Former Alabama Congressman and unsuccessful 2010 candidate for Governor Artur Davis has announced that he is switching parties and may run for Congress from Virginia, where he now resides. Davis was a rising star in the Democratic party and a leader in the Blue Dog coalition. He lost the 2010 primary after being attacked as too conservative. Although I generally find a wide range of views on the site, it seems the “tolerant of dissenting views” gang at the Huffington Post isn’t...

In the least surprising news of the week, Mitt Romney has officially clinched the Republican Nomination for President. CNN, Fox and MSNBC have all made their projections. This of course will not have much impact on the views of hard core Ron Paul supporters, who continue to cling to the theory that Paul will somehow overcome the realities of math (something Mike Huckabee had a problem with in 2008). To those who insisted that there was no way the GOP could avoid a brokered convention… well...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of our official involvement in Vietnam. Those who served in that conflict often questioned the wisdom and merits of our involvement but they still served with distinction and honor. While they might not have supported the war they did support their brothers and sisters in arms. Many came home with grevious wounds, both physical and mental. Many of those wounds endure to this day. At the time, the men and women who served in that conflict were at best ignored,...

In pondering what words I might post to offer thanks to those who have sacrificed for our freedom it seemed to me that President Lincoln had already provided the language. So in memory and honor of all who have fallen in defense of our nation. Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation,...

Never forget that they gave up all of their tomorrows so you could enjoy your today

A Portland, Oregon man wanted to really go all out when he proposed to his girlfriend. This is the result, an amazing performance that raises the bar for future grooms to hopeless levels. But wow…

Just one quick shot of the Iowa heading out under the Golden Gate Bridge, with a more detailed posting to follow

The delayed departure of the USS Iowa has been set for Saturday. This is a moment of history folks, never again will a battleship sail under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Iowa has been a part of US history, from taking FDR to Yalta all the way to Ronald Reagan and the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty. The fact that this voyage occurs on both Memorial Day weekend and during the 75th anniversary celebrations for the bridge seems quite fitting. I would hope that CNN/MSNBC/Fox/etc will be covering...

A little music before some head out for Memorial Day Weekend. The singer is one Robert Merrill, perhaps the finest baritone ever to perform on stage. He is joined by the the US Air Force Band and the Singing Sergeants Here is an earlier version where he was in his prime

Colin Powell has come out in support of marriage equality. “In terms of the legal matter of creating a contract between two people that’s called marriage,” Powell said Tuesday, “and allowing them to live together with the protection of law, it seems to me is the way we should be moving in this country. And so I support the president’s decision.” This follows up a move earlier this week where the NAACP also endorsed marriage rights for same sex couples. Support for marriage equality has...

While neither state was ever considered in play for November, the fact that over 40% of *Democratic* primary voters rejected President Obama tonight is not exactly a love letter to the incumbent President. It won’t have a major impact in those states but could signal that his implied decision to write off states like North Carolina and Virginia was probably a good one.

The sentence came down today, 30 days for the Rutgers webcam spying case defendant Dharun Ravi. He will also perform 300 hours of community service. Personally I have mixed views on the sentence. On the one hand Ravi is, in my opinion, a rotten human being who helped drive Tyler Clementi to suicide. On the other hand I have problems with punishing someone for what they think, even when those thoughts are offensive to me. Also I am not sure that Ravi can be directly blamed for Clementi’s suicide. The...

For those who read my earlier post about the USS Iowa heading out of San Francisco Bay today, word just coming in that the tow is delayed due to weather conditions at sea. It looks like they will be having heavy seas and gale force winds for most of the rest of the week so that could push things into June (assuming that Memorial Day weekend would be too complicated to do the tow) For now it is a day to day situation, but I will keep you informed once I know more. It is still going to be a sight to...

From the wisdom of Kahlil Gibran Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love. When you love you should not say, “God is in my heart,” but rather, I am in the heart of God.” And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself. And on marriage Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let...

While some people will head to the theaters to watch the movie Battleship there is an opportunity to see a real live one. This weekend marks the end of an era in United States Naval History. The USS Iowa, also known as The Big Stick, will head of of San Francisco Bay and head south to San Pedro where it will become a museum. This will be the last time a battleship will ever sail under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Iowa, namesake for the last class of battleships built by the US Navy, is a huge part...

It looks like the leftist coalition that forced new elections in the hopes of gaining more power may see thing backfire. A poll shows that the two traditional parties will get enough votes to form a new government. This is a good sign for the Greek (and world) economy. You can debate the relative merits of the bailout and austerity but the fact is that Greece simply cannot continue to spend the way they have been. That’s not rhetortic, that is math. If the Greeks did reject the bailout then...

News just breaking that Disco queen Donna Summers has died at the age of 63. Some reports say she had been battling cancer. Summer won five Grammy awards during her career, which peaked during the 1970′s Disco era. For those who grew up in the 70′s and 80′s the Summer’s hit Last Dance either brings back treasured memories of a magic moment at a school dance, or more likely horrified memories of that awkward moment the song shifted from slow to fast. Enjoy a couple of her hits...

President Obama today awarded the Medal Of Honor to a soldier for actions during the Vietnam War. The citation reads in part “Even though his platoon was ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force, Sabo charged the enemy position, killing several enemy Soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly Soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. While securing a re-supply of ammunition, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist...

It seems he thinks peace in the Middle East relies on a dead man and a man in a coma. With the global war against terrorism, it is now incumbent on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Yasir Arafat to clamp down on Palestinian extremists that have perpetuated violence and to restart a peace process that has collapsed. In case Congressman Pitts and his staff missed the memo, Arafat died in 2004 and Sharon has been in a deep coma since a stroke in 2006. The Congressman...

Tom Janssen, The Netherlands It looks now like Greece will hold new elections in June andd that the “spend whatever we need to spend” coalition will win,even though most responsible politicians from mainstream left to mainstream right recognize this is a bad move. We may think that such elections don’t matter to us but they do. The Greek economy is already in chaos and if this continues then there is no way they can avoid defaulting on their debt. This will lead to economic chaos...