Ridge Resigns-- Who's Next?

Tom Ridge has just announced he's leaving as Homeland Security Secretary. Some are calling for Rudy Guliani to take the postion.

I think he'd be crazy to, as would anyone else who hopes for a future position of any kind. This is a no-win job, filled with bureacratic back-biting. Worst though is this truth: you can stop 10,000 terrorist attempts and nobody cares. One gets through and causes damage, and you are a loser. End of career.

Maybe we'll see somebody like Tommy Franks. Or perhaps, in a bipartisan gesture, soon-to-be-former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.)?

Anyway, Tom Ridge served his country well, and on behalf my family, safer because of him, I give him thanks and wish him well.

The Aviator & Other Movies I'd Like to See

I'm very glad to see that Hollywood is finally making a movie based on Howard Hughes' life. I always thought his life was one of the most fascinating stories around: inventor, daredevil, movie maker, dater of stars, creator of aircraft, savior of Vegas, billionaire, and, ultimately, hermit. Or victim. I hope the movie does him justice.

Other movies I'd like to see:

a) A good Ben Franklin or Alexander Hamilton bio;

b) The life story of Thomas Paine, a writer, an inventor, a firebrand in politics, a nasty son of a bitch in real life. He befriended Franklin in his home in England, not moving here until 1774. His 1776 Common Sense made him reknown; his later writings lead to charges of atheism, and alienation from almost all of his old friends. A life that spanned England, America and France, touching the lives of virtually every famous person in the world, a tumultuous tempest of a man constantly at war, with his enemies, with his friends, with his God and with himself.

c) The life story of Nicola Tesla, a Serbian immigrant to the US. Tesla invented alternating current, worked with Westinghouse, warred with Edison, spawned ideas for wireless control, radio, and host of other inventions that came to fruition in others' hands, all the while degrading into reclusion, wandering the streets of lower Manhattan, talking to himself, until he died penniless and alone; and

d) The true story of the lynching of Ed Johnson in 1906, in Tennessee. It includes a bogus rape trial & conviction, a black defense attorney who took the matter to the United States Supreme Court, the granting of a stay of execution by the Supreme Court, the opening of the jail cell to a mob by the Sheriff, a lynching, and a very rare contempt hearing by the Court, resulting in the conviction of the Sheriff. A great story, lots of juicy parts.

Of course, what do I know? I still think a TV show should have characters, and a story line beyond eating worms or having radical plastic surgery.

Medical Marijuana Laws

No time for a full treatment on whether or not to legalize drugs generally, but the Supreme Court is hearing argument today on whether states can allow doctors to prescribe marijuana, especially for cancer patients.

First, on a state's right's basis, I think the Court should allow it.

Second, on a human basis, I think the government, in all forms, should step aside.

Dennis Miller said it best (I'm paraphrasing) when he said he hopes that all politicians and judges who denied marijuana to terminally and seriously ill people, meet their Maker at the pearly gates, only to hear Him say, "Whoa, Dude! Way harsh!"

If I Ruled the Sports World-- Hockey

This is the first of a short series on what I would do with sports, if I ruled the world. Lucky for y'all that I don't!

I don't usually write about sports, although I am a fan. While I watch a moderate amount of TV sports, I'm not glued to ESPN. I'll go to a few games each year, watch the playoffs and special events, catch one football game a Sunday, etc., but mostly I am a "newspaper" fan. So though I may not spend three and a half hours watching a baseball game on a Tuesday night, I will spend 5 minutes reading the story the next day.

Hockey is dieing, and that's a shame. Its disease was self-inflicted. I wrote previously that hockey could go the way of the roller derby-- don't laugh! There was a time when roller derby had great attendance, and ratings much higher than hockey has ever had. Can a sport fade from the scene? Ask boxing fans. Asking indoor cycling fans, a sport that used to fill arenas (indeed, Madison Square Garden was built for cycling!). It can happen.

Hockey is in the midst of a lockout, but I don't miss hockey, yet. I'm an Islander fan; I was at their first home victory, November 21, 1972, against the California Seals. I love playoff hockey, and I detest regular season hockey. There was nothing more intense, not even the Yankee-Bosox rivalry, than the Islander-Ranger playoff series, when both teams were good. Nothing.

I have never understood why the NHL hasn't simply moved ten or so money-losing American South franchises to Europe. Trans-Atlantic flights are easy enough, and I have to believe the ability to market world-wide products simultaneously here & in Europe would attract sponsors. Besides, many of the best players are now from Europe--it truly is an international sport.

I have never understood why hockey hasn't cut out the fighting; they will never broaden their fan base while guys goon it up on cue, like a WWE cage match. I understand that they have a tiger by the tail; they are afraid that if they stop the thuggery, they will lose the 15 year old boy market. International hockey exists without fighting. Since the NHL is in crisis, anyway, it seems to me they should give it a shot.

Too many teams make the playoffs. The regular season is too long. Regular season games are worthless, and everyone knows it, so nobody goes to the game, and nobody watches on TV. Cut the number of teams in the playoffs, and cut the number of regular season games, and every game becomes vastly more important. Result? Higher attendance, higher ratings.

International hockey, and college, don't use the red line. It allows longer passes. Think of a bomb in football-- isn't that exciting? The NHL should open up the long pass.

The NHL also allows too much clutching and grabbing, too much center ice interference. Let the guys skate!

Finally, I think the single biggest mistake made by the NHL was taking the short money, and putting almost all hockey games on cable only. They effectively shrunk their market twenty years ago to only then-existing fans. Get the games out there-- re-involve young fans. The NHL has a miniscule national TV contract (when they have one) because people are creatures of habit, and when they can't find their show with regularity, they fade away. So to supplement their income, the NHL has raised ticket prices to atmospheric proportions. Tickets to Islander games, for example, range from $25 (few of those) to $140 per ticket, with most tickets going for about $70. Who can afford that?

There. Add some free market solutions, such as unlimited team movement, and the ability to sell player contracts for whatever the market will bear, and my work here is done.

Great Speeches-- JFK

The Rooftop is on the search for great, short speeches. He cites The Gettysburg Address (the gold standard of great speeches, short or long); Never Give Up, by Winston Churchill; and a message from the founder of the Salvation Army.

