Supreme Irrelevancy

I've heard that there may be an odd chance that the USSC may hear a case to determine whether or not the 2nd Amendment may be relevant today.

First: If the 2nd Amendment is irrelevant, it is up to Congress and the States to decide this through the Amendment Process.

Second: Regardless of what the USSC says and even what may be brought through the nullification of the 2nd Amendment through a "legitimate" process, people, both criminals and the otherwise law abiding, will still carry guns.

If you are someone who falls into the latter category from above, I encourage you to do so regardless of what your local laws may be.

Samuel Jackson may be turning in his grave, but the USSC does have a limited ability to enforce its rulings. However, since Kelo, I have had little regard for the opionions of the Supreme Court.

I'll jump in too

I saw this on Kim du Toit's site and figured I'll jump off the bridge too.

BOLD = I’ve done it at least once.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink - however there weren't many of us there.
02. Swam with wild dolphins - nope. probably not gonna either.
03. Climbed a mountain - hiked up a few but nothing that would count as a "real" mountain.
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive - driven a friends around but never convinced a salesman to hand over the keys.
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid - Been on some lesser Pyramids. Didn't even think one could go "in" them or at least that they were open to tourists.
06. Held a tarantula - nope. probably not gonna either.
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone - of course!
08. Said “I love you” and meant it - of course!
09. Hugged a tree - Yup. Only becaused I used to climb trees a lot and not out of any particular affect felt toward the tree.
10. Bungee jumped - Yup. Nanaimo, B.C. - 140 feet - converted for the Americans.
11. Visited Paris - A long layover actually. Walked from Arc d' Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower.
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea - Was stationed on board ship. Saw the storm but it was less impressive than the "lightning showers" in the West Texas deserts.
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise - a time or two.
14. Seen the Northern Lights - on the Things To Do Before I Die list.
15. Gone to a huge sports game - not much of a spectator but have attended a few 40k+ events.
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa - Didn't think it could even be walked.
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables - My grandparents, yes, but not my own.
18. Touched an iceberg - nope.
19. Slept under the stars - both in and out of the Corps.
20. Changed a baby’s diaper - lots and still doing it.
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon - nope. sounds cool though.
22. Watched a meteor shower - nope. another "sounds cool."
23. Gotten drunk on champagne - some other beverages may have been involved - I can't remember.
24. Given more than you can afford to charity - not unless you include property and income tax.
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope - yup. I had a pretty decent one and my older kid and I would look every now and then.
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment - raucious laughter maybe but no giggling.
27. Had a food fight - had an enormous one when I was 13.
28. Bet on a winning horse - nope. nor any other horse for that matter.
29. Asked a total stranger out - Yup. Married one of them.
30. Had a snowball fight - Several, although it only snows one or two days a year in TX so I'd make the most of them.
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can - often and still do. Usually just for fun.
32. Held a lamb - not one that wasn't already cooked.
33. Seen a total eclipse - nope. The stars were never aligned.
34. Ridden a roller coaster - several and likely will again.
35. Hit a home run - and made it to home base. ;^)
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking - I've actually done this sober. Hell, I even line danced in Mexico City although that time may have involved alcohol.
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day - only because I though it would help the furriners around me understand me a bit better. I wasn't trying to fool anyone.
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment - several times.
39. Had two hard drives for your computer - with mirroring and striping and sometimes just for the extra space.
40. Visited all 50 states - I might but have no inclination to do so.
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk - A time or three.
42. Had amazing friends - Yup. Some of which even fit into the last category.
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country - Yup. See that line dancing in Mexico thing above.
