tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56818962012-01-02T07:28:27.279-05:00Staunch ModerateThe answer lies somewhere in the middle ...Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.comBlogger9121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-10311051769690438452007-06-19T16:42:00.001-04:002007-06-19T16:42:45.522-04:00The Decider: What is more important in a political candidate, policies or character?My gut would be to go with character. But when you see a candidate whose policies make you wince, it's hard to give much support in return.I'm watching the presidential nomination battles with great interest. You've got your typical mix of front-runners who get all the attention and fringe candidates who will do Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-34015469235875586552007-05-21T16:07:00.001-04:002007-05-21T16:08:26.263-04:00Washington Post headline today: "Richardson Joins 2008 Race"Really? Is that why he's been running campaign ads and participating in the presidential primary debates?Seriously, I don't understand how a journalist can run such a headline with a straight face. While we're screwing up campaign-finance law, maybe we can pass legislation saying you're not allowed to run for office without first Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-2864889380508010322007-05-17T09:54:00.000-04:002007-05-17T09:55:50.939-04:00Top Five ways to automatically lose a debate in the blogosphere.1) "Nazi". It's sad because there are historical lessons to be learned from World War II and the rise of Nazism. But the term gets overused so much in politics, that just about anyone invoking the term is grasping at straws because he or she cannot come up with a coherent argument. See also, "Hitler", "Fascist", and "the end of Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-39561610252346793152007-05-04T13:43:00.000-04:002007-05-04T13:44:07.006-04:00Bogus: Conservatives have been dismissing all liberal interest in the Iraq War, arguing that Democrats can only benefit politically if the United States loses there -- that any success will only help the Republicans in the '08 elections by making Bush look good.That's just right-wing garbage. The Democrats can actually stand to gain greatly by a U.S. victory in Iraq.There was bipartisan support Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-53179849119519984182007-04-19T11:47:00.000-04:002007-04-19T11:48:18.512-04:00Silver Lining: The cynic in me used to always shrug off news descriptions of murder victims. It seemed that everyone who died automatically became a saint.The descriptions are always the same: "He was a nice man." "She was a generous person."You never hear anyone say: "Actually, he was a real jerk."Now talking to the families and friends of the deceased from Virginia Tech, I'm finding that these Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-22726455720444089052007-04-18T17:15:00.001-04:002007-04-18T17:15:34.536-04:00Dark Days: Like many other journalists around the country, I'm busy at work covering the Virginia Tech shootings. It's a terrible tragedy, and I'm happy to do my part in getting information out to the public.But then I see that the killer took time between his first murders and the second shooting spree to make a video and send it to NBC. He knew that this was going to get national attention, andStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-55020617860309433072007-03-27T15:01:00.001-04:002007-03-27T15:01:35.776-04:00See An Enemy: In case you were unaware, our enemies have had a "pernicious impact on American democracy" through a "culture of fear" that has created damage "infinitely greater than any wild dreams entertained by the fanatical perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks".This enemy, of course, is President Bush and his evil cronies. By using 9/11 as a call to arms to wage a War on Terrorism, he has become Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-17128714875370675422007-03-08T09:40:00.000-05:002007-03-08T09:41:14.272-05:00Digging In: The biggest problem with the presidential election heating up so early is that people are going to get sick of the frontrunner before the elections. That doesn't bode well for Giuliani, who appears to be leading in the Republican primary and the general election. That's just going to make him an extra juicy target, both for rivals and for the news media. And, from what I understand, Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-72805152380085931432007-03-08T09:34:00.000-05:002007-03-08T09:35:23.635-05:00Why Not: For those of you who still don't give a damn about who the next president will be, you could have something else to watch on TV. The Geico cavemen may get their own sitcom.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-44339774090314209362007-03-07T10:57:00.000-05:002007-03-07T11:05:36.958-05:00Let's Do It: I guess it's not too early for presidential politics. Not only is the media already hyperactively covering every drop of mud flung in this premature race, the public is actually paying attention, according to one poll.We have a combination of the first wide-open presidential election in years, with neither a president nor a vice president running, mixed with rock-bottom poll numbers Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1977688161352828182007-02-23T18:21:00.001-05:002007-02-23T18:22:00.263-05:00Faster and Harder, but not Deeper: I thought it was too early to pay attention to presidential politics. But, with several candidates already in the midst of their campaigns, we've already had one drop out.Tom Vilsack says he couldn't raise enough money. And as former governor of Iowa, some people expected him to take the first caucuses, giving him some advantage in the overall race, despite his Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-50333564001223282302007-02-21T14:46:00.001-05:002007-02-21T14:46:38.754-05:00Love the Brits: All I can say is, Thanks!Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-83314255828372695522007-02-16T11:52:00.001-05:002007-02-16T11:52:43.550-05:00HA! Is Barak Obama black enough? The Daily Show's Larry Wilmore answers that question once and for all.P.S. It's about time The Daily Show hired a black guy. That show has been preaching liberalism, but all the correspondents have looked like they came out of the Order of DeMolay.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-53803544011383804862007-02-15T10:14:00.001-05:002007-02-15T10:17:36.858-05:00Religious Conversion: Do people really give a damn about Mitt Romney's religion? The media would have you believe that this is a serious issue. Sure, Mormonism is kinda kooky. But Mormons ditched polygamy years ago, and despite Joseph Smith's eccentricities, most modern-day Mormons live regular, productive lives.When JFK ran, some people were afraid that, as a Catholic president, he would be Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-12215853024906119692007-02-08T10:20:00.000-05:002007-02-08T10:41:39.096-05:00Bartenders Against Designated Drivers? A bar in Florida kicked a man out for not ordering alcohol. Accounts vary, of course. But the man says he wanted to be designated driver for his wife and friends, who were drinking, so he ordered a Coke. Bar people say the man wanted to be designated driver for his wife and friends, who were drinking, and ordered nothing.Accusations of physical violence Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-54396601809938071942007-01-26T13:30:00.000-05:002007-01-26T18:18:09.993-05:00What the Hell? "Troops Authorized to Kill Iranian Operatives in Iraq", reads the Washington Post headline. Apparently the previous policy was "catch and release". Now Bush finally says it's okay to kill the ones who are not only trying to kill our troops but also are training terrorists and insurgents on how to kill our troops. Did Bush not previously want to win this war? Some people Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1164057732955646462006-11-20T16:22:00.000-05:002006-11-20T16:22:13.000-05:00Lord Have Mercy: O.J. Simpson Book, TV Special CanceledMy faith in humanity may yet be restored.The fact that such a book would be published -- and would sell very well -- and the fact that such an interview would be conducted -- and be widely viewed by millions -- showed how shallow we have become as a society. But this latest news offers some hope.On a side note, when OJ was on trial in 1995, IStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1161715052341953692006-10-24T14:37:00.000-04:002006-10-24T16:37:51.090-04:00Free Speech: In case anybody cares, I'll be voting a split ticket for the midterm Congressional elections.First and foremost, as a Northern Virginia resident, I will be voting for Jim Webb for Senate. Mr. Webb is a former Republican recently turned Democrat who is running on a platform that the war in Iraq was a horrible mistake and that we should actively seek to withdraw quickly. And on that, IStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1160428788132258552006-10-09T17:15:00.000-04:002006-10-09T17:19:48.163-04:00Bombed: North Korea defies the world and purportedly ignites its first nuclear bomb. How does the world react? I think this picture of South Korean lawmakers sums it up best.I can't tell you what their signs say, or what they are chanting. But it's sad how all politicians project the same bland, stoic, uninspiring image the world over. I don't know what message world leaders are trying to send Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1160164701225115632006-10-06T15:57:00.000-04:002006-10-06T15:58:21.246-04:00Not So Stiff: Here's a good omen for Democrats. I was talking to a girl I know, who always seemed to be a Reagan-worshipping conservative in the past, about the current GOP travails. She responded with, "Hey! I'm not a starch Republican."I guess they're losing support. And maybe I should change the name of my blog.Back to work ...Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1159907749031299092006-10-03T16:35:00.000-04:002006-10-03T16:35:49.053-04:00Unsatisfactory: Mark Foley is a sick puppy, we all know that. Instead of just accepting this, Republicans feel they need to mount some sort of counterattack. So they complain about how this is a last-minute surprise before the upcoming midterm elections.Something like this seems to happen every election year. It usually involves a legitimate scandal, such as this one with Foley and his sexual Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1159288111071030922006-09-26T12:28:00.000-04:002006-09-26T12:28:31.093-04:00... and back down the drain: Now Rep. Rangel and other Democrats are promising to cut funding to the war in Iraq if Democrats gain control of the House. I know Rangel isn't the Democratic House leader, and I know this would never actually come to pass if the Dems got control. But it's still sad to see reasoned debate plop back into the toilet.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1158871316697172332006-09-21T16:41:00.000-04:002006-09-21T16:41:56.720-04:00Wow! The Drudge Report has clips of Rep. Charles Rangel and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi lambasting Hugo Chavez. Two of the most shrill and outspoken critics of Bush have recognized that a foreign leader, or "thug" as Pelosi calls him, has crossed way over the line.That is fantastic. That isn't even so much a defense of President Bush as just a call for common decency. Pelosi and Rangel areStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1158763520577934702006-09-20T10:45:00.000-04:002006-09-20T10:46:36.570-04:00A Bubblin' Crude: Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi praised the Bush administration for using the power of the presidency to quickly bring down gas prices after they temporarily spiked over the summer. She realized that Bush and Cheney's connections and experience with the oil industry gave them an insider's perspective on how to cut the cost of crude.We have two oilmen in the White House. ...Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1158612414694540702006-09-18T16:46:00.000-04:002006-09-18T16:46:54.716-04:00Fighting Back: Pope notes the violent history of Islam. Muslims respond by killing a humanitarian nun and burning things.One thing we generally agree about the Islamic terrorists is that they are usually PR savvy. They use global media to their advantage. If a Muslim child gets killed or a milk factory gets destroyed during the course of Western military activity, they exploit it -- even as the Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1158339561200131422006-09-15T12:59:00.000-04:002006-09-15T12:59:21.220-04:00I Will Survive: There's been a lot of talk about the new season of the Survivor reality show. This time the teams will be segregated racially. Of course, people have different reactions to the controversy. After all, it is just a TV show.I'd assume, though, that many African Americans will root for the African American team, many Latinos will root for the Latino team, and many Asians will root Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1158268169795035772006-09-14T17:09:00.000-04:002006-09-14T17:09:29.816-04:00oops: Murder suspect accidently released from jail. Five days ago.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1157990570507087062006-09-11T12:02:00.000-04:002006-09-11T15:39:26.196-04:00Base Five: Everybody is commemorating and remembering the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The media is showing a rerun. The president is giving a prime-time address to the nation. And the terrorists even released a video.It still perplexes me what makes five a more anniverserial number than four or six, especially since we've been commemorating the attacks on September 11 every year since Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1157056665430000742006-08-31T16:34:00.000-04:002006-08-31T16:37:45.476-04:00Whimper: Police have recovered stolen pieces of art by Edvard Munch, including his classic, "The Scream".Is it just me or is "The Scream" a pretty pitiful painting? The guy doesn't even look like he's screaming. He could be yawning. The other two guys in the painting don't even turn around to look.Take a look at a true piece of art. The cover art for Pink Floyd The Wall shows a true scream. Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1156950900768043932006-08-30T11:13:00.000-04:002006-08-30T11:15:00.790-04:00Blowing in the Wind: Lt. Gen. Russel "Stuck on Stupid" Honore gives a good synopsis (scroll down to the "Katrina Hero" video) of what's going on in New Orleans. His basic point -- when a big hurricane hits, there's only so much you can do. All the resources in the world cannot save everyone all at once. There were, of course, major problems with government help on the city, state, and federal Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1156861717717977622006-08-29T10:27:00.000-04:002006-08-29T10:28:37.736-04:00Sicko: Ann Coulter. Ted Rall. And now, John Mark Karr.Mr. Karr, the guy who lied and claimed he killed JonBenet Ramsey, joins the ranks of people who have nothing to offer except a vain attempt to seek publicity for themselves. He only wanted media attention. Now that we know this guy is a fraud, the best course of action is to never mention this guy's name in the media again. Ever.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1156451076670115302006-08-24T16:24:00.000-04:002006-08-24T16:24:36.756-04:00Dead Skunks: Here's one of those episodes where moderation actually pleases nobody. Scientists have discovered a way to harvest stem cells without destroying the embryo. By removing one of the cells early in development and then multiplying that cell, the embryo remains as viable as an embryo can be -- sitting in a freezer waiting for disposal.Other scientists who favor the traditional means of Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1156365792655797932006-08-23T16:42:00.000-04:002006-08-23T16:44:07.026-04:00More Hyperbole! I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan, so I'll usually join in on any trashing of the San Francisco 49ers. But I can't help but laugh at Kevan Barlow, a tailback that San Francisco traded to the Jets. Barlow said of Niner coach Mike Nolan:He walks around with a chip on his shoulder like he's a dictator, like he's Hitler.It's true then. In the future, everyone will be Hitler for 15 minutes.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1156283945694440612006-08-22T17:58:00.000-04:002006-08-22T17:59:05.716-04:00Musical Chairs: Well, I'll keep things light today after smacking the beehive with yesterday's post. It seems that Bob Dylan doesn't think too fondly of today's music, partly attributing its downslide to modern audio technology. It's no surprise that a 65 year old would be a curmudgeon about contemporary music. But I wonder, does anybody really like today's tunes?I ask because this is the first Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1156193251987760262006-08-21T16:42:00.000-04:002006-08-21T16:47:32.016-04:00Language of Hate: Somebody is going to have to explain to me this hatred of Sen. George Allen. I know the Virginia Republican is running for president, which makes him open to scrutiny, but rarely is anyone raked over the coals for such insignificant garbage.The latest drama is his use of some possibly obscure racial slur, "macaca". Hardly anyone has ever heard of this word. And when you see the Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155933691518710772006-08-18T16:40:00.000-04:002006-08-18T16:41:31.540-04:00Pardon the Inconvenience: Remember that heat wave we just had? Remember how everyone attributed it to global warming? It's the middle of August in DC, and the high temperature has stayed in the 80s.Remember a couple big hurricanes we had last year? Remember how everyone attributed them to global warming? So far this year the hurricane season is shaping up to be pretty mild.I don't mean to play Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155763504090779182006-08-16T17:24:00.000-04:002006-08-16T17:25:04.110-04:00Birth of a Nation: Al Qaeda is forming a political group in Iraq. Is this good or bad?I'd like to think that politics could have a mellowing effect on their extremism. If they're forced to play the