I added one of my favorite speeches, John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address. Take a moment to read it, or read it again. We know a few of the phrases, because they have made it into our everyday lexicon (Ask not...Let the word go forth..etc)

But the power of this speech, its applicability to our current fight for freedom, though with a different enemy, the grace and fluidity of the words-- simply a great, raise the hair on the back of your neck, 1200 word beauty:

Among my favorite parts:

...The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe -- the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution....

...Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge -- and more....


...We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed. But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course -- both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war. So let us begin anew -- remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

....In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again -- not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need -- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are -- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself. Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility -- I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it. And the glow from that fire can truly light the world....

Friday Quickies (On Saturday 'Cause of the Holiday)

....I see St. John's is proposing NCAA sanctions on itself, the same week one of its alumni, Ron Artest, made an absolute ass of himself, both by going into the stands, and by using the "publicity" from that "event" to promote a rap album he is producing.

Makes me, a St. John's Law alumni, soooooooo proud. Just so damn proud.

......Saw The Incredibles last night with my wife, both daughters (18 & 14), my wife's sister and her husband, and their 7 year old, who we took along for cover. Fun movie-- add a star if you are a parent, or an adult who has left younger adventures behind. Add another if you have your own kids with you.

.....Let me get this straight. The Democrats, after taking a beating in the House & Senate, after losing more ground on the state level, and after losing the Presidential election, again (though not by the landslide everybody seems to be alluding to) after all that, they may choose Howard Dean as their DNC leader? They think moving to the left is the answer? My, oh my.

If it happens, the Republican National Committee should send flowers and candy to every DNC voter!

....I see Julia Roberts has been confined to bed, and of course the only thing that ruins the mental image for my piggish mind is the whole "because she's very pregnant with twins" part of the story.

.....Scientists in Japan have perfected a transparent transistor deposited on plastic, instead of glass, a see-through circuitry chip which is ten times more conductive than regular silicon transistors used in today's liquid-crystal displays. (Because of the heat needed to apply it, silicon transistors melt the plastic, and can only be used on glass. These chips are made from a metal compund.) Next step: figuring out how to mass produce it, and, of course, what products to put it on.

This is the best part of science. Here we have a break-through; now watch business people scramble to apply it to products over the next few years.

What will we see? Keep your eyes open for computer screens you can roll up and put in your pocket, or windshields that will light up with directions, or on rounded surfaces. Or any number of products we can't imagine yet.

....On a personal note, I'm now a Flappy Bird in the TTLB Ecosystem, and I've joined the fledgling High Country Blogger's Alliance, at their invitation, and after perusing their members' sites. Membership is open, though limited to more conservative, but fun blogs. Check it out!

Black Friday

And they're off....

Shopping season starts today. Here comes America at its best, and at its worst. Excess; good cheer; screaming people in parking lots; charitable doantions by the millions; presents purchased because something has to be given; toys bought for kids without. But mostly a high energy, frenetic, eat & drink & shop & run til you drop month.

Hollywood, in all its forms, takes a hit for lowering our moral standards, and adversely affecting our families. Politicians in public positions with low personal morals also contribute.

But not enough has been said about the retail industry, which I think has done more to hurt American family life than almost anything else, surely more than abortion, gay unions, etc.

When I was a kid, my Dad got a job with Sears. At first, they were closed every Sunday, every hoilday, and at 6 p.m. on Saturdays. We had regular Sunday dinner, the whole family. We had a day, a whole day, to spend together before the work/school week sent us scattering.

Then Sunday shopping started, with limited hours. Then Saturday night. Then most holidays. Then longer Sunday hours. And we watched as family time shrunk, and shrunk, and shrunk.

Now, stores are open most holidays, including yesterday. Simply disgusting. What kind of family life can anyone have if they have to work even on Thanksgiving?

The old "blue laws" that kept stores closed on Sundays were based on religion, and the Courts rightly struck them on that basis. But surely an argument could be made that it is in the best interests of our workers, and their families, indeed the nation's health, for families to have coordinated time off.

Even with stores closed on Sundays and holidays, we would have plenty of time to buy Chinese-slave-labor-made shirts, or Guatemalan-child-labor-made sneakers.

Chores Done, So For What Am I Thankful?

Chores done. I'm free for a few minutes. So many sites are asking, for what are you thankful?

I'm thankful:

For my wife, Angela, truly my life's love, from the day I first had a crush on her in Mrs. Cutler's second grade class forty years ago, to two minutes ago when we cleaned the refrigerator to fit the twice-baked potatoes.

For my daughters, who light up my life, and give it meaning.

For the rest of my family, brother and sisters, grandparents, in-laws, aunts & uncles, neices & nephews, godchildren--an extended family of loved ones who provide a continuing torrent of love and laughter, and for those who are no longer with us, but who have left their marks on me;

For my ancestors who, in acts of unbelievable courage, left their homes and families to settle here, giving me opportunities about which they could only dream;

For all of the men and women, from 1776 to right now, who have left families, risked dangers, lost limbs, lost lives, so that I and mine could live freely, and in safety.

For all who do their jobs well, and seriously, from the doctor to the gardener to the farmer to the guy who made my sandwich this afternoon. I appreciate stop lights that work every time, and service with professionalism and a smile.

For old friends, some of whom I talked to today, others who I haven't spoken with in years, but all of whom travel in my heart.

For new friends, some of whom I only know through this screen and this keyboard.

For modern dentistry.

For my father, who stood like bedrock as the hurricane of tragedy whipped our family, who remained honest, loving and gentle; and

For the memory of my mother, struck down in violence at an age younger than I am now, who lived her life with great love, with compassion for others, and with unceasing, raucous laughter.

Happy Thanksgiving

Since I will be busy helping with dinner (the joke in my house being that I lug the bird, I clean it, I season it, I shove it in the oven, I haul it out, I carve it, I arrange it on the platter, and I wrestle it to the table---and it's Angela's turkey that gets raves!) I doubt I will be blogging Thursday, so Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Of course, let's all remember our brave men & women in our armed services, as well as those here at home, in all types of service, who will be protecting us on this holiday.

Dan Rather to Retire?

CBS News has just reported that Dan Rather will retire in March.

As soon as a reputable news agency confirms it, I'll believe it.

