Light Blogging = Life Update

Greetings from icy climes of the Northeast. I shall have to beg the forgiveness of those faithful readers who have tuned in of late to find no updates. My time has been consumed lately by work, increasingly cold weather and a certain predilection to read the Harry Potter books without logging on to the internet.

In some ways, this new habit of mine has been more productive. Despite my departure from the blogosphere, I've enjoyed reading through several books I've wanted to read for a while, including Dostoevsky's The Idiot, Leo Tolsoy's War & Peace and the Harry Potter series. The rapidity with which I have read the books, however, has merited several eye rolls from Sarah each time announce the end of the latest book.

In all, things have been going quite well here in Boston primarily because of the way I have added increased structure to my life. For all the college students reading this post, a word of advice: manage your time well. If I had taken my own advice to heart, I would have learned quite a bit more in College than I did and had a much higher quality of life. There's something empowering about setting and keeping a schedule.

For me, my morning quite time has been no small part of the reason things have been going so well. It's great to wake up early, and take an hour or two to be with God. In case readers are interested in what I do with my mornings, I would direct your attention to the other blog which can be found here. Anyway, because I have been fairly consistent in my morning theological excursions, I find that my mind is better focused on the values and beliefs which are most important to me. In contrast to my time at Dartmouth, this is a much welcomed change. For better or in this case, for worse, college changes people a great deal. My own experience was that my faith was actually weakened by a secular, and Godless environment. While it is true that we had a strong Christian community on campus, the shock of such an openly hostile, secular environment was a major spiritual drain. Now that I'm keeping my schedule regularly, I feel more in control over my relationship with God and have begun to invest more time into my spiritual welfare. A part of this has been due to the church Sarah and I have been attending. You can find their website here. It's a great church! Really uplifting with many a practical application for faith in life. They do a good job of teaching people what it means to incorporate the Gospel into life and what that means to love people.

The weather here has been simply atrocious. Wind guests exacerbated by the high-rise buildings and their resultant wind tunnels have made venturing downtown a royal pain. On the bright side, it certainly wakes one up in the mornings. My jot to work is about ten minutes from the nearest "T" Stop at Park Street. Because we are so close to the MA State House, tonight my roommate, Jesse, and I had dinner with a friend from the 2004 election. It was good to visit and have my interests in politics rekindled a bit through re-visiting some old memories. In turn, I am considering some volunteer work in the evenings with the Republican Lt. Governor's campaign for Governor of Massachusetts. Politics here will vary quite a bit from NH and from OK to be sure, but I think it will be fun nonetheless. On some level, a part of me will always be interested in politics, even if I have put it on hold for want of law school. Indeed, it seems hard to see now when the political bug will come calling once more. My life is fairly well set on pursuing a legal career before I can even think about politics- then again, I've said that before too. For now, however, the LSAT will be taken in June. Applications to law school will then commence in the fall. And finally, Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I hope to start law school the following fall in 2007.

Well, that was certainly a much better life update than I had anticipated. I mean, you now know my life plans through the next year! Not bad for a guy who hasn't really blogged anything of substance in the last week. In my defense, not much has happened. It's been a strangely quiet week. Maybe the whole world went to sleep during the Olympics?

Bode Miller: A Disappointment of Olympic Proportion

Salley Jenkins of the Washington Post nails this story.

Bode Miller was hands down the biggest embarrassment of the U.S. Olympic team. A sore loser, who never really tried, Miller brought down American morale in a crucial period in which it vitally needed it.

Dartmouth Olympians Net Five Medals

Maintaining a record of dominance, Dartmouth sent fourteen Olympians to the Torino games. True to form they did not disappoint as the Big Green brought home the hardware.

At the end of the games, Dartmouth athletes earned a total of five medals (three gold and two bronze to be exact). Not bad for a school the size of Walters.

Americans Work More but Why?

An interesting article made its way across my path through Reuters news via Yahoo. The article evaluates what every intelligent person who has ever worked in an office already knows- workers today work longer hours, but accomplish less. The survey data substantiates a long intuitive point that spending longer hours at work does not lead to increased productivity.

The explanation given for the decreas in productivity is interesting- technology. The argument made is that as workers use technologies to increase productivity, their work quality, in effect, decreases. As a result, employees spend more time checking e-mail, and trying to operate fax machines, while typing up Word documents and organizing Excel data sets instead of actually getting anything accomplished.

In the end, this proves an important point to the workaholics. Although it's important to work hard, it's equally as important to be on task while at work and realize that in the end work is work; it's always going to be there; and most of the life worth living takes place outside the office.

As the addage goes, "No one writes, "I wish I had spent more time at work" on their tombstone." Certainly, no one would write that knowing they would ultimately get nothing done.

Another View of Iraqi Civil War

I've been reading 24 Steps to Liberty for quite a while now. Her insights into the Iraq situation as a pair of eyes on the ground place her in a unique perspective which we Westerners can seldom appreciate.

Her view of the alleged "Iraqi Civil War," as coined by the Drudge Report, is markedly different. Her post dated early Thursday AM offers a contrasting message of Iraqi solidarity and explains some of this history related to Islam and the attacked golden mosque.

See her blog below.

24 Steps to Liberty

Switzer Joins Team Osborne?

I have tried to cut back from posting while at work, but this merited my utmost attention.

In a post that will only make sense to OU Football fans, former Sooners head coach joined ex-rival Tom Osborne in his quest to capture the Governorship of the State of Nebraska.

