A Productive Day

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I may not have mentioned it, but I declared war on France. Me, myself, all by my lonesome, but it’s going rather well, if today is any indicator.

Now, before I go into what happened today, I want to go over a few points of importance about individuals going to war against nations. Generally, this is a very bad idea, if only because of the numbers. Also, most governments serve at least a few valuable services, which the war would harm. And in other cases, there is no value or purpose to be accomplished by warring against the nation. Fortunately, with the selection of France as your adversary, none of these is a problem. There are other such nations, but France is uniquely suitable for personal warfare, with the perfect blend of history, arrogance, and cowardice.

One day, I sent a diplomatic note to the French Embassy, out of pique at one of their daily crimes against Reason. I made sure to write in Pig-Latin. After all, the French don’t seem to understand English, I am not about to write in French, and Pig-Latin has a long and colorful history. As I expected, the French ignored my note.

A week later, I followed up with another note, also in Pig-Latin, but this time I dropped the envelope in a toilet before sending it off, which fooled the front desk into thinking it was European in origin. I demanded to know why the first letter had been ignored, threatening tariffs and to exclude the Ambassador from the spring dinner parties. Accordingly, the French responded with wine, cheese, and knighthood in the Croix d’Guerre.

I knew better than to eat or drink anything from France, so the next week I sent an ultimatum. This time, my outraged piggy asked why the French had not addressed the critical issue of acceptable coffee and beef in their restaurants. The French invited me to a Summit, and gave me majority ownership of several five-star restaurants, which I sold to Jack-In-The-Box.

Today, the French responded in outrage. I think it was the “Frog Burger Special” and the “Jacques Souffle” I ran over the weekend. Anyway, I received a demand from the French Ambassador to see him at the Embassy. Instead, I had a friend inform the Ambassador that this would not be a good time.

“And why is that?” demanded the striped-pants pansy.

“He’s consolidating the takeover of Reins, Lyon, and Orleans. He owns them now, didn’t you know?” replied my bud.

So, to make a long story short, we negotiated the sale of those cities back to France.

Next week, I’m taking over Paris.

The Schiavo Post-Mortem

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The University of Miami has released some interesting court papers related to the Terri Schiavo murder, although they are difficult to find, and even more difficult to sort out. The three papers are pdf files, and can be found at the following addresses:

http://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/DCF%20Abuse%20Investigations%20part%201.pdf

http://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/DCF%20Abuse%20Investigations%20part%202.pdf

http://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/DCF%20Abuse%20Investigations%20part%203.pdf


If you click on these links, however, what may happen is you will given a “404 Error” screen, telling you the documents cannot be found, and offering a search screen. If you search “Schiavo DCF Abuse” on the U-Miami screen, however, these documents will then be presented and available. I don’t know why the link works that way, but it did for me.

Anyone looking for proof to support either the validity or criminality of anyone in the case will be disappointed, as these documents do not provide anything a court would accept as proof. However, the 45 pages in the report do illuminate the debate, and present interesting points of reference, and some confirmation of essential facts in the background of the case. The context presented by these facts is chilling.

Here are the essentials:

BASELESS CLAIMS
1. Michael Schiavo accused the Schindlers of exploiting Terri, by making a video of her at the hospice for the purpose of selling it at $100 per copy. Investigation revealed there were four videos, there made in the normal process of doctors’ evaluations (brought by the Schindlers, not by the hospice of Michael Schiavo, who have produced no public records from any evaluations by medical doctors on their contentions) , and a video extracted from old film. The videos were available for free, although the Schindlers accepted donations to provide a legal defense for Terri.
2. The Schindlers accused Michael Schiavo of causing bone fractures. Examination by doctors revealed the fractures were consistent with compression fractures caused by degenerative bone loss from long periods without exercise.

UNRESOLVED CLAIMS
1. The Schindlers accused Michael of withholding food and/or water, even when the feeding tube was in place. The hospice has claimed they investigated, but did not categorically confirm or deny the allegations
2. The Schindlers claimed that on five separate occasions, Michael visited Terri and demanded he be left alone with her, after which time Terri was sick, which the Schindlers claim was caused by something Michael did. The hospice never addressed this specific 2003 allegation.
3. A nurse from the hospice has claimed that Michael Schiavo repeatedly demanded to know “Is the b---h ever going to die?” and similar statements. The hospice stated there was no support for these claims, but did not formally interview the relevant staff or ask for corroborating evidence from any source.
4. The Schindlers claimed that Terri was, in fact, responsive to her surroundings. The hospice denied this claim, but admitted that she did open and close her eyes, move at times, and made sounds.


SUPPORTED CLAIMS
1. The Schindlers claimed that Michael Schiavo was not paying for Terri’s care. The hospice did not directly address the question of whether Terri’s bills were being paid (claiming the financial matters were being handled by courts), but on several occasions confirmed that Michael Schiavo was not responsible for payments to the hospice.
2. The Schindlers claim that Terri lost teeth on at least two occasions, due to neglect. The hospice denied any neglect, but admitted several teeth were “darkened”, and admitted the tooth loss on two occasions.
3. The Schindlers claimed Terri had an untreated yeast infection, and that Terri had not had a GYN exam while at the hospice. The hospice did not respond to the yeast infection allegation, but admitted that Terri Schiavo never had a GYN exam while at the hospice.
4. The Schindlers claimed Michael Schiavo controlled access to Terri, and restricted or prohibited family visits. The hospice admitted this was correct.
5. The Schindlers claimed that Michael Schiavo had demanded that Terri not be given antibiotics for infections. The hospice did not address the question of whether thy had denied Terri antibiotics, but admitted that on 2 previous occasions at other hospices, Michael had demanded antibiotics not be given to Terri, and had been told that antibiotics would be administered in treatment of infection, and if he did not like it, he could move Terri to another hospice, which is what happened.
6. The Schindlers claimed Terri had bed sores from neglect. The hospice denied neglect, but admitted treating Terri for “stage two” bed sores.
7. The Schindlers claimed someone had injected Terri with an unknown substance. The hospice confirmed what appeared to be puncture marks on Terri’s arm, along with scratches on the other arm, and found a purple “needle cap” in the room which was not from the hospice. Strangely, the hospice interviewed Mrs. Schindler about the cap, but did not interview Michael Schiavo about the cap, although nurse reports indicate he was the last person alone with Terri before the puncture marks and needle cap were found.


STRANGE EVIDENCE
1. The hospice repeatedly claimed that Terri Schiavo was unable to feel pain, but admitted that on each occasion where the feeding tube was removed, “morphine, ativan, tylenol, and compazine” were all administered, which is only done to alleviate pain and suffering
2. The hospice noted that Michael Schiavo’s stated assets were $29,000 in October 1992, $139,000 in April 1996, and $776,000 in July 2002, after which time his financial assets were sealed by Judge Greer.
3. There were nine reports of “Collateral Communication” made as part of hospice investigations into allegations. Only two allegations, the exploitation claim made by Michael against the Schindlers and the police involvement in the unexplained injections, received any sort of follow-up or witness corroboration. In seven of nine cases, the hospice made no attempt to verify claims or obtain witness statements.


The details of relevant documents are noted here, in chronological order. Decide for yourself:

Page; Description; Details; Date (Y.MM.DD)

3.11 Abuse Report Hospice does not want to feed Mrs. Schiavo 1.04.25

3.11 Supplemental Information Report Tube feeding discontinued, hospice will not explain 1.04.26

3.12 Collateral Contacts No actions taken 04/26/2001 to 05/25/2001 1.05.25

3.13 Investigative Decision Summary Hospice admits it refused to attempt oral feeding. Hospice admits Terri opens her eyes and makes sounds, Hospice confirms Michael Schiavo controls Visitor List and took brother and sister off that list permanently 1.05.25

3.11 Additional Investigation Report Husband restricting family visits, denying antibiotic treatment 1.06.07

3.08 Abuse Report husband not spending any money on care 1.08.17

3.09 Collateral Contacts 3 followups, 1 with Social Services and 2 with staff 1.08.22

3.09 Investigative Decision Summary No indications, hospice notes payment issues are being handled by the court, no details cited, except to note the order to remove the feeding tube stayed until October 2001 1.08.22

3.05 Abuse Report 2 teeth are black from neglect. No GYN exam in years 1.11.07

3.06 Collateral Contacts No actions taken 11/07/2001 to 1/2/2002 2.01.02

3.06 Investigative Decision Summary Hospice admits Terry "reacts to external stimuli on a limited basis" Hospice concedes teeth are black, suggests silver filling is cause but claims "there are no indications that she needs dental work". 2.01.03

3.07 Investigative Decision Summary hospice confirms "filling may have fallen out" from teeth, but claims "it is not likely that she will suffer extensive tooth decay". Hospice admits there was an "abnormal discharge", but no GYN exam was performed. Hospice dismisses all other allegations as rising from "other issues relating to the guardian during the course of the investigation but they are the subject of court proceedings", admitting "these issues have not been investigated" 2.01.04

