Stefan

My brother-in-law and his wife are leaving Nov 18 to Dec 4 to pick up twin Chinese daughters. Congratulations!

These are the thoughts behind the motivation to go to war in Iraq. Ideology. The paper was written in 1992...but the thoughts had evolved before then...they just had not been in paper form. That is why the administration was pushing for anything to go to war. 9/11 was the golden child for them. Yes, the paper was redrafted....but only due to political pressure. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/iraq/etc/wolf.html So who organized this whole fiasco? The Hawks. George Bush went along for the ride. No one understands how important Mr. Schultz's role was in this: "The second crucial, but little-known example of Shultz's importance is his role in putting together the team behind the Presidency of George W. Bush. According to author James Mann, who wrote the Rise of the Vulcans book about Bush's inner Cabinet, Shultz initiated a discussion with George W. in the Spring of 1998, whereby the future President sat down in Shultz's living room on the Stanford University campus, in order to be vetted (in effect) to run for President. At that meeting were Martin Anderson, the former advisor to both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan; Abraham Sofaer, a former Shultz aide; John Cogan and John Taylor, two economics professors; and Stanford's provost, and Shultz protégé, Condoleezza Rice. After the "scholars" associated with the Hoover Institution indicated that they thought Bush would make a good Presidential choice, Bush invited Shultz, Rice, and Anderson down to Austin, Texas for a follow-up meeting in the Summer. Out of that meeting, which was joined by Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz, came the public decision for Bush to run for President." http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2004/site_packages/econ_hitmen/3148shultz1.html I want to know how Iraq was discussed in these original meetings with George W. So why did George W decide to join? Wouldn't you join if Saddam was still in power but your daddy only got one term, and that good for nothing Clinton got two terms? And let's not forget this little motivator for George W.: "...in response to an American determination that Iraqi intelligence, under the command of President Saddam Hussein, had plotted to assassinate former President George Bush during Bush's ceremonial visit to Kuwait in mid-April 1993..." http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content?020930fr_archive02 If somebody's gonna take out your daddy, why not take out the person who ordered it?

Thank you Peter, for graciously conceding to our point that the alleged deceptive marketing practices committed by the Bush administration would, if true, lay low their justifications for this war. Okay, so there was lying by the administration. I have my reasons, but I want to hear yours. WHY did the Bush administration lie about going to Iraq? WHAT was their motivation? (if you have already said this, please point a link...)

Peter, How do you reconcile the difference between the U.S. owning and potentially using nuclear weapons as a "defense strategy", and North Korea also using the same explanation for their nuclear weapons? I remember when the U.S. did not want Pakistan or India to possess nuclear weapons either. When the U.S. found out about it, I think we were all kind of shocked....but now we live with it and it appears fine.

Thank you for informing that. I guess the Weissbeer in Germany is then comparable to our Hefeweizens here. But I distincly notice a very strong aftertaste with the Weissbeer. Very strong and very different from the Hefeweizen. I believe Erdinger was the most popular bottled Weissbeer I saw, but each little town had their own specialty brewery for which they were proud.

Even the rioters need to take a vacation break in France.

I have never had a Berliner Weisse. That wikepedia reference says it is made exclusively in Berlin. The beer I am talking about is mainly made in southern Germany and then they distribute it throughout the region. But I am sure it is made in other parts of Europe too. I just don't know why it is made here by craft breweries, but it could be for the various reasons given in previous posts. Thanks everybody for giving me tips on locations!

We are all must become Erden Eruc's. I can't do that!

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I thought conservatives thought of themselves as a sophisticated intellectuals too. But I guess that is not the case.

I went a coupla times to this one place by SeaTac airport. These cabbie drivers kept stopping there and getting take out. It was some Muslim place. They had a great lamb dish that was superb. Hole in the wall kind a place. I couldn't help but think the CIA had cameras on that place.

I find that interesting becuase I thought the CIA was sending people to countries that were involved in torture so they would not have to do it themselves. This is one rogue administration. I wonder how many innocents there have been? I am surprised that the white house administration cannot hold itself to a higher level of law.

No. I dislike going to Seattle for every reason. There are too many people in such a small place there. I live south in Auburn.

It is a beer that has a very heavy head on it when poured. It is traditionally served in the long tall and shapely glass (usually 20oz size). It has has extreme aftertaste that I find appealing. The taste is very strong. People do associate it with Hefeweizens, and it is usually unfiltered. You have to try it to experience it, because it is unlike ales, stouts, lagers, and hefewiezens. I would say in Germany from most popular to least the style of beer goes 1)lager (which they call pilz), 2) ales, 3) weissbeers, 4) and then everything else.

Finally had one yesterday for a long time (2 years) in Renton at the Whistle Stop Alehouse...but it was in a bottle. The bartender says their budget only allows them to order three kegs once every 3 or 4 months...and then the beer is out within 3 days. Hence, I had a bottle. Does anyone know why this popular type of beer in Southern Germany is not even attempted to be made by local craft breweries? It is not the most popular type of beer, but it is a popular one nonetheless. And I thought that since it was semipopular in Southern Germany, at least some craft breweries would try it here for on tap pleasures. And no, it is NOT the same as Hefeweizen.

I am a liberal. However, I am happy with his decision to nominate this person, even though some (not all of his decisions) oppose my personal opinions. This person has spent considerable time as a judge. I believe if you have spent that much time, then you should be given the chance to advance in your profession. John Roberts did not spend this much time as a judge. Was John Roberts ever a judge?

How old are the pipes in your house? What kind of pipes? DANGER DANGER DANGER!!! FEAR FEAR FEAR!!! 7 year old house. Many houses are older everywhere else. Why do you think the Cedar River Watershed and Green River Watershed do not have to go through the special purification process that most watersheds have to in the U.S.?

We here in Western Washington have some of the finest drinking water available in the 48 states. My water comes from the Cedar River Watershed. And I still cannot fathom why my wife drinks bottled water.

Stupidity.

That's a great ficticious read!

I just figured it out. Libby is going to get a presidential pardon when Bush leaves!

....the year is not over.....

I cannot figure out why the kid on the right is wearing a tank top? Oh, that's right. He sweats a lot.

Um. I read the indictments closer. They are for Libby becuase he lied to the grand jury. None of the indictments are for anybody who exposed Valerie Plame. WTF? Then who outed Valerie Plame?

Dudes, you been all played. Miers set herself up to fail intentionally. Why? So when Bush came in with a more conservative opinion, it would not look so bad. What did Miers lose? Nothing. She still has her job of helping out the President to pick nominees. Its the politics game.

Didn't Reagan apologize for Iran Contra before the U.S. even though he said he did not know anything about it. My opinion = I highly doubt Bush or Cheney will apologize, even though they may have known nothing about it.