are sorry for what they have recklessly said and the untold harm that they have done.

Another Addition to the Site
Charles Stouff, ace political cartoonist, will post a different cartoon at various times to the right side of the page. Great Stuff.

A New Core Site
There are certain sites that I use often for posts. National Review, OpinionJournal, Real Clear Politics, to name a few.
A site I want to introduce is Intellectual Conservative.com. A site with original editorials from Conservatives across the country.
You'll see alot of links to this site in the future.

A Minor Correction: While Mr. Kerry did indeed believe he was meeting Mr. Bush, this was actually a meeting between the prospective nominee and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. This is quite understandable for someone who has difficulty distinguishing between Medals and Ribbons.

Blaster's Blog
The definitive site for info on the Sarin gas shell. Yes, its still a big deal, and yes, I'm still waiting for the mainstream press to "find' it.

Catholic Watch
From the New York Times today:

Forty-eight Roman Catholic members of Congress who are Democrats have signed a letter to the cardinal archbishop of Washington, D.C., saying the threats by some bishops to deny communion to politicians who support abortion rights were "deeply hurtful," counterproductive and "miring the Church in partisan politics."

Forty-eight Roman Catholic members of Congress. Oh yeah, they just happen to all be Democrats!

Ya know what they call a Catholic who does not hold to certain core teachings of the Roman Catholic Church?
A Protestant!. Hat tip to Hugh Hewitt for that one.

Still waiting. In the meantime, a reminder.

The Significance of Sarin: From Evangelical Outpost
Still waiting, as of 8:00 pm CST. No word in the mainstream media on the Sarin gas. All through the blogosphere though. Here's why this story is so important.

FOXNews.com - Top Stories - Tests Confirm Sarin in Iraqi Artillery Shell
It fascinates me that as of 7:45 pm CST, only Fox news is carrying this story. Three to Four Liters is a big deal, but doesn't fit the Mainstream Media's storyline of Bush lied, America is corrupt, and the only salvation is John Kerry.

Pictures in War
Are pictures still worth a thousand words? Only if they continue to carry the same impact. One thing the Al Ghraib pictures,and the Nick Berg video have shown us is just how numb to violence most Americans have become.

Mr. Daschle is Concerned
He should be, with poll numbers like this for an incumbent Senator.

John Derbyshire: A Mild, Tolerant Homophobe
An interesting, though somewhat rambling article. But some good points, all the same.
Reality is, its a pretty good description of a majority of Americans today.

Rooting For the Enemy
An important editorial by John Podheretz. Here's the last few paragraphs:

Take a look at Time magazine's cover this week. It features an artist's rendering of one of the photographs from Abu Ghraib with the line: "Iraq: How Did It Come to This?"

"It" didn't come to "this." "It" is a war to liberate 25 million people and rout Islamic extremists, terrorists and those who thirst for the mass murder of Americans. "This" was an aberrancy that was stopped almost five months ago, when the revelations at Abu Ghraib led to investigations, arrests and the wholesale reinvention of the Iraq prison system.

Time's cover line is a vile and grotesque slander against every American in uniform in Iraq. It remains the case, more than two weeks after the public exposure of the Abu Ghraib photographs, that not a single digital photo showing mistreatment has emerged from another cellblock at that self-same prison, or from any of the other 24 prisons in Iraq.

Indeed, every photograph shown to U.S. senators yesterday is part of the same set of pictures featuring the same eight dirtbags.

The scandal isn't widening. If anything, it's contracting. The focus continues to zoom in on the actual people in the pictures and their disgusting conduct in them. And yet Teddy Kennedy, a man who once let a woman die, feels free to speak the following unspeakable words: "We now learn that Saddam's torture chambers reopened under new management, U.S. management."

The United States is, according to the man in whose car Mary Jo Kopechne drowned, no better than the regime of Saddam Hussein.

Teddy Kennedy isn't just some outlier. Teddy Kennedy is the chief surrogate of the Democratic candidate for president of the United States and a lionized figure - so lionized that a worshipful profile of him published in Boston magazine won a major journalism award last year.

So let's be clear what's going on here. As we speak, 138,000 Americans are serving under dangerous conditions in Iraq. And our forces in Karbala are fighting against the goons and thugs of Muqtada al-Sadr with some success. They're risking their lives for freedom and honor and duty and love of country.

And conventional liberal opinion wants them to lose.

Conventional liberal opinion believes that the Abu Ghraib photos are the true meaning of the war, and that Nick Berg is just another victim of callous U.S. policy.

Conventional liberal opinion is actively seeking the humiliation and defeat of the United States in Iraq.

