This is not what liberalism is not supposed to be about....about being downright rude. From Richard Dreyfus to Alec Baldwin and even Former President Carter who saw fit to launch into a political screed against President Bush at Coretta Scott King's recent funeral. Now Chief Justice Scalia is at the other end of liberal rudeness:

(AP) Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia grew tired of a persistent heckler Tuesday and asked organizers of a legal seminar to do something about the outbursts _ gently.
"Don't use force," Scalia told American Enterprise Institute workers as they grabbed the young man's arm and nudged him toward the door. The workers then let go and the man walked out. It was unclear what Aaron Yule, 23, of Boston, was asking when Scalia turned to organizers and said, "Can you, somebody ..." Earlier, a microphone had been snatched from the man's hand when he tried to engage the justice in debate. Scalia had asked him whether he had a question, "apart from insults."

After the man left, Scalia answered questions for about 15 minutes but repeatedly declined to engage anyone who asked questions, even of an apparently friendly nature, that he felt were not related to his topic _ the use of foreign law by U.S. courts. "I feel really bad about it," said Veronique Rodman, an AEI spokeswoman. "There's no excuse for rudeness."

Topics raised by questioners ranged from U.S. policy in the Middle East to Vice President Dick Cheney's recent hunting expedition during which he shot at a quail but wounded a companion. Scalia and Cheney have hunted together. Scalia generally bars television cameras and sometimes other press from his events. Allowing the talk to be televised live on C-SPAN was a rare move for one of the court's most conservative justices.

All good things, I guess, have to come to an end.

Judge Sides With City In Battle To Evict Boys Choir Of Harlem


The final note may have sounded in the battle between the city and the Boys Choir of Harlem, as a Manhattan judge on Friday refused to issue a restraining order to block the Department of Education from evicting the choir from its school offices and rehearsal space. Judge Karla Moskowitz says she could find nothing illegal about the decision to kick out the choir. The city locked the group out of the Choir Academy of Harlem on Tuesday. The choir has been practicing in the school rent-free since 1993 in exchange for providing choral instruction. Lawyers for the city say choir officials didn't live up to a January 2004 agreement to make administrative changes after a sexual abuse scandal. The choir said on Thursday it would start looking for a new rehearsal space.

The parents of Boys Choir students filed a civil rights lawsuit against the DOE earlier this week. The lawsuit accuses school officials of trying to destroy the choir academy, acting out of "petty jealousy and issues of control." To help get the choir's financial house in order, former Mayor David Dinkins and Congressman Charles Rangel have raised more than $1 million. However, donors only pledged the money with the understanding the Boy's Choir of Harlem would stay where it was, and choir supporters say the eviction now puts that money, and perhaps the choir's future, at risk.

I am such a man of contradictions.

On one hand after a week since the SuperBowl was played, I still don't know what teams played or who won. I don't understand when guys (and gals) go into a football stadium with their faces painted the colors of their favorite team...or wear fan paraphenaila like a loaf of cheese.

Tonight my face is maroon, white and maroon -- the colors of Latvia's flag.

Tonight...the Latvians forced the US hockey team into a draw at the Winter Olympics in Italy....YAY!!!!!!!!!

U.S. Men Stumble in Opener, Tying Latvia

By IRA PODELL, AP Sports Writer

With a full roster of NHL players, it took a late goal by Jordan Leopold to salvage a tie against Latvia in an opening game for the U.S. hockey team that felt more like a loss. When the final horn sounded, the Latvian players raised their arms in triumph while the Americans slowly gathered around goalie John Grahame. "We were not expected to win or even get the tie," said former NHL goalie Arturs Irbe, who made 39 saves — 18 in the third period for Latvia. "We were big-time underdogs in this game in everybody's eyes except our own people. "You can say that this probably means more to us than to the American team."

Latvia, with only two current NHL players, rallied from an early two-goal deficit and proved U.S. coach Peter Laviolette had every reason to be worried about this opening matchup in Olympic Group B. Latvia had the luxury of playing mostly as a team in recent weeks, while the U.S. squad was scattered around North America. Only two American players were in Italy by Monday, and the team had just one practice before hitting the ice Wednesday night. On the flip side, their opponents — who finished ninth in Salt Lake City four years ago — had practiced together since Feb. 5. "A lot of guys just got off the flight yesterday. There's no excuses but that's the reality," Grahame said.