44. Watched wild whales - Was station in Monterey, CA for a while. They'd swim near the beaches and into the harbor on occasion.
45. Stolen a sign - probably a scavenger hunt. It was a while ago.
46. Backpacked in Europe - Dragged a bunch of suitcases without wheels around Europe though.
47. Taken a road-trip - bunches.
48. Gone rock climbing - in Canada, California, Oregon, and even a bit in Texas.
49. Midnight walk on the beach - in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel.
50. Gone sky diving - this is officially on the Things To Do Before I Die list.
51. Visited Ireland - I have a sister named Shannon and had dinner at her house. Never the city though.
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love - no. It may be a sexist thing to say but that's silly for a man.
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them - in a few crowded cafeteria style restaurants, the dining cars on trains, if she was cute...
54. Visited Japan - Not sure if "visit" is the right word. I kinda lived there.
55. Milked a cow - eaten a few...
56. Alphabetized your CDs - all of the CDs I've ever owned would fit into both hands. I'm not a music junkie.
57. Pretended to be a superhero - not really but sometime I pretend to be a mere mortal.
58. Sung karaoke - several times as well. Devil Went Down to Georgia is my favorite.
59. Lounged around in bed all day - the kids really put a limit to this but there have been times when working for several days (and a few times a couple of weeks) straight that I'd crash and not wake up for 12 hours, then take a nap, then go to bed early.
60. Played touch football - because of my size and speed (bigger and faster than the average bear) I prefer tackle.
61. Gone scuba diving - not since I lived in Japan unfortunately. Very good fun though.
62. Kissed in the rain - may have even hugged a bit too.
63. Played in the mud - both in and out of the military.
64. Played in the rain - see the "kissing" in #62.
65. Gone to a drive-in theater - not for many years but I have.
66. Visited the Great Wall of China - but seen one on TV.
67. Started a business - several and will likely start several more.
68. Fallen in love and /not/ had your heart broken - and still falling too.
69. Toured ancient sites - the Teotihuacanos Sun & Moon pyramids in Mexico, cathedrals in Estonia (although that is still during recorded history).
70. Taken a martial arts class - both in and out of the military.
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight - huh?
72. Gotten married - of course!
73. Been in a movie - was an extra in "Dangerous Curves" when they were filming at a hotel where I worked.
74. Crashed a party - it's usually bad enough inviting me...
75. Got divorced - nope.
76. Gone without food for 5 days - SERE school courtesy of the USMC.
77. Made cookies from scratch - usually w/ wife & kids.
78. Won first prize in a costume contest - was 8 years old when I wore one of six costumes made by a professional constume maker. I was a Jawa from Star Wars. Chewbacca was there to represent as well.
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice - or have even been to Venice.
80. Gotten a tattoo - and yet have no feelings of emptiness for not having done so.
81. Rafted the Snake River - no but I've tubed the Guadalupe!
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert” - no but I was an extra in "Dangerous Curves"!
83. Got flowers for no reason - neither given nor received.
84. Performed on stage - was the lead in "Computerized Christmas" for my 5th grade Christmas pagent.
85. Been to Las Vegas - and have a kid to prove it!
86. Recorded music - not my own.
87. Eaten shark - in Japan. You know how they are said to cut off the fin and throw the rest back? I think I had the "rest".
88. Kissed on the first date - and gone for a midnight walk too.
89. Gone to Thailand - courtesy of the USMC too. I played volleyball without using my hands.
90. Bought a house - a couple of times.
91. Been in a combat zone - ironically no.
92. Buried one/both of your parents - fortunately no.
93. Been on a cruise ship - not unless grey ones with "U.S.S." in their names count.
94. Spoken more than one language fluently - no but I'm illiterate in many.
95. Performed in Rocky Horror - see #23 above.
96. Raised children - The sources of my greatest frustrations and joys.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour - nope. Never gonna either unless my wife or kids start singing professionally.
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country - what's an exotic bicycle? Ferrari has "branded" bikes but I didn't think they made them.
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over - joined the Corps but I don't really count that.
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge - just the pedestrian section of it. I honestly can't remember if any of it went out to the bridge or if it was just near it.