Target a Target

As you all may know by now, Target has banned the Salvation Army from soliciting in front of its stores, a move which will cost the SA millions of dollars.

Bloggers and other have launched attacks on Target, accusing it of being anti-Christian, mean-spirited, etc.

Target made the move because it is having difficulty denying the multitude of other worthy groups who want to plant themselves in front of its stores. so it ended the exception it had made for the SA.

A smarter PR move would have been to place Target-controlled charity boxes at the entrance, exits & cash registers--- and let the employees & customers choose the charities from a Target-approved list-- so say 21% of the money goes to the American Cancer Society; 11% to Red Cross, etc. Voting could occur in the stores, or on the Target site.

That would take the bah-humbug out of Target's policy. It would give its employees a voice; it could become part of a marketing plan to customers; it would put Target's name in front of all of those approved charities, who would urge their members to shop and vote at Target; and it would make Target look like a benefactor, a discount store with a heart--even more so if they match the money up to a certain point.

They could have saved themselves all this bad press, made new friends...and still helped save us from the incessant bell ringing. A win-win-win.

November 22, 1963-- Where Were You?

I'm 46, so there have been 3 "where were you" moments in my life. Moments that anyone alive at the time remembers with crystal precision.

I was in a Courtroom hallway on September 11, 2001.

I had just sat in my car after a law school class, and turned on the radio, when I heard Ronald Reagan had been shot.

And I was 5 years old, lying on the floor in my living room, on a green carpet, watching cartoons, when they broke in to announce John Kennedy's death. I still get a jolt when they interrupt with a "special news bulletin", and am relieved and annoyed when it's a storm watch, or something equally minor.

I remember watching the funeral. My mother told me we were watching when Oswald was shot, but I don't remember that. Of course, it being the days of one TV per household (and a wait-while-it-warms-up black & white one, at that) I'm sure I was in the room, but maybe I was bored, or distracted.

His wife is gone now; so is his son. I was watching the best of Seinfeld the other night. The episode with "the bet" is still very funny, but it's meloncholy, too-- Elaine loses the bet because she meets JFK, Jr.

So sad.

JFK was a President who believed in ideas that were attractive then, and now. In self-reliance, in lower taxes, in a strong military in the face of a strong enemy, in the rights of humans. While there was much that was not admirable about him, still it is undeniable that there was an intellect and a passion. The Kennedy's and their followers get upset when Republicans allude that JFK supported many ideas which are now considered "conservative" views, but an honest look at his record and his positions supports that analysis.

May he rest in peace, and may his family, especially Caroline, have comfort today.

I'll watch that endless loop of Dallas video today, and the smell and texture of that green carpet will be with me.

UN-- Time To Withdraw

Time magazine details the deepening scandal involving the UN & Saddam.

China View quotes Kofi Annan as saying he's going to try to stop UN peacekeeping personnel, military and civilian, from raping women in the Congo.

The UN staff is likely to issue a vote of "no confidence" against Annan this week.

Twenty-one years after it started, and several years after documented genocide, the UN Security Counsel finally, on Friday, called for an end to the civil war in the Sudan.

I could go on, and on,--but of course, these stories are just from the last 3 days! There is an aptly named site, The UN is Evil, which details other crimes of the UN.

Why not withdraw from the UN? Maybe 60 years ago diplomats had to physically be in a room together; maybe then there was a need to gather in order to timely share information, documents, etc.

That day is long gone. There is no "red phone" anymore-- our leaders talk, if not agree- and information freely flows. Conference calling is now decades old; videoconferencing is now old hat. Those lines of communication developed outside the UN, often in spite of the UN. .

All the UN does is soak up money for its own bureacracy, and prop up illegitimate regimes through massive grants of money that is immediately stolen.

It's time-- dump it. We can use NGO's where needed to distribute aid. We can use NATO, and these informal alliances, to handle military situations.

Any place that elected Libya as chairman of its Human Rights Commission has got to be put out of its misery.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin calls the Congo the UN's Abu Ghraib, and she's right (as usual).

Soldiers, DeLay & Fellow Massapequans

American Soldier
Jen Martinez refers us to a very patriotic, non-political, moving video-- take the three minutes or so--it's well worth it.

Then when you are finished, consider breaking out that credit card and helping any of the following:

American Red Cross (Military Relief Fund)
U.S.O.
Soldiers' Angels

Tom DeLay
The Ethics rule that was just changed by House Republicans was a bad rule. Innocent until proven guilty is as American as.... riots at rap awards shows. Either have the rule, or don't, but the way the change was made was wrong.

Unintended consequences are one of the main reasons people like me are skeptical when the government acts. But Congressional Republicans thought it was a good idea when they put it in-- to change the rule now is cheap and, well, wrong. If the Democrats had acted this way, my fellow republicans would have howled, and rightly so.

Tom DeLay is one of my least favorite Republicans. I like my conservatives optimistic and genial-- see Ronald Reagan & Jack Kemp. DeLay is the poster boy for why moderates in Northern states, and minorities, fear the GOP.

By the way, if there are Democrats maliciously prosecuting Republicans, maybe DeLay should see one of us trial attorneys he's always bashing--you know, the people that do a very small part in helping to keep Americans free.

Shhhhhhh
My fellow Massapequan, the great & classy Peggy Noonan, has wonderful advice in the WSJ. That it includes a Buddhist reference, and that my concern over the "Crossfire" type shows seems on track with hers, makes it a special read for me.

MoMA
Another fellow Massapequan has a well written (if a bit long, Bruce!) review of the new MoMA space. I liked the old space, and I liked the Queens temporary facility (which Angela & I enjoyed with free tickets from Bruce, thank you very much!). I'm looking forward to getting in there soon.

Friday Quickies

....I come from a Sears family. My Dad sold appliances for them for over 25 years until he and all of the other professional salespeople were unceremoniously dumped several years ago. I worked for Sears as a kid, doing everything from selling service contracts over the phone, to the loading dock, to stock, to salesperson. My wife worked for Sears.

What is formed today with the merger of K-Mart & Sears is the biggest bankruptcy filing of 2007.

Sears, as recently as the 1970's the largest retailer in the country, is a company that, under Edward Brennan, lost its soul and its way. K-Mart is simply one of a long line of horribly managed, short-term thinking, cheap discounters, the likes of which merchandising history is littered-- think Korvettes, W. T. Grant, Caldors, etc., etc.

