Thank you, President Obama

A while back, I wondered whether our long-term defense policy would amount to intervening in any situation anywhere in the world that looked like it might be trouble.  President Obama, in the quote below from his speech on terrorism, gives me hope that that won't be the case.

I believe, however, that the use of force must be seen as part of a larger discussion about a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. Because for all the focus on the use of force, force alone cannot make us safe. We cannot use force everywhere that a radical ideology takes root; and in the absence of a strategy that reduces the well-spring of extremism, a perpetual war – through drones or Special Forces or troop deployments – will prove self-defeating, and alter our country in troubling ways.

Thank you, Mister President.

Purity of essence

If you are the government, Thou shalt not put beneficial chemicals in the water.

If you are the government, Thou shalt not prevent private industry from putting deadly poisons in the water.

Fantasy vs. reality

The gun people are worried that any regulations on guns will cause any or all of a number of disasters.  They worry so much about what might be, that they cannot see the sorry situation that exists in the here and now.

As of this moment, at least 4,044 men, women, and children have been killed by guns since Newtown.

Once again, it's fear vs. facts.