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was
looking - and without shame too.
103. Had plastic surgery - but I've had some metal work done.
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived - not sure if this is worded correctly but I have been in some accidents that could have been fatal.
105. Wrote articles for a large publication - nope. Probably not gonna either.
106. Lost over 100 pounds - I lost over 40 pounds in one week from one accident that I had and the subsequent surgeries.
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback - no but I've worked with people who may have been.
108. Piloted an airplane - while this is on the list of Things To Do Before I Die, I hope it isn't the Last Thing I Do Before I Die.
109. Touched a stingray - in an aquarium petting zoo. They were small.
110. Broken someone’s heart - I believe I have to answer "yes" to this - sad to say.
111. Helped an animal give birth - no but it does sound interesting.
112. Won money on a T.V. game show - no but I won a can of Coke in a bingo game when I was seven at the local YMCA.
113. Broken a bone - not any of my own anyway.
114. Gone on an African photo safari - I'd love to do this as well as a hunting safari.
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears - I haven't had my ears pierce ever either.
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol - a time or three.
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild - never smoked any of them though.
118. Ridden a horse - and I'm from Texas too. Imagine that.
119. Had major surgery - see #104 and #106 above. Among other things my abdomen wall was torn 1/4 of the way around my waist and my spleen was ruptured. No broken bones though.
120. Had a snake as a pet - no but I've eaten snakes.
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon - barely even been to AZ.
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours - oh yeah, usually as the result of recovering from several days / weeks of hard labor.
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states - this might be something that I'll do in the future but right now I'm at about a 2:1 ratio.
124. Visited all 7 continents - on my list of Things To Do Before I Die. Right now, I'm at 4.
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days - just close - 1.5 days.
126. Eaten kangaroo meat - ostrich, snakes, 'gators, lizards, snails, no 'roos though.
127. Eaten sushi - lots and fairly frequently.
128. Had your picture in the newspaper - a few times for grade school art work and athletics.
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about - yes on multiple accounts. Most of these are a bit too personal for my blog though.
130. Gone back to school - several times.
131. Parasailed - I actually thought this was boring. I was just hanging there. After the view got "old" was ready to get down. I imagine hang gliding would be much more fun for me.
132. Touched a cockroach - both living and dead.
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes - despite living in the south, I haven't.
134. Read The Iliad - I haven't and I even have a copy (leather bound, inherited from a relative). Shame on me.
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and
read - Yup. George Orwell. 1984 scared me more than anything Stephen King ever wrote.
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - I'm not including fish here. I've never actually been hunting despite being an avid shooter.
137. Skipped all your school reunions (so far) - just the 10yr. Haven't had any others.
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken
language - seems everytime I leave the U.S. I do.
139. Been elected to public office - Nope. I'd rather be a tyrant who came to power by bloody coup.
140. Written your own computer language - This isn't entirely true. I've written many parsers and interpretors. I've written a mark up language for wireless devices.
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream - I don't own a G550 and 80' Hatteras yet.
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care - Not yet but getting pretty close.
143. Built your own PC from parts - just to see if I could. I may do it again depending on how much I can save and what I want.
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you - nothing that could be considered "traditional artwork" anyway.
145. Had a booth at a street fair - it was my wife's actually, who has sold her artwork (craftwork) to folks she didn't know.
146. Dyed your hair - never could find the right shade of purple.
147. Been a DJ - nope. Haven't even burned a CD of "hit" songs.
148. Shaved your head - if boot camp counts.
149. Caused a car accident - both caused them and been affected by them. Never hurt anyone else in one though.
150. Saved someone’s life - once for sure and a couple of Would Have Been Really Bads.