political game, they may at times choose pragmatism over plastic explosives.But, unfortunately, Al Qaeda could conceivably win. Just look at Hamas. However, even that Palestinian terrorist group has Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155653542557604712006-08-15T10:52:00.000-04:002006-08-15T10:52:22.603-04:00Everyone's a Winner! President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared victory over Hezbollah after the ceasefire went into effect. Meanwhile, thousands of Lebanese, along with Hezbollah terrorists, are dancing in the streets celebrating their victory over Israel.So goes the War on Terrorism. Battlefield tactics have given way to PR games.Neither side accomplished much. Hezbollah is Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155222217981061702006-08-10T11:03:00.000-04:002006-08-10T11:06:11.310-04:00Alert Level: Life in Israel takes a different perspective on terrorist threats. Residents are constantly listening to a radio station that plays nothing but silence. The station breaks the silence only when there is an impending attack, such as a rocket incoming. Residents only have about a minute to get into a protective room in their house with reinforced concrete walls and metal doors -- Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155221393473691412006-08-10T10:48:00.000-04:002006-08-10T10:52:37.216-04:00Liquid Diet: So this is what Red Alert is like.Twenty-one people and at least ten planes. The terrorists would probably be better off sticking to smaller attacks. It's just more difficult to keep something a secret when so many people are involved. But Al Qaeda likes the big splash, so that will help us catch them.I have to pick up a friend from the airport today. I guess I can expect her flight Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155136615263393532006-08-09T11:14:00.000-04:002006-08-09T11:16:55.280-04:00Cliffhanger: It's a compelling story, one that many people don't want to see end. Now it looks like the political drama in Connecticut is ripe for a sequel.Sen. Lieberman's loss in the Democratic primary yesterday is going to be analyzed many times over. And for good reason, because it does have national implications.One of the most independent souls in the U.S. Senate is now running for Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155069166394119022006-08-08T16:32:00.000-04:002006-08-08T16:37:05.946-04:00An Army of Fun: The U.S. Army wants to build a military-themed amusement park in Northern Virginia."You can command the latest M-1 tank, feel the rush of a paratrooper freefall, fly a Cobra Gunship or defend your B-17 as a waist gunner," according to the proposal by Universal City Property Management III of Orlando.One official in Fairfax County, where the proposed park would be built, was less Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1155045834140613572006-08-08T10:03:00.000-04:002006-08-08T10:05:19.376-04:00Just Go Away: I never thought I'd see the day when liberals were celebrating that Tom DeLay will remain on an election ballot.It's a shame really. He doesn't want to run. Nobody wants to vote for him. Yet the kind folks in Sugarland are denied a true choice for their Congressional representative come November. Conservatives can try to run a write-in candidate. But that provides an unnecessary Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1154973225109131062006-08-07T13:51:00.000-04:002006-08-07T17:54:29.103-04:00Attack of the Clones: I love it when bloggers expose wrongdoings by the mass media. LGF struck again by identifying a doctored photo run by Reuters showing smoke rising from buildings in Lebanon that were bombed by the Israeli military.Quick question though: Why bother doctoring these photos? It appears the photographer is anti-Israel and wanted to exaggerate the damage to sway public opinion. Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1154629948188994492006-08-03T14:32:00.000-04:002006-08-03T14:32:28.200-04:00Q: When have economic sanctions ever worked?A: Almost never.Any other suggestions for getting Iran to shape up?Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1154374148879190112006-07-31T15:28:00.000-04:002006-07-31T15:40:31.276-04:00More of the Same: Israel is taking public heat for bombing a building full of civilians. The U.N. expresses shock, other leaders are stunned, and even the U.S. is trying to finagle an appropriate response.Barely a word is mentioned about where the blame truly belongs -- on the terrorists who hide their personnel and weaponry among civilians, using them as human shields. No one is shocked by this Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1153508903908679262006-07-21T15:08:00.000-04:002006-07-21T15:08:23.920-04:00Evacuate: I'm out for another week. Don't bring peace to the Middle East until I get back.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1153429456139873612006-07-20T17:04:00.000-04:002006-07-20T17:06:38.293-04:00Second Front, Stabbed in the Back: While there has been much condemnation from the Arab Street about Israel's military response to Hezbollah and Hamas, many Muslims are critical of the terrorists who instigated the new bloodshed. And not just moderate Muslims. In addition to the editor-in-chief of the Arab Times, the Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia have spoken against Hezbollah, going so far to issue a Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1153334542823124062006-07-19T14:42:00.000-04:002006-07-19T14:43:39.363-04:00Fighting Side of Me: Critics are mad at Bush for not doing enough to end the hostilities between Israel and her enemies. I say Bush is interfering too much. According to this article, Israel only gets one more week before the U.S. will pressure for a ceasefire. That's not enough time to cripple Hezbollah and other terrorists Israel is facing.The war underway now is unfortunate. But Hezbollah and Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1153319599937595472006-07-19T10:33:00.000-04:002006-07-19T10:33:19.950-04:00Dig on the Big Dig: The Onion, funny again.Listen, when the government spends $14 billion on anything, you are going to have to accept that an innocent person will die under a concrete slab.