At a press conference held this afternoon, fans saw a strange sight. Barry Switzer joining team Osborne. Osborne is facing a GOP incumbent in the Nebraska gubernatorial primary later this year.

The two closing ranks was very strange indeed...

Summers Resigns Harvard Post

Some news from across the Charles, Larry Summers the pugnacious President of Harvard University resigned his post today noting that his agenda of reform was "infeasible" given obstacles placed in his way by the Harvard faculty.

The resignation was seen a long time coming to many in the Boston area. The Vatican of liberalism became largely disaffected with Summers after he made controversial remarks concerning the participation of women in the sciences.

In a speech from January of last year, Summer's alluded to potential of men being more naturally inclined toward the sciences than women, noting research done by several scholars in the affirmative. The intent was to be provocative but needless to say, the remarks went over about as well as a Dick Cheney hunting trip.

While I won't comment on whether it is a good thing or bad thing that Summer's is gone- I think there are compelling arguments for both given his management style- I will say that the whole fiasco is an unfortunate commentary on the ways in which science is selectively used to advance an agenda.

In the end, Larry Summers wasn't so much the victim of an uproarious faculty as he was the victim of thinking outside the box. His call was simply for the faculty and students gathered at the symposium to consider why men out-performed women on tests in math and science. And the question remains provocative because no good answer has been put forward.

The whole issue goes to show that even in a 'tolerant' environment such as Harvard, the only tolerance actually displayed is the tolerance of a common, liberal agenda. In the end, the real losers are the women of Harvard and women pursuing higher education in math and science across the country. Now, the question stands little chance of being addressed among the Nation's premier universities no matter how compelling or provocative it may be.

After all, who really wants to risk their job when it is much easier to pretend a gender gap doesn't exist.

CNN Gets It Right on Ports

For all the complaining I do about CNN and media bias, occasionally they hit one deep. On the issue of the ports takeover, they did just that.

According to CNN's analysis, the takeover is "no big deal." This is primarily the case because, for all the posturing and rallying against the President, critics have yet to present any compelling reason for why the Dubai Ports World company should not takeover port operations.

The merger between the United Arab Emirates-based company and the British-based, Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company who ran the ports to begin with was friendly, legal and successful. By all accounts, their record of protecting cargo is stellar and states and federal agencies will still be in charge of port security.

Sounds like a bit of election year politics to me...

Muslim Rave Party

Muslim Rave Party Sensation

I couldn't help but post the link once I saw it.

Be sure to click the link above with your computer speakers going full blast.

Be prepared to laugh.

Could the US Win the Winter Olympics?

It's never happened before. But if you read the MSNBC Article above, it sounds like it's darn near possible.

Apparently, the leads in this thing are determined off of the Gold Medal count rather than total medals, which means that the US is actually winning- indeed, has been winning for most of the games.

If the US sustains its pace, it will win its first Winter Olympics. Not first in ten years. Not first in twenty years. Its first ever.

Not bad for a lackluster performance.

OSU Beats Texas

With the Hook 'em Horns turned upside-down, and rallying behind their embattled Coach Eddie Sutton, the Oklahoma State Cowboys demonstrated a bit of Okie pride in beating arch rival Texas.

Following in the steps of the Sooners, the Cowboys beat the 6th ranked UT Longhorns 81-60 at Gallagher-Iba Arena Sunday evening in Stillwater, OK.

OSU closes out the season against Iowa State, Texas Tech, 19th ranked Oklahoma and Baylor.

Austrian Olympic Mayhem

The news out of Turin, Italy is abuzz with accounts of today's raid on the Austrian Olympic team and its shocking discovery. Italian investigators found more than 100 used syringes and 30 packs of drugs in a raid of the Austrian Winter Olympics base.

The raid was planed in coordination with the International Olympic Committee and potentially implicates the Austrian Olympic team in one of the largest doping scandals in Olympic history.

Up to this point, the Austrians with 14 medals were in Third Place in the overall medal count behind Norway and Germany and one ahead of the U.S.

Pending the outcome of the investigation, this could dramatically change the leader boards and the medal winners of several particular events.

Carter Misses the Point on Palestine

Speaking to growing suspicions of senility, former President Jimmy Carter admonished the United States and Israel for "punishing" the Palestinians in their election of Hamas.

According to the BBC, Carter argues, Punishing ordinary Palestinians will increase alienation, incite violence and - far from inducing Hamas to moderate its anti-Israel stance - will actually increase its influence and reputation.

Carter's complaints come on the wake of the January announcement that the U.S. will withhold funding to the Hamas led Palestinian government.

What the BBC fails to report is the American plea to work with a Hamas Government which renounces terrorist aims and its desire to wipe Israel from the face of the Earth.

As mentioned before, this Carter outburst is simply the latest in a long line of Carter faux pas on the matter. And again, the issue is not that the United States wants to see innocent Palestinians isolated from the rest of the world as Carter purports, the issue is that the United States can ill afford to work with a terrorist organization which desires to see our ally brought to utter ruin.

The burden of proof in aid to Hamas rests with the Palestinians. If Palestinians would see aid delivered and the peace process advanced, then the situation necessitates political pressure bring brought to bear on their elected officials, forcing them to tow a moderate line.

Failure to do so, will yield consequences as the U.S. has said repeatedly.

Do Evangelicals Back Giuliani?

The answer should be an unequivocal no. But Andrew Sullivan's article in the UK's Times Online makes the case that indeed American Evangelicals do back Giuliani and, in fact, they care more about national security issues than about more visible portions of their platform such as abortion and gay marriage.

