On the Bush Mosaic

A few short days ago the United States reached the fifth anniversary of its military involvement in Iraq. Yesterday — Easter Sunday, for those of the Christian inclination — another milestone was passed. The four thousandth American soldier fell in Iraq. An artist has commemorated that dubious milestone with a photomosaic of President Bush andContinue reading “On the Bush Mosaic”

On the Tibetan Protests

In a TrekBBS thread on Arthur C. Clarke, I wrote the following: Someday. I loved the film [of 2010], even if it cut out my favorite sequence in the book — the Tsien on Europa. That’s something I loved about Clarke’s work. His near-future science fiction had a cosmopolitan feel to it. That the UnitedContinue reading “On the Tibetan Protests”

On the Five Year Anniversary

Five years ago today the United States invaded Iraq. In that time, four thousand American soldiers have died. In that time, countless Iraqis have died. Some of the casualty estimates I’ve seen are appalling. Despite a speech proclaiming that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended” six weeks after the start of the war, thereContinue reading “On the Five Year Anniversary”

On Securing the Atheist Vote

Are there any Presidential candidates who will campaign for the atheist vote? It’s a question that needs to be asked. Presidential candidates pander to the religious vote. John McCain called Washington, DC, “the city of Satan” yesterday at a campaign stop, explaining that it’s difficult to get “the Lord’s work” done there. “The Lord’s work”?Continue reading “On Securing the Atheist Vote”

On My Grandmother and Politics

Years ago I hated having any sort of political discussion with my grandmother. I won’t say that I was then the raving progressive that I am today; over the past decade my politics have moved steadily — and progressively — to the left. It’s not a reaction to the Bush Crime Syndicate, per se, butContinue reading “On My Grandmother and Politics”

On Pre-Primary Thoughts

Maryland votes today. In what some might consider an ironic turn, I received yesterday my official John Edwards ’08 t-shirt. (The magnetic bumper sticker? Still on back-order.) The order was placed, a donation made, and then… Edwards suspended his campaign. Edwards is still on the ballot here in Maryland. At least, according to the state’sContinue reading “On Pre-Primary Thoughts”

On John Edwards’ Departure From the Presidential Race

Former Senator John Edwards bowed out of the race for the Democratic nomination for President yesterday. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to long-time readers that I’ve been a supporter of Edwards for a number of years. Over five years ago, on this very website, I described Edwards as “the shining hope of the DemocraticContinue reading “On John Edwards’ Departure From the Presidential Race”

On Politics and Change

In 1987 Peter Parker married his long-time, on-again/off-again girlfriend Mary Jane Watson. As with many young married couples their life was not without its share of struggles — Peter had a side-career as a costumed superhero, Peter had a serious health scare (and discovered he might have been a clone of the original Peter), MJContinue reading “On Politics and Change”

On the President, Out of Touch With Reality

Commander Guy has a hard-on for an attack on Iran. First, despite a multitude of reports that the reported threats by Iranian speedboats in the Straits of Hormuz were the work of a prankster, the President attempted to suggest a causus belli for… something. And second, despite the National Intelligence Estimate that stated that IranContinue reading “On the President, Out of Touch With Reality”

On Bill Kristol

For New Years the New York Times made a resolution to add Bill Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard, to their editorial pages. Kristol’s career as a Republican thinker is well-known. He was Dan Quayle’s Chief of Staff. He argued strongly that the Clinton health care proposals had to be defeated completely, not compromised upon,Continue reading “On Bill Kristol”