Posted by: roggowj at 08:29 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Dennis Kucinich introduced H.R. 808 last year.

If you're too lazy to click the link, this bill would establish the Department of Peace and Nonviolence, complete with a cabinet level Secretary of Peace and Nonviolence.

The purpose of the department would be to promote and research peaceful and non-violent solutions, conflict resolution, peace,  and non-violence. 

It also has a duty to teach peace and non-violence as part of the public education curriculum, and to promote peace and non-violence to the public at large.

We all want peace and non-violence because you can't hug puppies with nuclear arms.
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Posted by: roggowj at 02:09 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I was a tad disenchanted when McCain won the Republican nomination.  Fred! and Romney were atop my list of nominees, followed by McCain, then Giuliani.  Fucking Huckabee is nearly as big a joke as Ron Paul.

Anyhow, I think McCain may have been the best possible selection for this particular cycle.  Obama alienated a big portion of the Democratic party, and they are now agitating for McPalin.  These PUMAs would likely be far less active on behalf of Fred!, and tepid for Romney.  McCain's reputation appeals to moderate Democrats, and they're much more willing to fight for his election than they would be to fight for a more staunch conservative.

I said some time ago that Obama would be the easier candidate to beat, and I still think that's true.  I doubt anybody thought the GOP would have an easy time this election, but had Hillary won the Democratic primary, we would be seeing a real runaway rather than this see-saw, smoke and mirrors election we're seeing now.

Posted by: roggowj at 08:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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This is Crystal, the doggy.  She demands your unwavering attention.

Posted by: roggowj at 02:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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In ancient Greece, specifically Thebes, there was a military unit called the Sacred Band.  150 pairs of queers formed the unit and it was one of the most formidable hoplite units in Greece.

In fact, the Sacred Band defeated the Spartans, and guaranteed that Thebes would remain independent. Phillip of Macedon defeated them, but legend has it they stood and fought to the bitter end, with every one of the 300 men dying on the battlefield.

Hoplites looked something like this:



I suspect that Frank Herbert may have read Plato and Plutarch, because a variation of the Sacred Band was used in his book "God, Emperor of Dune."

Emperor Leto's army was composed entirely of women who would form relationships with one another rather than take out their sexual frustrations by pillaging and raping civilians (men are barbarians, doncha know).

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Posted by: roggowj at 05:27 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I just watched the debate, and was distinctly underwhelmed.  Nobody offered a single body blow.

That being said, I think McCain sort of won.

Obama was articulate and compelling as an orator.  McCain was affable, and kindly, maybe even a bit diffident.  Neither of them charged to the fore.

I suspect and hope that this is a bit of strategy on McCain's part.  Tonight, he showed that Obama is a bit of a boob.

Obama prepared for McCain to come out swinging and was ready to defend and attack.  McCain was pleasant, and mostly avoided direct attacks on Obama.  Obama was baffled, and went on the defense even when McCain didn't bother to attack.

One of the rules of warfare is to make a noise in the east and attack from the west.  Obama seemed focused on the east.  If he was prepared to attack he never did.  He was focused and prepared to defend against something which never happened.  And that's why he was shown to be a boob.

Obama is focused, to the point of being single-minded.  He wants to be president, but hasn't a clue as to what the job entails.

I think McCain has a plan.  I don't think this oatmeal debate is cause for panic.  McCain said the gloves are off, and he wasn't lying.  However, everybody assumed that meant he would take every opportunity to smack Obama.  That would be stupid given the 24/7 news cycle, and the short attention span of the average American.

McCain is gambling again.  Nobody won the debate.  I doubt McCain thinks it was a battle worth winning.  He will take the fight elsewhere.  Afterall, another rule of warfare is to pick the battlefield.  McCain will bash Obama on the campaign trail.  He intends to seize the initiative and drive the debate in a venue where Obama will necessarily have to take time to formalize a response and fight back.  So long as he can keep Obama in defensive mode, he will have an advantage.

I would provide a link, but I don't remember where I found the quote (paraphrase, really), but if McCain is smarter than I, what would he do?  McCain is a successful politician and decorated military hero.  He might make mistakes, but fighting a battle to a draw isn't one he would make without having a greater goal in mind.

I guess the question is; can his tactics keep up with his strategy?

Posted by: roggowj at 08:37 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I watched the VP debate tonight.  It was quite good.  There were some predictable bits and some not so predictable.

Gov. Palin started out a little rocky.  She definitely got her bearings though.  The uncertainty passed.  Sen. Biden clearly struggled to school himself and not be a total prick.  He succeeded.

Palin is so fucking charming it's ridiculous.  Biden is also charismatic but damn.  No contest.  Palin won the cuteness factor.  I don't know if that's a good thing.

Substantively?  Obviously, I'm conservative so I think the McCain/Palin ticket is the winner.  I do think it's pretty impressive that after six odd weeks, Palin managed to hold her own against a 30 year veteran of the Senate.  I think she managed to maintain the narrative if not control it.  I think she demonstrated a firm grasp of the issues and that she can be critical and thoughtful about decision making.  Palin pointed out many of her accomplishments as governor and mayor while Biden named a handful of bills he has sponsored and a three-decade political career.

I think this was probably a draw leaning to Palin.

Posted by: roggowj at 07:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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