Citing an address to the Global Pastors Network where Giuliani was warmly received (i.e...he was invited to speak) Sullivan argues that Giuliani, a "pro-choic, pro-gay, divorced Catholic former mayor of New York," is the new darling of the Religious Right because his support in recent polls curried favor among 31% of conservatives.

When explaining why "Evangelicals" suddenly support Giuliani, Sullivan explains, The most plausible answer is that, since 9/11, national security has trumped social issues in the highly pro-military South and Rocky Mountain west. Both McCain and Giuliani have impeccable reputations as hawks in the war on terror, but McCain has a long and bitter history with his partyÂ’s base. Many of them despise him, and the feeling is mutual. In 2000 McCain openly blamed the religious right for his loss to Bush in South Carolina. Giuliani has no such baggage.

Unfortunately for Mr. Sullivan, his innate bias against social conservatives has once again propelled him toward errant political analysis. The problem with his supposition is that there is no foundation on which to base his claims.

As Pax Plena reported to you a few weeks ago, a recent straw poll taken at CPAC, the largest gathering of Conservatives outside the Republican National Convention, shows social conservative Sen. George Allen (pro-life, pro-marriage) besting all moderate candidates including Giuliani and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Citing a CNN Gallup poll on the feelings of Evangelicals is akin to doing a Google search in China.

Second, Mr. Sullivan has a nasty habit of equating the term "conservative" with the term "Evangelical." I know many conservatives who are loathe to be called Evangelicals and many Evangelicals who are loathe to be called conservatives. Point being, the two are not one (or three in one to acknowledge the Trinity).

I agree it is likely that some conservatives will jump aboard team Giuliani. Sullivan's points about competent management, fiscal conservatism, and leadership in an age of terror are all strong selling points for Giuliani, which will be attractive to the Libertarian wing of the Party and those who are concerned with corruption scandals in the House. I'll even go so far as to say that Giuliani will be a favorite among the New England contingent of moderate Republicans in the Republican caucus.

But, this does not make Giuliani the candidate of the Religious right, nor is there any indication that their policy concerns have changed. The reality is that Evangelicals are still just as concerned about defending a biblical view of marriage as they are about defending the border against illegal immigration. Evangelicals care as much about protecting Israel as they do about protecting the life of the unborn.

Given the power of the Evangelical movement within the Republican Party, it would be highly surprising if anything less than a pro-life, pro-marriage candidate were to win the Republican Presidential Nomination.

Nice try, Andrew. But it's all moderate wishful thinking.

Google Rejects DOJ Data Request

In an interesting defense of privacy, search engine giant, Google, formally rejected a Department of Justice request for information to aid in protecting children from pornographic material on the internet.

The move is interesting given that Google recently bowed to pressure from the Chinese Government to censor results for users in China.

Given its desire to suddenly protect the privacy of American users one has to wonder whether the policy is done out of Google's benevolence or because its stock plummeted when shareholders discovered its collusion with a Communist China.

US Makes Gains in Medal Count

Showing signs of life despite an anemic start, the US worked its way into third place in the overall medal count behind only Norway and Germany who have 16 and 18 total medals respectively.

The Americans are still tied for first in overall gold medals with Germany, each country having captured seven.

New Game

The title and link below take you to a game some friends passed along at work.

There's nothing to downloard. Anyone can play who has a mouse.

It's fairly self-explanatory. If you make it to 18 seconds you're doing pretty well. Try it. You'll be hooked before you know it.

Escapa!

Did Southern Baptists Solve the Problem of Immigration?

I love the Southern Baptists. I am one. But on this issue, I'm not entirely sure the leadership of the SBC is on the right track.

Dr. Richard Land, President of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission proposed a "carrot & stick" solution to immigration problems with Mexico. Dr. Land suggested offering Mexico, "a massive economic plan," aimed at helping Mexicans find hope and opportunity within Mexico itself.

The goal is to create conditions within Mexico which will be sufficient to stem the tide of immigration to the US. Land also proposes the implementation of a guest worker program to protect workers as they seek employment here in the US.

Certainly, Dr. Land is well intentioned. But his proposal is rife with problems and complications. First, what exactly does Dr. Land mean by a "massive economic plan?" Many conservatives are already bothered by our efforts of "Nation-building" in Iraq and are highly unlikely to invest in Mexico as a solution to curbing the tide of immigration.

Second, given massive deficits the funding for Dr. Land's immigration solution is virtually non-existent under the present circumstances.

Third, the question remains, to what extent is the burden of development actually on the US instead of Mexico? Given Mexico's authority as a sovereign state, there is no small amount of onus for Mexico to develop a Nation worthy of its citizens. If the approach is to create a more hopeful Mexico as a means to end illegal immigration, then Mexico itself has just as much obligation to thwart illegal immigrants as the US.

Fourth, is Land's "Carrot & Stick" approach really the most Christ like? The message of the Gospel is just as much one of personal responsibility, as it is one of love. People either accept or reject Christ on the basis of their personal decision. Similarly, perhaps the loving thing is not to reward irresponsible, illegal immigrants with a guest worker program and a major economic bailout from Government. Rather, we shouldn't demonstrate tough love to the illegals by sending them back and encourage the Mexican government to do its fair share in halting illegal immigration? It seems to me this is the essence of personal responsibility in this matter.

In conclusion, let me say that I don't mean to be trite in this assessment. I realize that Dr. Land isn't a policy maker and that he was probably offering an idyllic view based on a form of Christian ethic. I take issue with his point, however, because there are many exigencies which his position fails to consider. Anyone can offer an idealized notion of what we should do given infinite resources. It's a different matter to put forward a policy solution given the constraints of budgets and personal accountability.

