Books in print double in a decade

According to USA Today, the number of books in print more than doubled from 1993 to 2003. While part of the trend is due to economic growth, I think a major part of the trend is due to the Internet and the ease with which new authors can promote and research their ideas. The music industry would do well to take note of the Internet’s potential as a promotion and distribution medium rather than a threat.

After Mrs. Gandhi told senior party leaders Tuesday that she would not accept the top slot, party activists publicly pleaded in front of her home for a change of heart. One distraught Congress worker put a pistol to his head and threatened to commit suicide unless Gandhi reconsidered…One BJP minister resigned at the prospect of a Gandhi-led government; another threatened to cut off her own hair.

Gee, I’d be nice if we could get that kind of excitement for election in America..

20 greatest Americans

To follow up on my original post, here is my version of the 20 greatest figures in American history. I selected the candidates according to their virtues as Americans – and to do that, I had to derive the essence of Americanism. I selected three characteristics: love of freedom, individual rights, and the creation of wealth. Several vocations met these traits: statesmen, soldiers, philosophers, inventors and entrepreneurs. Here goes:
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A German couple who went to a fertility clinic after eight years of marriage have found out why they are still childless – they weren’t having sex
…”We are not talking retarded people here, but a couple who were brought up in a religious environment who were simply unaware, after eight years of marriage, of the physical requirements necessary to procreate.”

Just what did they do for eight years?

Name Change

I have decided to rename my blog to "Truth, Justice, and the American way." Why? To borrow from a certain novelist, it has to be said: the world is perishing from an orgy of irrationality, injustice, and Anti-Americanism.
While the title was inspired by Superman’s character, the change was motivated by the media treatment of the "prisoner abuse” scandal. When American papers publish fake "atrocity" photos and delight in American deaths, the world is desperate need of intellectual heroes who can fight evil ideas with the same dedication, invulnerability, and moral certainty as Superman fought bad guys.
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A Real Hero

Did you ever see this in the news:

“By his outstanding display of decisive leadership, unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, and utmost devotion to duty, 1st Lt. Chontosh reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.”

The Medal of Honor is the highest military award.

While leading his platoon north on Highway 1 toward Ad Diwaniyah, Chontosh’s platoon moved into a coordinated ambush of mortars, rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire. With coalitions tanks blocking the road ahead, he realized his platoon was caught in a kill zone.

He had his driver move the vehicle through a breach along his flank, where he was immediately taken under fire from an entrenched machine gun. Without hesitation, Chontosh ordered the driver to advanced directly at the enemy position enabling his .50 caliber machine gunner to silence the enemy.

He then directed his driver into the enemy trench, where he exited his vehicle and began to clear the trench with an M16A2 service rifle and 9 millimeter pistol. His ammunition depleted, Chontosh, with complete disregard for his safety, twice picked up discarded enemy rifles and continued his ferocious attack.

When a Marine following him found an enemy rocket propelled grenade launcher, Chontosh used it to destroy yet another group of enemy soldiers.

When his audacious attack ended, he had cleared over 200 meters of the enemy trench, killing more than 20 enemy soldiers and wounding several others.

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