3.02 Allegation Detail Schiavo responsive, but lack of PT preventing improvement 3.08.19

3.02 Allegation Detail Husband denying antibiotics for infection, also denying fluids 3.08.19

3.03 Allegation Detail garbled, text unclear 3.08.20

3.03 Allegation Detail Theresa has penumonia, kidney stones, sebesis, hospice not treating for any of these conditions 3.08.29

3.03 Collateral Contacts 9 followups, no individuals identified 3.09.29

3.04 Investigative Decision Summary No evidence or information found, hospice admits Theresa making "grunting" sounds, eyes open at times closed at others, investigator cites lawyer for Michael and for hospice, but no medical doctors or nurses, although non-specific reference to "medical reports from the agency" are written. 3.10.08

2.05 Abuse Report Husband has forbidden anyone to feed Ms. Schiavo, accusation that Michael injected Ms. Schiavo with Insulin, claim that nurse heard Michael asked "Is the bitch ever going to die?" and "When will the bitch die because I will be rich?". Complaint 10/14/2003 3.10.14

2.12 Collateral Contacts No action taken, 10/14/2003 to 12/09/2003 3.10.14

2.05 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.14

2.05 Supplemental Information Report "Supplemental report. No new information" 3.10.14

2.05 Supplemental Information Report Supplement. Same complaint 3.10.14

2.05 Supplemental Information Report Rehabilitative care concern. 3.10.14

2.05 Supplemental Information Report Claim that husband intends to have feeding tube removed. 3.10.14

2.05 Supplemental Information Report garbled, same complaint but portion unreadable because of document smudge 3.10.14

2.06 Supplemental Information Report Michael accused of refusing to allow his wife antibiotics. 3.10.14

2.06 Supplemental Information Report Claim repeated that Michael wants Terri dead, new fiance and child noted 3.10.14

2.06 Supplemental Information Report "Supplemental report. No new information" 3.10.14

2.06 Supplemental Information Report "Supplemental report. Same allegations" 3.10.14

2.06 Supplemental Information Report Parental visits prevented., Michael also attempting to have feeding tube removed. 3.10.14

2.06 Supplemental Information Report Feeding tube alleged to be removed, and/or moved to another hospital. Michael's intention to marry another woman commented 3.10.15

2.06 Supplemental Information Report Feeding tube alleged to be removed, remaining text garbled 3.10.15

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.15

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.15

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.15

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.15

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.15

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Feeding tube removed, family outraged 3.10.16

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.16

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.16

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.16

2.07 Supplemental Information Report Text garbled 3.10.17

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.17

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.17

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.17

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.17

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.19

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Terri Schiavo assigned 'AKA', no details 3.10.21

2.08 Supplemental Information Report 6th day without food or water 3.10.21

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.10.21

2.17 Abuse Report "She is becoming dehydrated because no one is allowed to wet her mouth with a wet cloth" 3.10.24

2.08 Supplemental Information Report No rehabilitation treatment of any kind since 1998' claimed 3.10.24

2.08 Supplemental Information Report Visit by a priest denied by Mr. Schiavo
3.10.28

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Feeding tube reinserted Oct 22, husband angry 3.11.01

2.09 Supplemental Information Report No new information 3.11.01

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Michael restricts visits, prohibits family, demanded 'DNR' order be placed on Terri's chart. Alleged to have opposed treating Terri for an infection. 3.11.01

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Alleged Michael injected Terri with Insulin 3.11.02

2.16 Abuse Report Parents allege that "five times after he [Michael] was in her room, he had the other staff members leave. Terry would get sick after he leave [sic] the room. It is believed that Terry's [sic] husband did something to cause her sickness. 3.11.03

2.16 Abuse Report "She has not received any dental treatment for the past 3 years" 3.11.03

2.17 Abuse Report "Mr. Schiavo has refused to treat Theresa's yeast infection" 3.11.03

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.11.03

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Parents complain Ms. Schiavo's treatment is "fourteen to sixteen violations of Florida Statute regarding adults" 3.11.03

2.16 Abuse Report Off feeding tube for 48 hours+ 3.11.04

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Parents claim mention of "hand prints around her neck" 3.11.04

2.09 Supplemental Information Report Parents claim rehabilitation can improve medical treatment 3.11.04

2.10 Supplemental Information Report SSDI payments also going to Michael Schiavo 3.11.04

2.10 Supplemental Information Report Ms. Schiavo has been taken off food and water twice 3.11.05

2.10 Supplemental Information Report Hospice charges not paid by Schiavo, untreated urinary tract infection, bone scan indicates back problem, Schiavo refused treatment 3.11.05

2.10 Supplemental Information Report Hospice charges unpaid 3.11.05

2.10 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.11.08

2.10 Supplemental Information Report Parents claim Michael Schiavo received $2 million from malpractice suit, but spent money only on lawyer to demand feeding tube be removed 3.11.12

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Move to Hospice was w/o Court knmowledge or approval 3.11.14

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Family prevented from visiting 3.11.17

2.16 Abuse Report No PT 3.11.18

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.11.19

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 3.11.20

2.01 Call History Abuse Report plus Supplemental Information Report, by Mr/Mrs Schindler 12/10/2003, update 01/02/2004 3.12.10

2.02 Collateral Contacts No Action 12/10/2003 - 01/02/2004 3.12.10

2.18 Collateral Contacts No action taken, 10/24/2003 to 12/10/2003 3.12.10

2.14 Contact Followup Summary shows for six major complaints, 2 contacts were made, no personal interviews or witness testimony of any kind, 12/10/2003 3.12.10

2.12 Investigative Decision Summary Financial Exploitation by husband alleged by parents, 3.12.11

2.13 Investigative Decision Summary Bone Scan reveals "Heterotrophic Ossification", degenerative bone loss, not uncommon for condition, no indication of abuse or trauma. Claims against spouse statements could not be verified, no witnesses, Dr. Gambone "stated that a routine dental exam and xrays would cause major distress to Mrs. Schiavo and would require extraordinary measures such as
sedation" 3.12.11

2.13 Investigative Decision Summary Dr. Gambone admits there have been no GYN exams at hospice 3.12.11

2.13 Investigative Decision Summary Hospice admits there were two incidents of Michael requesting no antibiotics be given to Ms. Schiavo in 1993 and 1996, implies that reason for move to Woodside was because Sabal Palms and Palm Gardens refused to deny medication. Report cites that in 1996, antibiotics were being given for an infection, that Michael demanded they stop treatment of the infect. The report then states "the facility refused to stop after the spouse requested it, and if he did not agree he could relocate the patient", which is what happened. 3.12.11

2.13 Investigative Decision Summary Hospice admits no evaluation for possible PT since 1998 3.12.11

2.13 Investigative Decision Summary Report notes that Michael Schiavo had stated assets of $29,000 in Oct 1992, $139,000 in Apr 1996, $776,254.69 in Jul 2002 after which the information was sealed by Judge Greer 3.12.11

2.19 Abuse Report Hospice report acknowledges feeding tube removal order signed by Greer on 2/11/2000, which establishes context for all future hospice decisions. Confirms additional orders by Greer on 9/17/2003, orders wriiten by Doctor Gambone on 10/15/2003 Hospice admits administering "morphine, ativan, tylenol, and compazine" when the feeding tube was removed. Governor Bush ordered Schiavo's tube reinserted on 10/21/2003, patient moved to Morton Plant hospital, indicating hospice was not willing to perform the reinsertion. Hospice confirms that Michael Schiavo controlled visitor access, and had prevented the family from visiting on "occasions". Hospice admits Schiavo has "round the clock police protection", both at her room and at the entrance to the facility. 3.12.12

3.01 Abuse Report Findings denied any evidence of abuse. 3.12.12

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 4.01.02

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 4.01.02

2.11 Supplemental Information Report Complaint repeated, no new information 4.01.02

2.02 Investigative Decision Summary Parents complained Ms. Schiavo has untreated infection, response by hospice based completely on Michael Schiavo's claim that there is no infection. 4.01.27

1.09 Allegation Detail Tooth missing, no explanation by staff. No PT, no social stimulation 03/27/2004 4.03.27

1.10 Allegation Detail Bed sore, security guard observing parents when they visit, no bathing complaint 03/27/2004 4.03.27

1.10 Allegation Detail Debubitus ulcer on buttocks, no PT, parents denied access 03/27/2004 4.03.27

1.10 Allegation Detail Bedsores on buttocks, no bathing, insufficient food and water complaint 03/27/2004 4.03.27

1.09 Call History 12 calls, Abuse Report plus 5 Additional Information Reports and 6 Supplemental Information Reports, dates range from 03/27/2004 to 04/20/2004 4.03.27

1.09 Allegation Detail Bed Sore, no bathing complaint 03/28/2004 4.03.28

1.10 Allegation Detail Missing a tooth, no explanation, in room 24 hrs/day, unexplained vomiting, ulcer on buttocks 03/29/2004 4.03.29

1.10 Allegation Detail Red marks, appear to be puncture wounds on arm, appear to be needle marks, needle cap found not related to facility complaint 03/30/2004 4.03.30

