Wednesday 12.08.04
I've always claimed that computers don't make better writers, simply better typists. According to the UK's Register, "Students who use computers frequently at school perform worse than their peers at maths and reading, a study claims. Those using computers several times a week performed 'sizably and statistically significantly worse' than those who used them less often. Thomas Fuchs and Ludger Woessmann of the CESifo economic research organisation in Munich base their conclusions on an analysis of test performance and background data from the 2000 PISA study. This study involved tens of thousands of students in 31 countries, including the UK, organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)."

Saturday 12.04.04
The wire services are reporting, and I quote: "Scott Peterson could be a good influence on fellow prison inmates if jurors spare his life, Peterson's half brother testified Friday in the penalty phase of the trial. 'Scott is a person you want to be around in any circumstances,' Joe Peterson said." Yah, right! Unless. of course, you're his eight-month pregnant wife and unborn child! While I'm at it, here's my spiel on capital punishment.

Friday 12.03.04

Jeff Koterba, Omaha World Herald

Sunday-Friday 11.28.0-12.03.04
On vacation in New York City

Saturday 11.27.04
This is rather odd! Dan Rather, who many believe is stepping down (or standing up) from the CBS News anchor chair due to sloppy investigative reporting, is planning to be a full-time investigative reporter on "60 Minutes." It seems like someone forced to resign over sloppy accounting being given a job as auditor! Rather odd indeed.

Tuesday 11.23.04



$28,000 is a lot of bread for a ten-year-old grilled cheese sandwich. That's what online casino GoldenPalace.com paid on EBay for half a cheese sandwich allegedly bearing the image of the Virgin Mary. Talk about "Wonder Bread"! Here's my perspective on Our Lady of Grilled Cheese

Monday 11.22.04


There must be a better way to commemorate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (November 22, 1963) than allowing video gamers to play the role of alleged assasin Lee Harvey Oswald! After yesterday, when a deranged deer hunter in Wisconsin killed five and injured three more hunters, I'm thoroughly convinced the world has gone completely mad. For evidence, check out my It Takes a Village to Raise an Idiot

Saturday 11.20.04
The write stuff: I was encouraged to learn that I’m not the only “critically acclaimed, commercially ashamed” author. Four out of the five recent National Book Award finalists have sold less than 2,000 copies! And speaking of writing, netscape.com is reporting that Kitty Kelley, muck-raking biographer, is being sued for $5,000,000 for allegedly lifting 219 words from the blog of Alabama freelancer Glyn Wilson. (The passage appears in her The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty.) Five million?! That’s $22,831.05 a word!

Friday 11.19.04
Alexander the Gay? Reuters is reporting that a group of Greek lawyers are threatening to sue Warner Bros film studios and Oliver Stone, director of the widely anticipated film "Alexander," for suggesting Alexander the Great was bisexual. "We have not seen the film but from the information we have already there are references to his alleged homosexuality, a fact that is in no historical document or archive on Alexander," he said. "Either they make it clear that this is a work of fiction or we will take the case further." Stone has never been known for anything but being historically challenged. Hopefully this time the true will win out.

Thursday 11.18.04
Jim Carrey told "60 Minutes" Steve Kroft, "I'm a Buddhist, I'm a Muslim, I'm a Christian. I'm whatever you want me to be...it all comes down to the same thing." He says he believes they are all the same God and it is this conviction and spirituality that make him happy. Sorry, Jim, but there are some major differences.

Monday 11.15.04
Hmmm? It looks like Condoleezza Rice is being groomed for the 2008 presidential campaign. Here she is doing her vice president impersonation:

Thursday 11.11.04
Eric Engberg, a former correspondent for CBS News in Washington, has got it right: "blogging is typing, not journalism." "As the election campaign unfolded, operators of some of the internet’s politics-oriented blogs, no doubt high on the perfume of many 'hits' and their own developing sense of community, envisioned a future when they would diminish then replace the traditional media as the nation’s primary source of political news and commentary. Big plans and big claims are to be expected from folks – pajama-clad or not – who are dabbling with new technology and new modalities of public expression. As a retired mainstream media ('MSM') journalist – and thus a double-dinosaur -- I don’t begrudge these knights of the blog-table their grandiose dreams. But I worked on a school paper when I was a kid and I owned a CB radio when I lived in Texas. And what I saw in the blogosphere on Nov. 2 was more reminiscent of that school paper or a 'Breaker, breaker 19' gabfest on CB than anything approaching journalism."

Wednesday 11.10.04
I've always warned parents that when it comes to sex ed., "It's us or the bus." Here's proof:

Monday 11.08.04
Whew! I recently received some passionate emails concerning a couple of quick comments concerning allegations against Trinity Broadcasting Network's Paul Crouch. Here's a more thoughtful essay on this issue.

Wednesday 11.03.04
Now that the election is over, it will interesting to see if a) The President can get us successfully out of Iraq, b) Republican-led House and Senate can get pro-Constitution rather than pro-Roe v. Wade Supreme Court judges appointed and c) Osama bin Laden will make good on his threat against Pro-Bush states (with three-fourths of the country "red," he has a huge target). All the more reason "to pray for . . . kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity" (1 Timothy 2 NLT).