This merger is two drowning men, flailing in the open sea, grasping arms and thinking that together they weigh as much as a small boat, so now they should float.

Glub, glub.

....I wonder if the Clinton Library includes exhibitions on the despicable pardons which helped fund the library, Whitewater, the missing billing records, Hillary's cattle future's profits, Travelgate, Webb Hubbell, the Indonesian Lippo Group's illegal contributions, the Craig Livingston "hiring" scandal, the donations from the Buddhist Temple, the leasing out of the Lincoln Bedroom, contributions from China funneled through Johnny Chung, and on and on.

I had forgotten about half of these (and I'm struck by how many had Hillary at their core.)

People may disagree with W, may even think he is tragically wrong about some things-- but, isn't it nice to be clean of all the Clinton dirt?

....I hate when the pharmaceutical industry takes a beating, 'cause many of us wouldn't be alive if it weren't for the drugs they have created. I know the cost seems out of line sometimes (and I still don't understand why Canadians get their medicine cheaper than we do-- I understand discounting to poor countries, but Canada? What's up with that, eh?) but we are seeing the effect now with the flu vaccine of mandating lower prices-- people leave the market when they can't make a profit.

But I found the testimony of David Graham of the FDA troubling. Essentially he said the FDA is set up to test drugs before they are approved, but not after they hit the shelves-- that's one of the reasons Vioxx was left on the market long after the risks were apparent. Obviously, that has to be changed.

.....The killing of the wounded Iraqi by our Marine doesn't bother me in the least--it's the absolute result of Iraqi actions. The Iraqi's have regularly broken certain "rules" of engagement, but, of course, the liberal media refuses to acknowledge the connection. When "soldiers" come out with white flags, and then open fire, or when they boobie-trap their dead, or when wounded soldiers set off explosions when others come to their aid, they are setting up their fellow soldiers for the fate suffered by the wounded Iraqi the other day.

This is not a crime scene, and our soldiers are not cops. If we knew that wounded soldiers were "safe", or that surrendering soldiers were, in fact, ending hostilities, then we should treat them with dignity and as peacefully as possible. But not these animals. As Jen Martinez posts, it's Kill or Die.

Fallujah should have been cleaned up months ago. Let's stop screwing around, let's allow these kids to do their job so they can come home.

.....Science magazine has an interesting article on glass-- its history and its impact on our society. Reminds me of a conversation I with a glue salesman once-- name me something in a supermarket that doesn't use glue, either in its shipping, packaging or part of the product.

Actually, the article is much more interesting than the salesman was, but I couldn't come up with anything that doesn't use glue-- can you?

....We're having significant increases in gang activity here on Long Island, predominantly Hispanic gangs. Yet, our County administration continues to cut police resources. How long before Long Island becomes Queens or Brooklyn? (For you non-New Yorkers, think suburbs inexorably turning urban.)

And how much is caused by the unfettered illegal immigration we've allowed for almost 20 years?

On Trial

I've selected a jury, and hopefully we'll start a trial today. So, little time right now to blog.

As much as I've enjoyed writing, I'm truly enjoying reading other blogs. I hit the sites I list as Friends every day, and the others at least a few times a week (I'm a fast reader & my TV time is now down to nil!) I recommend them all.

I direct you to a few posts:

The MUSC Tiger, a fun site, with an exit plan for Iraq;

B After the Fact, with a review of James Buchanan;

The Education Wonk with unfailingly interesting posts on the weird little world of education;

and Coffee with Cranky reminding us of a very important holiday on Friday!

(Best thing about being on trial today will be I'll spare myself the Clinton Presidential Pardon Library celebration.)

Cosmetic Neurology

What if you could give your kid a pill that would increase his memory right before the SAT? What if it had minimal side affects?

Well, a recent study published in Neurology magazine (subscription only) says that 49% of physicians would prescribe it for their own kids.

A debate is raging among physicians and clinicians about so-called cosmetic neurology, the use of drugs to enhance intelligence, reflexes, attention, mood and memory-- any brain function. Much like steroids have been used by athletes to enhance physical performance, we may soon see designer drugs which enhance mental performance.

As I see it, there are three types of "conditions" for which people use neurological drugs: relief of temporary symptoms; long-term relief of chronic symptoms; and enhancements.

Say you have a migraine right before a big test or presentation, one which would adversely affect your performance. As a society, we have no problem with your taking medicine to relieve your temporary symptoms, bringing you back to your normal.

Next, let's say you have Parkinson's. Your "normal" state is of extreme discomfort. Again, we have no problem with your taking medicines which bring you back to the approximation of most everybody else's normal.

But, now, let's say we have a drug which enables you to concentrate not at normal levels, but at a level experienced only by a few elite humans. Or, one which increases your reflexes. We are very uncomfortable with people taking that drug.

We're OK with bringing people to a "normal" level-- but we cannot accept (yet) enhancing medication. If you are clinically depressed, we're OK with you taking Paxil, but most of us oppose the use of "mind-altering" drugs just because you want to feel really good.

Right now, the side affects of physical and mental enhancements are their own best warning. Football players who have taken extensive steroids, for example, have lived violent, unhappy, and, ultimately, short lives. LSD sounded great, but quickly showed its ugly side.

But, what if we overcome the side affects? What if research leads us to drugs which raise our abilities, without threatening our health? What if instead of giving children Ritalin to let them concentrate "well enough", we had a medicine that let "normal" children excel?

What if...?

Borders Borders Borders

I've written about it before; nobody writes about it more often, or better, than Michelle Malkin. Yet it truly appears to be a hopeless cause.

When are we going to get control of our borders? After another tragedy? After nukes cross the borders?

The scum that tried to smuggle the little girl across the border in a pinata? We're letting them go. Don't have the "resources" to prosecute, our officials say.

Don't have the resources? W let Congress act like Paris Hilton with a Sugar Daddy's ATM card --not one veto while the deficit soared. And security was supposed to be our first priority.

Well, if those animals would stick a kid in a pinata for money, why do we think they wouldn't try to smuggle in something more lethal for a different customer? Like nuclear material, viruses, sarin gas, etc.?