US Bishop Aquila Warns Catholic Pro-Abortion Politicians They "Risk the Possibility of Hell"
I usually change the headline when I post articles. Couldn't think of a better title than this though.
The abortion issue is about to hit liberal Democrats right between the eyes, courtesy of The Vatican.
The list is long. Here's a few:
Kennedy, Leahy, Durbin and Kerry.

The Future of Manned SpaceFlight 


And it isn't NASA. Spaceship One, in test flight above. On its way to winning the ten million dollar X-Prize, to be the first non-governmental sub-orbital space plane. Spaceward Ho!

Have We Forgotten?
Victor Davis Hanson asks if we've forgotten this man and what he has accomplished. The Democrats say "heads must roll." The sickness of the statement after the death of Nick Berg is stunning.  

An Update on Letter To Dad from Wednesday's Post
The moving letter to Dad is one of a series from Major David G Bellin, USMC. Here's a site featuring his letters, and others from the soldiers in Iraq. Interesting to hear from them, as opposed to the agenda driven media in the US. I'll make a permanent site.

A Letter to Dad

A letter sent to Hugh Hewitt. The name is withheld to protect the privacy of both the marine and his father.

Read this e-mail from a Marine to his dad:

"Dad -

We are approaching a very significant phase in Fallujah. Very soon, we will execute the first "joint patrol" into the city. The concept is that Marines and elements of the new Iraqi force will enter the town together. To suggest that the cessation of hostilities is fragile is an understatement. The environment is very fluid and one day things look better but the next we gather intelligence that suggests we are making a mistake. The leadership has gone way out on a limb here making a tremendous gamble that the course of action decided on will bring some degree of stability to this area.

Of course, in order to allow the Fallujans a chance to stabilize themselves, we must eat a little crow. We know that people are running around the city proclaiming that the Marines were defeated and the insurgents stopped us. To our dismay, this has even been picked up by our own media. Again, I can barely stand to read it. However, we fully realize that the only way the Iraqis will take control of their own destiny is to regain some of their long lost self image/national pride. They were crushed by Saddam brutally for 35 years, the last 12 of which, the US also had its way with them. They saw us cut right through the worlds 4th largest military in 1991 and then enforce no fly zones along with limited offensive actions against them with impunity for the next 12 years. Finally, we destroyed a regime and occupied their country in less than 3 weeks last year.

Regardless of whether or not the Iraqis hated Saddam, all of these elements above resulted in a tremendous amount of shame in this culture. Later, when we captured Saddam and put pictures and stories in the media of him surrendering like a lamb and sticking his tongue out for doctors, that was further humiliation. Until they start to feel some pride in themselves as a nation, we cannot expect them to want to vest themselves in its future. If that means we have to stand by and let them strut, that is what we will do. It is very hard to swallow as there is not a Marine here who does not know in his heart that we could have taken the entire city down if we were allowed. The whole environment requires discipline and confidence.

The more I am exposed to Iraq, the more I am convinced of the damage done buy the brutal regime that ruled it for so long. A special forces officer and I were talking this morning and he made the analogy that Iraq is like an abused child. If you abuse a child and raise it in a closet, you cannot expect it to be well adjusted and socialized when you let it out 20 years later. It may take decades to excise all of the damage. It is a rough analogy but it certainly applies here. The depth of ignorance is astounding. Because the people were so isolated and lived in such fear of the special police and sundry other henchmen, they are very susceptible to rumor and disinformation. Many people here hate us as they do throughout the world because they see us as grossly wealthy and our opportunities and "blessings" make the absence of their own all the more angersome. Envy breeds resentment which breeds distance which breeds ignorance... You get the picture.

I cannot tell you how many crazy ideas that the people here actually come to believe are true about us. In the mosques, they preach that we are only here for the oil and that we want to colonize Iraq. Worse, they preach that the Marines are going to rape the women in order to crush their race and expand our own. It goes on and on. As a western educated person, your first inclination is to reach out and reason with people. However, the ignorance fear and hatred are so profound in some pockets that reason is almost impossible. Soon someone shoots at us and then we respond. You can only imagine what happens after that. Finally, there are leaders here trying their best but who cannot gravitate away from western values and logic. These values and approach are often perceived as weakness. Weakness is seen as opportunity for the terrorists.