The United States will play Thursday against Kazakhstan. Latvia will face Slovakia. Latvia's biggest offensive star was Anaheim defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, who had two assists in his first game since November. He was sidelined by a knee injury and then was in the league's substance-abuse program until being reinstated Tuesday. "I was pretty excited," he said. "Just the usual feelings."

The Latvians had a chance to win the game in the third when Mark Parrish took a 4-minute high-sticking penalty, but their power play was cut short by a penalty. Then they just had to hang on as the United States charged. "The game was going full speed, and they turned up all cylinders," Irbe said. "It was very hard for us to survive a game like that, but that's why there was good news that there were only three periods." Grahame, who made 22 saves, got the start despite not being invited to the Americans' orientation camp in September.

All seemed right for the United States early when Brian Gionta scored a power-play goal 9:44 in, and Craig Conroy doubled the lead and made Irbe look bad just 54 seconds later. Atvars Tribuncovs cut Latvia's deficit to 2-1 with a power-play goal in the first period, and Latvia took over in the second. Poor defensive coverage by the United States yielded numerous odd-man rushes. Grahame was forced to dive on his stomach in the crease to grab the puck and stop the pressure with just less than 6 minutes left in the second period. Brian Rolston was sent off for tripping, and Latvia — in the Olympics for just the third time — took advantage.

Dressed in road whites, the Latvians moved the puck from side to side high in the United States zone. Tribuncovs finally slid a shot past heavy traffic and under Grahame to tie it. That sent the Latvian fans into a frenzy as they rose en masse behind each goal. They were still standing 40 seconds later when their team took the lead. "We're not happy with the outcome, obviously," Grahame said. "We're just going to keep playing. We're trying to stay positive." The 1980 U.S. team also started its run to the gold medal with a tie, against Sweden.

It is kind of funny for me to watch how the Democratic party is seemingly trying to isolate and tip-toe around my gal pal pearl-of-a-girl Cindy Sheehan by nicely asking her to "step aside" and keep on playing and give lip service to her whacked out left-wing dingbat followers.

Washington -- California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer today urged anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan not to challenge the state's senior senator, Dianne Feinstein, in the June Democratic primary. Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, has been actively considering a campaign after criticizing Feinstein for refusing to call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

But Boxer, a liberal former Marin County supervisor who strongly opposed the war in Iraq, said Sheehan might actually hurt her anti-war cause by jumping into the race against her fellow Democrat who is entering her 14th year in the Senate. "I don't think having her in the Senate election helps her at all," Boxer told a roundtable of California reporters this morning. "I think it might have the opposite effect."

"Maybe she's more valuable out there not as a candidate," Boxer said of Sheehan and her anti-war effort. Feinstein and Boxer were both elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992 - the "Year of the Woman" in national politics - but they have not always seen eye-to-eye on issues. Feinstein voted for the 2002 resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq if the country refused to comply with U.N. weapons inspectors, while Boxer was one of 23 senators who voted against it. But Boxer defended her Senate colleague today, saying Feinstein has been a critic of the administration's war policies and favors withdrawing troops as soon as possible. "Sen. Feinstein and I are very involved in trying to figure out a way to get the troops back," she said.

Sheehan, who was arrested and removed from President Bush's State of the Union speech last week for wearing an anti-war T-shirt, spent part of her time in Washington asking Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, whether she should run for the Senate. A former Vacaville resident who now lives in Berkeley, she told the Chronicle she was leaning toward entering the race.

"What I hope to do with it would be to energize other anti-war candidates," Sheehan said in an interview before the State of the Union speech. "If I entered it, it would bring attention to the fact that there are many, many races where pro-peace, anti-war candidates are running."

It is usually recognized that President Jimmy Carter was the WORST president ever. It is so sad to see that he is quickly becoming known for the WORST ex-president. Just look...when it came to aiding the victims of the Indonesia Tsunami or fundraisers for the victims of the Katrina Hurricane, it was President Bush (the elder) and President Clinton who were at the forefront of fundraising....not President Carter who was for some reason snubbed. Now good ol' peanut brain is once again trying to get his 15 seconds of fame by ragging and spouting off about President Bush.

Ah yes...President Carter...the one American president who embarrased two nations simultaneously when he spoke in pidgin Polish about his "carnal love" for the Polish people. Despite being a self=professed professional Christian, President Carter is really coming off as a mean, sour, and crotchety old bitch who still doesn't understand the modern world....yet there has been proof that he allowed wiretapping during his administration.

HENDERSON, Nev. - Former President Jimmy Carter criticized the Bush administration's domestic eavesdropping program Monday and said he believes the president has broken the law.

