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I keep reading where some unknown number of folks ran off with 380T of powdered explosive under the noses of the 1st and 3rd ID, but I have yet to see an explanation of what they could (would) have done with it. I have seen the various calculations of the number of people, number of semi-trucks, and number of days it would take to move 380T of powder. That is all well and good,... but in order to take it, there has to be some destination ready to receive it doesn't there? If a group took the powder, would the group divide it up into nickel bags and give each member of the gang a share, or would they try to keep it in large lots? Does it have a shelf life? If so, how long? What happens to it when it get old or contaminated?

Don't you have to store 380t of explosives some place that is environmentally friendly? or can you just dump it in the basement of the local safe house in Fallujah?

So I guess you can make the charge that someone stole the stuff, but can you make a "so what" case that its in a useful condition? Just wondering if this missing powder is a real big bang story line or just a red herring?

I have a job. I guess I don't understand the significance of the statistics on "lost jobs". It appears that all those who want jobs have jobs. (well yes, I understand there is always a certain number of job seekers in transition--so the number will never be zero or minus zero.)

Is there some specific, cast in stone, magical unemployment number that is directly assignable to a President's domestic policy?

I didn't know Presidents could directly effect the employment statistics unless he hired them on to the White House Staff. Mostly the President is at the mercy of Congress to send him legislation that is "employer friendly"... so employment stats if they mean anything are a reflection on Congress, before they are a litmus test on the success of a President's domestic policy

Yeah, both Senator Kerry and Senator Edwards used the same gestures...must have been some sort of subliminal body language.

The both started the debate introduction by playing games. Senator Kerry must have counted to three before he came out from behind the curtain, making the President wait briefly for his arrival.

Senator Edwards "short armed" the hand shake to make the Vice President appear to come to him.

Both Senators started their initial Q&As with their hands arm spead apart and reaching out. Sort of "come to me" gesture.

Then they both used the fist and thumb gesture several time. Unfortunately for both, neither has a very masculine physique, so the gesture comes across as weakness rather than strength.

The DNC has graciously provide links to all the polls you need to go vote in to support the GOP and President Bush.

They have other post debate advice also, that you might want to weight in on......

Americans tend to believe there is no such thing as a "communist" just like many do not believe there is such a thing as "evil".

To discount communism as Senator Kerry's core believe, you have to discard all the incidents where he has supported victory of communist regimes over the United States.

I don't think this is a position he arrived at just on graduation from Yale. I think it is a long term product of his European boarding school years.

He isn't a misguided socialist. He has been too consistent in his historical strategic direction to be "misguided". Misguided assumes you can suddenly see the error of your ways and get straightened out. Senator Kerry consistently turns down every opportunity to repent of his errors and turn to embrace the ideals of American capitalism, democracy and the Constitution.

I agree. All Senator Kerry's ad does is draw attention to the GOP ad and reinforces the GOP charge. I wonder who is writing these ads for the Kerry campaign.

These are not the type of ads that win campaigns or communicate vision and strength. Its almost as if Karl Rove was in charge of Senator Kerry's advertising campaign. You think?

The conventional wisdom is that Senator Kerry has demonstratedly proven himself to be a world class “flip-flopper”. Some say if you look up the definition of flip-flop in Webster’s Dictionary, you find a picture of Senator Kerry as the definition.

Conventional wisdom is wrong! Senator Kerry is one of the most consistently “on-message” political animals I have every come across. In fact, I submit, Senator Kerry has not wavered in his basic principles since his years at Yale where, …”Upon his graduation in 1966, Kerry was given the honor of delivering the class oration. Many at Yale noticed that this young man, on his way to becoming a commissioned officer in Vietnam, was critical of the war -- and the use of American military might against communist regimes.”(emphasis added).

I believe that Senator Kerry’s core principle is the destruction of the United States democratic form of government and capitalist economy and its replacement with a communist dictatorship. On this principle he has not wavered. It is his strategic vision. It explains why he has acted consistently to seek America’s defeat; make it weak; undermine its institutions; turn its security over to the United Nations. It explains why he supported the North Vietnamese, the Chinese, Castro, and the Sandinstas.

The urban myth is that Senator Kerry was merely an anti-war protestor in his post-service days after Vietnam. But being anti war is fundamentally different than working for defeat of the United States. If Senator Kerry was merely “anti-war”, he could have done any number of things within bounds of “loyal opposition” to legally change the policies of the United States government.