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1153246852622625322006-07-18T14:20:00.000-04:002006-07-18T14:20:52.633-04:00Coat Hanger in the Congressional Womb: Well, everyone who criticized Bush for never vetoing a bill, I hope you're happy. He's about to kill a bill that would allow federal funding for stem-cell research.This is where I join the chorus of other critics who are counting down the days until Bush leaves office. He'll only be in power for two more years. I predict that the next president will sign Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1153169387882416082006-07-17T16:49:00.000-04:002006-07-17T18:11:57.993-04:00As If There Ain't Enough News Goin' On: Everybody seems shocked, shocked, that President Bush said the word "shit". He said it not in a public speech, but in a private conversation that happened to be picked up by a microphone.Some people are praising him for his tough, nuance-free speech. Others criticize him for being unpresidential.It really shouldn't matter. The problem is, by drawing so muchStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1152826656794228592006-07-13T17:37:00.000-04:002006-07-13T17:40:02.173-04:00Not Anti-War. Just For the Other Side: This tops the "Screw them" comment from before. Someone named 'qrswave' at Daily Kos waxes poetically in a post titled, Imagine a world without Israel.Muslims, Jews, and Christians could live in peace without fear of mutual destruction.There would be no more need for US AID or justification for Dimona.We could bring down the Wall, send prisoners home, and Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1152740334485671232006-07-12T17:38:00.000-04:002006-07-12T17:38:54.496-04:00News Break: This was the Reuters headline today.Israel calls Hizbollah capture of soldiers act of warI'm sorry, but Israel, the Palestinians, terrorist groups -- the entire Middle East has been at war for years. This is just more of the same.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1152549748680412462006-07-10T12:42:00.000-04:002006-07-10T12:50:11.163-04:00Pourquoi? I broke down and decided to watch the World Cup championship game yesterday. I never felt more American than when I found myself bored to tears. Now I have respect for soccer players -- it's a grueling sport that takes a lifetime of practice and talent to excel -- but it ranks just above golf in terms of excitement as a spectator sport.From what I observed yesterday and from snippets Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1152304858410312932006-07-07T16:39:00.000-04:002006-07-07T16:41:59.726-04:00Mail Bag: Someone e-mailed me asking me to explain my point of view on affirmative action. Since I have nothing else to blog about, I'll make a post out of it.My belief is that race can be used as a factor in hiring and admissions decisions. This does not mean instituting any sort of quota or choosing someone with poor qualifications because of his or her race. Among the qualified applicants, if Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1152131604419292222006-07-05T16:33:00.000-04:002006-07-06T11:41:53.633-04:00Team America: Ah, another Fourth o' July. Fireworks, flags, and patriotism. After I got back from the beach trip, I went to the Independence Day celebration on the National Mall. There I got to hear country star Jo Dee Messina declare that the United States of America was "one of the best countries in the world".Apparently she's missing part of the concept of patriotism. When honoring your Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1151703585671376372006-06-30T17:39:00.000-04:002006-06-30T17:39:45.683-04:00Light 'Em Up! I'm off with some friends to spend Fourth of July weekend camping on the beach. Hope y'all have a safe and fun Independence Day.See ya Wednesday.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1151678057936193512006-06-30T10:33:00.000-04:002006-06-30T10:34:17.953-04:00Water Logged: The floods here in Washington, DC, seem to be receding. Thank goodness, too. I had to work Sunday (I'm a volunteer firefighter), and we got slammed all night. I'm amazed at how many drivers, when confronted with a large body of rapidly rising water, choose to drive through it rather than around. We also had to respond to a bunch of downed power lines and a couple house fires caused Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1151523011493886642006-06-28T15:29:00.000-04:002006-06-28T15:30:11.506-04:00We've Suffered Enough: On the lighter side, here's a video about a group of guys circulating a petition to end women's suffrage. And students are signing away.I don't care who you are. That's funny.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1151445176755692562006-06-27T17:52:00.000-04:002006-06-27T18:04:07.643-04:00Duck and Cover: Americans have officially formed themselves into a circular firing squad over the War on Terrorism. Sure there were squabbles before about Iraq, Gitmo, and the like. But now we're going ballistic over the nitty gritty details of catching terrorists.The New York Times (along with The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post) reported about a secret government Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1151095677951177242006-06-23T16:47:00.000-04:002006-06-23T16:47:57.970-04:00Hyper Active: Today I'm mad at everyone. That's right, every single one of you. It's because all y'all always overuse hyperbole. Constantly.Every time I read anything in the paper or hear something on the news, everyone is overexaggerating everything they say. Instapundit highlighted a good one today.The world's least free place for making movies is the US, because it has a fixed model.So sayeth Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1151008312839293432006-06-22T16:31:00.000-04:002006-06-22T16:31:52.856-04:00Together Again: It's worth pointing out that the United States and Europe are working closely together on confronting Iran. For the longest time, there was great concern that our rift on Iraq was going