1.10 Allegation Detail Unexplained puncture marks on arm, complaint 03/30/2004 4.03.30

1.10 Allegation Detail Second tooth lost, untreated bed sores, unexplained needle marks on arm complaint 03/30/2004 4.03.30

1.11 Allegation Detail Complaint about general lack of care 04/02/2004 4.04.02

1.06 Call History Abuse Reported to Hospice 4/02/04 by Michael Schiavo 4.04.02

1.05 Prior Report History no details 4.04.02

1.11 Allegation Detail Ms. Schiavo "being killed by a lack of correct justice" 04/03/2004 4.04.03

1.11 Allegation Detail Unexplained facial injury, no explanation 04/03/2004 4.04.03

1.12 Collateral Contacts No action taken 05/11/2004 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 Seven prior cases of alleged maltreatment, including claims of inadequate food, ,edical neglect, physical injury, asphyxiation/suffocation/drowning, bone fracture, inappropriate/excessive isolation, mental and/or physiological injury, confinement, bizarre punishment, malnutrition/dehydration, exploitation; concurrent exploitation claim against parents under investigation 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 Stage Two decubitus ulcer confirmed 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 New bed purchased (tacit admission of neglect) 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 Small red dots on upper left arm, outer aspect confirmed 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 scratches to right forearm, inner aspect confirmed 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 new bed raises head when feeding tube in place (tacit admission former bed left patient flat) 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 Purple needle cap confirmed, no explanation, police contacted 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 Police contacted regarding needle marks and arm scratches 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 CNA Reported feeding tube "pulled tight across and down her side" no explanation 4.05.11

1.12 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 "Crimes against Persons" unit assigned by police to investigate 4.05.11

1.13 Investigation Completed 05/11/2004 Police interviewed mother, because she had a purse when she visited Schiavo. However, mother was never alone with Schiavo. Michael, who is left alone with Ms. Schiavo, and who controls the Approved Visitor list, was not interviewed by police on this matter. 4.05.11

1.08 Abuse Report Discovered video was free, contributions accepted. Vidoe is 4 minutes, and is excerpted from previous videos, videos taken by Doctors (Maxfield, Hamnesfahr, Crawford), no money went to the Schindlers. Complaint dismissed 4.05.25

1.08 Abuse Report Michael claimed that Schindlers were advertising through a 10-page solicitation letter on a website, the sale of a video of Terri Schiavo for $100 a copy, for the purpose of raising money for Terri's legal defense 4.05.25

1.07 Collateral Contacts No action taken 5/25/2004 4.05.25

1.07 Investigation Completed 05/25/2004 Clearwater Police providing 24 hour supervision outside room 4.05.25



(hat tip to Paul Deignan, who pointed out the pdf reports)

Stones

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I’ve been amusing myself in the peculiar world of ‘hidden message’ theories. You know, where this group or that claims to hold certain knowledge, secrets if you will, that the ordinary person doesn’t get. To me of course, the lack of wisdom largely comes down to simply not paying attention to what God plainly tells us, but it is amusing for all of that to read some of the theories. What especially gets my attention, is when someone makes interesting observations, the sort of things that, while they don’t sell me on elitist claims to influence and position, still can illuminate a matter, showing a different perspective, like trying a new seasoning in a recipe.

Anyway, along the course of this intellectual buffet, I began to notice a strange iconism to humans. I was reading about this stone, which is supposed to reside somewhere in one of the palaces in England, sometimes called the Stone of Destiny, sometimes Jacob’s Pillow. Legend has it, that the Jacob of the Bible rested his head on that stone as he slept (don’t ask me why a stone should be considered a good pillow), and that same stone has been carried around for literally thousands of years, that Moses hit this rock to make water in the desert, that this is the rock on which Solomon was proclaimed king, and so on through history. If true, that would explain why English kings and queens are crowned while sitting on this stone. Talk about your lucky rock!

The Muslims are another case. Islam distinguished itself from other religions in the Arab world, by a strict prohibition against any sort of idolatry. That, in fact, is why there are no pictures of Mohamed, not to mention Allah. So, it seems strange to consider that Muslims are expected to make a pilgrimage to Mecca, where it happens there is a mosque housing a large black stone. The rock was worshipped as an idol in Mohamed’s day, and for some reason is still important to Muslims, called the Ka’aba. Another rock important to Muslims is the Mosque of the Rock in Jerusalem, from where it is claimed Mohamed walked from Makkah to Jerusalem, and to the furthest reaches of heaven, all in a single night journey.

Don’t get too condesecending, though, if you want to laugh at that. Americans are taught to revere Plymouth Rock, our most famous monuments are carved from rock, and it’s a long-standing tradition that when a man is ready to commit to his love, he gives her a rock to wear – a shiny, really expensive rock, that serves no apparent purpose except to signal his love for her, and to keep jewelers employed.

Hmm..

The Trials of Democracy

Ten years ago today, the Murrah Federal Building was destroyed in a crime of violence and insanity. At the time, it sent the Federal government in the direction of domestic terrorism, but there were lessons which might have been learned in dealing with international terrorists as well. Unfortunately, the Clinton Administration, especially as commanded by Attorney General Janet Reno, was much on show and very, very weak on results; to this day, there is reasonable concern about whether all of the conspirators and participants in the Oklahoma City Bombing have been brought to justice, or whether the attack was handled with so much politicization, that other groups saw opportunity instead of deterrence.

To be sure, the FBI undertook heavy lifting to weed out the most dangerous of domestic groups, working as much on prevention and cooperation with local law enforcement, as they did in pursuing known groups of violence. Under Director Freeh, the FBI greatly reduced threats from a number of fanatical groups, like the Bandidos motorcycle gang, the Montana Militia, and Ervil Lebaron’s deranged Mormon splinter sect. However, Reno’s desire for political capital wasted some of the gains by closing out cases before they were fully resolved, allowing some groups to escape capture, and others to learn the methods and priorities of the Clinton Administration. One significant lesson, was that resources were pulled from Foreign Terrorism offices to accommodate Domestic Terrorism programs, rather than maintaining both.

There will be future domestic terrorists. The free nature of our society, matched with the diversity of opinion and the political correctness which demands threats only be addressed under ‘acceptable’ oversight, makes this inevitable. But we are by no means prohibited against learning from the past.

Computer Error Leads to False Alarm in Rome

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Vatican Conclave - The Vatican intended to ensure that the Conclave to select the next Pope, would have secrecy enforced by the latest technology, but that technology almost led to a surprise Pontiff.

White smoke poured from the Conclave chimney today, bringing cheers from crowds of hopeful Catholics. But a little while later, the smoke turned black.

Sources within the Conclave were unwilling to speak at first, but after it became obvious they needed to explain the mix in smoke, a Vatican spokesman explained that the first ballot, rather than using scrip, was by computer, and Whitey Herzog, the former Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals, was selected to be the next Pontiff.

“It’s not as strange as it sounds.” the source protested, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Whitey is a Cardinal, he’s got a lot of experience, he’s been pretty successful and is also very popular.

“However, Mr. Herzog declined, so we had to send out the black smoke.”

Vatican officials could not confirm that the Vatican, considering installing a black pope, is considering Ozzie Smith on the next ballot.

South Park Conservatives : Why “Liberal Loser” is an accurate assessment of the Left

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Politics is often considered to be cyclical. When asked why he opposed changing the Senate rules to end the Democrats’ tactic of filibustering to prevent votes on Judicial Nominees, John McCain said that he was thinking about the future, when the Republicans no longer controlled the Senate. That statement is an indicator of how little politicians understand the seismic shift in politics, as a new generation of Conservatives heavily outpowers the dwindling force of Liberalism in the United States. Evidence for this shift can be found in Brian C. Anderson’s soon-to-be-blockbuster-bestseller, South Park Conservatives : The Revolt against Liberal Media Bias


At first glance, SPC starts like any conservative examination of the cultural landscape. But where others have pointed out the need for change, and had some fun showing the hypocrisy and indefensibility of Liberal arguments and positions, Anderson shows strong reasons to believe the Conservatives are winning.

Key examples:

* Anderson observes that the “Limbaugh armada helped the Newt Gingrich-led Republicans win Congress in 1994, the first time in half a century that the GOP had taken control”

* Anderson notes the shift in media attention, citing that “FOX’s ratings, already climbing since the station debuted in 1996, really began to rocket upward after the terrorist attack and blasted into orbit with Operation Iraqi Freedom. ”In the Iraqi war,” Dick Morris explains, “the viewing audience truly saw how incredibly biased the other networks were”. “By June 2003, FOX was winning a whopping 51 percent of the prime-time cable-news audience ... During the second ratings quarter of 2004, FOX owned nine of the top ten highest-rated cable news shows.”

* Anderson hits on a critical element in the shift - in addition to Conservative support, there is now a clear and active anti-Liberal element, exemplified by the hit show “South Park”. One reason for this, Anderson explains, is because “South Park regularly mocks left-wing celebrities who feel entitles to pontificate on how the nation should be run.” In other words, the Left’s own habit of claiming authority where they don’t even know the facts (or care) is coming back to bite them.