What I did appreciate about Dr. Land's solution is his reminder. Dr. Land offers a reminder to consider ethics in policy matters which is an increasingly rare call to reason in our age of corporate scandal and Congressional bribery. This lesson is certainly one well taken and one in which more than a few politicians on Capitol Hill could use a primer.

Sooners to Square Off Against Hurricanes

Following a tradition begun nearly twenty years ago, the University of Oklahoma announced that the OU Sooners will play the Miami Hurricanes during the 2007 and 2008 season.

The Sooners will host Miami on Sept. 8, 2007 while Miami returns the favor two years later on Sept. 12, 2009.

Chafee Lashes Out at National Review

Sen. Lincoln Chafee's campaign lashed out in response to the National Review's endorsement of his opposition, former Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey, in the Rhode Island Republican Primary for U.S. Senate.

After decrying Laffey as a tax and spend "liberal," Chafee Campaign Manager, Ian Lang wrote, "In contrast, Senator Chafee represents a winning blend of fiscal conservatism, traditional Republican values, and progressive ideals. He has a strong pro-business and pro-economic growth record as reflected by his recent endorsement by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce."

Opinion pieces by political hacks always leave me entertained. Note: the message of the Chafee campaign was not that Chafee himself is a conservative. The message of the campaign is that Laffey isn't a conservative either.

This begs the question: does Chafee really have any room to question a person's conservative credentials- bearing in mind that this remark comes from the most liberal Republican in the Senate? Not only is Chafee pro-choice, he's also pro-gay marriage and opposed Justice Alito in his confirmation hearing. Clearly, Chafee is not bastion of conservative values himself. The hypocrisy of Lang's comments are rank.

The irony of the situation is that Republicans in RI and the rest of the country are tired of liberals who run on the Republican ticket. This move is usually taken by liberals who run as Republicans because they can't win a Democratic primary. For the record, Chafee is about as out of touch with Republican values as you can get. He is unabashedly pro-choice and wouldn't know a conservative position on any social issue if it walked up and said, "hello."

What bothers me most isn't that Chafee is a liberal. I understand that he's from RI and that the Northeast in general is a pretty liberal place. What bothers me is that Chafee is trying to talk about his liberal Republican values as if they were the conservative values most Republicans have.

If we're going to play a game of ideological chess and Chafee wants to be a liberal, he should draw his line in the sand and be a liberal. But he can't have it both ways. Lincoln Chafee should be the last person to critique a person's conservative credentials.

Major League Baseball in OKC?

Lt. Governor Mary Fallin (R-OK) is currently in talks with the owner of the FL Marlins about a possible relocation to Oklahoma City.

Building on the success of the Oklahoma City Hornets, Fallin believes that Oklahoma City can sustain a pro-baseball team as well.

The thought process is logical. Baseball is a spring sport that ends in the fall, and basketball is sport that begins in the fall and ends in the spring. The Hornets are currently among the top ten teams in the league in attendance - a significant improvement from last year where attendance in New Orleans was ranked last in the league.

US Third in Medal Count

While the United States is still ranked first in total number of Gold medals, the Americans have slipped into a tie for third in the overall medal count with Germany.

Only Russia and Norway have more medals at nine and eleven respectively, so there is certainly room for the US to make a comeback. Unfortunately, the Americans have yet to demonstrate a commanding victory in recent days so their morale may be low.

Letters to Theophilus

Just when you thought, Pax Plena couldn't get any more innovative- I am pleased to announce the creation of a sister blog to this site!

The new blog, Letters to Theophilus, can be found over on Word Press where I will make posts directly related to the Bible and my morning devotions. Admittedly, this blog will have only particular interest but I wanted to post the notice in case anyone cares to go over and read. The new site will have virtually no content related to politics or anything we discuss here. However, it will include many introspective thoughts about God and faith along with a few extrospective applications of the Christian faith to life in general.

As an aside, Word Press offers an incredible format and a ton of options for blogging. Definitely check it out if you're at all interested in starting a blog.

Cheney Gets No Breaks

The bloodthirsty media has demonstrated once again why it was wise for Vice President Cheney to avoid talking to the press at all costs. Even after this afternoon's interview on Fox News, Cheney still can't buy a break from the press.

The title links to the transcript from Crooks and Liars of Jack Cafferty's, Cafferty File where Cafferty calls Fox News the "F-word", and Cheney a coward for doing his interview on that network.

So, Cheney admitted he shot Whittington. He even went so far as to say it was one of the worst days in his life and that he prays for Whittington's recovery. What more does the media expect him to do?

Country Music Goes Gay

In a move sure to raise the heckles of the country music industry down in Nashville, the AP reports that Willie Nelson has released a single about gay cowboys.

Nelson's song, "Cowboys are Frequently, Secretly (Fond of Each Other)", is reputed to be the first song about gay cowboys by a major recording artist.

This move really isn't news at least so far as Willie Nelson is concerned. In truth, we shouldn't expect anything less from old Willie. He has long been a left leaning musician in an increasingly right leaning music industry. A quick trip down memory lane will recall that Willie Nelson was off protesting the Vietnam war while Merle Haggard was recording "Okie from Muskogee".

Let's just hope that Nelson's song doesn't gives new meaning to Rodeo events such as bronc riding and steer wrestling...

One in Five Americans Suspect Surveillance

A poll released yesterday indicates that 1/5th of Americans believe they have been the targets of federal wiretapping.