However, Senator Kerry did more than merely protest US foreign policy in Vietnam. He actively conspired to undermine the morale and will of soldiers engaged in active combat with communist opponents; he criminalized the character and behavior of our men engaged in fighting for democracy; he conspired to give aid and comfort to enemy combatants against the United States; he engaged in secret negotiation with senior representatives of the Democratic People; he was a leader in an organization that considered discussion about the assassination of members of Congress appropriate. These are not the actions of an individual who has a mere disagreement over policy. These are actions of an individual who seeks the overthrow of the government.

So what explains Senator Kerry’s apparent flip-flops? His “like a rat in a maze” flip-flops are tactical level attempts to achieve his strategic goal. At the tactical level, Senator Kerry tries any avenue that give the remotes chance of furthering his vision of destroying a democratic, capitalistic United States. Being forced to back track, contradict himself, make radical changes of course are all part of seeking the method, the means, the route to achieve his strategic goals. It doesn’t make any different how many times he fails, how foolish he looks, or who many people write him off as inept at the tactical level. He only has to succeed one time.

It also explains why Senator Kerry has not articulated a “vision” for the future of the United States. His vision does not include a United States as we currently know it.

You are correct. Everyone who separates from Active Duty (officers, warrant officers and enlisted) all get a DD214 on separate for whatever reason--retirement, discharge, resignation, etc.

The DD214 serves two principle purposes -- Characterizes your services; Provide the Veterans Administration with information about your service that determines what benefits, if any, you are entitled too.

The key to determining the exact reason for issuance of the DD214 is a 3 digit alpha-numeric separation program number (SPN) code.

For instance: SPN 238 - Service retirement in lieu of other administrative action

Check here for numbers and definitions:
http://www.dallassecurity.com/Investigative_Services/investigative_services.html

As I vaguely recall the requirements for award of the Vietnam Service ribbon, it was you had to spend at least 24 hours in the combat theater during the "campaign".

Campaigns were generally about 6 months in duration. Such as the Tet Offensive or Summer Offensive 71, etc. Generally, if you spent a 13 month tour in RVN and the campaigns durations broke right, you could possibly earn a VSM with 2 stars.

Its hard to believe Cambodia John was in theater to earn 4 stars. I guess it depended on where the USS Gridley wandered.

Senator Kerry --

Your state has a check block on its state income tax form where the "rich" can pay an additional .5% more to help fund their state government operation. I understand that last year it would have cost you an additional $683(+/-).

How often have you as an acknowledge member of the "rich" class, checked that block?

If you haven't voluntarily paid the extra amount, why not?

Seems to me that while the general geographical area of origination for the memos has been isolated, WHO is still subject to investigation.

Three or four candidates in my order of suspicion:
1: Dan Rather's daughter (70-30)
2: Bill Burket (60-40)
3: Ben Barnes (50-50))
4: David Van Os (20-80)
5: Terry McA and the DNC (probably involved somewhere)
6: Dan raTHer in consert with Marion (or Marian) Knox (not likely, but who knows)
7: An employee of Kinkos =) Everyone has to be somewhere

Generally, you don't/didn't get into the Army or Air National Guard via a string puller for a Commissioned position.

When influence is brought to bear to get Johnnie into a safe Guard slot vs being drafted, it was 99 out of a 100 times into an Enlisted slot.

String pullers were in the Guard to do the minimumal amount of time, doing the minimal amount of work, with the minimum amount of responsibility. Their motivation was ADVOIDANCE, not to make a career choice.

I find it hard to believe that Bush was able to get strings pulled for a competitive commissioned position, especially one that would entail a significant active duty piece, a lot of risky training, a lot of time and responsibility back at the guard unit, and, etc.

So, was Ms Knox's son ENLISTED or COMMISSIONED?

Just wondering

As hinted at else where around the dial in bits and pieces, the CBS memos may have been part of a three part scheme (CBS, a 527?, & DNC) to bring down President Bush.

The opening leg was to be the (wednesday) 60 Minutes memos, followed the next Monday by the Kitty Kelly book and GMA interviews, with Favorite Son ad mopping up.

One leg was suppose to build on another until the pressure on the President in the MSM build to a cresendo drowning out all other stories and consuming the public attention throughout September and driving confidence and faith in President Bush through the floor.

Unfortunately (or fortunately) for the scheme, the first leg was broken the moment it was unvailed, causing such a furor that legs two and three have gone largely unnoticed.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=12527#c0275

It appears that the PO Box 34567 is for real and also the ZIP code. See the link and view the gif attached at the link for documents by Lt Bush using that PO Box.