* Anderson uses the Liberal hate site Democratic Underground as a barometer for rising Liberal hysteria. They are beginning to realize their grip on control of the media, along with the culture and direction of the country, are slipping.

One of my favorite parts of the book, is when Anderson explains the conversion of comedian Dennis Miller to the cause of Conservatism. The chief reason: George W. Bush. Even as RINO’s pretend that Bush is somehow hurting the cause of the GOP, Dennis is unashamedly proud of the President. “In this messed-up world, I like seeing my president pray” explains Miller, who says Bush made him “proud to be an American again.”

Anderson also notes the rise of Conservative titles in book publishing, along with a number of Conservative publishing house, like Regnery, which printed SPC.

Buy the book. It’s fun, enlightening, and it will charge you up. Unless you’re a liberal.

The Schiavo Phenomenon and History

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The murder of Terri Schiavo is an established fact, the points long discussed.

Mae Magouirk, an 85 year old woman of Lagrange, Georgia, took the trouble to make clear her wishes to continue receiving food and water, through a living will. Now, a relative with no legal standing has convinced a judge to murder her, anyway.

Steven D Levitt, a delusional economist, now argues that Abortion cut crime, an argument the New York Times finds worth advocating, regardless of the actual facts, which are evident in a simple consideration of modern cases like the Peterson murder, the "Railway Murder" serial killings, or Columbine High School.

It goes all the way back to 1859, when Charles Darwin wrote a book, now famously used to bolster the now-mainline theory of human existence. The entire title is noteworthy, however:

“On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.” [emphasis mine]

Yep. The book which became the basis for Evolution’s support in Science, was based on the claim that certain races were superior. While Darwin is careful to cite botanical examples, moving to insects and avian samples, he mixes them together in a rhetorical stew with little empirical evidence; his work reads like a dull novel, but for all its mendacity a clearly racist and sexist theme is clear.

Francis Galton (1822-1911) took the next step, which he initially called “deliberate social intervention”, but which became better known as the theory of Eugenics. Eugenics included the advocacy that only certain races should be allowed to have children, and “inferior” types, including people with physical or mental handicaps. Galton explained his theory as the “logical application of evolution to the human race.”

In 1904 the first Chair for a professorship in Eugenics was instituted at University College, London. The Galton Laboratory for National Eugenics was founded in 1907. In 1910, the Eugenic Record Office was founded in the United States. These groups pursued political influence for the purpose of advancing eugenics policies.

In 1931, Dr. Charles Killick Millard,president of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, brought up the question of voluntary euthanasia, and proposed a suitable law.

“Project T4” was instituted in 1938 in Germany, initially as a plan to collect information on candidates for euthanasia. The committee in charge of the project was officially named the “Realms Committee for Scientific Approach to Severe Illness Due to Heridity”, and many of its members were put in charge of “Final Solution” camp implementations, as the hospitals used the same gas-showers and crematorium process as became infamous years later at the concentration camps.

Margaret Sanger, who founded Planned Parenthood, was oustpoken in her opinions.

In her book, Women and the New Race (1920), she wrote “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it."

In her book, Pivot of Civilization, she wrote that immigrants and the indigent were “human weeds,' 'reckless breeders,' 'spawning... human beings who never should have been born."

Her purpose in advancing Abortion, in the magazine Birth Control Review (1921), she was “to create a race of thoroughbreds”

In her book, Woman’s Body, Woman’s Right, Sanger is quoted as saying “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population”

Planned Parenthood has never renounced those opinions as being conflict with their own plans and goals.

What happened to Terri Schiavo in Florida, and is now happening now to Mae Magouirk in Georgia, was set in motion long ago, on a deliberate course which ultimate objective has been hidden from national discussion. It is now time to be quite clear, that one either chooses the presumption of Life as a fundamental right, with no racial, gender, age, physical/mental condition or cultural prejudices allowed in the decision, or one chooses to murder the inconvenient, as the Eugenists and Planned Parenthood have argued for more than a century.

"Revelations" - An Advisory

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OK, I admit I was curious.

So, I watched NBC last night to see "Revelations".

What.

A.

Waste.


Never mind the really bad acting (sorry, but Bill Pullman would make 3-day-old oatmeal look exciting in comparison) and excremental writing apparent in the screenplay, it's fingernails-on-a-chalkboard to me, that they could imply a certain book of the Bible in the show's title, then completely ignore that book in what the show is about. It's about as logical as making a show about business integrity, and casting a dolt who keeps filing bankruptcy to dump his mistakes - wait, that's how 'The Apprentice' works, isn't it? OK, then it's like making a show about what it's like in the White House, then casting a liberal President instead of accurately reflecting the last 4 1/2 years under President Bush - wait, that's how 'The West Wing' works, I guess; NBC has a trend here.

Anyway, in case you are considering watching this show, I need to warn you, it's just another 'Omen' rip-off which heckles Evangelicals along the way.

Does God Hate People?

A friend at BeliefNet wrote about her belief that God hates her, because she is not Christian. In the course of our discussion, she presented Scripture which she feels proves her case, Here are those verses and my responses. My friend also selected the titles for each set:

1. Spiritually Dead
Ephesians 2:1-2 “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.”

We see all the time, how people do as they like, thinking they are good, simply because they are doing as they please. The Nazis, still emblematic of institutionalized evil, for the most part actually believe they were morally superior and ethical. Eugenics, Racism, Genocide, just for starters, all found value in their eyes because it pleased their moral relativism. And the Nazis were far from the only such example; we see all sorts of people who try to justify hate and selfishness, even to pretend they are doing good instead of base evil. This has always been so; when the Romans crucified Christ, they believed they were doing the good of maintaining social order under law, while Caiaphas believed he was letting one innocent man be killed, in order to prevent a bloodbath.
Man needs God. Always has, always will. And that means that we have to be open to His law and commandments, which comes from loving God and our neighbors. Call it “spiritually dead” or whatever you like, but in the mortal life we are missing a great part of our greater identity and purpose, to become greater than just animals.


2. Already Under God’s Wrath
Ephesians 2:3 ”All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”

Seriously, we all do that, or once did. We desire a thing out of self, we act out of anger or greed or whatever, again listening only to that Self. It’s only the plain truth, that we need to be different than just follow selfish desires, even though that is our natural condition.


John 3:36 ”Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him.”

This is a hard lesson, but the key word is ‘reject’. Reject isn’t to misunderstand, or to consider carefully the object, but is defiance. Every day, we wake up and often take for granted the day we have been given. We have no assurance, none of us, that we will wake up the next morning, but God grants that life to us, every day. So eventually there comes a time, when we learn the truth of God, and at that point, we either accept it or not. I would also remind the reader, that Jesus’ own disciples, men who saw Him every day and heard all His words and teachings, missing nothing, had a very hard time accepting His truth. Read through the Gospel accounts, and see how many times Jesus asked why they still did not understand, still did not believe. It was only on the road to Jerusalem, where He was to be crucified, that Peter confessed openly that Jesus was the Christ, and even then, some of the disciples did not accept the truth. Thomas, in particular, is an example of how hard-headed these guys were. Don’t you think that, seeing how patient God was with these disciples with Christ, He would be even more patient with people trying to seek the truth without direct resources? So, don’t be afraid to seek out the truth, there is no sin in that! If I am wrong in my contention, you are wise to check out the matter, and if it happens that I am right, then you will be that much more confident in your faith, when you have arrived at your discovery. Just be sure that you do not despise Christ, if you find He is what He says. I would apply that same care to how I address the Buddha or Mohamed; while I have not found support to convince me that those beliefs are correct, I still accept that God reveals truth to those who will accept it, and I will not despise anything unless I know that it is evil, through discernment and the light of God’s grace. For example, I despise Communism, because I have discovered that Communism is always the enemy of the individual, denying individual honor and accomplishment in place of the collective, which is unjust.


3. Storing Up Ever Greater Wrath
Romans 2:5-6 "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God "will give to each person according to what he has done."

In this verse, you should know that Paul was not writing to Pagans or Atheists, but rather to professed members of Christ’s fellowship, who nonetheless did as they pleased instead of obeying God. In Chapter 2, verse 3, Paul warns the Roman church clearly against hypocrisy, writing “Do you suppose, O man, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God?” This verse then, was not a threat to those outside the Church, but a warning to those who claimed the Word.

Romans 1:29-31 "They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless."

Rome was the quintessential cosmopolitan city of Paul’s day, and as often happens when humans have a few things which work, they get proud and arrogant. This was the generation just before Nero, after all, and throughout human history we see all the things Paul writes about here. When has the world been without crime, even rapes and murders, even children killing parents and parents abusing their children and their spouses? Sadly, this verse is a telling barometer of a constant human equation of misery. The good news comes afterwards in this book, where Paul explains that God had made a better, even perfect, way available to us.