to create irreparable harm in our relationship. But as each big issue comes up, we will keep cooperating when it comes to protecting our own self-interests.What comes of these talks with Iran is Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1150839463991158732006-06-20T17:37:00.000-04:002006-06-20T17:37:44.003-04:00The Empire Strikes Back: If North Korea goes through with testing its ICBM, we may try to shoot it down with our missile defense technology.That sounds like a great plan, if it works. But if I recall, we have only had limited success "hitting a bullet with a bullet". We have done it before, but usually we miss. Striking Korea's missile would be a perfect response. But trying and missing would be Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1150406184394650832006-06-15T17:16:00.000-04:002006-06-15T17:42:54.980-04:00Know What I'm Sayin'? Professor Volokh ruminates on the superfluous use of the word, "like".I hate that word, yet I can't stop using it. I hear myself talk aloud, and it just keeps coming out of my mouth.And I was like, "That can't be true." And he was like, "Oh, it's true."I could easily replace each "was like" with the old staple, "said". But I would have to think ahead of time to actually Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1150315236117434882006-06-14T16:00:00.000-04:002006-06-14T16:00:36.143-04:00Inflammable Rhetoric: The Senate seems to be one vote away from passing a constitutional amendment banning the desecration of the American flag.Apparently the Senate has no qualms about desecrating the U.S. Constitution and our liberties enshrined in the Bill of Rights.The Republicans must be scraping the bottom of the barrel to pull out this golden oldie. The amendment has failed repeatedly in Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1150208806425704082006-06-13T10:26:00.000-04:002006-06-13T10:26:46.436-04:00Dodging Bullets: President Bush makes a surprise visit to Baghdad. For five hours.I look forward to the day when the President of the United States can make an announced visit to Baghdad, and spend the night in peace.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1150140669706473202006-06-12T15:30:00.000-04:002006-06-12T15:31:09.723-04:00A is for AAAAAHHHH! Alberto is gliding through the Caribbean with whopping 50 mph winds. This isn't even a Category One hurricane yet, merely a tropical storm, yet it's getting round-the-clock media attention. Are we going to fall into panic mode for every storm this hurricane season?Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1149775543786584172006-06-08T10:05:00.000-04:002006-06-08T10:05:43.816-04:00God is Great: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is dead. We finally got the bastard.News reports are rightfully tempering the announcement by saying that this in no way ends the insurgency or terrorist attacks in Iraq. While he was the operational leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, his death is largely symbolic.But symbols are important in this war. Al Qaeda picks its targets largely on their symbolic value, and Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1149688944185938552006-06-07T10:02:00.000-04:002006-06-07T10:02:24.210-04:00Empty Spaces: No posts for awhile. Sure I've been busy, but I really can't think of a damn thing to blog about. I was going to write about how Bush's renewed drive to (not) pass a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage was purely political to rally the base for the mid-terms, but I see that 100 other people have already said that. If this is so obvious to so many people, why isn't Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1149280011588459432006-06-02T16:26:00.000-04:002006-06-02T16:26:51.603-04:00Yay! Everyone came to agreement on the future of Iran's use of nuclear technology. The United States, China, Russia, France, the European Union -- they all signed on. Only one party was missing: Iran.Hate to sound like such a cynic, but Iran is not going to go along with the agreement. It doesn't matter what incentives are there for Iran to cooperate, or disincentives to keep the country from Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1149106493129021452006-05-31T16:14:00.000-04:002006-05-31T16:14:53.146-04:00Wrong Again: Lance Armstrong has been absolved of the latest doping allegations. Retire in peace, my friend. You are so much better than these people.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1149025397363546172006-05-30T17:43:00.000-04:002006-05-30T17:48:01.260-04:00No Bull's Eye: Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich has tried to take a moderate approach to gun control, and now he's getting hammered by both sides.He's a Republican in a Blue state. So he's more pro-gun than most of his constituents, but the Republicans who do live in the state expected him to do more for gun rights.But when you're in a position like that, you have to do what's politically Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1148489195003032542006-05-24T12:46:00.000-04:002006-05-24T12:46:35.016-04:00American Idle: The Democrats hoped to capitalize on the Abramoff and DeLay scandals by highlighting the "culture of corruption" in the current GOP-led Congress. But then they lost their footing when several Democrats were caught in corruption scandals, culminating in the bribery of William Jefferson, who refuses to resign his seat.How do the Republican leaders respond to this free gift from the Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1148417825598899922006-05-23T16:56:00.000-04:002006-05-23T16:57:05.613-04:00Video Hits: WashingtonPost.com has a powerful video on how Al Qaeda is using the Internet for propaganda purposes, showing videos of attacks on U.S. and other coalition military targets. Be warned, the video shows actual footage of troops being attacked by roadside bombs. These are the images the terrorists are broadcasting to other Muslims to glorify their successes.It seems the video-element ofStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1148330061849539422006-05-22T16:34:00.000-04:002006-05-22T16:34:21.866-04:00Ready