"Under the Bush administration, there's been a disgraceful and illegal decision — we're not going to the let the judges or the Congress or anyone else know that we're spying on the American people," Carter told reporters. "And no one knows how many innocent Americans have had their privacy violated under this secret act."

So this is what this guy lived for...the ultimate in a life achievement...

Incredible.

UPDATE

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. - An alleged attack at a Massachusetts gay bar, the killing of an Arkansas officer and the slaying of a mother of three — Jacob D. Robida left a streak of unexplained violence that ended in a fatal shootout with authorities.


Robida, 18, was mortally wounded when he opened fire on officers following a chase through the Arkansas hills at speeds in excess of 90 mph. He was shot twice in the head and later died at a hospital Sunday.

GASSVILLE, Ark. - Two days after a violent rampage at a gay bar in Massachusetts, authorities said the teen suspect fled 1,500 miles to Arkansas where he fatally shot a police officer and a 33-year-old woman.
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Jacob D. Robida, a high school dropout who friends said glorified Naziism, was shot twice in the head in a gun battle with police Saturday, officials said. He was critically injured.

After Thursday's hatchet-and-gun attack at Puzzles Lounge in New Bedford, Mass., which injured three people, police said the 18-year-old fled in a green Pontiac and picked up Jennifer Rena Bailey, at her Charleston, W. Va., home.

War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing worth war is much worse.

A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight: nothing he care about than his personal safety:

is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."

(John Stuart Mill)

It is interesting how the leader of a minority group who just can't get themselves together -- riddled with self-imposed poverty -- black-on-black violence -- drugs -- just to name a few problems dares to complain about others about their self-imposed enslavement. So many black Americans have achieved so much, yet Julian Bond goes on criticizing them...

As a side note...this morning San Diego news reported that there had been no murders in South Central LA in the month of January -- compared to 67 last year... A dubious achievement, to say the least.

Civil rights activist and NAACP Chairman Julian Bond delivered a blistering partisan speech at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina last night, equating the Republican Party with the Nazi Party and characterizing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her predecessor, Colin Powell, as "tokens."

"The Republican Party would have the American flag and the swastika flying side by side," he charged.

Calling President Bush a liar, Bond told the audience at the historically black institution that this White House's lies are more serious than the lies of his predecessor's because Clinton's lies didn't kill people.

What about the lies being perpetrated and the issues not confronted in the hierarchy of the black political movement, huh?

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Cindy Sheehan said she will be part of the live audience during the president's State of the Union speech to congress Tuesday.

Bay Area Congresswoman Lynn Woosley gave anti-war activist a gallery pass late Tuesday, just hours before the planned State of the Union speech. Sheehan was in Washington to protest the president during his national address, but then came word she was invited to see the speech live.

A spokesman for Sheehan says she decided to accept the invitation two hours prior to the speech. The spokesman also said that Sheehan will be respectful and listen to the address because she is a guest of a member of congress.

Sheehan is expected to fly back to Berkeley Wednesday. She announced over the weekend that she is considering running for Senate against Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

It is Cindy Sheehan's extremely bloated ego which is considering to run against Sen. Feinstein...

Some "wow we" facts about water....

• The brain is 75% / Moderate dehydration can cause headaches and dizziness
• Regulates body temperaturs
• Carries nutrients and oxygen to all cells in the body
• Protects and cushions vital organs
• Helps to convert food into energy
• Helps the body absorb nutrients
• Removes waste
• Bones are 22% water
• Muscles are 75% water
• Cushions joints

Source: bottledwater.org

I was raised in a time when it was inculcated to me that when you don't come on top in whatever situation that you do everything not to appear as a "sore loser." While there may be a lot of pain, you leave a situation with your head and nose held high. So why doesn't this apply to Sen. Kerry and Vice-President Gore?

Despite the nomination of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito is supported by a majority of Americans, the latest news is that Sen. Kerry wants to do a filibuster to be obstructionist and embarrass President Bush and block any vote that might approve the appointment of Judge Alito. This despite the fact that several very liberal Democratic senators including Sen. Byrd of Virginia are planning to vote for the confirmation of Judge Alito.

Then you have preachy Vice-President Gore criticizing all of the moves of the President at every step of the way...to the point of saying once, "If I had been elected President I would have...."

Puhleeze....don't you guys have any dignity left? Or did you sell it to a lobbyist?

This so reminds me when President Reagan could never acknowledge the existence and growing epidemic of HIV/AIDS during his presidency.