4. Law or Conscience Constantly Accuses
Romans 2:14-15 (Gentiles) ”show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.”

It’s commonly accepted that there is a sort of ‘natural law’, though it’s argued whether the law is natural or just taught to everyone, which prohibits certain acts and demands certain standards. You know, don’t kill the innocent, don’t be cruel to children or the weak, do accept responsibility for the effects of your actions, actions and even words have consequences, and so on. And the reason there are so many busy psychologists, is because yes, we do battle with our consciences in our minds, wrestling with the morality and weight of our decisions.

Romans 3:20 ”Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”

This is actually a good bit of news, if you think it through. The problem, you see, is not compliance, but what is in our heart. If a man could be saved through his own works, then he might become proud of his own work, and forget the reason we serve God at all, which should be from love and in imitation of His holiness. Knowing we all suffer under sin, we realize that what we need, try though we might to do good, is to find a rescue from that sin, and the new life where sin is no part of us.

Romans 4:14 “…law brings wrath”

Actually, that’s from verse 15, but it makes sense if you can read verses 14 and 15 together, so: “If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression”. The difference is the consequence of Grace, and the source of hope, which is faith. Law is about limits, whereas faith has no limits.

Galatians 3:10 ”All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ "

See my last answer.

James 2:10 ”For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

Same point. The law is the law, it is a restriction at best, and serves no purpose except to trip people up. Accordingly, the only resolution is to live by a better code.


5. Not one good deed accounted to their credit
Romans 3:12 “…there is no one who does good, not even one.”

And this is because only God is truly good. When we get high on our selfish egos, we want to claim things for ourselves, but in the end, we do only what we can, which at best makes proper use of the tools, skills, and resources God grants us. We either do what is our duty, or we do evil. This is good, though.
The Saturday before Easter, I took my daughter to an Easter Egg hunt. The church running the event had an interesting reward - everyone turned in their plastic eggs for candy, but everyone got the same amount of candy each, so it did not matter if someone grabbed a whole bunch of eggs. Everyone enjoyed the chance to pick up eggs freely, and no one was encouraged to be greedy or rude.
So, by not allowing even a single person to be able to claim that he does not need God’s grace, we are all granted the same grace, in the same measure.


Matthew 12:33-34 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Context is critical here. Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, and addressing their critical flaw, but one common to many of us; they thought they were good men, but their actions showed the truth, that they pursued ego in place of God’s will, and their pride instead of acting with honor, and in selfishness in place of caring about others.

Isaiah 64:6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags”

Same lesson.

Romans 14:23 “…everything that does not come from faith is sin.”

This sounds harsh, but it’s actually an important warning. When you drive, you don’t check your fuel gauge to know your speed. We all want to do well, and so we should focus on the spirit which drives goodness, the Holy Spirit granted us by God.


6. Incapable of pleasing God
Romans 8:8 “Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.”

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God”

From what I have written before, you should now be able to see why this is so. It is not because God does not want us to please Him, or that He should spite us in any way, but rather that if we are to succeed, we must learn what counts in matters of goodness, and pursue the right source.

7. Enemies of God
Romans 5:10 “…we were God's enemies”

Context again. Paul is reminding the believers that they are completely changed from before. They do not do the things, they do not even think the way they used to, because they God now, where before they hated Him, even though they did not realize it.

Romans 8:7 “The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.”

Paul writes here just what Jesus warned; a man can not have two masters. We are all so very used to getting our own way, to the point that we sometimes do and say what we know, at some deep level, is really wrong. And so unless we give ourselves up to God, we don’t want to obey Him; we want to be in control, not surrender to God. And even after one chooses to believe, he must always remember his former ways, not to cut himself down, but to focus on why he chose God in the first place.

Colossians 1:21 “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.”

Again, we who believe all used to do as we wanted, and so would oppose anything that took away that control.

James 4:4 "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”

Again, remember that James wrote these words not to the general public, but to members of the church. One of the dangers of the Church is dilution of the Gospel. Christ did not die on the cross for us, so that we would be slightly better and mix His ideas in with a bunch of our own!


8. Incapable of Atoning for Sin
Psalm 49:7-9 “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-that he should live on forever and not see decay.”

Thank you. That verse is one of the reasons I am so sure that Jesus Christ is God, as is His Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus did what no ordinary man could do, and it explains some important points about God - God the Father could not die, lest satan win, nor could the Holy Spirit suffice in that role, being spirit in form. Christ alone was able, willing, and worthy.

Matthew 18:23-25 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.”

And when the man begged him for mercy, did not the king in that story forgive the entire debt, in essence taking the cost to himself?

Micah 6:6-7 “With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”

Same lesson. We cannot undo our sins, any more than a man can operate on his own heart. Just as a man must trust a surgeon for his body, so we must trust God for our soul’s rebirth.


9. Blind and Deaf to Spiritual Truth
Matthew 13:14 “In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: " `You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

That statement was not made to say so of all men, but to explain that if you will not consider the truth someone says, then no matter how well you understand the words, you will miss the message. The Pharisees, determined to beat down Jesus rather than consider the least of His teachings, closed the door to their own discovery.

1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

As before, we are all so very used to taking care of ourselves, the idea of depending on a God we do not see, do not touch, indeed whose very existence we cannot prove, would be foolish indeed in human eyes!

1 Corinthians 2:14 “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

It sounds strange, but if you are depending on material things, the things which are spiritual will seem very foolish.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

The idea of God blinding people so they cannot see sounds strange, but what Paul is getting act here, is that when we finally realize what God is, and we see the truth of the Gospel, we also realize that every bit of it, even the discovery of that truth is by God’s grace.


10. Incapable of Changing
Jeremiah 13:23 “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”

This is why Jesus spoke about the need to be ‘born again’. It puzzled Nicodemus to hear it, but Jesus was really speaking about basic, fundamental transformation. We cannot be different on our own, but God makes us new, in His purpose as well as His image.

Ephesians 4:19 “Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.”

That speaks to habit. We all know that good eating and exercise habits are essential to healthy living, and also that poor eating habits and lack of exercise also becomes a habit. So much more so for the spirit!

Now, all these answers may or may not address the real questions you have for God, but this much I can assure you is true. God is neither hateful nor malicious, and everyone will receive either Mercy or Justice. On this all truth is based.

The China Bluff

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Well, once again we’re hearing about “America in Decline”. This time, it’s James Pinkerton in “NewsDay”, claiming to see “3 Signs of Impending ‘Asian Century’ “. Count me unawed. From what I read, Mr. Pinkerton is simply rehashing what he got from the State Council of China’s Ministry of Information. It can be amusing, though , to see him try to form an argument that can withstand a passing breeze of considered review.

Mr. Pinkerton begins with a sadly predictable tone, claming that a “peaceful - for now - struggle has been joined.” Apparently, the US-Sino conflicts of the past generation are just now reaching Mr. Pinkerton’s attention. Mr. Pinkerton bases his claim to a new threat, on what he calls “three huge fuses” in “the Far East”.

Pinkerton’s first “fuse” is the trip by China’s Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao, to India, and the blustering claim that China and India woud be the “two pagodas” of economic might in the coming “Asian Century”. Supposedly, the “strategic partnership for peace and prosperity," is going to "reshape the world order." Fortunately for the planet, but not so well for Pinkerton’s credibility, this is not the first time we’ve heard this sort of thing. Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam all claimed similar breakthroughs were just around the corner, but those never worked out.

The official Indian embassy, for one thing, comments that India is reaching agreements, unilaterally, with a number of Southeast Asian countries, especially Singapore, and continues to enjoy benefits from a Trilateral Agreement with Taiwan and Japan. The China claim is simply not unique.

Next, the Asian e-zine Muzinet sees serious problems with the Sino-India pact, noting that there is a “glass ceiling” to how far each country is willing to trust the other. The Muzinet article also observes that a long-standing border conflict between China and India is not only still unresolved, but that diplomats have described present efforts as the “last rung” of opportunity to resolve the matter amicably.

Undeterred by facts, Pinkerton next claims that “China is also poking yet another hole in the worldwide arms embargo imposed on it by the United States after the 1989 Tienamen Square massacre.” That claim, frankly, made me laugh out loud, because it admits on its face that China is operating within the constraints of American military, diplomatic, and economics power, projected far from the US border. It’s like an ant boasting, because the human only wiped out 90% of his mound. But Pinkerton blithely misses this simple fact of reality, preferring instead to fantasize that China and India, already Regional Superpowers in his mind, “should have little trouble obtaining the rudiments of just about any kind of weaponry.” Pinkerton displays appalling ignorance of the state of India and China’s military infrastructures. Both countries should be able to defend themselves adequately, for reasons of terrain and other salient elements, but neither country has reached the level of technology to address even the 1991 level of US capability, to say nothing of serious doctrinal faults. For example, the rigid command structure in both nations prevents utilization of independent forward command, a basic element necessary to employ AirLand Battle tactics. It only gets worse, when the actual level of training is considered.

