Niccolo Machiavelli was remarkably savvy. He knew how to codify wickedness or ruthlessness. He was kind of the satanic Hammurabi. The Perfect Pragmatist sans coeur. (Not that ole Hammurabi was warm & fuzzy. For instance: 'The witness who testifies falsely is to be slain.' So 'Bye bye, KarlBoy.') The Present Menaces are the genetic offspring of the Inquisitor DNA Line and the DNA Machiavelli Line . .. ..    more »

These are Nine wonderful Detailed Gold Star Letters/Articles from Crawford & Beyond.. .. . . Received 12.04; 9.10; 9.01; 8.30; 8.26; 8.25; 8.24; 8.23; 8.22; . . ... . [By the way, do not tar Karen by any association with pogblog's views nor anyone else's. This is a very independent lady, be very sure]. .. .. .. "There’s a full moon over Camp Casey tonite, the same as the night Ken was killed, nearly 15 months ago. I am always comforted seeing a full moon. When Ken was in Iraq I used to look at it knowing he saw the same moon. There was so little that we could physically share during those 384 days. I guess I feel like he was sharing that same moon with me tonite . . .. .At the hotel, Gold Star Moms Michelle, Lynn (mothers to David & Travis) and I solved a few of the world’s problems. I don’t think you could call it a slumber party, but when ‘girls’ get together, we had lots to say. And talking about our boys was first priority!" .. .. .. Day 4 .. .. .. This is not the end and George Bush should know that he hasn’t heard the last from us! I’m sure he wishes he had planned this vacation for anywhere but Crawford, TX, but while he has been on vacation, more than 31 US soldiers have been killed .. .. ..[2129 .. 120405]   more »