Muslim Taxi Drivers

It was never my intent to use this blog to gripe about Muslims (at least entirely) but I do not get to post very often and when I do, there is usually something Muslim related flying across my radar.

I have been hearing more and more about Muslim taxi drivers refusing service to people with dogs, usually blind people with dogs but I am sure other people who travel with dogs need taxis every now and then too, or people with alcohol. The incidents that involve alcohol have all been "nice" in nature in that there was never any interrogation by the driver nor violence involved.

While I usually treat other religeons (or cultures but Islam makes no distinction) with some regard, I must say that if one's beliefs prevent him from providing services in a service-related industry, he needs to find new work. This is especially true if denying these services is in violation of local laws - such as the case with discriminating against the handicapped. Of course, this is ripe for false-analogy arguments so I leave it at this: In the case of taxi drivers, if dogs or alcohol will prevent you from taking a fare, either find a different line of work or stay out of queues where people with dogs and alcohol frequent.

There may be some analogies that, at least in part, apply:

What if Muslim drivers carried this over to how people were dressed? I do not think there is anything in Islamic law preventing the transport of inappropriately dressed women but I am not certain.

What if Muslim drivers refused to take people to parts of town they do not find "respectable"? (E.g. "There are bars within a mile of here that serve alcohol or clubs where people take their clothes off!") *

What if taxi drivers with olfactory sensitivities refused to carry Indians because they smelled of curry? The reason for refusal is not religious but borders on the medical.

Conversely, what if non-Muslim drivers started refusing to carry anyone in a head scarf or turban? There are actually some modern religeons that do frown on head coverings.

I support businesses to refuse service to whomever they choose for any reason whatsoever. A taxi is a business whether it is a single cab or fleet. If the driver chooses to refuse a fare, he has that right. However, the taxi company has the right to fire him without compensation. The airports, hotels, and other businesses have the right to bar both the driver and the taxi company from their queues. If they choose not to bar the taxi, they still have the option of sending the driver to the back of the queue.

* On a side note: Something similar happend to me in Mexico City. I was going to the airport and the driver was not authorized to pick up fares at the airport. Given the time of day and traffic to and fro, he refused service to me. The solution was simple: He was out $40 and I took another cab.

Making It Official Some More

I need to take a jab at McCain-Feingold. I cannot think of a better way to break the laws and regulations around this than to officially state that John McCain is a Bad Person and that most of the legislation that he pushes around are Not Good. I highly encourage anyone who is eligible to vote for him to not vote for him (preferrably vote for a more conservative candidate instead). I also recommend anyone who can vote against Feingold to vote against him too.

I realize that they are both Class III senators and are not up for re-election. *Sigh*

I also realize that this probably does not infringe on any of the laws / regulations / statues / etc. that have stemmed from McCain / Feingold. Perhaps if someone were to pay me for saying so...

Perhaps if a recall election were held for the two of them...

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps...

Making It Official

Just for the record:

I support the troops.

For example, without further information, I do not think that the Marines in Haditha are guilty of murder, even if they killed women and children. In case anyone does not know, here is a fact: Women and children can wield weapons and can kill with them too. Women and children can plant IED's. Marines in combat do not have the luxury of time to wonder if the seven-year-old boy aiming the AK at them is really a bad person or if someone put him up to it. It may turn out that is not the case. I will reserve judgement until after the trials. Even then, I may still reserve judgement.

I also support the war in Iraq.

Ground invasion of Iraq has been justified since 1998 when Saddam Hussein kicked out weapons inspectors. This is after having denied them access and misled them for years. No justification by George W. Bush was needed. No amount of pre-war intelligence was required - or what is called "pre-war intelligence" - other than what was needed to invade.

Everyone who argues that war in Iraq was not justified because Iraq had no ties to 9/11 is arguing against a straw man. The U.S. President is also at fault for arguing with them.

I am upset with certain elements of how this war is being "managed." This is primarily centered on our current ROE and treatment of our enemy. However, neither are cause to withdraw support for this war.

Few things are as repugnant as the "well things aren't going good so let's go home and hope for the best" mentality.

Where Was That?

I just saw the movie V for Vendetta. I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting something a bit more like The Matrix. I was hoping for more action and the cool special effects. It is not that those make a great movie but they are elements of a great action movie. This was sold as an action movie. I was expecting an action movie. I did not get one.

Beyond the action - what little of it there was - the movie was still a disappointment. All of the actors were deadpan throughout the film, save for John Hurt's character who was overacting. His part was like a wet sponge in a very dry desert. That may be a British thing though.

"I'll be late for supper, dear. The parlament building is being blown up."

"That's terrible. Pick up some bread on the way home, please."