Pinkerton, seeing the weaknesses in this imagination he has presented, hurried on to another fiction, claiming “the historic hostility between China and Japan, a close U.S. ally for 60 years, is bubbling back into violence.” That statement is actually quite true, but the truth is much more serious for China. In addition to Japan, China also has exceptionally poor relations with Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and both Koreas. One critical problem China is in developing a hegemony, is that they must bully their neighbors to have it, and cannot rely on their cooperation. This is not a recipe for dominance; quite the opposite. A clear signal was sent during the Indonesian Tsunami, where the Indonesian and Indian governments, no great friends of the United States, nonetheless asked for the US Navy to protect their coasts while rescue and recovery operations were underway, a clear slap at China.

Pinkerton’s “third fuse” is North Korea, suggesting that China will be willing to let North Korea delivery nuclear weapons to terrorists – unless the U.S. submits to Chinese demands. The fact that North Korea has not yet tested a nuclear weapon, let alone begun a stockpile, makes the question far less solid than Pinkerton wants us to think. Worse, Pinkerton displays an appalling lack of consideration about the Chinese way of thought. China does not like the United States form of government, but they are fully aware that a nuclear event on American soil would provoke an unquestioned retaliation in the same kind, and to a greater scale. China, boast though it does, can at best threaten the West Coast of the United States, which does not come close to the devastation the U.S. can mete out in a full exchange. The United States needs to prepare for the North Korean threat, but the Chinese Politburo is not rash enough to allow Pyongyang to start a cataclysm. If Pinkerton understands this fact, but published his claim anyway, he is a boorish lout. If he really fails to understand even the basic truths of these relationships, he is an utter fool. For my part, I will simply observe that like all the doomsayers before him on this point, Pinkerton is unquestionably wrong, and his claims do no more than distract from more substantial issues and conditions.

Terrorism and Nuclear Weapons

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Part of the problem in fighting International Terrorism (those groups which are based in one country, and do their dirty work in other countries), is that so much of the cause and history of the conflict is hidden away, classified as secret or too intricate in details to attract much attention. This is especially the case in the matter of nuclear weapons proliferation, and the efforts by terrorists to acquire such weapons.

There are three reasons why we are winning that war, though people don’t hear them much, if at all. Those reasons are technical, political, and military, and they should be considered when weighing the peril and object of this war.
We have been unduly influenced by movies and television. To many people, it’s simply a matter of picking up a "suitcase nuke", which seem to be just lying around unguarded, and taking it to the target city, which is saved only through the unconventional thinking and bad acting of a ‘Jack Bauer’ type to save the day. The actual facts should be a bit more comforting. It’s true that if you get enough fissionable material together in one place, you create a critical mass, which leads to a reaction. But considering that radioactive material exists naturally without blowing up spontaneously, it follows that creating fissionable material is an artificial action, and a difficult one. People do not often consider that nuclear fission was mathematically understood in 1931, yet the first actual atomic weapon was not made until 1945, although a number of nations put their best minds and great resources to the task for years. Nuclear weapons are dangerous for a number of reasons; detonation is only one of them. There are functionally only three ways in which a terrorist group could detonate a nuclear weapon against a target nation:

1. Steal an inventory nuclear weapon, transport it to the target country, and find a way to set it off.

2. Build a nuclear weapon, using the group’s own experts and material.

3. Acquire a nuclear weapon through a third party, usually a nuclear-capable nation.

At first glance, these methods sound similar, but they truly are not. The first method considers the known stockpiles in the former Soviet Union; all other stockpiles are too well defended to be easily stolen, especially by a group with no insider knowledge of the country’s protections and order of logistics. But even the Soviet situation is not as perilous as some believe. That is, the Soviets kept lousy records on many things, but they cared about the WMD, and especially the nuclear warheads. Small wonder - it’s no secret that the Chechnyan rebels would very much like to get their hands on a nuke, which they would certainly use on a Russian target. Anybody want to guess how important nuclear warhead security became to the Soviets after 1995? The simple fact is, warheads are well-protected, even in places where the public perception doesn’t show it. Another indicator of better-than-advertised former-USSR security, is the sort of captures made in those countries. What’s basically happening is, groups are being caught in attempts to steal/buy spent reactor rods and missile parts. While these are important, they demonstrate that the groups chasing these things have largely given up on the warheads. It makes the issue a problem, but not to the degree it’s portrayed.

The second method is obviously the most difficult, so I will come back to it. The third method, using a third party, is where Israel, China, Pakistan, and Iran come in. These countries have all made money by selling nuclear tradecrafts, like telemetry and tolerances of specific metals, which can advance a program by saving money and time on tests and development. Formerly, Iraq was the foremost of these nations, known to be seeking WMD and simultaneously sponsoring more than a dozen international terrorist organizations. One sidelight of the Iraq conflict, though often ignored, is the proxy war paid for and directed by Wahhabist forces, especially Iran and Syria. This is an example of how terrorists pursue their unconventional warfare through indirect methods. But while this can frustrate conventional American response to terrorist incursions, it also dissuades the use of unconventional weapons - if, for example, Hezbollah were to gain access to a nuclear weapon and attack U.S. forces or an American target with it, the U.S. would not hesitate to deliver a nuclear reprisal to Iran and Syria. Those countries understand this fact, and this is one key reason those countries now demand tighter control of their sponsored forces; given substantial provocation, the United States can and will respond to a terrorist attack by taking out a significant target in a country basing or coordinating that group. In other words, a terrorist group can run and hide, but Teheran and Damascus cannot. Therefore, they will not supply terrorists with nukes, so long as Bush or a President who thinks like he does is in office.
So for now, any functional ability for a terrorist group lies in either building one themselves, or by stealing one from a country with inferior security; neither is a high-probability function. The second category is especially difficult for a terrorist group, because of the nature of the mission. Terrorists strike in three basic methods: High visibility attacks against low-security targets, especially in public places; Suicide attacks to attack secure positions in order to instill fear; And bombings/sniper attacks to destabilize government functions. A nuclear strike by a terrorist group is a suicide attack by definition, because no terrorist group would be willing to try a remote detonation, and risk premature discovery of the bomb. The fly in the ointment, is that a nuclear weapon is not a ‘fire and forget’ kind of device; manual detonation means the team preparing the weapon is the team firing the weapon, and that means the terrorists would lose their best talent in using the thing; it becomes a one-shot project, not a sequence of nuclear events. This is because a nuclear weapon is generally tested before its use in action, an option not available to terrorists, which means that the team which makes the weapon ready, will need to be there for its use; first-generation nuclear weapons, which is the definition for this situation, are by nature one-of-a-kind, with no extant manual to provide for a standard procedure; even if the terrorists managed to steal an inventory nuke, and procure a tech team familiar with the weapon, the unconventional use of the weapon and conditions for its operation would require a direct manual detonation. That creates a serious problem for the terrorists. First off, most people do not realize the careful and prolonged indoctrination terrorists use to prepare suicide attackers; it’s simply not a natural condition to plan on killing yourself, even less to deliberately kill yourself in the action of murdering innocents. Also, people with high technical knowledge are less likely to be suicide bombers. The 9/11 attackers were trained only to a certain point, and their life conditions were tightly regulated; the necessary education and experience necessary to develop and prepare a nuclear device practically eliminates such people as even possible suicide bombers.

The next element is political. As I noted above, the nuclear capability of nations is fairly well known, Congressional point-the-finger committees notwithstanding. Besides the technical means (Satellites, NSA intercepts, etc.), the Community of the Nuclear Club is real. One incident old enough to talk about, is the 1981 raid on Osirak. Iraq was clearly developing a nuclear program, and the Osirak reactor was intended to produce enriched uranium for the bomb, possibly even plutonium. The fact that the reactor wasn’t even running any power to nearby cities was a giveaway, I guess. Anyway, the raid to close down the plant was officially Israeli, but the HUMINT was largely Russian, and the Sat/Phone recon was American. Unconfirmed reports even claimed German and Egyptian assistance at various points. The mission, all told, was fairly ecumenical, because no one wanted to see Saddam with a nuke. The fallout from the raid began with the fact that most of the nations involved never realized that the Israelis would be the ones actually carrying out the mission. This incident reflects not only the unpublicized coordination between rival agencies and nations at times, it also explains why those cooperative actions are not constant.

