JJG Journal

As per yesterday’s post, all Presidential candidates have filed their monthly campaign contribution reports with the FEC yesterday. These reports cover the period of July 2008.

Barack Obama’s campaign reports total receipts of US$ 51,449,094.39

John McCain’s campaign reports total receipts...Continue Reading »

The U.S. policy in Afghanistan has been a failure and things are starting to go from bad to worse. This topic has been discussed previously in this journal on several occasions and it seems that the predictions were correct. The U.S. public is currently distracted with the Olympics, the Presidential rat race, the conflict in Georgia and the uncertain situation in Iraq. This piece in the LA Times paints a truly grim picture of the worsening violence that is the result of a failed...Continue Reading »

I fully support that EVERYONE on this planet should be able to understand one common language, in addition to whatever native language that person happens to be born into. English is an ideal common second language everyone can share, because it is simple to learn, yet powerful enough to express most ideas. In addition, chance has made English the language of diplomacy and science at the end of the 20th century. That’s essentially why I write this in English. BUT, if you have some attachment to another tongue (e.g. Chinese, German, French, Russian, etc.) amuse yourself by clicking on one...Continue Reading »

Are there any similarities between George W. Bush and John McCain? What is your take? Both are white, wealthy men who did not have to do any work to earn much of the money they now enjoy. Both have terrible academic records and, I am afraid to say, both have enough brains to have a pilot’s license, although Bush never flew any combat missions, unlike McCain, who has been shot down and captured during one of his first Vietnam missions. CNN Commentator Jack Cafferty draws some more similarities in ...Continue Reading »

Here’s what Ms. Rice said to U.S reporters while traveling to a NATO meeting on 18 August 2008:

Russia is a state that is unfortunately using the one tool that it has always used whenever it wishes to deliver a message and that’s its military power. That’s not the way to deal in the 21st century.

Hilarious. She certainly has a future as stand-up comedian after her current stint as U.S. Secretary of State comes to an end in Jan 09. Looking forward to her Broadway...Continue Reading »

I am not making this up. Read this:

Rush Limbaugh is the Batman of the airwaves. The reason Rush is celebrating 20 years on the air and is being rewarded with that great contract is precisely because he has the same qualities as Batman. Rush Limbaugh is a conservative rebel, instinctively so. He believes in the power of the American dream. Most importantly, he lives it, right down there in his own Bat Cave, his “Southern Command.” He is completely unafraid to say exactly what’s on his conservative mind, and couldn’t care less what his liberal establishment...Continue Reading »

Remember them? The American public went bonkers. “Do not open envelopes that contain white powder!”, the insinuation that maybe Sadam Hussein was behind the attacks and consequently there may be more dangerous biological attacks on the U.S. soon. Bunker mentality and hysteria were the norm…until it became clear that the anthrax spores had been domestically manufactured, probably by a U.S. bio-weapons lab. Then…the whole story died mysteriously. Very strange…Why were the Anthrax attacks not investigated and resolved with the same zest associated with the 9/11 attacks....Continue Reading »

That’s what happened yesterday evening when Senators McCain and Obama discussed their personal lives and the role that faith plays in it. From a rationalist’s point of view this is a disgusting spectacle, demeaning to both candidates. I always imagine hiring someone and as part of a job interview asking the candidate about his faith and perceived personal shortcomings. A ridiculous (and illegal) proposition. But that is exactly what we as Americans are doing during...Continue Reading »

It’s late at night here on the East Coast and I seem to be ripping into Grandpa John McCain a lot lately…but I could not resist posting this, after reading this first-hand account of what really is going on between Georgia and Russia at this point. My guess is that Russia’s leadership will sign and allow the implementation of the peace accord that...Continue Reading »

That’s what we’d get if John McCain were elected President of the United States. Today’s example of Mr. McCain’s sharp wit:

“My friends, we have reached a crisis, the first probably serious crisis internationally since the end of the Cold War. This is an act of aggression.” John McCain