For a good example of how fear tactics are really being used by governments and other "leading institutions", just look at how global warming is sold. For a good yarn on that, read Crichton's State of Fear.

That is not the main point of this post though.

This is: Many of those making the movie are pointing to various Western governments and drawing parallels. Most notably, the governments of the United States and Great Britain are compared. (Just watch the extras.)

The movie suggests a past where Muslims and homosexuals were rounded up and exterminated. It portrays a country where having a Koran is a crime. This sounds all too familiar. There are places like this that exist today. There are countries whose governments have religious police, who persecute minority religions and homosexuals for that matter. Now where exactly are these countries?

I will give you a hint: Start with the above description by swapping Muslims with Christians or Jews and replace the Koran with any other holy book.

Of course Saudi Arabia probably does not have any historical bad guys as colorful as Guy Fawkes. Natalie Portman might look a little out of place in Sudan. And crowds would not line up to see the same movie were it set in Yemen.

But is that bad?

I have heard that Israel's response to the kidnapping of their soldiers is "disproportionate." What would a "proportionate" response be?

If they go an eye-for-an-eye, their state will be gone in no time. I would argue that for them, going an eye-for-an-eye would only exacerbate their problems. Just look at the exchange rate: one Israeli soldier for 1,000 arabs.*

I will not argue that the Israeli response is "proportionate." By all accounts it is not. Given their situation though, their response is the best way to ensure their longevity.



* Figures provided by the Hammas Bureau for Terrorist Affairs. Daily rates may vary.

An Advocate

In Washington D.C. guns are not allowed. In much of Illinois it is illegal to have a gun. IANSA believes that private gun ownership should be globally banned; that only government employees should own guns.

It is unfortunate that the U.S. judicial system has many laws that conflict with each other. Our Bill of Rights more or less guarantee us the ability to defend ourselves from goons, thugs, and our own government.

I read a report just recently of an Illinois police officer who stalked and raped women. This is not the first time I have heard of such things. It probably wont be the last.

Here is where I go out on a limb...

I advocate breaking carry laws in Illinois and Washington D.C. I understand that advocating people break laws is a Bad Thing. Since these laws are contrary to other laws, the only way to keep out of trouble is not to advocate anything.

Oh well. Perhaps trouble will be fun too.

Semantics Exchange

I am disgusted with the comparing "detainees" at GITMO or Palestinian's in Israeli jails to prisoners of war. "Prisoner of War" is an official status recognized by most governments around the world. A primary qualification is that the prisoner must be uniformed or having a fixed distinctive sign recognizable at a distance. Others include that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates, that they carried arms openly, and that their conduct prior to capture be in accordance with the laws and customs of war.

None of the detained at GITMO meet that criteria.

By both international law and treaty, spies, most snipers (gilly suits are not uniforms) , and covert operatives when captured are not given status as prisoners of war by these governments. This list includes the United States.

The Hamas operatives that kidnapped Cpl. Shalit from Israel were technically civilians. The Palestinian government, now realizing the reprisals from Israel are offereing a "prisoner exhange."

None of the Palestinian prisoners meet that criteria.

Here is the difference: Cpl. Shalit is a uniformed solder operating within the laws of land warfare. These laws are made to reduce the unnecessary suffering of combatants and noncombatants, protect the fundamental rights of those captured, regardless of them being military or civilian, prisoners of war, etc., and finally to help with the peace process. That last part makes the assumption that some day hostilities will end.

And now for the slippery slope... If Palestinians and their Syrian puppet masters wish to equate their kidnappings and executions with legitimate military actions, and if they wish to equate non-uniformed civilians and covert operatives with military personnel, then any Palestinian or Syrian, uniformed or not, is a "legitmate military target" and Israel is completely justified in destroying them.

Perishing from Earth

A recent article describing Sen. McCain's changing positions on a number of issues - gun issues in particular - made me think of something that Sen John Kerry mentioned when running for president.

He was talking about support of a new assault weapons ban and that police chiefs that he had met were asking him for it.