Following the Gulf War victory in 1991, the United States found itself in an unexpected position. Prior to the Gulf War, the US enjoyed the repute of a Superpower, but shared that name with the Soviet Union, and sometimes with nations like China or Japan, when the description was limited to specific venues like Economics or Diplomacy. What changed after the Gulf War, was that the United States was no unparalleled in stature. The French sneered and called us a ‘hyperpower’, but in plain fact, the United States became the first nation in three centuries, which can act with effective impunity in any national enterprise. That hardly makes a license for recklessness, but it does shift the expectations of the International Community. That is, where the United States used to be considered an important member and sometime leader of international effort, now the United States is expected to take the lead, and to act first. This also explains part of the problem in the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts – the United States was expected to act first and did so, learning only after its own commitment, what other nations intended. Worse, where the United States was a counterweight to the old USSR, now a loose confederation of old European states sees itself as the natural counterweight to America. The US created a coalition of 41 nations for the Iraq effort, often ignored by the media, the more so because the nations participating did so to a lesser degree than the US in many ways. This sounds like a limited commitment, until one considers that in comparing the manpower, money, and material in World War 2, the US was the majority contributor from 1943 to 1945 for the Western Front, yet no one claims the British, Dutch, and French were not full allies. Most agreements made by the US have multi-level protocols, some of which conflict with the public image presented by the nations. Saudi Arabia in particular, speaks one way in public yet quite another when asking for American actions. In the contest against International terrorism, it must be understood that few nations feel free to denounce specific terrorist groups and actions as the US does, for fear of a Madrid-style attack. There is also the complication of apparent alliances these nations do not want; if Jordan ,for instance, publicly joins the United States in decrying Hezbollah and Ansar al-Islam, they run the risk of being called an ally of Israel, unacceptable in Arab cultures and political thought. So, Jordan assists the United States informally, and with the caveat that the agreements be kept strictly private. This means that functionally, there is a lot going on under the surface in the Middle East, especially in counter-terrorism operations, which are in every regional government’s interest, save the terrorists’ sponsors, but the public is not informed of these operations. The public does not hear, for instance, how inspectors were tipped off to Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, or how it is that a specific number of North Korean plutonium storage locations has been cited. This is an important aspect to the effort, and one which does not press in the American MSM, either.

Then there is the military. There is not a professional military organization on the planet, which has any tolerance either for nuclear weapons or terrorists; neither serves any true purpose in national defense, and both represent threats which must be met. Accordingly, the eradication of terrorist groups which are seeking access to nuclear weapons is automatically a high priority. Democrats do not understand the strong support George W. Bush enjoys with the troops; this is largely a matter of basic communication. Bush took the trouble to find out what were the troops’ top priority, and addresses them. It’s not necessary to be perfect, because he’s aligned with them on the priorities and goals. The troops in Iraq are not casual about the risks and costs, but they are deeply committed to the task of fighting terrorism, and especially about removing any group which is pursuing WMD. Congress can claim what it likes, but the troops are on board. This is the signal difference between failed missions like the Vietnam conflict, and successful missions like World War 2. This invasion and establishment of a free representative republic in Iraq is more than a successful replacement of a dictatorship with a democratic republic; it also realigns the region, setting a trend which at best will spread to other nations; at worst it will make terrorist groups’ work much harder. Things have changed in the Middle East, and the effect is firmer and more permanent than the media suggests.

Can a terrorist group can access to a nuclear weapon? Theoretically, but the chances of it happening went down significantly when Saddam was taken out. Could a nation decide to supply a terrorist group with a nuke? Theoretically yes, but the realistic chances of that sort of thing happening went essentially to nil after the Bush Doctrine became reality. That is the sort of element left out of far too many equations.

The Evolution of Nuclear War Planning

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Nature abhors a vacuum, we are told, and that certainly applies to planning. What I mean is, the planning in any situation not only acquires the influence of direct intentions, but also the influence of contextual effects.

In 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japanese cities, ostensibly to compel unconditional surrender. While I believe this is true, I also agree that President Truman was sending a message to Stalin. The side effect of that message was the all-out effort by the Soviets to get their own nuke, which was successful, and in its own side effect began a long Intelligence war.

By 1962, the fear that the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. might destroy the world through a nuclear nightmare was an exaggerated rumor; there simply was not enough nuclear material to kill off the planet, a comforting condition lost over the next generation. The Cuban Missile Crisis concealed a deeper problem, however - proliferation of Nuclear Weapons technology, to countries like communist China, France, India, and Israel, some of whom were considered a bit less than completely stable.

Roll up to 1976. The Communists had developed their nuclear forces through two motives - fear of a US nuclear ultimatum, and as a fallback in the event of invasion, a neglected but ubiquitous fear in Communist countries. With the unexpected victory in Vietnam, however, the Communists set aside old plans and became aggressive in South America and Africa, creating or emboldening movements in dozens of countries, along the way creating dozens of international terrorist groups, like the Red Brigade and its like. They never planned on Ronald Reagan.

The significance of Ronald Reagan may never be fully understood by the average person, especially on the Nuclear level. By his election in 1980, the United States was at a low tide of influence, and many experts thought the U.S. would depend on unconventional warfare to stave off defeat in its many conflicts. Vietnam, they claimed, proved the United States could not prevent revolution, and the lack of effective conventional force diluted American influence in Europe, which was not beginning but continuing a slow surrender to Communism, by first setting up Socialist governments. The Conventional Wisdom was that the U.S. should try to get the best deal it could, while it possessed something of importance, albeit one in decline. Ronnie changed all that, drastically.

The victory in Grenada, the pressure on Cuba, the tough stance in El Salvador and Nicaragua, all were discounted because they appeared small, but they were part of a greater strategy, which countered the Communists and terrorists where they could not prevent American victory. The Achille Lauro incident, with its subsequent midair interception of the terrorists, showed not only resolve but competency, and raised the stock of American military credibility. This addressed the nuclear element, by showing the U.S. could and would act effectively, without even needing to consider a nuclear dimension.

The early theory of Nuclear Warfare, was essentially to use nukes as a trump card in reserve if your nation had them, and to chase their acquisition if your nation did not. That developed to a condition where both sides held nukes, but without a clear strategy for their use; they could kill and destroy a great deal, but were not precise enough or plentiful enough to single-handedly decide a war, and they were nasty enough to repel casual use. The proliferation issue only raised the stakes; no one who had nukes, could afford to set them aside.

With Reagan’s aggressive use of conventional forces in unconventional opportunities, the value and importance of nuclear arsenals was diluted. The Intelligence War was also in full swing, but the classification of vital data prevents full explanation of how Reagan’s CIA swung things around. Suffice it to say, that Casey at CIA and Faurer at NSA, with Bob McFarlane all through things, drove the Soviets nuts. The USA wins in Intelligence, though unreported by the press, were important factors driving Soviet acquiesence in WMD talks.

Fast forward to now. The number of nations which possess nuclear weapons capability is almost the same size as it was in 1984, an impressive feat of control. The number which possess effective arsenals is smaller still. The question most worrisome these days, is the risk of terrorist acquisition of nuclear weapons, which is worth an extended work itself, but from a military point of view, the risk is actually negligible. What’s more, increased accuracy has actually led to much smaller warheads. The question then, is how to reduce the risk of nuclear conflict by other countries, the most serious risk being the possibility of an India-Pakistan exchange, escalated by China involvement for any number of reasons. This is the real trick to the North Korea warhead question - China has carefully made no public statement supporting or condemning the issue of NK nukes, though private sources indicate that Beijing has sent clear signals to Pyongyang that if they cross certain triplines, there are no restrictions to the potential Chinese response. Ironically, both NK and the PRC are looking to the United States to resolve the impasse, even as both nations publicly decry American involvement.

Saint Karol?

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It’s not surprising, really, that mere days after the passing of Pope John Paul II, there are calls for his sainthood. As a fundy Evangelical, I find such talk interesting, and so here is today’s post.

First, the downside. People can be really, really superstitious. We think of ourselves as rational and scientific, but when it comes down to it, we still hold on to “lucky” coins and colors and so on, some listen to what their horoscope or what a fortune teller says, and yes, we see that in religion as well, where people act as if a complete or relative stranger can answer questions they can’t handle themselves. People trust ministers and priests, sometimes to an unwise degree.

What this has to do with Sainthood, is the notion that a Saint can intercede, that asking for a Saint to help in a certain manner will help more than praying directly to God. That comes perilously close to Idolatry, because it replaces God as the object of worship with Man, even a godly man.

That said, however, there is much to recommend the practice of commemorating lives devoted to Christ. In our own lifetime, the example and virtuous work of Mother Teresa is well worth memory, especially as time passes and we may lose sight of such devotion and love; it simply makes sense to remind our children and fellow believers, of what a single person can do. While there have been many good Baptists and other worthy servants who are Protestants, we don’t hear much about them, and that is unfortunate - effective lessons are lost by neglecting the memory of them. In that regard, I would agree that Karol Wojytla should be sainted. I don’t know about the specifics of the decision, whether there has to be some sort of verified miracle and such, but as an object lesson, I cannot imagine anyone who would deny that we should be reminded, Roman Catholic or otherwise, about the life and work of this man.

The Way of Fellowships

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With the Pope's passing, renewed interest has come up regarding the separate Christian denominations. one argument in particular involves the relationship Protestants (in general) to Roman Catholics. I might suggest that both sides are correct to some degree in their positions? Up to Arias, the Church was Catholic. Then it became Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox, and the RCC held sway in the conventional thought until Luther. The New Testament, the recited Creeds, the essential Doctrines, all were established by the RCC. In fact, I believe it would be fair to say that all of Christianity either follows the Roman Catholic position, or reacts to it.