The lingering problem are the many different factions who are completely mercenary in their interests. Hard to believe but the insurgents care very little for the innocent people and easily justify their deaths so long as their individual agendas are furthered. This is pervasive here, particularly with Islamic extremists. They are merciless on the citizens. I have no ideas how many summary executions these people have committed on the citizens of Iraq who they perceive as cooperating with the coalition but it is in the thousands. We have seen it happen. We found one body in Fallujah as the Marines advanced that was clearly tortured (feet cut off, head bludgeoned in...) before being killed. There are more stories than I can recount. The criteria for a death sentence here? - Refusing to fight for the terrorists or maybe taking a job emptying portajohns on a US base. If you are thought of being a spy, your entire family is at risk.

I realize that little of this probably makes the news. Perhaps history will explain our journalistic failings because I simply cannot.

As for the Abu Garayb atrocities, that is exactly what they are. I have been inside this prison several times. I never saw anything like what is now on the news but we did see a general lack of discipline among the service members in there when we arrived. We are horribly ashamed that fellow service members would do such a thing. It does not matter that it was Army or National Guard. Most Marines and Sailors in the Regiment have had their hands on detainees. It is a very emotional and taxing situation especially if the guy was just shooting at you. However, these prison guards didn't go out on patrol and capture the Iraqis, nor did they conduct a raid and grab them in a very dangerous operation. They simply failed at every level to maintain even the most basic standards not only of US servicemembers but as human beings. They traded the Nations moral high ground and fueled the extremists message of hate as a result of their weakness.
Unfortunately they did it not just to themselves but every where a Marine or Soldier patrols tonight across the globe and even for every American citizen who travels abroad and naturally represents the United States.

What do we do? I can only imagine this is what people must be asking. I can only share what the Marines here believe. We stand and fight. We honestly and absolutely accept responsibility and do our best through out actions to convince the world that those acts were conducted by criminals and are not indicative of our values or intentions. We continue to go on patrol and do our best to kill the terrorists and protect the people. We stay tolerant one second longer. We adjust to a very fluid environment and stay faithful to our values. We live up to what the American people expect of United States Marines and we maintain high expectations of the American people. We share our courage with both the Iraqi people and even our neighbors, fight like hell when the situation dictates and maintain our humanity through it all.

It may sound very glossy to many people but there is the luxury of focus here. No angst sitting in a Starbucks listening to some idiot opine about something which he knows very little or having to suffer through campaign ads that try to make hay out of America's stumbles.

People need to have faith that the young man throwing grenades two weeks ago and who was ordered to stop has not lost faith and still believes what he is doing is right. Whenever I am blessed enough to take a second and recognize "that guy" it shores up my personal weakness and makes my situation seem trivial.

For what it is worth, even though the Marines constantly ask the media guys here if "the American people still support us...?" Like anyone else, he wants to be reassured but he clearly expects the answer to be "yes." My take is that it is easy to support service members but it takes conviction to support the continued liberation of the Iraqi people and the pursuit of terrorists around the world - especially on the dark days.

Sorry it has taken me so long to write."

Abuse and Atrocity
I've just viewed the Nick Berg torture and slaughter video. A link to it is in the title above.
A couple of thoughts:
This was far worse than a beheading. Somehow this word brings to mind French Guillotines, swift and relatively painless.
This was anything but.
The screams of Nick Berg will haunt my sleep tonight....

While I agree that the abuse that occurred at Al Ghraib at the hands of American soldiers must be dealt with swiftly, there is no comparison to the atrocities perpetrated by the five cowards in the Berg video, or the Pearl Video, or 9/11/01.

This is what we fight against. We must not forget. And as hard as it may be, we must watch the videos, remember the screams, and yes, avenge the dead lest it happen again, and again, and again.

Does this sound harsh? Overly dramatic? Watch the video of this Jewish American being tortured. Then read the above. Then think about perspective, and the Democrat Chorus whining about how awful Americans must be....Perspective.

This is really more of a test of a new capability, adding pictures to the blog. What Picture would you expect me to use?

Thoughts on War

“After all, we are at war, you know.” The number of conservative talking heads that say this line keeps growing, as the storm over the photographs continues to expand and engulf the mainstream media. I think the statement, heard again and again, serves as a reminder and a warning.

Truth is, those on the left don't know we are at war. They refuse to believe that the current conflict is anything more than the police actions they supported under Clinton, and protested under Johnson, Nixon, and under the First President Bush.

The idea that we are engaged in a World War simply strikes those on the left as absurd. Raised with a distrust of authority, and an intense hatred for all things military, the left, with a few exceptions, has come to the conclusion that, since no formal declaration of war was given, we cannot be in a war. And the political calulations that follow from that view are therefore the things you hear from the left. You know the statements, “An illegal president fighting an illegal war.”
“If only Bush had involved the United Nations.”
And on and on and on.