In my view, this poll was the clear result of an over-inflated perception of self-importance. The U.S. doesn't even have the capacity to bug the E-mails, phone calls and text messages of 1/5 of all Americans.

For the most part, however, Americans were fairly sensible of the program. Some 52% of people felt it was highly unlikely that they had been bugged- which is much closer to reality. Let's face it, most of us just aren't that interesting.

Open Season on Dick Cheney

I haven't really offered an opinion of the Cheney shooting incident besides linking to a comedian or two who poke fun at the Veep. But today's news that Cheney has finally been pressured into speaking with the press necessitates a reaction from your humble blogger.

To me, the whole situation would be laughable if a man's life weren't in jeopardy. The situation is humorous, no question. Late Night is fully justified in poking fun. Cheney has long cultivated a penchant for being tight-lipped, and behind the scenes- a regular puppet master as he has been called on TV. His demeanor often makes him the butt of jokes from comedians and citizens alike. The idea of such a man shooting someone is a proverbial gold mine for comedy. The situation, however, is grim given the circumstance of the victim. The wounded attorney, Harry Whittington, is 78 years old and has a pellet from the gun lodged near the tissue of his heart. His prognosis is tenuous though he seems to be recovering well despite a minor heart attack yesterday.

As for Cheney's reaction, I can't say I blame him for avoiding the press. If I had just shot my friend, I can't say that making a press release would be the top priority on my list of things to do. There's also the issue of Mr. Whittington's privacy to consider in the matter. It's bad enough that the poor guy was shot while hunting- imagine having to recover from such a terrible accident in the limelight of the media. I am not claiming the public had no right to know about the incident. But I am saying that there was no press to release the news in a differnt manner from the course they ultimately chose. Even more pressing than the public interest is the health of the victim and making sure that his needs are tended to.

In all, it's an interesting nexus of public and private life. A hunting trip on a friend's ranch, while not entirely public is even more decidedly private. The media, of course, can never understand this point. Rather than respecting the wounded man's right to privacy, it would rather castigate a Vice President they never liked. But the irony of the situation is that the reason the press hates Cheney is because Cheney hates the press. This has been substantiated time and again by his disregard for the media and a preference to handle matters behind the scenes.

In this case, celebrity is a self-feeding monster. In order to enter the media's good graces, Cheney needed a better relationship with the media before the incident even took place.
But because he opted to follow his method of handling matters outside of the spotlight, the media is having a grand time making him pay for a non-issue. The tragedy has nothing to do with the American people and everything to do with Cheney, Whittington, and local law enforcement officials. If the matter goes to trial, or if charges are filed against Cheney, then the matter has greater public salience.

For now, it is little more than a media circus smelling blood in the water.

GOP Convention 2008 Update

In a move sure to disappoint my home state, 31 cities were invited to place bids for the 2008 Republican National Convention.

Oklahoma City was not among those invited to submit bids. Some from back home thought that OKC's recent acquisition of an NBA franchise and vast improvement to the "Bricktown" area might make Oklahoma's Capitol city a strong contender to host the convention.

In reality, it was probably a reach, but looking at the cities on the list perhaps not. We could certainly have been competitive with Charlotte, Columbus, Memphis, Nashville and Kansas City. The airport alone is a reason not to consider Kansas City as any Southwest Airlines flyer can attest.

Those who were invited to bid include:

Anaheim, CA; Atlanta, GA; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, CA; Kansas City, MO; Memphis, TN; Miami, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Nashville,TN; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR.; Sacramento, CA; San Antonio, TX; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; St. Louis, MO; and Tampa, FL.

Unsurprisingly true to form, the bids fall along those cities with major media markets and a few small market cities to fan the hopes of future competitors even though these cities will make little more than token bids which will be promptly discarded.

My money is on a city from Texas winning the right to host.

The Dartmouth: "Larry" to Retire

Some disconcerting news out of Hanover, NH, Larry James the manager of Dartmouth Dining Service's "Food Court" is set to retire at the end of the school year.

Larry is famous for greeting each student by name and always having a kind word.

In my four years, Larry could never pronounce my real name, "Torivio." Finally, I told him to give up and just call me Tory. With much fanfare he did and called me by my nickname without having to look at my card.

He's a great guy. The Dartmouth dining experience will not be the same.

A photo is included for those not familiar with Dartmouth or Larry. As you can see from the photo, he's a real hoot.

Moderates Lose at CPAC

This weekend, replete with blizzard, marked up the annual gathering of the Conservative Political Action Conference down in Washington, DC.

Conservative activists from across the country all blazed a trail to the Nation's Capitol to hear the likes of Speaker Dennis Hastert, Senator George Allen, UN Ambassador John Bolton, Senator Mitch McConnell, Texas Governor Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and others opine on issues of the day.

Amid the dull blather of well rehearsed speeches and cocktail parties, the interesting part of the event came when the conference held a straw poll of Republican Presidential hopefuls--which of course meant absolutely nothing.

Ironically, the biggest news of the tally were the people who failed to make news. In this case, it was the moderates failed to make a strong showing in the increasingly crowded field of aspiring Presidents.

Moderate potential candidates Rudy Giuliani and Condoleezza Rice both finished in the middle of the rankings after dropping from first and second respectively in last year's poll. In contrast, conservatives seem to be circling the wagon and rallying behind Senator George Allen of VA who came in first in the straw poll with 22%, while perennial candidate John McCain rallied with 20% to claim second.

While I say that the poll means nothing, it does indicate stronger than expected support for George Allen. Allen was little more than a long shot before a heavy campaign up-tick prior to the conference.