Monday 11.01.04
If popularity with search engines is any indication of popularity with voters, George Bush is a virtual winner. The President is number 22, John Kerry is number 33 according to Lycos 50. (For perspective, Clay Aiken is number 2, Paris Hilton 4).

Friday 10.29.04
Can someone help me understand why the United States hasn't blown up the Al-Jazeera TV transmission tower?! This afternoon it's scheduled to broadcast an alleged tape by Osama bin Laden threatening the United States. It seems that comes close to a declaration of war--or at the least inciting a riot. And speaking of inciteful (or is that insightful) rhetoric, my friend Keith Drury is at it again: Democrats for Bush!

Thursday 10.28.04
This is a challenging time in our nation’s history. Sure, we have the never-ending Iraq War, terrorist threats, Tuesday's election, flu vaccine shortages, and lip-syncing mass-marketed pop tarts. But I’m talking about something really disturbing. Pulitzer-prize-winning humorist Dave Barry will cease writing his weekly column December 31! [more]

Tuesday 10.26.04
The media would like you to believe the Presidential race too close to call. They've got to keep their Nielson numbers up! While the popular vote is indeed too close to call, World magazine is reporting that the electoral vote--which closes the deal--has Bush ahead of Kerry 300-238. Plus, Weekly Reader's 'election' by 300,000 k-12 graders puts Bush adhead of Kerry 65-33.4 percent. Nader got 1.6 percent. The school newspaper claims to have "a strong track record of accurately predicting the presidential winner since 1956."

Monday 10.25.04
Bruce Tinsley's Mallard Fillmore is absolutely right . . .

10.19.04
Kerry to be ex-communicated from the Catholic Church? Here's what the The New York Times is reporting. And here's the latest from political commentator Jay Leno: "Candidates are using a lot of boxing metaphors. President Bush kept quoting boxer Joe Louis 'You can run but you can’t hide'. John Kerry quoted Mohammed Ali 'Is that all you got?' And today Ralph Nader quoted Mike Tyson 'I’m broke'.”

10.14.04
I'm redesigning my website--again! Actually, I haven't done a complete overhaul in almost a year. I wanted the site to look lighter, less cluttered, and easier to navigate. I hope I succeeded!

09.27.04
My friend Keith Drury has written another thought-provoking (or just plain provoking) editorial: Can a Christian vote Democratic? I think I'm going to write-in Keith for President!

09.23.04
Yikes! Jimmy Swaggart goes homicidal over homosexuals. According to Sojourners magazine, and I quote: Last Sunday Christian evangelist Jimmy Swaggart shared a shocking confession to his congregation during a worship service that is broadcast to a global audience. In the middle of his sermon, Swaggart proclaimed that he would "kill" a man that looked at him with romantic intent. Swaggart's sermon is so outrageous that I want to give you his exact words: "I've never seen a man in my life I wanted to marry." (shouts, applause) "And I'm gonna be blunt and plain, if one ever looks at me like that I'm going to kill him and tell God he died." (laughter, applause)

09.20.04
According to an article in The New York Times on the continuing questions of the authenticity of CBS obtained documents on President Bush's National Guard Service: "CBS News officials have grave doubts about the authenticity of the material, network officials said last night." The article goes on to report, "Mr. Rather and others at the network are said to still believe that the sentiment in the memos accurately reflected Mr. Killian's feelings but that the documents' authenticity was now in grave doubt." So, the memo's content is true even though the memo itself is a fraud?! If these faked memos are the only source for "Mr. Killian's feelings" that's no different than the NYT's Jayson Blair scandal!

09.17.04
My friend Bob Hostetler has the 2004 election dead on: two spoiled-rotten kids whining, "He's picking on me! Make him stop!" "He's not playing fair!" "But you promised!" Bob concludes, "If I weren't so mature myself, I'd stick my tongue out at the whole bunch, take my marbles, and go home. But instead, I'll vote. Because, despite the adolescent behavior on both sides, that is the grown-up thing to do."

09.14.04
I do hope allegations are false that televangelist Paul Crouch had a homosexual affair. Crouch does admit to paying accuser Enoch Lonnie Ford $425,000 to keep quiet in 1998. Like I said, I do hope the allegation is false, but if true, it would explain his outrageously ornate, Liberace-inspired TV set! (Here are some thoughts on handling scandal.)

09.12.04
Longtime Democratic strategist Pat Caddell told Fox News Live if documents critical of the President Bush's National Guard service broadcast by CBS newsman Dan Rather prove to be forged, the presidential race "is over." Caddell went on to say—twice—"It would be the end of the race." Perhaps not the end of the race, but the end of the rather biased newscaster! (The Washington Post has noted several clues that point to forgery.)

09.09.04
Was John Kerry a triple-Purple-Heart war hero or pinko-commie liberal traitor? Was George Bush a dope-smoking draft-dodger who rarely showed up for National Guard duty? Who cares? That was over thirty years ago! I'd suggest a statute of limitations of twenty years for stupid remarks and actions. (At least that would eliminate a lot of embarrassing indiscretions from my permanent file—and probably yours, too.)

