A lot of people are afraid to tell the truth, to say no. That's where toughness comes into play. Toughness is not being a bully. It's having backbone.
Robert Kiyosaki, investor, businessman, and self-help author

Senator John Kerry finds a backbone, unfortunately it’s two years too late.

He said during a discussion at gathering at Pasadena City College in California, “You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.”

The Republicans looking for anything to keep the country in its divisive political pattern are now attacking Kerry for his remarks. Statistically, it is the less well off families and those without college educations that make up the bulk our combat forces, so Kerry is correct.

The Decider in Chief, 18 Republican members of the House and John McCain have called on Kerry to apologize.

As reported in the New York Times, Kerry’s response:

"If anyone should apologize, it is President Bush and his administration officials who started the ill-conceived war. If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they’re crazy. I’m sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did.

“I’m not going to be lectured by a stuffed-suit White House mouthpiece standing behind a podium, or doughy Rush Limbaugh, who no doubt today will take a break from belittling Michael J. Fox’s Parkinson’s disease to start lying about me just as they have lied about Iraq. It disgusts me that these Republican hacks, who have never worn the uniform of our country lie and distort so blatantly and carelessly about those who have.”

At least Kerry is willing to learn from mistakes, Bush keeps getting soldiers killed for his.

Thank you, loyal readers, for your viewing of my Powerpoint video for Ben Lee's song, "Catch My Disease." I won four tickets and backstage passes to the show, and my wife is very pleased.

I'm still a little stunned, given that I didn't imagine enough cross-over between Ben Lee fans and Powerpoint geeks to propel my video to the top, but I guess you never know...

And if you want to hear more from Ben Lee, check out his MySpace page.

The rhetoric about how the Iraqi government and military need to be able to stand up for the country is nothing but poppycock. That's like saying the Little League World Series champs should be able to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers if they really wanted to.

The only strategy left at this point is to pull all the troops and technology (which can take the place of thousands of troops and miles) back to ring and secure the borders (including the oil fields, of course, since that is why we're there in the first place) and then let everyone else fight it out among themselves until there is a singular enemy left. I'd like to say we should just leave, but this country is not prepared for dealing with what would result in the Middle East from that action (e.g., dependence on oil).

Posted by On The Mark

It is pretty obvious that the debasement of the human mind caused by a constant flow of fraudulent advertising is no trivial thing. There is more than one way to conquer a country.
Raymond Chandler (1888–1959), author

I highly encourage you to visit Anything They Say to watch the Keith Olbermann commentary -- it's titled "The War of Terror." Olbermann hits a bull's eye regarding the scare tactics used by the Bush gang and the Republican Election Committee. The Republicans make sure bid Laden's message gets to far more people than might otherwise see or hear it. This is from the party that is suppose to protect us.

Men and women approaching retirement age should be recycled for public service work, and their companies should foot the bill. We can no longer afford to scrap-pile people.
Maggie Kuhn (1905–1995), civil rights activist

This is my last post on age for at least a week. What’s up with the AARP? They have been chasing me like the posse that was after Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I never applied for membership.

As far as I’m concerned it’s akin to getting notes from the mortuary telling you to start planning now.

Go away!

Click here to see it!

So my wife is a big fan of Ben Lee, and there's apparently a contest: make a video for his song, "Catch My Disease," and win passes backstage at his next concert (for which we already have tickets). So be a buddy, and click over to see it -- the more page views, the better my chances. Spoiler: I made his song into a Powerpoint presentation.,. thanks for watching!

Just click here!

When I first heard the report on the radio I said to myself -- here they go again. I disagree with everything Rep. Duncan Hunter has to say, not to mention Rep. Brian Bilbray and Rep. Darrell Issa, all of California. The report stated that these representatives were upset because CNN had shown footage of an American soldier KIA. Good, I thought, Americans need to "feel" this war. A draft would wake up everyone right away when their high school kids are forced to fight as soon as they graduate, but that doesn't look likely at this point. So something else needs to knock some sense into Americans (yeah, I know what the polls say, but where's the outrage?).

The reps called it nothing short of a terrorist snuff film. After the brief news report I turned the radio off in disgust that these guys are still trying to spin ridiculous angles.

Then I read a report in the L.A. Times this morning about how CNN got this video from a spokesman for the Islamic Army. The footage had been captured by a terrorist, not a CNN news crew.

It is a snuff film. CNN was wrong. These representatives are right, as much as it makes me shudder to write that.

CNN had a long, intense editorial debate before showing the video (which, apparently is still on its website -- I won't watch it now), but apparently they weren't debating the real issue. They compromised by blacking out the video when the bullet impacts the soldier's head.

The debate should have been about whether this was news or propaganda.

Posted by On The Mark

From McSweeney's, written by Michael Schulman.

iPurim
Yom Hipper
Ironukkah

(I would add Simchat Torahpalooza, Tisha Bizzav, and Mosh Hashanah.)

Increasing numbers of L.A. children living in poverty.

Stingray stabs Florida man in chest.

How many Austrians didn't say anything?

An increase in the number of ocean "dead zones."

U.S. anti-terror law may violate Geneva Convention.

Hole in ozone layer grows even bigger.

Scaring Latinos away from ballot boxes.

Priest denies having sex with Mark Foley .

NBC nixes Madonna's crucifixion.

A 67 year-old Brazilian grandmother who shot a thief will be receiving a medal.

Darrell Forney is a boxer in Squaw Valley, California; I saw this flyer taped up on a gas station/convenience store window, and had to shoot it.

Biff's Question Song

Yes, it's that guy from "Back to the Future." And I've already blogged about his paintings, so stop asking me that question.

No money is better spent than what is laid out for domestic satisfaction.
Samuel Johnson (1709–84), author

I am sure no one’s day has been ruined, but there is a legitimate reason for my lack of posting lately. Two reasons actually, one is that work has been very busy as I wind up projects to go on vacation. And, two, I am moving. Wife and I purchased a new home where I will be spending my vacation unpacking and organizing -- happily so.

While I am thrilled to be moving, I am not so excited about packing and unpacking.