I'm tired of feeling like I'm a bigot for saying what seems to me to be so obvious: Legal immigration is wonderful, and should not only be accepted, it should be encouraged. But illegal immigration must be stopped. Legal immigrants should be welcomed with open arms. Illegal immigrants should be denied everything except emergency medical treatment and a ticket home.

The borders have to be secured. They aren't, and it's clear it's because of a misguided, politically-driven immigration policy.

W won his election. Can he start governing now?

Teddy Roosevelt, the Europeans & SUVs

"The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem it will avail us little to solve all others."-- Teddy Roosevelt.

The New York Times tells of growing unrest in Europe over the invasion of SUV's. Added to the complaints of many Americans that SUV's are excessive, make the roads unsafe for others, are a waste of natural resources, exacerbate our dependenc on foreign oil, and unduly pollute our air, is the charge by some Europeans that SUV's are a symbol of American excess.

Hard to disagree.

This country has already had this debate (what would Jesus drive?), but I want to proffer what I believe is a conservative economic point of view in opposition to these behemoths: they are a perfect example of the economic theory of unallocated costs.

Quick example: two restaurants in neighboring towns, serve the same food and clientele. One is in a zoned area where she has to refrigerate her garbage (to cut down on vermin) and must pay to have it hauled, three times per week, to an expensive, well-maintained waste management site.

The other is able to legally throw his in the street.

Restaurant #1 has higher costs, and thus must raise prices (or cut profit margins. )

Restaurant #2, by tossing the garbage in the street avoids the cost of waste removal, BUT the town incurs a cost: vermin, disease, odor, etc.

They both have costs, but in Restaurant #2's case, the costs are unallocated to him.

How does that apply to SUV's? Simple. Our economic system doesn't allocate costs to certain activities, air pollution and reduction of natural resources being two prominent examples. Our cost of oil relates to the price of drilling & refining (and market conditions), but not to the decrease in worldwide oil reserves. Thus far, technology has kept us ahead of the curve, but logic tells us that there is only so much oil.

I'm not of a mind of taxation for taxation's sake. But I think it is fair for us to ask our government to keep the factory next door from polluting our water supply, and to fairly (not punitively) allocate costs where the market has failed to do so.

As Teddy Roosevelt also said:

"Defenders of the short-sighted men who in their greed and selfishness will, if permitted, rob our country of half its charm by their reckless extermination of all useful and beautiful wild things sometimes seek to champion them by saying the 'the game belongs to the people.' So it does; and not merely to the people now alive, but to the unborn people. The 'greatest good for the greatest number' applies to the number within the womb of time, compared to which those now alive form but an insignificant fraction. Our duty to the whole, including the unborn generations, bids us restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the conservation of wild life and the larger movement for the conservation of all our natural resources are essentially democratic in spirit, purpose, and method." A Book-Lover's Holidays in the Open, 1916

I wouldn't support outlawing SUV's. But, if a tax were proposed, with the proceeds going to alternative energy initiaives, I'd be on board. And I think TR would have been, also.

Scott Peterson & California Courts

I have no interest in the Scott Peterson trial, nor most of the other "high profile" cases. I just have two quick points:

1) This 5 month trial would have been over in 3 weeks here in NY. To use up that many resources, and to take those jurors from their lives for that long is detestable;

2) Last week the jury, sequestered mind you, deliberated on Friday--then the judge ordered them to take the weekend off! Any sequestered jury should have been allowed to work on Saturday and Sunday-- so they can get home to their families and real jobs. Instead, they stayed locked down in a motel, while the judge and everybody else (except Scott Peterson, of course) went home. Absolutely terrible.

But that's the California judicial system, apparently. Ahnuld-- attack!!!!

Friday Quickies

....The Mets are thinking about trading for a post-steroids Sammy Sosa, and all I can think of is, well, that's a lot more extra time I'll have next summer not watching another season of baseball.

....I'm fascinated with the whole X-prize, $25 million dollar space project put together by Burt Rutan. It again reminds us that NASA, for all the good P.R. it has developed, is still a government agency which runs with the efficiency and the economy of a ...federal governmental agency. Still, for all their spectacular failures (like the looney-toon, Wile E. Coyote, we're gonna snatch this $260 million dollar satellite from the sky as it plummets to Earth disaster known as Genesis), once in a while NASA gets it right-- the Mars rovers are still going, months after they were supposed to die.

....Why does President Bush have to reach out to the Democrats? Shouldn't they be reaching out to him?

....So Suha Arafat, Yassir's widow, who has been living on a reported $100,000 per month, will have to settle for some lump sum money (about $30 million), and only $35,000 per month for life. This is what happens when men fail to get the proper life insurance-- their families suffer and suffer. I see a MetLife commercial in Suha's future. (Seriously, how sick is it that she has been living in luxury in Paris, while the Palestinians live in such dire poverty. The Palestinians should be weeping over Arafat, but not his death-- they should be weeping over the opportunities for peace that this thief purposefully threw away to keep the money train rolling.)

....I detest Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and not for any political reason. Her daughter, Alexandra Pelosi, filmed a video journal, "Journeys with George", where she tagged along W's 2000 campaign-- it's been on HBO; watch it if you get the chance. During that video, on more than one occassion, W went out of his way to make Alexandra feel comfortable, and, indeed, he got her out of at least one major jam. In other words, he helped her.

I don't know about you, but if someone helps my kid, man, that's the fastest way to my heart. Yet a few months later, when Nancy Pelosi became Minority Leader in the House, she went nasty, and personal, tearing at W. She could have attacked his policies; she could have firmly disagreed with him. But no, to make political points she has savaged him at every possible turn.

What a despicable ingrate.

....How soon before someone in the MSM refers to W as a "lame duck"? Predictions? Do I hear March 15th?

....B After the Fact writes an interesting post on his theory that the Civil War is refought in every generation. He & I rarely agree, but nobody has the same perspective on the world as my old friend.

....Michelle Malkin advises that a dance teacher in Britain has cancelled a class in "The Art of the Pole Dance",which was aimed at pre-teens, and I'm thinking that the reason for the outrcry was because it was going to be a dance class, when everyone knows it should have been an Art program. I mean, how can you learn to cover a painting of the Virgin Mary in elephant feces, if you can't spin around a pole topless?