or Not: I saw the movie United 93 before I went on vacation. I also saw the A&E made-for-TV movie Flight 93 and read the book Among the Heroes. The movies were good, but I wasn't too impressed with the book. The films, especially United 93, didn't overdramatize or glorify anything. They simply stuck to the facts as best as possible, and filled in some gaps on the parts that were Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1147972979647656062006-05-18T13:22:00.000-04:002006-05-18T13:22:59.660-04:00Return of the Donkeys: Democratic leaders are promising that they don't intend to impeach President Bush if they regain control of Congress.Thank God for a smidgen of rational thought in this year's political debate. Despite the continuous rant from the extreme Left to impeach Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, and Tony Snow, political leaders are trying to appear sane. Instead, the Democrats are Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1147898357583875862006-05-17T16:39:00.000-04:002006-05-17T16:44:23.926-04:00The Border's in Order: I have to admit that I really don't care about the big immigration debate. We're not going to be able to build a fence to keep everyone out. And all the manpower needed to protect the border will just cost too much to be worth anything.Economically, the illegal immigrants do take jobs from Americans, pulling down some wages, especially for the poor. But they also drive downStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1147881441941749422006-05-17T11:56:00.000-04:002006-05-17T11:57:21.956-04:00Yellow Card: Iran's president, in a bold move, decided last month to allow women to watch soccer games in the upcoming World Cup tournament. The women would be segregated to a separate section, but they would be able to view the matches for the first time since 1979.However, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, overruled the president's decision, claiming it is a violation of strict Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1147811187421742362006-05-16T16:26:00.000-04:002006-05-16T16:26:27.433-04:00'Bout Time: The United Nations is sending peacekeepers to Dafur. Too bad there's no peace there to keep. Hopefully something can still be done. Show us how it's done, U.N.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1146860642753033402006-05-05T16:23:00.000-04:002006-05-05T16:24:10.633-04:00Slacker: Man, I haven't blogged in a couple days. And now I'm going on vacation for a week. Oh well. Take care.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1146683057820389872006-05-03T15:04:00.000-04:002006-05-03T15:04:17.870-04:00White Jive: When I read this WSJ column yesterday, I was rolling my eyes after a couple paragraphs. Come this morning, I see that people are calling it brilliant.In a nutshell, the column's main point is that we limit our use of military engagement against other countries because, well, we feel guilty about being white.Now, conservatives aren't generally allowed to talk about race without someoneStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1146516550969988402006-05-01T16:49:00.000-04:002006-05-01T17:11:51.366-04:00No Problemo: I figured today would be the one day that the cashier at Wendy's would be sure to speak English. No such luck.I ate lunch there today as my own test to see how widespread this immigrant boycott is. Normally nearly everyone working at this particular Wendy's is Hispanic. Today, about half were. The other half were African American. Still not a single paleface behind the counter.So, Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1146246591001723562006-04-28T13:49:00.000-04:002006-04-28T13:50:31.513-04:00No Politics Today: This is on the list of things that never fail to crack me up. If you're at work, go to your nearest fire extinguisher. Pick it up, and look for a green warning sticker. There, in bold letters, you'll see that the contents of your fire extinguisher are Non-Flammable.Gee, that's a relief.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1146087749631497162006-04-26T17:42:00.000-04:002006-04-26T17:42:29.643-04:00Gasaholic: Gas prices are going up, so consumers are getting creative.CNN has a story about how Los Angeles motorists are deliberately running out of gas on the freeway. The city has a service where trucks drive up and give provide free gas to those who go empty. So now more and more drivers are stalling and waiting for the rescue. (Hat tip: The Moderate Voice)You can't do anything nice anymore Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1146000786553820992006-04-25T17:32:00.000-04:002006-04-25T17:41:01.046-04:00What's In a Naymme? Some parents like to give their kids typical names. Many of these are often from the Bible: John, Daniel, Peter, Mary, etc.Other parents like to give their children less-common names. Nothing too exotic, but something that sets their kids apart: Alexis, Mason, Ashton, etc.Then there are those parents who give their kids typical names, but with some bastardized spelling. Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1145986275174622112006-04-25T13:31:00.000-04:002006-04-25T13:31:15.186-04:00Leap of Faith: Fox News Anchor Tony Snow has taken some criticism for considering a job as White House press secretary for President Bush. That doesn't bother me, though. Snow was a speechwriter for the former President Bush and now bloviates the Republican agenda on his opinionated talk show. Unlike the general news portion of Fox, Snow doesn't even try to be fair and balanced. He is already up Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1145906596142052402006-04-24T15:17:00.000-04:002006-04-24T15:23:16.156-04:00Evil Doers: Osama Bin Laden wants to expand his jihad to include Sudan, asking for Muslims to attack U.N. troops -- if, of course, U.N. troops ever show up to do something about the genocide in Darfur.Bin Laden argues that the U.S. and the U.N. are in a war against Islam. But the U.N. is only proposing to send troops to Sudan to protect black Muslims from Arab Muslims, who are slaughtering their Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1145460397166913362006-04-19T11:26:00.000-04:002006-05-25T16:07:08.150-04:00What Are You Smoking? Stupid people have decided to file a $5-billion class-action lawsuit against DuPont for the dangers that Teflon pans create.Nobody has gotten sick or died because of Teflon. But the potential is there, say the stupid people, and DuPont should have warned everybody.The evidence the stupid people present includes a study from the 1950s that says if you put Teflon particles in Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1145307762244676492006-04-17T17:02:00.000-04:002006-05-25T16:08:20.850-04:00Big Problem: Is The Onion satirical? Or is it just ahead of its time?In the year 2000, The Onion parodied the Big Tobacco settlements with an article on lawsuits against Big Chocolate. It seems candy causes obesity, lo and behold, and chocoholics sued the industry for cash, according to the article.Fast forward to today, and now we have a concerted effort to sue and regulate the fast-food and Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144959470881562882006-04-13T16:15:00.000-04:002006-04-13T16:22:21.446-04:00Freedom Isn't Free: Inspirational words.Freedom of speech is at stake here, don't you all see? If anything, we should all make cartoons of Mohammed and show the terrorists and the extremists that we are all united in the belief that every person has a right to say what they want. Look people, it's been really easy for us to stand up for free speech lately. For the past few decades, we haven't hadStaunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144773272187735622006-04-11T12:34:00.000-04:002006-04-11T12:34:32.200-04:00Tax and Spin: Yesterday, Drudge linked to this chart of state taxes, showing that, per capita, Vermont taxed its citizens more than any other state. What I found interesting is that neighboring New Hampshire was third from last in taxes levied.Although geographically the two New England states look damn near like twins, culturally they are very different. In simple political terms, New Hampshire Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144702272561905982006-04-10T16:50:00.000-04:002006-04-10T16:54:30.970-04:00Thousand Words: I'm fascinated with political cartoons. If I could draw worth a damn, this blog would be full of my doodles.Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144443296768302372006-04-07T16:54:00.000-04:002006-04-07T16:54:56.786-04:00Mission Statement: Abu Musab Zarqawi has apparently been replaced as the head Al Qaeda guy in Iraq in favor of a new terrorist who is actually from that country. Jordanian-born Zarqawi, who hasn't made a public statement in months, has ruffled the feathers of a few Al Qaeda officials with his high-profile kidnappings and beheadings. Because of these "political" mistakes, he is now only in charge Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144337641156645362006-04-06T11:31:00.000-04:002006-04-06T11:34:01.173-04:00Broken News: There's the most ridiculous argument going on now regarding Tom DeLay. Both Chris Matthews of MSNBC and Mike Allen of Time Magazine claim they got the scoop about DeLay resigning from Congress. I haven't looked up the time stamp to figure out which one beat the other, because I don't care. I found out about the news on NPR the next morning.Journalists seemed to have lost sight on Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144256741819674822006-04-05T13:05:00.000-04:002006-04-05T19:39:20.616-04:00Kiss of Death: It's disheartening when our political system runs more efficiently than our criminal justice system. It looks like Zacarias Moussaui is on his way to receiving the death penalty, but that trial is sure taking a long, windy road to get there.For instance, Moussaui has already been found guilty. Then the jury determined that he is eligible for the death penalty. Now they have to Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1144163783095917272006-04-04T11:16:00.000-04:002006-04-04T11:16:23.110-04:00Hammer of Justice Crushes You: Tom DeLay is resigning from Congress. Apparently he knew that he was going to lose the upcoming election anyways, what with all his legal troubles, so he chose to do the "honorable" thing and fall on his own sword. Call it legally assisted political suicide.If anything, this is a reminder that the system still works. Sure, there is a stinky smell of corruption Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1143834282833635842006-03-31T14:44:00.000-05:002006-03-31T14:44:42.850-05:00Don't Let This Happen To You: Armed robbers terrorized a Maryland family.Fleeing a Chevy Chase home taken over by armed intruders Monday night, a 40-year-old man first sought help next door, smashing a small window in the entryway with his hand in an attempt to get someone to open up. No response.Then he ran across the narrow street, up a slate terraced walkway, and pounded with a bloody hand on Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1143733473034283232006-03-30T10:44:00.000-05:002006-03-30T10:44:33.050-05:00Good Morning: Well, I had an interesting commute this morning. I ride my bicycle to work most days. And the route I take passes by an Arlington high school. Today there were about 100 Hispanic students skipping school and engaging in some sort of protest.They were coaxing cars passing by to honk their horns in support of their cause. I was minding my own and waiting for traffic to clear when I Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681896.post-1143664196187348442006-03-29T15:29:00.000-05:002006-03-29T15:29:56.203-05:00An Improvement: Democrats vow to get Osama Bin Laden if elected to Congress.It's about time they realized that they need to talk tough about national security, not just prematurely claim defeat. Unfortunately for Dems, these are just congressional elections. The president is the commander in chief. If Bin Laden is caught before January 2009, the credit will go to Bush.I'm not so sure about the Staunch Moderatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12165293680645097765noreply@blogger.com0