09.07.04
Yesterday at the annual Watkins Labor Day picnic, my brother made a good point that under Bush's administration, over one thousand American soldiers and countless Iraqi civilians have been killed. Good point! Everyone is one too many. However, if we're going to vote on the basis of casualties, the "pro-choice" Kerry has never once voted against abortion which takes the life of nearly one million innocent lives every year. So, during the year and a half of Bush's war casualties, one and a half-million innocents have died because of pro-choice candidates like Kerry.

09.05.04
Very convicting article by Bob Rouse called What If Kerry Wins In November! Thanks for the reality check, Bob!

09.04.04
Yikes! Two words of advice for Democratic Senator Zell Miller: rabies shot! I hope his speech doesn't hurt the President's chances for re-elction. A TIME magazine poll, taken before President Bush's speech, puts him a head of Kerry by 11 points: Bush 52; Kerry 41; Nader 3. Bush may not be the brightest bulb on the White House Christmas tree, but he is at least anti-abortion and pro-marriage. Although I disagree with his decision to go to war with Iraq and support of capital punishment, the previous two issues, for me, are deal-makers/breakers.

09.01.04
I'm not crazy about Bush or Kerry, so I'm going to vote on the basis of who would make the best first lady. And after last night's speech to the RNC by Laura Bush, there's no question! She's classy, dignified and never once said, "Shove it!" Teresa would be, to use one of her favorite phrases, "four years of hell."

08.30.04
If you're still "undecided" at this point in the U.S. Presidential campaign, you haven't been paying attention!

08.24.04
In life it's so important to aim at the right goal. Just ask U.S. Olympic shooter Matt Emmons who already had one gold medal in the games. Emmons had to simply hit the target to take gold in Sunday's competition. Instead, he shot at the target in Lane 3 from Lane 2. He shot the wrong target! And dropped to eighth place.

08.23.04
A good point from Mackubin Thomas Owens in National Review: "If [John Kerry] believes his 1971 indictment of his country and his fellow veterans was true, then he couldn't possibly be proud of his Vietnam service. Who can be proud of committing war crimes of the sort that Kerry recounted in his 1971 testimony? But if he is proud of his service today, perhaps it is because he always knew that his indictment in 1971 was a piece of political theater that he, an aspiring politician, exploited merely as a 'good issue.' If the latter is true, he should apologize to every veteran of that war for slandering them to advance his political fortunes."

08.22.04
The bumper stricker wars go thermonuclear! (Incidentally, I'm seeing more cars supporting Bush than Kerry, but with this administration's association with oil, that's not surprising.) Below, Kerry supporters on the left, Bush supporters on the right.

• Alienating Allies since 2000 • Asses of Evil • Compassionate Colonialism • Don't think. Vote Bush! • Frodo Failed - Bush Has The Ring! • I'm like Jesus, only violent • Leave No Billionaire Behind • Over a Billion Whoppers Served • We Can Detain You, You Know

• 57 Varieties... of Bullcrap! • A Strong Leader for the 20th Century • Flush all Johns in November • John Kerry: Al Gore But Without The Charisma • John Kerry for President of France • Ketchup Boy • "Let's Roll" over Kerry • More Positions than Paris Hilton • There are some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Teresa

08.18.04
John Kerry and Michael "Unfair-enheit 9/11" Moore have been attacking the President for continuing to read My Pet Goat to an elementary school class for seven minutes after being told America was under attack on 9/11. However, on a July 8 "Larry King Live," John Kerry admits he and senators Tom Daschle and Barbara Boxer "sat frozen [and] realized nobody could think" from the time the second plane hit the World Trade Center (9:03 am) until the Pentagon was attacked (9:37 am). The wannabe President and Senate minority leader did nothing for 34 minutes! Sounds like Bush beat them by 27 minutes.

08.17.04
In the new GQ, John Kerry—self-proclaimed expert on all things—offers this advice on what to look for in a woman: "Look for what gets your heart. Someone who excites you, turns you on. ... It's a woman who loves being a woman. Who wears her womanhood. Who knows how to flirt and have fun. Smart. Confident. ... And obviously sexy and saucy and challenging." And of course, loaded!

08.07.04
We report . . . you shake your head in disbelief: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we," President George W. Bush (August 5, 2004).

08.03.04
All this "detailed" information concerning terrorist targets on the eastcoast is making me nervous. Is it simply masterful misdirection to cover preparation for an actual attack on Indiana?

08.02.04
According to The Drudge Report, "A domestic centerpiece of the Bush/GOP agenda for a second Bush term is getting rid of the Internal Revenue Service, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. The Speaker of the House will push for replacing the nation's current tax system with a national sales tax or a value added tax, Hill sources tell DRUDGE." Hey, I proposed that very idea during my 2000 presidential campaign!

08.01.04
Is it just me, or did all the speeches at the Democratic National Convention sound like freshmen running for high school Student Council? Long on idealism; short on realism! [more]

07.31.04



John Kerry reports for duty? President Bush assigns Dem to first man to Mars mission? Kerry's swift boat comrades think he's a space case?

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