This is what happens when you allow morality to interfere. Art suffers.

And So It Starts....

The body's not cold, and the Palestinians are attacking Israel. Did Israel make Arafat an old man? No, but they let him become one.

Last Saturday, I wrote about what should happen after Arafat died; and what I thought would happen.

Unfortunately, I appear to have been correct.

AA's definition of insanity applies again, and again and again...

Veterans Day

On behalf of my family, I'd like to thank every man & woman who has served our nation, in peacetime and war.

Special thanks to my Grandfather (WWII), my Dad (Korea), my uncle Jim (Vietnam), my uncles Bob & Jack (post-Korea) and my cousin Brian (1979-1986), the Vets in our family.

We know how much we have because you were willing to stand on that wall.

May peace and happiness be your rewards, and may our people in harm's way complete their mission with success and safety, and return to the arms of their loved ones soon.

McCain Suit Follow-Up

I recently wrote about a nuisance suit which was brought against Sen. John McCain, and others, allegeing that he was violating the Constitution by accepting contributions from outside Arizona. I was fairly forceful in my denunciation of the suit.

For those of you who don't read the comments section, Chester Soling, the Plaintiff in that action, posted a comment. He didn't address the issues I raised, but instead said:

I sent Leon Silver, my attorney two more original ideas, which might interest you. If you are a member of Congress, to accept money from across the country, then you have to be elected "at large" just like our president. The other is as a citizen I am responsible to report any crimes I see. If someone robs a company I work for, I have that duty to report it to the police, otherwise I am an accomplice. With a member of Congress, I can't report it to the police or the District Attorney, the only option any individual has is the courts, our third part of our government, Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The courts are the only power in or government to say the Congress is doing wrong, not even the Executive can do that.

Chet
Chester P. Soling

Again, Soling has it wrong on two points. McCain hasn't broken any laws--Soling just doesn't like the laws as they currently exist. And the courts aren't the only power who can limit Congress. We have two others.

The first is called the Constitution, which, when read strictly and correctly, limits the federal governments powers.

The second is called the people of the United States of America. When we don't like what Congress is doing, we vote the bums out. It'll never happen? I submit to you the election 1994, Newt Gingrich in, Tom Foley out, the Contract for America, and a now decade-long shift in power.

That's how you handle Congress. That's how you change laws you don't like. Not by instituting worthless suits that only harrass the participants and demean the judicial system.

*****UPDATE 4:41 PM***** I just spoke with Paul Hickman, the State Director for Sen. McCain. He advises that no separate defense fund has been set up yet (they are using campaign funds), but that they are hopeful that their motion to dismiss, which is pending, will be granted by the Court, thus limiting the expense. Anyone interested in helping out can go to here.

Cam Kerry Keeps On Fighting

Just got this from a friend, who received it from Cam Kerry, John Kerry's brother

Greetings!

Below is an email I received today from Cam Kerry, brother of John Kerry.

-----Original Message-----
From: Cameron Kerry
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 3:00 PM
To: XXXXXX
Subject: Election Day 2004

I am grateful to the many people who have contacted me to express their deep concern about questions of miscounting, fraud, vote suppression, and other problems on election day, especially in Florida and Ohio. Their concern reflects how much people care about the outcome of this election.

I want to you to know we are not ignoring it. Election protection lawyers are still on the job in Ohio and Florida and in DC making sure all the votes are counted accurately. I have been conferring with lawyers involved and have made them aware of the information and concerns people have given me.

Even if the facts don't provide a basis to change the outcome, the information will inform the continuing effort to protect the integrity of our elections.

If you have specific factual information about voting problems that could be helpful to the lawyers doing their job, please send it to vri@dnc.org rather than to me.

The election protection effort has been important to me personally, and I am proud of the 17,000 lawyers around the country who helped.

It's obvious that we have a way to go still, but their efforts helped make a difference. Their work goes on.

Thank you,

Cam Kerry

<>-----End forwarded message-----

This letter followed a missive from the same friend, urging his extensive mailing list not to give up-- "We have until the Electoral College meets December 7th to change the results of this election." which was entitled, predictably "Stolen Election".

Some people don't know when to say it's over. The bitterness continues....

Election Reform #2

I wrote previously about fixing the voting machines & the ballot-casting process.

The second needed reform is more daunting: McCain-Feingold is broken already-- we need to fix the repair that tried to fix the problem, that addressed the issue....

According to the The Center for Responsive Politics, as of the August filings, Bush & Kerry had raised a total of $670 million dollars. Is that too much? Who knows? Proctor & Gamble spends that much in one quarter to hawk us Bounce & Mr. Clean & Charmin, so maybe it's not too much to help us select, you know, the leader of the free world.

Where the system is broken is that, in addition to the "regulated" contributions to the campaigns, the top 50 of the so-called 527's, the "issue-related interest groups" have spent so far-- get ready-- $320 million dollars.

That's $320 million unregulated, unlimited dollars. So George Soros, known Bush hater, can only give $4,000 to Kerry-- but he's free to spend $23,500,000 to help defeat Bush. (And, to be fair, Dawn Arnall, the largest Republican donor, dumped $5,000,000 into a pro-Bush 527). Both sides have flung huge dollars into the 527's, but of the top 10 largest 527's, 3 are Republican ($59.7 million) and 7 are Democrat ($192 million).

We are going to have to face reality. Money will always be involved and it is not necessarily a bad thing. Money is how we Americans support the businesses we like, the charities we like, the causes we like. Among the largest of the 527's are union-run organizations, theoretically promoting worker's issue. The Sierra Club has pitched in $6.8 million, theoretically culled from many members. So we have the range of billionares like Soros, to the dues of a guy driving a truck.

The bad thing is not the money; the bad thing is not knowing who is giving the money. That's why these silly contribution rules & limits, which existed before, but which were further expanded under McCain-Feingold are so bad.

The cap an individual can donate to a Presidential campaign has been raised to $4,000 per person, and it's true, nobody is going to influence the President of the United States with a few grand. But, the fact is the shadowy characters who go out and accumulate hundreds of individual contributions, then drop them in the lap of a candidate-- those guys do have influence-- see Charlie Trie & Bill Clinton. And we don't know who they are.