His showing now places him as a strong contender- though not a clear front-runner by any means.

Dean Calls for Cheney's Resignation, Again

Following a pattern of irrational behavior, DNC Chairman Howard Dean called for the resignation of Vice President, Dick Cheney should he be implicated in the CIA leak investigation.

At least Dean didn't call on Cheney to resign for being a bad shot. That offense would seem to have more damning evidence behind it.

US Leads Medal Count in Torino

I've watched the 2006 Winter Olympics only sparingly, but according to the Washington Post the US isn't doing quite as well as it has in recent years.

This article by the Post indicates that it has been a tough go for the Americans with legendary figure skater Michelle Kwan bowing out due to injury and with super speedskater Bode Miller pretty well destroyed in his race on Sunday.

The good news is that the US is still leading the medal count overall. The US has won 4 gold medals, two more than anyone else with a total of six in all putting them in the lead. Norway actually leads the total tally with 8 but only one of its medals was gold.

The article from the Post also indicates that American, Shaun White put in a stellar performance to give the US a much needed boost after a series of hard days. White, known as the "flying tomato" took gold in the Snowboarding Halfpipe, while fellow teammate Danny Kass won the silver.

SD House Votes to Ban Abortion

In a move almost certain to draw a Supreme Court review, the South Dakota House of Representatives voted today to ban the practice of abortion in the State.

The measure must now pass the State Senate before it is signed into law by Governor Mike Rounds.

Atheist Suit Dismissed

There is justice after all. A few weeks ago, we read about the small town priest who was sued for remarking that Jesus existed.

That case was dismissed earlier today by an Italian court.

In dropping the case, the presiding judge questioned whether there was an of slander on the part of the atheist bringing suit against the priest.

Other Schools Imitate Dartmouth's Winter Carnival

In my last commentary on Dartmouth's Winter Carnival, I noted our recognition by Sports Illustrated as being the top Winter event in the Nation.

The Dartmouth has followed this lead by noting the events which occur at other institutions in the area- only confirming our recognition as the number one event in the country.

Several other schools have similar events for their ski teams but all pale in comparison to caliber of the annual gathering in Hanover.

As a tribute to Dartmouth, we need not take offense that other schools copy our tradition. Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Blizzard Headed for New England

The National Weather Service is predicting a record snow fall for New England on Saturday.

Sounds like going up for Winter Carnival might not be such a good idea after all...

Dartmouth Winter Carnival- Best in Nation

Yes folks, it is true that there are, shall we say, lesser institutions who also have a winter carnival besides Dartmouth, but do they really matter?

According to SI the answer is a decisive, No.

Dartmouth's Annual Winter Carnival was recently dubbed best in the Nation by Sports Illustrated.

As if Dartmouth deserved anything else?

When is One Mature?

According to The Dartmouth, the title question is one being addressed by a team of Dartmouth researchers. The question is indeed one for debate.

The researchers, Assistant Professor of Psychological and Brain Science Abigail Baird and Graduate student Craig Bennett, have observed that adulthood may be reached far later than traditionally accepted. Relying on MRI's and survey data, the study reveals that the brain of a college freshman looks quite different than the brain of a twenty-something when compared to a control group of older and younger subjects.

While interesting, the study really doesn't seem to add any new information to the discussion. No parent of anyone just entering college would say that their child is mature when they first begin their studies. The argument can be taken a step further. Many twenty-somethings fail to demonstrate their alleged maturity as a stroll down Boylston Ave. on a Friday night will demonstrate.

The question, however, is interesting because no one has yet determined a benchmark or even a set of criteria denoting the maturity of an individual. On some level, the question is entirely subjective. Assuming we judge a tree by its fruit, maturity can be questionable even when people are well past the age of 18 and even out of their 20s. On the other hand, some children display an uncanny ability to apprehend the world around them and interact with adults as their equals on every level.

Perhaps the best purpose of the study is found in raising the question in the first place. As people re-consider the definition of a mature person, the arbitrary age mark of 18 appears to be fraught with error in many regards.

Indian Tribes and Campaign Finance Reform

Fox has an interesting story on the role of Indian tribes within the framework of campaign finance reform. The article notes efforts by Sen. John McCain of AZ to explore whether tribes should be subject to FEC Regulation in donating money to political campaigns.

Under the current rules, Tribes are exempt from reporting their contributions to the FEC and have no limits on the amount of money they can give.

Tribes have argued that their influence is not as strong as it is reputed to be, noting loses in the areas of healthcare, education and the mismanagement of funds within the Bureau of Indian Affairs as examples of their scant political clout.

In my view, it is not wise to over-regulate tribes who have worked hard to become integrated into the political process. Only 14 years ago tribes donated no money to political campaigns of any sort. Their contributions to date amount to less than half of one percent of all campaign contributions.

The prudent course would to be have them report their earnings to the FEC without limiting the amount of money they can give. Such a move would respect their tribal sovereignty and independence from the Federal Government while enabling tribal members to participate in the political process and hold their governments accountable in expending funds for lobbying efforts.

Delay Placed on Appropriations Committee

In a questionable move by House Republicans, embattled ex-Majority Leader Tom Delay has been placed on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

You've got to wonder how committed the newly elected House leadership really is to reform when they afford Tom Delay such a powerful seat.

The very fact that there is a news story about the placement indicates a problem for House Leaders who need to distance themselves from the fog of corruption surrounding the ex-Majority Leader.

PA GOP: Swann for Governor

Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver Lynn Swann, secured the endorsement of the PA Republican Party in the race for Governor.