With that said, however, the Church has always had dissent within its ranks, often in the capacity of what I may call ‘followers of Christ, but not of Men’. We see this in the many debates as the Church separated heresy from true obedience, and also in the arguments, even among the princes of the Church. We do not often consider it, but there are distinct differences between the Augustinian and Marionite orders, between the Jesuits and the Benedictines. Luther wanted, very much, to remain in the Catholic Church, but found it in conflict with the Gospel too much to accept the order. Say what you will about Luther’s anti-Semitism and other flaws, his motive certainly stands up well as he wrote, especially compared to, say, King Henry VIII’s purpose in setting up the Anglican Church. John is correct to say that there is little substantive comparison between the Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church, where doctrine and effect are considered. We follow the same Lord, but are clearly on different sides of the mountain. What the Protestants did not agree with, they discarded, and what RCC had that they found valid, they confirmed in their own method.

That is one of the great questions for Christians to resolve. All who call on the Lord shall be saved we are taught, but beyond that, there is much disagreement. It leads many who do not believe in Christ to doubt the presence of the Holy Spirit, and even among believers, it can be rancorous to discuss the intricacies of God’s will. Baptism, confession, penance, contrition, consequence, miracles, prophecy, mission, eschatology, judgment, all are myriad in interpretation, and there are more denominations and sects every year. Small wonder but sad, that so many people end up accepting Christ only as a concept.

This is one reason why the work of Karol Wojytla is so important. Like Mother Teresa before him, Karol is a true emissary of Christ, by everything I can see of his work. Did he kiss a Koran? Yes, but that does not mean he accepted Islam as the same as faith in Christ, nor even once mouth the words of the Islamic Shahada, ‘There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger’ Did he stand with Protestants, even Atheists, on political matters? Yes, but not once did he deny his faith to do so. Did he let the crimes of priests against children go ignored for too long? Unfortunately yes, but in that case, Karol trusted his Monsignors and Archbishops and Cardinals to clean their own house, and we do not know the specific actions and words done and said in private; it has been reported by some that where other popes sugar-coated the scandal, Karol demanded the Church cooperate with secular authorities where these crimes were discovered, and that corrections be made, privately but directly. There are many points where people can criticize the Pope, but this one did as well as we can reasonably demand from one man, and excelled many times beyond what we see from any other world leader. Reagan was a great leader, but he did not publicly forgive John Hinckley. Ayatollah Sistani is a great man, revered for his tolerance, but he did not implore Muslims to consider Jews and Christians their brothers before God. Billy Graham is a great man in God’s service, but even he took vacations and time for himself. By any human measure, Karol excelled, and we would do well to consider his example.

Jesus warned His disciples long ago, that the Kingdom of Heaven was designed for little children. Our knowledge can be useful as a guide to our daily walk, and can also help us discern what is and is not from the Lord, but in the end, we must be childlike in our hearts. Roman Catholic or Protestant, to be Christian is to accept God as ‘Abba’, and this is the Way. This speaks also, to the question of other faiths. I will not speak to their Way, except to acknowledge that if God accepts them, I shall not be an obstacle. It is my belief that God wants us to know and accept Christ, but that again is a matter of faith and hope, rather than restriction.

Shalom, Insh’Allah.

Why Die?

Just a short thought for the moment.

We can all understand something of the value of life, but why must we die?

I know and accept the theological purposes, but it seems to me there is also a functional component. As literally millions of people file past the body of Pope John Paul II in respect and love, it occurs to me, that it is the signal of that death which highlights life, by reminding us there is an end to these things. As Christians, we believe in the eternal life granted by God through Jesus Christ, but even so, we take note of death, to mark the lesson of a life we come to know.

Even in death we may learn something of love, goodness, and hope.

God rest you, brother Karol. Your example is one to remember and remind others.

Baylor vs. Michigan State Tonight

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Last night, a local sportscaster admitted it. When the Big 12 Athletic Conference decided to accept Baylor into its membership, the Conference was thinking about raising its academic credentials. The conference never seriously believed that its first chance at a National Championship in Basketball would come because of Baylor.

Tonight, Baylor plays for the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship against Michigan State.

Neither MSU nor Baylor has ever won a National Championship in any Women's sport.

Prayer, Scholarship, Faith, Perseverence, Hope, Practice, Excellence. Whatever happens tonight, well done ladies.

Go Bears!


UPDATE:

Baylor 84, Michigan State 62.

Way.

To.

Go.

Ladies!

Doctrine?

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My series on the 'Judgment of God' has produced some interesting e-mails and questions, particularly the matter of my personal Doctrine. CharlyG, in his blog “Reformed Politics”, has a neat recap of the major themes and doctrines through the Church’s history here, which is well worth your time, even if you count yourself familiar with the terrain. These days, there are many people who seem to approach Religion only from an emotional perspective, and discernment is neglected to later cost.

However, with that said, in response to the question about my personal Doctrine, I would have to say that to I, to some degree, reject them all. This is not to disparage the worth in their consideration, or to pretend that they are all equal in their truth and validity. The problem with them, however, is that they are all human constructs, and so to some degree erroneous. That is, God alone understands His ways, and I have found many times, that I need to set aside my voice on the matter and accept His truth alone.

Speaking to a particular point in debate, I want to review my point about man accepting Grace, and God’s Sovereignty. I am one of those people, who believes the Bible is true and trustworthy. That is, if the Bible states a thing as a historical event, I believe it really happened, and if the Bible quotes a saying, I believe it was said in just those words (although the passage of time brings up controversy, as we have to go back to the original language to find the exact words used). So, it is important to me, to note that nowhere did Jesus say to someone that they were saved, unless they first asked for that Grace in some way. The thief on the cross is a favorite example to me; he did not have a fancy phrase to toss out, but simply asked Jesus to remember him, when Christ came into His kingdom. You may recall the Lord’s response. So also through the Bible, we see people encountered by God or His emissary, and God allows us our choice. Therein lies the confusion.

We humans love to think ourselves important, and so naturally believe that even if we are not the center of the Universe, the Universe still acts in relation to us at all times. Many among us would even apply that to God. Now, here is the paradox – God allows free will to us, because He is no slaver. No one will be dragged into Heaven, or made a believer against his or her will. Thus, it must be so, that we can choose to accept or reject what God offers. At the same moment, however, God is truly and perfectly Sovereign, so that no man may say that he was able to deny God, in anything. Accordingly, it must be that no may enter Heaven, except that the Lord orders it to be so. Form this, many arguments on Ordo Salutis have risen, and they make the same mistake: They assume the matter follows an order that human minds may comprehend. This is hubris, and should be set aside. I might make analogies to try to explain the matter, but it really comes down to accepting that God is both just and merciful, and somehow no one will make a single choice that defies God’s own will, nor will God be in any way cruel, wrong, or mistaken in His judgment.

I trust the Lord. The rest are details

The Congressional Championship

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Here are the Semi-Final results:

Senate Majority Leader (Dr.) William Frist (R-TN) defeats Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) defeats Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL)


The Championship match-up then, is

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) vs. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tx)

Presidents’ Tourney Championship

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The semi-final round of the POTUS Tourney is done, and here are the results (recall that I hid the actual match-ups, asking for 1-10 ratings on the basis of seven key skills):

Ronald Reagan defeats Dwight Eisenhower, 270-265
George Washington defeats Teddy Roosevelt, 217-197

The scores were the results of multiplying the average rating for each skill, by the historical factor for that skill (using the 1-10 ratings for each skill in the six historical areas), then adding the resulting sub-totals for the final score).

The third round is now ready to begin, with 8 Presidents competing head-to-head. To avoid subjective influences, I am again asking the readers to submit 1-10 ratings (1 = lowest, 10 = top) for the Presidents in each of the following skill sets:

Diplomacy
Economic Policies
Judicial Doctrine
Military Command
Social Policies
Tax and Tariff Policies
Treaties


So, here is the Championship Matchup:

Ronald Reagan vs. George Washington

If you want to make a pick, please remember that the method here is to show a 1-10 rating for each President in the seven categories.

And remember, if you don’t enter your ratings, that means the decision will go to those who do enter their choices.

Pop

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I have been trying to think about what to write, on the passing of Pope John Paul II. After reading so much from others, I realize the grand and profound stuff is already up.

I did, however, think of one point I wanted to make. When I was a boy, I knew about popes the same way I knew about ministers, elected leaders, or celebrities. There was nothing especially great about a Pope. Pope John Paul II changed that, on many levels.

When I was young, there was a nickname commonly used for some of the older men; 'Pop'. Some used it disparagingly, to suggest a person was past their prime, but it was more commonly used to refer to someone who was like a family member, respected and with some affection. It was not commonly used in connection with an authority figure, but more someone who taught by how they lived and worked, and with whom young people sought a conection. When that older person passed on, or even when they retired, it was as important to the younger people as a family crisis.

For many of us, Pope John Paul Ii was "Pop". He was much more than a guy we heard about on the news, or who was only a triviality. He mattered, from what he did to what he said and stood for. Even for non-Catholics like me, he was family.

We'll miss you, Pop.