The big secret is that America has no real military threats, there's not a nation on the face of the earth that would attempt a geniune military invasion of continental America.

Our two moats are the main reason. Thousands of nuclear bombs is the next. And the next reason is radar, something that didn't exist the last time we were invaded in 1812.

"Terrorist" attacks aren't a real military threat. Police work is what that threat requires, not long range military projection.

We would be well defended with 2 carrier groups patrolling our coasts and 100 nuclear bombs. We could do this with 1/10 our current budget.

See, Defense starts with a "D." But War starts with a "W," and we've had 8 years of W now. Let's try the D and see if anyone tries to invade. I doubt anyone will.

the only morally respectable way to kill someone is to use your hands while looking the victim in the eyes. All other methods are cowardly and beneath respect. O

To push a button that will kill someone on the other side of the world is so morally repugnant that the only way to describe it is evil.

Lessig would be a smart senator with the right ethics. Are we so obsessed with popularity that we can't even advocate good people for political office?

He may not win, that doesn't mean he shouldn't run or that we shouldn't support his running.

It's pretty cheering that this ridiculous "plagerism" charge seems to be the worst thing anyone can dredge up about Obama.

He may just be the best man after all.

also applies to Gore not running this year.

The Internet is damn dangerous. People of all kinds can connect, communicate, plan and plot all kinds of things, from surprise birthday parties to terrorism.

That's the way freedom goes, if you want it yourself, you have to give it to those you may not like.

Of course, the real danger of the Internet is to those who fear the regular people. They will be working hard to convince us that the Internet must be regulated, monitored and gated. Expect a ceaseless barrage of nonsensical scare stories, followed by serious legislative proposals to restrict this dangerous freedom of speech.

No conspiracies are needed. Rich and powerful people just hate it when the little people get uppity. And the most uppity voices are on the web.

Having evangelical preachers in my family, I've met many, many born-again Christians. They're all very nice-to-a-fault, but the vast majority have some underlying anger, sadness, or hatred swirling under the sunny surface, which pops up under stress and when they're not putting on the Happy-Jesus face for the public.

I feel pity for most evangelical Christians. They think they've "found it," but to me they seem quite lost. This brand of religion is shallow and tacky, inadequately soothing a desperation of spirit that's impossible to conceal.

If not for teenage sex, none of us would be here today.

Think about that before judging these people as "sick."

McCain *was* shot down and captured, but the rest of the story is not established. We don't really know if and how he was tortured, what he did or didn't tell his captors. There are other "Hanoi Hilton" prisoners who have some very uncomplimentary things to say about McCain's "heroic resistance."

On top of that, I don't consider dropping bombs to require anything like the kind of courage a ground soldier needs.

And then there's the usually ignored point that dropping bombs on civilians isn't heroic, but evil.

Let's leave the phrase "War Hero" to those who put their lives on the line to save their comrades, or who actually do something heroic. At the most, John McCain was stubborn enough to do what any decent soldier would do, not tell the enemy our secrets.

For the record, the Hindenberg flew quite nicely, it was the most stable and powerful airship ever built.

Except for that blowing up business.

Go, Obama!

Do you really believe that George Bush actually asked the Saudis to lower oil prices? That was just a little show for Republican rubes!

The oil companies make *more* money when the price of crude rises. It's not as if they're some sort of middleman, much as they would like us to think of them that way.

There's no reason whatsoever for President Oil-Man to want crude prices to drop.

Not all strongmen tyrants are sadistic madmen, and life under Saddam couldn't have been a 1984 scenario or they wouldn't have had such a well developed higher education system and such a modern society.

We're devoted to our Sunday School notions of "democracy," but our democracy is actually an oligarchical republic. No nation on earth has a true democracy. And then who do we elect? A tinpot strongman who bullies us and other nations.

Our "good friends" the Saudis are at least as sadistic to their people as Saddam was to his, but without the hysterical press coverage we just assume they must be alright.

Truths in other parts of the world are heresies here in America.

Put 2 and 2 together; the Justice Department targeting Democrats for fairly trivial and business-as-usual minor corruption, while letting major Republican corruption go uninvestigated and unpunished.

Democrats must now be as pure as snow, while Republicans can rob a bank and skate free.

"Bill Clinton certainly is in the same wealth and power bracket as Murdoch."

Clinton's worth maybe 20 million, Murdoch around 6 billion.

That's a 300 to 1 ratio.

"You seem to be misunderstanding both wealth and power."

O.K., let's check out this sophisticated knowledge.

"First of all, most of Murdoch's wealth isn't cash he can spend."

Whew, that's really sophisticated. So rich people's wealth only matters if they turn it into cash and go out and buy things?

Sorry Healthy, you're wrong on this. Clinton isn't even close to Murdoch in the big money power game. Not even close.