Alberto Gonzales also stated his support for a renewed weapons ban. He shared that his brother was a S.W.A.T. officer in Texas and that he would like one.

I understand that our police officers are citizens and their opinions are valid. What bothers me is that their opinions carry more weight with some politicians than other citizens'. Our country is not a nation of the police, by the police, and for the police.

In general, it bothers me that many politicians think it acceptable and even required to discuss restricting our liberties with select groups. It is especially repugnant given the nature of the legislation.

We have seen the same now with taxing political speech of churches and blogs. Who was consulted before McCain - Feingold passed?

Any time new laws are passed and new regulations are made, we need to ask and have answered in whose interest they are made.

Difficult Question Time

(I originally posted this at the Nation of Riflemen forum.)

Scenario: It is the middle of the night. You have awaken to the dogs barking. You hear your adolescent daughter scream. You dutifully grab your pistol. (Even if you do not have a pistol or daughter, let us say for the sake of the question that you do.) You head to your daughter's room and on the way there encounter an intruder. He realizes that you have a pistol and is very scared. He goes to his knees begging for his life, hands empty, asking you not to kill him. You daughter continues to scream from her room.

Question: What do you do with him?

Political Observation

Why is it that Zarqawi's death is labeled as "neither a Republican nor a Democratic victory" while anything bad that happens in Iraq is the fault of a Republican administration?

It is a typical spin used by politicians to take credit for anything good despite their involvement (or lack thereof) and to blame anything bad that happens on their opponents. The U.S. Democratic party does this all of the time but its effectiveness has long since worn.

Zarqawi Killed on His Own Terms

Does the inability to beat an enemy on the battlefield justify killing the innocent around him?

This was taken from an unnamed news source from the web (which I am sure still violates some sort of copywrite):

"Video from the scene of the attack showed children scrambling over a flattened jumble of cinderblocks, concrete reinforcing bars, blankets, blue plastic bowls and other debris. A pickup truck was scorched and crushed.

Two young members of the crowd held up a child's sandal, a backpack with a teddy bear on it and a stuffed animal. The rubble was across a dirt road from a grove of palm trees."

Zarqawi did not wear a uniform. He could not beat the least American rifleman on a level field. He orchestrated the deaths of thousands and then hid, surrounding himself with the innocent.

The North Vietnamese worked this well. As a propaganda tool, when they were killed they had the media coverage of the deaths of the innocent around them. Al Qaeda gets to enjoy this now. And, make no mistake, they do enjoy it.

For those few times that Zarqawi managed to kill Americans, there were the deaths of the innocent around them. Al Qaeda enjoyed that too.

The alternative to not killing those around him would have been to let him remain free. Taking him alive would likely involve killing those around him. Possibly at an even greater scale.

Fox News' Rick Leventhal has stated that there is no excuse for the murder of unarmed civilians.

I do not know if he would equate the killing of these children to murder. I do not equate killing and murder.

America could not beat Zarqawi on the battlefield because he was never there. He was a coward who killed men, women, and children and then hid behind children. If there were a bunch of children killed in the bombing, then it is tragic. However, it is justified.

Gay Marriage and My Departure

I have to break from the Republican Party for this one.

Currently, the Senate wants to implement a gay marriage ban. The reason for this is obvious: popular support for such a ban has been over-ridden by, in many cases, a single judge on the basis that it is un-Constitutional. In order to prevent judges taking such actions, only an amendment to the Constitution can stop them.

Here is where I get off the bandwagon. It is not the place of any government to dictate whom may be married to whom. The same government that bans gay marriage one year will over turn it 20 years later and then it will never be undone. This would be faulty of being a slippery slope argument were it not for the plethora of examples of past legislation/regulation. I do not believe that marriage is a governmental institution and not subject to the laws of man.

Marriage law should be limited to defining the types of marriage that a government will recognize. A gay marriage ban will likely include "civil union" clauses that give "partners" equal protections as a married couple. In that case, the legislation is worthless. It fails to do anything other than make a symbolic stab.

I would support an amendment stating that the U.S. federal government will only recognize marriage between one man and one woman. All social security survivor benefits, tax law regarding married couples, etc. would be based on that.