Steve Forbes & others have proposed no limits-- just list the donor's information on the Net immediately, so we can all see who has given how much to whom. Information, not money, is power.

Look at Opensecrets.org, which lists the 527's and the donors. That's exactly what's needed. Would I have been surprised if a President Kerry had invited George Soros over for a weenie-roast? No. So what? We all help those who help us, in every aspect of our lives. It's not the help that's bad--it's the not knowing who is doing the helping. (By the way, by means of disclosure, I gave $100 to the Swift Boat guys, which is not listed on the site-- but compare the donations to the Swifties (a few big donations, lots of small ones) to the big-money list of America Coming Together--makes you wonder who the big money party is!)

Money is just a means of getting out a message and we shouldn't be afraid of it.

Now, morons trying to work a voting machine-- there's something to be scared of!

McCain Suit

Before the election, I received an email (as I have to assume most bloggers did for it to filter down to me!) asking:

I was reading your blog...and I would like your opinion on a lawsuit we are working on... Would you be willing to write a blog item about your opinion of it?
Sincerely,
Jacob Lorion Barr
Internet Business Development

So I went to the site and discovered that a suit has been filed against Sen. John McCain (and others) which "... contends that by accepting contributions from outside their state or district, officials violate their sworn duty to represent only the people who elect them, creating a serious conflict of interest."

"Elected officials should not take money from people or entities that they don't represent - entities that have self-serving agendas that often diverge widely from that of the voters," states Soling. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would be despondent over the role that money plays in politics today. This state of affairs is unacceptable and not at all in keeping with the spirit of a republic. By filing this suit I am doing what I can as an American citizen to help get our country back on track."

Since I was asked to write a "blog item", I shall.

Respectfully, Mr. Soling you are an idiot, and the attorneys who are aiding you in this misuse of judicial resources are practicing precisely the kind of litigation that gives us lawyers a bad name.

First, the Founding Fathers wouldn't be despondent over the role money plays today-- if you recall from 4th grade Social Studies, only landed gentlemen could vote at the time of the Revolution; in fact, when the Constitution was ratified, only six states permitted all white men over the age of 21 to vote--the others all had property requirements. Our Founding Fathers were perfectly comfortable with money.

Second, while you may have elected Mr. McCain to the Senate, the entire Senate represents all of us, including us New Yorkers. McCain's votes impact on my life just as much as they do your's. If you were talking about a ban on a state official receiving money from outside the state, maybe I could see the logic. But federal officials affect all of us, and represent all of us, regardless from whence they hale.

Third, back in the Founding Father's day, perhaps a good word put in by a respected member of the community would spread throughout the community and would be enough to help a fellow get elected. Do you mean to tell me that if Ben Franklin came to New York and endorsed a friend for office, something antithetical or immoral was occuring? Would Ben's actions in supporting someone he thought was capable and like-minded have been inopposite to the best interests of the republic?

Well, today we are too big for a good word to be suficient, and even a good word can only get out to the voters by the use of MONEY.

Mr. Soling, MONEY (say it a few times, it won't hurt, I promise) is not a bad word. (I just checked the FCC's website to make sure, and I guarantee you it is not banned.) And money is how we support people, and ideas, and charities and everything else we like here in America.

I'm not a fan of the McCain-Feingold campaign contribution law. I think that what we need are not more restrictions on political contributions but, rather, less-- provided we have full, and fast, and accurate and detailed information on who gave what to whom.

You sued John McCain? You should be ashamed of yourself. You're not helping to "get America back on track". You, and the PR firm that sent the email to me, are publicity seeking leeches who haven't formulated a cohesive thought, but who, apparently, were able to punch out a federal complaint and pay for the filing fee.

You want to know what really is a threat to the Republic? The use of law suits to attempt to accomplish what can't be won at the ballot box. The use of lawsuits to garner publicity. The use of lawsuits to embarrass or harass people.

I am an attorney. I am proud of being one. I think America is incredibly better off because of lawyers than it would have been without us-- in areas ranging from safer products to more responsive governments, to personal freedoms and civil rights.

But stunts like yours make me gag. I'm trying to find out if Sen. McCain has a defense fund. If he does, be assured I'll donate to it.

You asked for a "blog item" stating my opinion, you pretentious twit.

You got one.

What's Next After Arafat?

Reports have Arafat at death's door. So before he even shuffles off this mortal coil, speculation is rampant about what happens next.

I don't know. Not a clue. I do have a hope.

I hope the Palestinians turn to their best weapon, one which they have never used: non-violence. Pull a Gandhi.

Lay down the weapons and the bombs. Literally lay down. Just stop.

They've tried everything else, and nothing's worked. So loosen that tight, tight knot of hate with a little pacifism.

Cause I look at that area, Palestine & Israel, and say, you know, if there was real peace, could there be a more enticing tourist destination? How many Americans & Europeans (Christians alone, not even including Muslims and Jews) would flock to the West Bank to spend the holidays at Bethlehem?

To Nazareth?

To Jerusalem?

How much would be spent? Billions? Tens of billions.

And that's not counting a Disney theme-park in Gaza ("Prophets of the Red Sea", "A Real Magic Kingdom" , "It's a Small World, But It Still Took Me A Week To Make It", etc.)

Tourism generates over $3 billion in the Bahamas (population 300,000); Egypt, which is at peace, but which clearly is affected by the Israeli-Palestinain strife, generated $3.8 billion in 2003; hell, the State of Mississippi estimates its tourism revunue at $5.4 billion per year!

South Africa is a perfect example. The end of apartheid, and the general perception of peace in that country, has led to an increase in the number of tourists there from 640,000 in 1993, to 6.5 million in 2003. While South Africa has amazing beauty and history, clearly Israel/Palestine is more convenient for Americans and Europeans, and has more to entice conventional tourists, especially regarding religeous history.

The Israeli's and the Palestinians are sitting on an asset--tourism-- that is worth more than all of the oil in the Middle East. They have in their hands enough resources for them and their grandchildren's grandchildren to live in prosperity.

And all they have to do is stop killing each other.

But odds are they'll blow it-- I saw a piece on TV about Muslim clerics already saying the Israelis poisoned Arafat. And they're squabbling now about where the body will be buried.