BUSH: NO 'BROKEBACK'
Mon Jan 23 2006 17:09:44 ET

President Bush has so far skipped BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN -- the Hollywood hit about two homosexual cowboys.

During a Q&A session at Kansas State University today, a student asked Bush: "I was just wanting to get your opinion on BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN if you'd seen it yet."

The crowd laughed softly before the student said loudly: "You would love it! You should check it out."

"I haven't seen it," Bush said flatly. "I'd be glad to talk about ranching, but I haven't seen the movie," he said to laughter. "I've heard about it."

The president waited a second or two, then said, according to a transcript: "I hope you go -- (laughter) -- you know -- (laughter) -- I hope you go back to the ranch and the farm, is what I was about to say. I haven't seen it. (Laughter, applause.)"

Jay Leno made the comment the other night how the icons of the American Western would never quite make it if they were paired together in the cinema blockbuster, "Brokeback Mountain."


(Camera opens on a clearing in a mountain pass. Horse neighs in the background)

John Wayne: "Hey, Pilgrim....love is a force of nature...I wish I knew how to quit you...."

Clint Eastwood: "Go ahead, make my day.... Show me your six shooter...we'll see who draws first...and draws best...."

(Clint looks into John's eyes and snorts. John Wayne reaches over and grabs Clint's hand and puts it on his hard six shooter.)

Clint: "What the hell?"

(Sounds of belts unbuckling and pants sliding down....John Wayne grunts as Clint introduces him to his six shooter.)

(Camera cuts to a two shot of both and scene fades to black as Clint and John make there way into their tent as the sun sets in the background.)

(Fade to black with more grunting coming from the tent)

Jay Leno made the comment the other night how the icons of the American Western would never make it if they were paired together in the cinema blockbuster, "Brokeback Mountain."


(Camera opens on a clearing in a mountain pass. Horse neighs in the background)

John Wayne: "Hey, Pilgrim....love is a force of nature...I wish I knew how to quit you...."

Clint Eastwood: "Go ahead, make my day.... Show me your six shooter...we'll see who draws first...and draws best...."

John Wayne reaches over and grabs Clint's hand and puts it on his hard six shooter.

Clint: "What the hell?"

(Sounds of belts unbuckling and pants sliding down....John Wayne grunts as Clint introduces him to his six shooter.)

(Camera cuts to a two shot of both and scene fades to black as Clint and John make there way into their tent as the sun sets in the background.)

(Fade to black with more grunting coming from the tent)

This is why progressives aren't being taken so seriously by the general public when you see quotes like these from public officials:

Nagin also said the hurricane that devastated New Orleans was God's way of showing displeasure about U.S. involvement in Iraq. "Surely God is mad at America," Nagin said in a speech Monday. "Surely He's not approving of us being in Iraq under false pretense. But surely He's upset at black America also. We're not taking care of ourselves."

Here's a link to the full story

Just as I understand how conservative Americans can make those on the "left" irritated, I happened to come across a program on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation main channel (there are two: one is news/talk and the second is classical music).

There was a commentator repeating all of the usual diatribe how Pres. Bush "lied" to get into the war, there was no connection between Al-Queda and Iraq, etc., of course totally discounting that three thousand Americans were killed in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. What gets me is how all of these people keep repeating the urban legends surrounding the war, yet NOBODY has gone definitely to back up their claims.

This Canadian commentator kept on going on with all of his anti-American screed, while all I can say how the Canadians are going to be yelling blue murder when the terrorists attack Toronto's or Montreal's vast subway system during rush hour, bomb Toronto's massive "Eaton Centre" shopping mall, or bring down their much heralded "CN Tower." It will happen....and then we can start criticizing Canada how the government openly abuses native Canadians with their policies, etc.

Well....America's own public crazy woman Cindy Sheehan (my favorite target!) is at it again thinking that we really care about her and think she is the next Sister Bernadette. GIVE IT UP CINDY! YOU HAVE USED UP YOUR 15 MINUTES OF FAME!

A similar forum in San Diego drew a wopping 25 people! Woohoo! Now that sounds like a real beginning of a movement. Not only that her epic book released last November ranks today at #116,397 in sales/popularity on Amazon.com.

Cindy, go do something truly productive and volunteer for Habitat For Humanity or some other charity in the name of your dead son -- and stop try to bring on publicity for yourself to fertilize your insane ego. (By the way, you might want to renounce your membership in the Revolutionary Communist Party of the USA for PR sake.)

