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Lexus LS430 = Best car on the road

Here's something to contimplate:

I’M YOUR DISEASE

I hate meetings. I hate a higher power. I hate anyone who has a program. To all who come into contact with me, I wish you suffering and I wish you death.
Allow me to introduce myself. I’m the disease of alcoholism. CUNNING, BAFFELING AND POWERFUL, that’s me.
I love to catch you with the element of surprise. I love pretending I am your friend and lover. I have given you comfort, have I not? Wasn’t I there when you were lonely? When you wanted to die didn’t you call me? I was there.
I love to make you hurt. I love to make you cry. Better yet I love to make you so numb you can neither hurt nor cry. When you can’t feel anything at all, this is true glory.
I will give you instant gratification, and all I ask of you is long term suffering. I’ve been there for you always. When things were going right in your life, you invited me. You said you didn’t deserve these good things, and I was the ONLY ONE who would agree with you. Together we were able to DESTROY ALL THINGS GOOD in your life.
People don’t take me seriously. They take strokes seriously. They take heart attacks seriously, even diabetes they take seriously. Fools that they are they don’t know that without my help, many of these things would not be made possible.
I am such a hated disease, and yet I do not come uninvited. YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE ME. So many have chosen me over REALITY and PEACE.
More than you hate me; I hate all of you who have a twelve step program. Your program, your meetings, your higher power, ALL WEAKEN ME, and I can’t function in the manner I am accustomed to.
Now I must lie here quietly. You don’t see me. BUT I AM GROWING BIGGER THAN EVER. When you only exist, I may live. When you live, I only exist. BUT I AM HERE….and until we meet again, if we meet again, I WISH YOU SUFFERING AND DEATH.

I hope you did not take offense at my previous post. I have nothing but admiration for your 18 years of sobriety. Very, very few alcholics reach that landmark.

Most die,are imprisoned, or they become insane.

The real thrust of my posts was to question whither or not GWB is a recovering alcoholic, or most likely, a heavy drinker that decided to stop.

There is a real difference. If a recovering alcoholic takes a drink, the allergy to alcohol will most likely lead to renewed disfunctional behavior. Not so for a reformed heavy social drinker.

Again, congratulations on your sobriety. I'm envious.

Fear nor reason alone will stop a real alcoholic.

This may be a distinction without a difference, but I believe the most important step is Step 1.:

Step 1 - I admit that I am powerless over alcohol and that my life has become unmanageable.

Without this humbling admission, nothing else works.

By the by, I never recall GWB or anyone else refer to his problem as alcoholism. Only an alcoholic can self proclaim his addiction.

many millions will be paid

This is the standard language (maybe not exactly the same in your policy);

Section 1. - LOSSES NOT INSURED

2 c. Water Damage, meaning
(1) flood, surface water, waves , tidal water, tsunami, seiche, overflow of a body of water, or spray from any of these, all whether driven by wind or not;

Also, ANYONE, anywhere can buy flood insurance through NFIP.

Trust me.

He still doesn't get it. Russia is Mexico with Nukes

LMAOPIMP

It is loathsome to eat the meat of a horse, a mule, or a donkey if someone has had coitus with the animal.

But it's okay to have coitus with the animal?

The religion of piece.

bump for later

ping for later

What if Bush has been right about Iraq all along?

February 1, 2005

BY MARK BROWN SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST




Maybe you're like me and have opposed the Iraq war since before the shooting started -- not to the point of joining any peace protests, but at least letting people know where you stood.



You didn't change your mind when our troops swept quickly into Baghdad or when you saw the rabble that celebrated the toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue, figuring that little had been accomplished and that the tough job still lay ahead.

Despite your misgivings, you didn't demand the troops be brought home immediately afterward, believing the United States must at least try to finish what it started to avoid even greater bloodshed. And while you cheered Saddam's capture, you couldn't help but thinking I-told-you-so in the months that followed as the violence continued to spread and the death toll mounted.

By now, you might have even voted against George Bush -- a second time -- to register your disapproval.

But after watching Sunday's election in Iraq and seeing the first clear sign that freedom really may mean something to the Iraqi people, you have to be asking yourself: What if it turns out Bush was right, and we were wrong?

It's hard to swallow, isn't it?

Americans cross own barrier



If you fit the previously stated profile, I know you're fighting the idea, because I am, too. And if you were with the president from the start, I've already got your blood boiling.

For those who've been in the same boat with me, we don't need to concede the point just yet. There's a long way to go. But I think we have to face the possibility.

I won't say that it had never occurred to me previously, but it's never gone through my mind as strongly as when I watched the television coverage from Iraq that showed long lines of people risking their lives by turning out to vote, honest looks of joy on so many of their faces.

Some CNN guest expert was opining Monday that the Iraqi people crossed a psychological barrier by voting and getting a taste of free choice (setting aside the argument that they only did so under orders from their religious leaders).

I think it's possible that some of the American people will have crossed a psychological barrier as well.

Deciding democracy's worth



On the other side of that barrier is a concept some of us have had a hard time swallowing:

Maybe the United States really can establish a peaceable democratic government in Iraq, and if so, that would be worth something.

Would it be worth all the money we've spent? Certainly.

Would it be worth all the lives that have been lost? That's the more difficult question, and while I reserve judgment on that score until such a day arrives, it seems probable that history would answer yes to that as well.

I don't want to get carried away in the moment.

Going to war still sent so many terrible messages to the world.

Most of the obstacles to success in Iraq are all still there, the ones that have always led me to believe that we would eventually be forced to leave the country with our tail tucked between our legs. (I've maintained from the start that if you were impressed by the demonstrations in the streets of Baghdad when we arrived, wait until you see how they celebrate our departure, no matter the circumstances.)

In and of itself, the voting did nothing to end the violence. The forces trying to regain the power they have lost -- and the outside elements supporting them -- will be no less determined to disrupt our efforts and to drive us out.

Somebody still has to find a way to bring the Sunnis into the political process before the next round of elections at year's end. The Iraqi government still must develop the capacity to protect its people.

And there seems every possibility that this could yet end in civil war the day we leave or with Iraq becoming an Islamic state every bit as hostile to our national interests as was Saddam.

Penance could be required



But on Sunday, we caught a glimpse of the flip side. We could finally see signs that a majority of the Iraqi people perceive something to be gained from this brave new world we are forcing on them.

Instead of making the elections a further expression of "Yankee Go Home," their participation gave us hope that all those soldiers haven't died in vain.

Obviously, I'm still curious to see if Bush is willing to allow the Iraqis to install a government that is free to kick us out or to oppose our other foreign policy efforts in the region.

So is the rest of the world.

For now, though, I think we have to cut the president some slack about a timetable for his exit strategy.

If it turns out Bush was right all along, this is going to require some serious penance.

Maybe I'd have to vote Republican in 2008.

Lord hear our prayers.

P3

Lord...Hear our prayers.

The citizens of Florida should send Washington State a GIANT thank you card.

This hurts my eyes.

http://www.spacerad.com/electoral/election_scorecard.pdf

Glenn Beck....Is that you?

Just got back from Mass...All Saints Day don't ya know.

Let me tell you what my High Ranking Source said....