There are already treaties with other countries that allow polygamy stating that the U.S. will only recognize the first marriage. Those men and their multiple wives are still technically married.

This is slightly different but the logic still applies.

She Beat Me to It

This is a quote from a report about protestors in Olympia, WA trying to disrupt operations. She and others were apparently pepper sprayed when they, or others by them, were trying to tear down a fence at the ship yards.

"It burned. I couldn't open my eyes for 20 minutes," said Rachel Graham, among those hit. "My face is burning. I dunked my face in water and in Puget Sound."

I was going to tell her to go soak her head.

Haditha and John Murtha

Up until now, I have maintained an extremely low opinion of John Murtha. I do not know what he knows or has been briefed. Perhaps he knows everything about the killing at Haditha. Perhaps he knows the names of the Marines and Iraqis that were killed.

I would like to think that he would not accuse his fellow Marines of murder without being certain beyond a reasonable doubt that they were guilty of it. I would like to think that he, as both a law maker and a retired Marine, would base his accusation only on the results of a trial and use them solely for the governing of our armed forces by due political process.

What I would like and what I see here are vastly different. My experience with military justice has taught me that it is never neglectful, lenient, or timely.

I was one of my previous units' chasers. I escorted a sergeant who had fradulently made a $240 travel claim. His trial took about 3 months from the time of the completion of the investigation. Albeit the investigation probably did not take very long. However he was not on trial for his life and it was not during combat operations. Both conditions demand that only the most careful scrutiny be given to their cases individually.

Since I do not know what John Murtha knows, I cannot say with certainty that he is being quick to judge. Stating that the investigation should have taken a few weeks and then going on to say that as a matter of course, we massacre civilians does not lend credence to the alternative.

Given his view of the war and apparent antipathy toward any military action, it is hard not to slap him with an ad hominem argument and say that he is just using this for his own political gain.

I'm Not One to Complain

I usually do not complain without making some sort of suggestion for improvement or at least a constructive critism. I am not going to this time.

<rant>
Why in the world do smoke alarms always malfunction in the middle of the night! They never go off at 4:00 in the afternoon or even the slightly less convienient time of dinner. It is always at dead-o-clock in morning while everyone is asleep. It is rarely a chirp. It is usually the full blown alarm. Stop. Alarm. Stop. Kids are awake. Alarm. Dogs are barking.

<insert>Howard Dean yell</insert>
</rant>

Difficult Question Time

These are questions that I ask myself that do not necessarily have right or wrong answers. Sometimes they are simply rhetorical; although I'll still answer them. Often we are given two different bad options and have to choose one. For instance, "What if saving your child's life meant having to kill someone else's?"

I usually don't try to be so vauge but that is the gist.

1st Question:

Cindy Sheehan said that this country, the United States, is "not worth dying for." Assume that when she says "this country" she is referring to the political ideologies, the people as a whole, and the land itself. She believes this to be true. If correct, is there anything so sacred that it is worth dying?

Let's Get Unstable

Hugo Chavez has stated that President Bush is a threat to world stability.

If by being "unstable" he means frequent and free elections (none of this 25 years nonsense), an open market, and the right of people to express themselves in ways that may rouse the rabble, then I say, "Let's get unstable!"

If by whatever means he becomes ruler (not "leader" but "ruler") of Venezuela for 25 years, the only recourse that people who oppose him have is a bloody coup. How would that bode with his stability?

"Allowing" Iranian Nuke Program

Before I'd "treat" a country such as Iran like Libya, I'd also require that they formally acknowledge Israel's "right" to exist.

Mr. President / Mr. Bolton, please take note...

The rest of you, "sorry" about the gratuitous quotation marks.

Back

It has been quite a while since I've posted anything. Starting multiple businesses and travelling and family and and and has nicely taken up my time.

I hope to do more writing here in the near future. If my propects are anything to go by, I'll have a bit more leisure time in the near future. If reality is anything to go by, it'll be a long time before I post anything again.