Our enemies know we are at war. In fact, the Islamo-Fascists we face have been at war with the United Stated for at least 10 years now. Hiding our heads in the sands of the Middle East will not make them go away. Nor will somehow ceding power to the UN make Washington, New York, Chicago or Los Angeles a less tempting target the next time.

Sixty years ago, this nation needed no reminders that we were at war. The gold stars in the windows, signifying the loss of a family member was reminder enough. The images shown on Nightline last Friday, no matter what Ted Koppel's real motivation may have been, should continue to remind us.

We are at war.
And yes, it is a World War.
The stakes in this war are just as high as in the last World War.
The enemy fights in the shadows, but continues to fight.
It is time Mr. Kerry, the Democrats, and their willing accomplices in the mainstream media admitted that, and put aside both their 60's radicalism, and their selfish political calculations.

Perspective: From J. Goldberg and V. D. Hanson

The Hearings Today: General Schoomaker's Opening Statement.

General Peter Schoomaker is the Army Chief of Staff. Former Commander of Special Forces, he was pulled out of retiremen to accept this most difficulty post. His statement today was eloquent, and gives a vital perspective to the the current media firestorm.

SCHOOMAKER: Chairman Warner, Senator Levin, distinguished members of the committee, I'll be brief. As the chief of staff of the Army, I am responsible for the training and equipping of our soldiers and growing our Army leaders.

I am also responsible for providing ready and relevant land power capabilities to the combatant commanders and the joint team.

Though not in the operational chain of command, I am responsible for our soldiers' training and readiness. Therefore I take it personally when any of them falls short of our standards.

To put it in perspective, what we are dealing with are actions of a few, as has been pointed out. These are conscious actions that are contrary to all that we stand for. This is not a training issue, but one of character and values.

Our Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage are taught to our soldiers from the moment that they enter the training base.

There's no question that the potential consequences are serious. But we must not forget that these are a few among a great many others who are serving with great honor and sacrifice, as has been pointed out.

We must be careful how we proceed, as it will affect the morale and safety of the great majority of our soldiers who are meeting the standards and are daily placing themselves in harm's way. I promise you they, too, take this personally.

SCHOOMAKER: I am reminded that in the report by Major General Taguba, he spoke of several soldiers in units who were challenged by the same set of demanding circumstances at the same place, and they did what was right. The inexcusable behavior of a few is not representative of the courageous and compassionate performance of the overwhelming majority of our soldiers who served with pride and honor.

We are currently undergoing an extensive investigation of every allegation. The system works, and will result in fairness and justice. We will also learn and adapt.

Our Army has already taken corrective actions. Our soldiers are performing with distinction and I am proud of them all. We owe them our confidence.

Our Army is taking this very seriously and will meet the standards that our nation expects as we have for 229 years.

Thank you.

WARNER: Thank you, General.

That statement on leadership reflects your own strong record of leadership. And we're fortunate to have you at the helm of the United States Army today.

A Reminder in the Midst of the Latest Media Feeding Frenzy
A reminder of what the war is about.

The Village Voice: Nation: Mondo Washington: Up, Up, Up With People by James Ridgeway
And lest you think Mister Ridgeway is a closet Conservative, working undercover for the RNC, here's a sample of his other work. Want to imagine the outcry in the Mainstream Media if, oh say, The Weekly Standard took this sneering approach to a Muslim or Jewish website?

The Village Voice: Nation: Mondo Washington: John Kerry Must Go by James Ridgeway
This is one of many liberal voices calling for someone, anyone else. Before you say it can't happen, remember Robert Torricelli in 2002. Behind in the polls, he dropped out. A Democrat won the election, Frank Lautenberg, after a Democrat appointed New Jersey Supreme Court decided the law didn't really say what the law said. Some are saying Hillary is readying her parachute, to do a HALO at the Democratic Convention...stay tuned.

A Fitting Counterpoint to Ted Koppel
Victor Davis Hanson gives the much needed yet left out analysis of those photos from Nightline last night.

A Change Of Name
This blog was originally called The Gang, as it began life as an email listing to several of my friends at work, then outside work. Then the company decided they wanted their computers for themselves, and frowned on my personal use of them. Sigh.
There were many ideas for names, but it finally landed on Liberty Just in Case.
Multiple meanings, depending on which word in the title is emphasized.
There may be other changes coming in the future.
We'll keep you posted.

It Ain't Over Till Its Over: The Continuing and Growing Crisis in the Episcopal Church
Even though the story dropped off the mainstream press radar, the Anglican Communion continues to deal with the Gay issue. Here's one example.