Should he be elected, Swann will become the first black Governor of the state.

The Politics of Funerals- Remembering Coretta Scott King

Just when you think politics couldn't get any worse, liberals always find a way of out doing themselves. Demonstrating just how out of touch they are with mainstream Americans, today they stooped so low as to politicize the funeral of a beloved American figure.

And, true to form, rather than deny their political agenda they have decided to celebrate it.

The problem all boils down to this: Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King both understood that equal rights and freedom were worth a fight. They believed in this cause so fervrently that they committed their entire life to this noble struggle on behalf of black Americans and other minority groups across the Nation.

The question is this- don't the Iraqis deserve the same freedom from tyranny that the Kings worked hard to obliterate here in America? If so, then why are we taking shots at the President and politicizing Coretta King's funeral? The issue is not that the Kings were apolitical as Oliver Wills indicates. No sensible American believes that they were. The problem is that the Kings' struggle is one greater than America alone and one greater than any single, liberal political agenda.

Equality and freedom are themes which reverberate in the human soul as Dr. King so eloquently spoke many years ago. The Iraqis possess the right to live in freedom without the fear of a dictator just as much as blacks in the Mississippi Delta deserved the right to vote without fear of retribution. After all, it was Martin Luther King Jr., himself, who concluded his famous "I have a Dream" speech with a redaction of the Negro Spiritual, Free At Last.

In a coarse baritone, with the rolling cadence befitting a Southern Baptist Minister, King stood atop the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and proclaimed,

"And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of
Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring."

Somehow, I don't believe the good Rev. King would exclude the deserts of Iraq from this equation. Nor do I believe he would feel their freedom isn't worth our sweat, blood and tears. It was worth his.

The hypocrisy of the left on this issue is amazing.

EAGW: Evangelicals Against Global Warming?

I took the liberty of posting an acronym in the hopes that I will be the first to coin the phrase. Not likely. But it is an interesting story nonetheless.

Earlier today, the NY Times reported with great fanfare that 86 Evangelical leaders signed a petition backing a major initiative aimed at combating global warming. Among the "EAGW" signers was author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren and the President of Wheaton College a major Evangelical university in IL.

What the times only briefly noted was that the letter did not include many of the Nation's top Evangelical leaders. In fact, some 22 of them circulated a letter aimed at blocking support for the global warming initiative on the basis of incomplete science. Their argument was that increased regulation would lead to even higher energy costs which would hit the poor hardest. Among those opposed to the initiative were Focus on the Family President James Dobson, and Chuck Colson of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

The message is a strong sign that despite the popularity of the global warming debate for academic grant writers, many in the Evangelical community remain on the fence regarding the issue. In the end, the NY Times article was little more than a latent effort to hoodwink the public into believing that Evangelicals were rallying around cause on which they are very much divided.

Division in the GOP: the MO Shootout

I've long been intrigued by the division in the Republican Party between moderates and conservatives. A recent Fox News article does a good job illustrating the divide as they come to bear on politicians. The story features MO Sen. Jim Talent who is at the center of an epic debate for the heart of the MO GOP. Talent, who has no record on the issue of embroynic stem cell research, is torn between moderate Republicans who want the Government to ease regulations on stem cell research and social conservatives who are opposed to research in the interest of preserving life.

Max Skidmore of the University of Missouri-Kansas City sums up the situation well. He writes, ""If Talent comes out in favor of stem cell research, he loses support from the evangelicals. If he opposes it, he'll lose support from the business community that otherwise might support him." On the surface, it appears that Talent is caught between the proverbial rock and hard place, but the question centers on the feelings of MO voters. If stem cell research isn't on their radar then it is likely that the issue won't have quite the same watershed effect as the article leads readers to believe.

But returning to the discussion of moderates and conservatives, there is a clear battle, of which the Fox story is emblematic, being waged by Republican moderates of the low tax, small government variety in effort to recoup their loss of the party base.

This faction is represented by recent TV appearances featuring former NJ Governor Christine Todd-Whitman. Whitman has long been advocating for moderates to become more vocal in their opposition to the religious right. The best example of this is the launch of her PAC, My Party Too, which advocates "open discussion of social issues" - liberal speak for supporting abortion rights, gay marriage, and stem cell research among other liberal/libertarian policies. She also has a lengthy cadre of supporters, most of whom are pro-choice Republicans from the liberal Northeast.

Overwhelmingly, however, Christian conservatives dominate the base of the Republican Party. It has already been widely documented that Evangelical Christians were the largest demographic responsible for the re-election of the President. Try though moderates might to push the party toward the left, conservatives dominate the grass roots. This is a particular point of frustration for moderates who view the in-roads made by conservatives as a threat to their efforts to move the party left.

In a lot of ways, Talent is caught in the cross hairs of the division. As a relatively new Senator without a lengthy record on the issue of stem cell research, he is in the unenviable position of having to choose between the two warring factions- one which is currently in power and the other which hopes to take its place. In the end, however, the issue comes down to conviction. What is Jim Talent's view of stem cell research? And even more importantly, what are his convictions vis-à-vis faith and public policy? The position for Jim Talent, although unenviable is clear. In order to gain re-election in MO he must stand by the base of Christians who elected him.

On a larger scale, the entire debate serves as a message to Christians and social conservatives of the GOP base. In order to retain control, social conservatives must remain steadfast in both principle and conviction. Social issues can not be made issues of political expedience as liberal Republicans would have them believe.

