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This is a tale of two presidential elections, one close, one not close; a tale of two candidates, one a patriot who put the good of the country first, the other an apparent congenital liar who always put himself first, ahead of anything including country. It’s a tale of Al Gore and Donald Trump.

Recently there was an interesting article about what foreigners thought of American culture - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3090848/posts Just thought I’d share my observations of times I lived in Europe. Here's a scattering of what I discovered. All payments are electronic. Your salary, your bills, your insurance, your rent or mortgage, etc. You constantly have to check online to see where you are financially. Hospitals are stark and bare. No beautification or art work. But hospital rooms have windows you can open and patients can buy beer in the cafeteria. Electrical bills are paid in advance. You are billed for electrical usage that...

A study in contrasts. President Obama is not known for his graciousness. But the occasion—the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum—called for kind words about his predecessor in the White House. So he said that if immigration reform passes Congress this year, “it will be in large part thanks to all the hard work of the president, George W. Bush.” Bush had “restarted” the drive to overhaul our immigration system seven years ago, Obama said. Bush, always gracious, thanked Obama and wife Michelle for coming to the ceremony. “Unlike the other presidents here”—Jimmy Carter, George H. W....

Choosing a President Better Halves Outdoorsmen Sportsmen Husbands Colorful FriendsKeep the Free-world, Free (Click here)Click the Archived Editorials link for the rest of the story.   

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) - The government's former top counterterrorism adviser testified Wednesday that the Clinton administration had "no higher priority" than combatting terrorists while the Bush administration made it "an important issue but not an urgent issue."</p> <p>Richard Clarke told a bipartisan commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that "although I continued to say it (terrorism) was an urgent problem I don't think it was ever treated that way" by the current administration in advance of the strikes two and a half years ago.</p>

Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the wargs of fandom!Peter Jackson's "The Two Towers" brings the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy around the bend. We're in the home stretch now, and as a wondering world begins to judge the second movie with a variety of opinions, the purist in me cries out: Ick. Of course, no one really cares what the purists think. Frankly, I don't, either. It's a good movie.And that is my review. Now for the analysis.I liked Treebeard. I liked him a great deal. My only disappointment with the Ents was that there seemed to be too few...