Sheehan Urge Supporters to Take Action

(AP) SACRAMENTO, Calif. Activist Cindy Sheehan told supporters at a peace forum Saturday that troops would get out of Iraq if millions of U.S. citizens took the simple step that she did outside President Bush's vacation home last summer. "Anybody could do what we did in Crawford, Texas. We just went down and sat down," Sheehan told the crowd of several hundred people, with Academy Award-winning actor Sean Penn in the front row. She urged them to lose their apathy and do something. "We have to get so freakin' fed up with what's going on that we all go and sit down," Sheehan said.

Sheehan, a Berekley resident whose 24-year-old soldier son died in Iraq, attracted hundreds of anti-war protesters to her makeshift camp near Bush's ranch in August. "These people, they're not going to change unless they see us out in the streets," she said at the forum that organizers said was among dozens of town hall-style events held across the nation. Penn, an early opponent of the war who drew criticism for his visit to Iraq, said he is buoyed by recent efforts in Congress to rein in the president's powers and bring troops home, and by the outraged response to disclosures that the government had wiretapped without obtaining warrants. "When we said, 'Listen to us' _ they're doing it through covert surveillance," Penn joked. He read his brief remarks from a single crumpled piece of paper and said it "probably looks like the administration's war plan."

Deborah Johns of nearby Roseville, who heads Northern California Marine Moms, said most people support the troops in Iraq. However, she said the president and news media have done a poor job showing the troops' progress. Johns led Sheehan opponents on a 21-state caravan to Bush's ranch last fall. "I saw thousands of people who came out to thank our men and women," Johns said in a phone interview Saturday. "I don't think that sort of grass-roots effort is out there that Cindy Sheehan would like people to believe. It's a fantasy."

I respect those who have deep religious convictions -- those who despite their imperfection as human beings -- try to practice what they preach on a daily basis. But on the other hand, I really think these days that there are some Christians who think they out of their perceived goodness that they are going to go straight to the Promised Land with their demogoguery against other people.

The fact is I think some of the loudest so called "Christians" are going to be sadly disappointed when they are stuck in traffic on the way to heaven. Jesus Christ taught us to love one another and that judgement and wrath belongs to God, yet these people go around ever so pious and make judgement on groups of people just because their sexual orientation does not meet the standards set by the dogma of their particular "flavor" of Christianity. (While some may lambaste me on my use of the word "flavor" when trying to differentiate the different Christian sects now practicing, this word was used by a very schooled Theologian and to me personally by a "Born Again Christian".)

The dirty truth the "Eagle Forum" likes to hide is that the son of the organization's central figure, Phyllis Schafly, is gay. The nephew of Christianity's own Jabbah-The-Hut, Rev. Jerry Fallwell, is openly gay and apparently has good relations with his hateful uncle.

God loves all of His children -- be they straight, gay, white, black, yellow or red. It is the mortals that God placed on His green earth who has decided that they need to summarily issue a memorandum superceding God's word that some of His children are destined for damnation in eternal Hell. At this point, it is these intolerant hateful Christians who God is going to deal with PERSONALLY one-by-one when their meeting with Him comes up on His schedule.

Christians have a LOVING and FORGIVING God, not a God of hate and spite, for vengeance is His. And the ultimate vengeance is that God may be very well using this situation to teach a few people a lesson before it is too late.

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Romans 12:18-20

(I take off my minister's robe and cleric's collar and step down from my orange crate at this point.)

Utah Theater Cancels 'Brokeback Mountain'

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. (AP) A movie theater owned by Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller abruptly changed its screening plans and decided not to show the film "Brokeback Mountain." The film, an R-rated Western gay romance story, was supposed to open Friday at the Megaplex at Jordan Commons in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City. Instead it was pulled from the schedule.

A message posted at the ticket window read: "There has been a change in booking and we will not be showing 'Brokeback Mountain.' We apologize for any inconvenience." Cal Gunderson, manager of the Jordan Commons Megaplex, declined to comment. The film, starring Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, is about two cowboys who discover feelings for one another. The two eventually marry women but rekindle their relationship over the years. The movie's distributor, Focus Features, said that hours before opening, the theater management "reneged on their licensing agreement," and refused to open the film.

Gayle Ruzicka, president of the conservative Utah Eagle Forum, said not showing the film set an example for the people of Utah. "I just think (pulling the show) tells the young people especially that maybe there is something wrong with this show," she said.