Some idiot will bomb something, and the Israeli's will respond (as they have every right to), and the cycle will continue.

Maybe W will expend some political capital here. Until this gets resolved, these people will live in poverty and fear, and they will continue to provide an easy scapegoat for the poverty in the region, allowing rich mullahs and sheiks to keep their illiterate, impoverished people at bay by pointing at the Israeli's and the US saying, look, they are the reason for your unhappiness.

Which keeps the sheiks and the mullahs rich.

And which means a fertile ground for terrorists.

It's just so sad.

Friday Quickies

What a strange week. I completed two trials, performed my committeeman duties on Election Day, and was severely ill with "flu-like" symptoms all week (still am). So it was both a productive and utterly forgettable week at the same time.

....If the exit polls were as wrong as everybody says they were, then why are we relying on the internals as gospel? My utterly fact-less opinion (what is the opposite of hypothesis?)-- people with axes to grind sought out the pollsters, just enough to tip the results. So anti-Bushites reported in disproportionate numbers, driving up Kerry's hopes, and those opposed to gay rights, etc. reported in disproportionate numbers, so that the internals make it look like this was a morals-based election, when there were so many other more glaring issues. I don't believe it.

.....There's always post-election-loss second-guessing, but as opposed to Dukakis and Gore, the Democrats really don't have much to complain about with Kerry. He didn't make any major gaffes; he didn't run an inept campaign. He didn't lose an election he "should have" won. He didn't get crushed. He simply lost. And not by that much. Republicans shouldn't get too confident; Democrats shouldn't get too despondent. In democracies, somebody loses.

.....Tobacco sales are down about 5%, and all I can say is that we're 5% down, 95% to go.

....Popular Science has a story on the worst jobs in science. They range from tick dragger (going out in a field hauling a big blanket, then counting the ticks), to anal wart researcher to landfill monitor, etc. Makes me wonder-- outside of science, what are some of the worst jobs people hold?

.....PopSci also has a great article on electronic voting machines. Good read if you're interested.

The Day After

Feeling amazingly lousy, physically. Am happy, obviously, Bush won, but here in my neck of the woods Republicans got trounced, except the incumbent State legislators. Good friend of mine got swamped in a local judicial race-- there simply was nothing on the top of the ticket (Pres. or Senator) that generated any enthusiasm among Republican-leaning voters.

Jim Garner, whom I wrote about previously, lost huge. I expect to see him pop again, though, in some Federal position.

Interesting note--since I was home in bed with flu-like symptoms this morning, I got to see this first-hand.

CNN didn't call Ohio for Bush until AFTER Kerry called W and conceded.

Apparently, CNN must have believed that a) every provisional ballot was going to be accepted and b) that each and every one would be cast for Kerry.

Putting aside the fact that if 130,000 provisional ballots all went for one candidate there would be an immediate investigation, even the Kerry camp didn't believe that would occur.

Yet CNN refused to make the call.

But they're not biased.

Right.

Election Eve

Election Eve. Some thoughts:

......This is my 8th Presidential election. I've voted for Carter, Reagan, Reagan, Bush, Bush, Dole, Bush &...Bush.

Not for any other reason than I am a bit punch drunk from this election stuff, I got to thinking who I would have voted for if I had been born 100 years earlier:

1876-- Tilden(D) over Hayes (R). Tilden was a New Yorker, and Hayes was...boring, and tied too close to Grant. (Tilden took the popular vote-- Hayes took the electoral college-- the country was about evenly divided-- sound familiar?)

1880-- James Garfield (R). Hancock (D) had no experience. Garfield won the popular vote by only 7,000, but took the electoral college fairly handily. (Country still split)

1884-- Grover Cleveland (D). A New Yorker who took on Tammany Hall, a clean government guy. And I'm half Irish/half Italian, and we know how Blaine felt about Romanism (and rum!). (Cleveland wins the popular vote by less than 100,000!)

1888-- Grover Cleveland (D)-- I'd have stuck with Grover, and watched him lose to Benjamin F'n Harrison (R) of all people, (although GC won the popular vote!)

1892-- Grover Cleveland (D)-- Third vote in a row for the big guy from NY. This time he wins, popular vote & electoral.

1896-- William McKinley (R)-- 'Cause William Jennings Bryan is, umm, a nut.

1900-- William McKinley (R)-- 'Cause William Jennings Bryan is, umm, still a nut.

1904-- Teddy. 'Cause he's the best.

So if I was born 100 years earlier, I probably would have voted for more Democrats early in my life; I would have seen 2 elections won in the Electoral College. And I could have voted for my second favorite Republican President of all time (but I would have missed out on my 2 votes for Ronnie).

.....Somebody asked me why I'm voting for W.

Shortish answer: I don't think he deserves to be re-elected.

He has disappointed me in just about every way--except that I truly believe had Kerry, or Gore, or Clinton been in the White House on 9/11, they would have bombed the hell out of some of the camps in Afghanistan, but they wouldn't have invaded and rooted them out.

Other than that, on the deficit (W let the pigs hit the trough), on immigration, on realsecurity, on the environment, on health care, on the energy policy, on gay unions, on fighting Iraq politically, instead of militarily (can someone tell me why Fallujah isn't just rubble by now?) he has sorely disappointed me. Quite frankly, I don't think he's up to the job.

However, it's not just a yes/no thing.

It's who are you going to replace him with? The Democrats couldn't have chosen a more liberal, more squeamish, more dithering candidate. So between the two, my vote goes to W. He may be heading in the wrong direction, in my opinion, but the other guy is going in a worse one, faster.

Bleech. Let's get rid of the primaries and let politicians choose leaders, instead of hairdos.

.....Well, as a Republican committeeman I have to open the polls tomorrow at 6a.m., and collect the votes at the end of the day (we have a process here in Nassau County where the committeepersons get the results when they open the machine, and call them in to Republican headquarters-- the results are reliably known by the Party long before the Board of Elections knows them.) Not that it matters here in NY re: the President, but my friends running for judgeships etc., and Jim Garner running for Congress, sure could have used some help.


......My prediction: Bush 300, Kerry 238. (I used the U.S. Electoral College Calculator, and, err.... bird entrails. I strongly urge you not to place bets using this info!)

Remember-- get out & vote!!