JosephH

We did lose the day we invaded and, in case you haven't been following along, the real war in and for Iraq is only now about to begin.

Want to contrast the funding to Israel with that of Egypt and Jordan for us? Do you want to contrast the political influence of those nations on US foreign policy decisions compared to Israel? How about talking about the number of US troops dying in Iraq and Afghanistan because the neocons thought that would be a clever way to solve the 'MidEast problem' without actually breaking the Israeli / Palestinian impasse. In the end, if it has to do with the MidEast, at it's foundation it's a Israeli / Palestinian problem and until and unless a US president leans on Israel there will be no peaceful resolution of the conflict and by extension the continued risk to US interests in the region and the loss of American lives.

I have no 'hatred' for Israel or Jess whatsoever. What I do have is a very specific concern about Israel as an unacknowledged 51st state based on our financial support of it on an annual basis and the deleterious effect that has on our own national security and interests in the world. Israel as a standalone sovereign nation I have no problem whatsoever with - Israel as quasi-US state with AIPAC directly influencing US foreign policy to the detriment of our national security and interests I do.

As I said, let us know when you want your tongue off that pole...

Republican electoral strategy has been almost exclusively about race since they figured out how to turn the South. They haven't changed a single aspect of that strategy since other than to find new and creative wrappings for it. This cycle it's islam and illegals - but only an idiot or an operator would claim it isn't about pandering to racial fears.

Ah, the socialism as fascism double-dog dare reversal. Well executed too, let us know when you want your tongue off that pole.

The "problem of Islam" is better stated as the 'problem with Israel and the Palestinians'. As a strategic concern compared to China, it is simply an unfortunate (and entirely self-inflicted) political distraction no different than the "problem with illegal immigration". It serves solely to bring out the correct [Pav]Rovian response in right-leaning electoral sheep.

Maybe passing out blankets from a smallpox hospital would do the trick - worked for Lord Amherst & co.

It wasn't a "war of convenience", it was a war to restore honor to the U.S. status as a superpower and recoup that ole' Reagan feeling - both desperately essential to white male manhood of the chickenhawk persuasion.

I would say if you are comparing apples and oranges there. A more accurate comparison based on the development of societies and military capabilities / proclivities at an 'inception' point would be to compare the early Umayyads with Constantine I.

And that of christianity has somehow been significantly different? Really? In what way?

Don't know, but at least they haven't flown a plane into anything like so many musicians and other terrorists.

Talent-wise, from a lyrics perspective, I'd say it's pretty much a toss up so maybe not entirely inappropriate.

We didn't have a half million troops in Afghanistan (and another in Iraq) because Cheney and Rumsfeld knew the American people had no stomach for a 'real' war and so went cheap and light to keep things under a threshold of pain that could be largely ignored by a shopping public. In the process they put untold young American lives at risk and invested a trillion dollars in perfecting IEDs as the weapon of choice in modern asymmetric warfare against our military.

If 9/11 had happened in Beijing, the entire WTC site would have been completely rebuilt and back in operation by 2005 and there would have been a half million Chinese troops in Afghanistan.

Yep, the roots are way down the cracks. Have thought about jumping on DDO myself ever since the re-anchoring, looks like a good one.

The columns are all re-anchored, including DDO's top anchor (not middle though). Re-doing the top and middle anchors of the South Face columns so they could be cleaned out and resurrected was the whole point of doing it, ditto for cleaning the approach slab. That blackberry patch was cleaned out, but it clearly grew back fast enough.

Christianity and christians would be right next to Islam and muslims in any statement I was willing to sign onto. Given the relentless christian geonicide of aboriginal cultures around the world with much of it still hard at work today in other guises.

The polarizing is courtesy of the Koch family who have now bought the republican and tea parties lock, stock, and barrel with oil money and are the personification of a resurgent John Birch Society.

The D5 hammer project has been taking a back seat to the things that have price tags for Theron and to his family moving houses. Final handle samples are being made this week and he has the funk hole drilling and jig sorted out. At this point we're just waiting for the holes to get drilled and once the heads are ready for heat treating we'll place the actual handle order with Seymour and the leashes with Fish. Should be wrapped up this fall as it's looking now.

Bill, I thought Theron had a larger one in the works at one point or another. Did that ever happen? Those Mammut skinny slings should probably be retired to other uses than holding falls after about three to four seasons depending on how hard they get used.

Well, you basically cut out the entire S. Washington aid contingent with those requirements - better check with the boy scouts.

Beat me to it! DDO needs a go. Good job.

Well, given probably only half the people do p5 at all, and of those that do probably under half of them do it via the fin. So I'd say people voting with their feet have rendered it a variation with only some of the people who get on YW bothering to do it at all. The exit-stage-right there is a lot like the exit-stage-left on p4.

Ammon once posted up on ST that his speed was mostly about not dicking around obsessing over placements - place'em, check'em, and then get on up and high step'em (with the implied just expect n falls per m placements). Hopefully he'll be over being tazed by the detour and legally able to leave CA for it.