Mike Thompson, executive director of the gay rights advocacy group Equality Utah, called it disappointing. "It's just a shame that such a beautiful and award-winning film with so much buzz about it is not being made available to a broad Utah audience because of personal bias," he said.

I was sent this image tonight by an individual which prompted me to write the following response to him:

Dave,

I guess I should thank you for this, but, at best, I find it mildly amusing. I really do avoid discussing religion or politics, but I am a little surprised after being given access to my personal website and blog that you would be sending me this movie poster parody.

I do support the President, and I do support his war on terrorism. He is certainly not a "Dumbfuck." I'm not a lock step Republican, but I really haven't seen any superstars in the Democratic party emerge who would be offering an alternative leadership. Only thing I see are a lot of Democrats who can only bitch and moan about anything, but NOT PROVIDE A SOLUTION they think would be viable. As someone who is fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and basically a political fence sitter who is driven by issues rather than a political ideology, I have not forgotten about the 3,000 Americans who were killed on September 11th, I have not forgotten about the hundreds of thousands of people killed by Saddam Hussein, I have not forgotten about the millions of people who have been denied freedom for over forty years by a vicious dictator. As an first generation American with strong ties to Europe, I often feel I'm looking into American politics and culture from outside the fishbowl.

With that, I find it amusing to watch the American populace view the war like a 22-minute sitcom with a cute and neat and sophomoric ending. War is hell, David, and is/was totally justified after 19 United Nations resolutions compelling Saddam Hussein from gassing and anihilating people who happen to disagree with him. Adolf Hitler did the same in World War II, as did Josef Stalin. As for both of these despots, I have personal ties: my father, a Jew but raised Catholic, was arrested by the Nazis and held for nearly a year in Belgium. Only thing that saved him was when the Nazis discovered that he hadn't been circumsized. My grandfather on my mother's side sat on the Supreme Court of Latvia until he was executed by the occupying Russians. My mom...as did hundreds of thousands of Balts... herself had to escape from Latvia to the west with the clothes on her back and an old suitcase in the dead of winter.

Meanwhile, Senator Barbara Boxer, who I voted for, goes on the floor of the Senate, yells and screams about President Bush and the question of the secret suveillance, yet will do nothing to denounce and combat the open selling of landline and private cell phone records, as reported in today's online edtion of the Chicago Sun Times. Here's the link to that article: http://www.suntimes.com/cgi-bin/print.cgi?getReferrer=http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-privacy05.html

Neither political parties are really interested in the well being of our country, while they try to sell us the concept that they "are." They are about power and ego and worn out cliches. Has President Bush made some serious miscalculations: yes. But every true leader makes miscalculations...leaders are not omniscent. Individuals who sit on the fence and just try to do what is politically correct and expedient are not leaders...they are simply chair warmers. Whether what we have done in Iraq is right or wrong is not for us to say. It will be the political landscape and historians in 25-and-50 years from now who will be the judges.

The time has come in this country that we stop addressing our political views as a string of pejortives, but rather as educated discourse. "Dumbfuck Mountain" is not educated discourse.

This all said, while I disagree with your perspective, I hope that you would respect mine...with the hope that you will stay in touch with me.

All the best,

Ivars

I find it so amazing how some people are just doing everything to look for trouble. and getting their asses whupped:

Iranian President Hopes Sharon Perishes

Thu Jan 5, 5:44 PM ET

Iran's president said Thursday he hoped for the death of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the latest anti-Israeli comment by a leader who has already provoked international criticism for suggesting that Israel be "wiped off the map." "Hopefully, the news that the criminal of Sabra and Chatilla has joined his ancestors is final," President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was quoted as saying by the semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency.

Ahmadinejad was referring to Sharon, who as defense minister in 1982 directed Israel's ill-fated invasion of Lebanon. An Israeli commission found him indirectly responsible for a massacre of Palestinians in the Sabra and Chatilla refugee camps by Christian Phalangist soldiers. Iran's official media, including state-run radio and television, did not report Ahmadinejad's remarks about Sharon.

"Hopefully, others (criminals like him) will join him too," ISNA quoted Ahmadinejad as telling a group of clerics in Qom, a holy city 80 miles south of the capital, Tehran. He spoke a day after the 77-year-old Sharon suffered a massive stroke and underwent surgery. In the last two months, Ahmadinejad has called the Holocaust a "myth" and said if Europeans insist it did occur, then they should give some of their own land for a Jewish state, rather than the one in the Middle East. He also called for Israel to be "wiped off the map."