Catching Up.

First, "the title [Agenbite of Inwit] (originally spelled "Ayenbite of Inwyt") means 'the remorse of conscience', literally, 'the again-biting of inner wit'."

Second, I need to catch up. Maybe I'm just making this up, but I'm pretty sure I remember Russia having something like 30,000-some nukes at the heart of their days in "power" - I wonder what happened to those nukes that so drastically reduced their arsenal? Did they destroy them? Regardless, there still is a mass quantity of DU somewhere in Russia, to be sure. Perhaps what happened to it is the same thing that happened to a nuclear storehouse (that the UN knew about, mind you) that was left all but defenseless during the official days of the war in Iraq. (March 2003.) I think the U.S. had something like 20,000 nukes, too. Where those are, I'm not sure? I should look up a link to at least corroborate this, but I'm more willing to just trust my memory, no matter how flaky it is.

Third, there are a lot of positively terrible books that make best sellers. Just look at anything by Stephen King. (Just kidding Erik, no need to put me on a hit list.) Or anything that contains the initials KJV or NIV. (Just kidding Chris, nor do you.) Or anything by...Susan Powter, 80's fitness guru? (Sorry, Sarah, couldn't think of anything that might engage some higher-level thinking on your part, something that I could attribute to just you.) Honestly, what disturbs me more is America's preponderance with all things mental health (e.g. Dr. Phil--is that even his name?) and dietary.

Fourth (and forth!), fly fishing sounds like an excellent pastime. Enjoy it while you can, Erik. I bet you must eat salmon about every other meal up there. And I bet it's delicious.

Fifth, I can scarcely go two days without checking my e-mail, Chris. Any time away from it for that long is honestly like "roughing it" - I would rather not have any warm clothes in the winter than go without my (or someone else's) computer.

Sixth, times for politics (or pollutics, of which I am rather fond)--I'm dividing up this bullet (...right...) into sections because it's easier for me that way.

Sarah said:

I do believe that it is used to increase our fear for purposes of
support for our government leaders and anti-foreign country sentiment (not
totally sure what that means but it sounded good and I went with it).

This sounds like something Michael Moore would say to me. I do agree with it, though. Nothing like a war would get accomplished without someone being scared. I read something today about how democrats like to justify wars in terms of stopping genocide, wheres Republicans are more about stopping the proliferation of WMDs (in the article it says those used against Israel). Coincidentally, the article also predicts which country will be the next to be attacked--Iran (republicans) or Sudan (democrats). Here's the link, if anyone cares: http://www.antiwar.com/orig/prather.php?articleid=3214

Disclaimer for the sake of argument, prolonging anti foreign government sentiment might apply to all nations on the earth save one: Israel. Must not have anti-foreign feelings about that one.

"Anti-American" is something that I am called from time to time. I've even been told that I should "just leave." If everyone who was anti-war left, this country would fall apart. Where would the troops to fight the never-ending wars come from? ;-) "News to the beautiful people--there are more of us than there are of you." (Sorry--egregious misplacement of allusion to the Revenge of the Nerds. I apologize.)

Erik said:

i find it difficult to say that the american abroad and at home
is as safe now as 5, 10, or 20 years.

I agree with this. However, you must take into consideration things that others feel to the United States, if you even try to make this argument any more sound. (I realize that you left it basically blank, and probably wanted to keep it that way. I'm just trying to raise another point here, though.) Noam Chomsky (revolutionary linguist, "anti-American") would probably argue something about how the U.S. has treated other nations abroad, ...exploitation due to the outsourcing of jobs, ousting governments (Sandanistas in Nicaragua for instance), installing dictators (Shah in Iran), supporting Hussein during the Iraq/Iran war. It's all in the name of whatever is in the best interest of the nation.

I'm not saying there is any justification in beheading people, flying planes into buildings, bombing trains, but I'm also not saying that there's justification in 10 years of sanctions that kills 500,000 (due to lack of food/medicine) in Iraq.

Take it all as you will.

I feel personally that if science could unlock the secret inner
workings of a single human being, then all would be revealed.

Easy, Erik, refer to the first thing that I posted in this entry.

Seventh, my address is: 3511 19th St South

Eighth, and I still am (interminably) in Fargo, ND 58104.