The Space Review: The feminization of American space policy (page 1)
Now this is an interesting look at the changes in the language used to express American Space Policy. Couple that with this story from Space.com called NASA's Fear of Flying: What if the Shuttle Never Flies Again.

Another Terrorist Gone
Killing Terrorists is not a bad thing. And killing terrorist leaders like Rantisi is even better.

Stopping the Invaders
A nifty little spin on space invaders. Designed to help stop The French Looking Candidate, as Rush calls him.

Commentary - The Intelligence Mess: How It Happened, What to Do About It
It is seldom that print hard copies of articles. I mean, that's what blogs are for, for goodness sake. This piece is a notable exception. Worth reading.

Air Amerika: Off The Air
My favorite part of this story is the John Kerry campaign ad running in the middle. These folks are on your side, Senator.

Where Will You Be When The Meteor Hits?
A fun little program. Just plug in your data, and it tells you what happens when an asteroid hits. Space.com has a great explanation of the program.

An Alternative History
Do Not Skim Past This Post.
Haven't found anything this profound in a long, long time.
A look at what might have been had Bush done what so many are accusing him of not doing.
By Greg Easterbrook.
Here's the beginning:
AN ALTERNATIVE HISTORY: washington, april 9, 2004. A hush fell over the city as George W. Bush today became the first president of the United States ever to be removed from office by impeachment. Meeting late into the night, the Senate unanimously voted to convict Bush following a trial on his bill of impeachment from the House.

Moments after being sworn in as the 44th president, Dick Cheney said that disgraced former national security adviser Condoleezza Rice would be turned over to the Hague for trial in the International Court of Justice as a war criminal. Cheney said Washington would "firmly resist" international demands that Bush be extradited for prosecution as well.

Well, have you clicked on the link to read the whole thing yet? Why the heck not?!?!?

NBC Trumps Rice With Anti-Bush Widows -- 04/08/2004 - Media Research Center - Media Reality Check
An analysis of some of the coverage from MSNBC. Interesting the 911 families that weren't asked to be on the shows.

Victor Davis Hanson on War on Terror on National Review Online
Here's the last 3 paragraphs:
So let us get a grip. Bush yet again must remind the American people that we are at war not merely in the Sunni Triangle or in the Afghan badlands, but rather globally and for the liberal values of Western civilization. There is no mythical pipeline in Afghanistan; Halliburton executives are not lounging around the pool in Baghdad chomping on cigars and quaffing cocktails; and in this age of sky-high gas prices there is no sinister cabal that has hijacked Iraq oil. Sharon is not getting daily intelligence briefings about Iraq. The war is what it always was — a terrible struggle against an evil and determined enemy, a Minotaur of sorts that harvested Americans in increments for decades before mass murdering 3,000 more on September 11.

Everything that the world holds dear — the free exchange of ideas, the security of congregating and traveling safely, the long struggle for tolerance of differing ideas and religions, the promise of equality between the sexes and ethnic groups, and the very trust that lies at the heart of all global economic relationships — all this and more Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and the adherents of fascism in the Middle East have sought to destroy: some as killers themselves, others providing the money, sanctuary, and spiritual support.

We did not ask for this war, but it came. In our time and according to our station, it is now our duty to end it. And that resolution will not come from recrimination in time of war, nor promises to let fundamentalists and their autocratic sponsors alone, but only through the military defeat and subsequent humiliation of their cause. So let us cease the hysterics, make the needed sacrifices, and allow our military the resources, money, and support with which it most surely will destroy the guilty and give hope at last to the innocent.

The whole editorial is worth reading, as is most everything from Victor Davis Hanson.

Pictures worth a Thousand Words
A moving picture from the fighting in Iraq.

AirAmerika: A Review of the first few days:

Well, I've had some time to listen to the new Liberal Talk Radio network.
The local Chicago station is 950 am.
A little staticky, difficult to keep tuned in at times. Very weak compared to other talk stations in the Chicago metro area.

Oh, and the station doesn't have very good reception either.

At this time, they are more of a bad satire of Conservative Radio, beginning with their "Morning Sedition," and continuing through Al Franken's attempt at matching Rush Limbaugh.

And believe it or not, I'm rooting for them to survive. Opposition voices are important. It's the reason Conservatives moved to AM Radio in the first place.

To survive, they must develop their own voice, rather than ripping off the styles of an already successful genre.

It's not enough to just stand there and say, "Nuh-uh!" to everything that comes from President Bush or the Republicans. They must have their own ideas to present as well. At least so far, that hasn't happened.