Conservatives much also recognize that the issue is not one which will soon leave. The Christine Whitmans of the party will not abate in their effort to take the party left. They will not shirk in abandoning conviction for votes. As a result the warning is this: conservatives must be ever mindful that a party without moral conviction will not remain long in power.

Tension Grows in Iran Over Cartoon

Protests broke out across the Iranian capitol city today against 12 Danish cartoons depicting Muhammad. The cartoon at left is one of the twelve causing controversy. The news today is that the Danish Embassy in Tehran was torched while protestors burned the Danish flag and shouted anti-Dane slogans as they paraded through the downtown area.

While I don't know that this situation can be likened to the Balkan powder keg of WWI as some analysts have suggested, unrest across the Islamic world is clearly growing in response to the US liberation of Iraq and random clashes with the EU. The violent reaction even left the US State Department grasping for answers. Their response was an appeal to Saudi Arabia for intervention in the region in order to diffuse tensions.

I would prefer to reserve judgment on the issue but I find myself very much in league with most Westerners. In our Nations, where our religious symbols are routinely satirized in caricature, the publication of a cartoon depicting Muhammad is benign at best.

If the depiction is an issue of concern, the best way to resolve tensions is to cooperate in the war on terror and prevent terrorist from performing terrorist acts in the name of Muhammed. Until there is a genuine commitment from Islamic states to defuse terrorist actions, the cartoon at right will remain an interesting commentary on the role of Islam in fostering terrorist attacks against the west. I am not saying that Islam is the cause of terrorism. I am not saying that the problem is the cartoon. I am saying that the problem is the specter of terrorism which leaves the West ill at ease. The the anger and flawed thinking of the mobs in Tehran only indicate how out of touch they are with the problem afflicting the west.

The Non-Controversy of Black Jesus

It never ceases to amaze me how movie types try to make a mountain out of a mole hill. A small indie film company from Nu-Lite Entertainment is producing a film called "Color of the Cross," featuring a black actor portraying Jesus.

Let me say from the outset that I am not protesting the film. I believe that God loves everyone regardless of race. I believe that God would see none perish in their sin but would that all might find eternal life through Jesus. I'll even add that people would do well to follow the Lord's color-blind example.

Moreover, the producer said his objective was to combat negative imaging of Blacks. Personally, I can think of no better way to do so than by portraying the selfless death of God's Son in a manner which speaks to the Black community.

What really gets me about the movie is that in creating the film the producer is also attempting to stir up controversy where none exists. The problem is that these folks are so stuck in a prism of color, they neglect to see the real controversy. Black Jesus as a concept is not controversial simply because Jesus has the ability to look beyond racial stereotypes.

What is controversial about the film is the message of the Gospel itself. Introducing a message of redemption and forgiveness through Christ denotes an exclusive means of relationality with God- a message which vast majorities of people are yet unwilling to embrace.

If we want to talk about controversy, the idea of Black Jesus is little more than a side conversation to a much greater work of God- one transcending all barriers of race. One which is just as controversial today as it was when Jesus died.

The Oscars, Hollywood Egos and More

The title of this post links to a story done by Reuters in preparation for the Oscars. The entire article is basically a clash of Hollywood Ego discussing which directors can rightly lay claim to the descriptive title, "A Film By" before the author's name.

For example, the heading of the credits at the start of the movie might read, "A film by Oliver Stone" or "A Blog by Tory Fodder" for comparison. Anyway, the article discusses all of the ins and outs of which director can lay proper claim to the credit ad nauseam.

My only point in linking was to demonstrate that in terms of ego, Hollywood has no match. The real tragedy is that an ego like Jack Abramoff's was better suited for the west coast than the DC power circles. What a waste of talent.

Colbert Report- You're Welcome

Rare is the day when I find myself in partial agreement with the folks from Crooks and Liars but their video of the recent Colbert Report prompted me to post and link to them.

Stephen Colbert sums up well my concerns regarding the out-sourcing of American jobs and the President's tax cuts for the rich. Although the President means well in maintaining economic growth through tax cuts, many of the companies seeing the record breaking profits as a result of the tax breaks are not passing along their prosperity to American workers.

While, Colbert actually contributes very little to the National conversation, his view is one shared by many Americans and provides a laugh at the very least in its satire. This segment comes from his "word" of the day series. The word of the day is "You're Welcome."

How to Access the Video

Click the link in the title of the post to get the video. Once on the Crook and Liars site, click the "video-wmp" link to get the clip (or the "video- QT" for Mac users).

Bush Speaks at Prayer Breakfast

Following a tradition dating back to President Eisenhower, President Bush attended the National Prayer Breakfast yesterday in Washington. Reaffirming a long held belief of my own, the President spoke on the point that America was a Nation of prayer.

I know mentioning this is a little late, but I think the President's recognition of this point is more than a token nod of the contribution of religion in the lives of Americans. Saying a Nation is a Nation of prayer bespeaks a deeper commitment to the Lord than a bland statement about religion and American life.

The President could have chosen to talk about many things yesterday. We have religious tensions between the Israelis and Palestinians undergirding the entire situation of the Middle East. We are engaged in a protracted battle with Islamic fundamentalists in various parts of the world. Both of these crises involve religion in some way.

But instead the President chose to focus on one of the fundamental ways in which mankind connects with the Lord. From experience, my own life has had more than its share of dependence on God. I've also dealt with my share of questions when my prayers went unanswered and the opposite when God delivers in powerful ways. But for the Believer, prayer is more than just receiving from the Almighty. It's about communing with God on an intimate and personal level.

While it is true that the theme of prayer is a common link among all religions, for Believers it should be a basic part of who we are and what we do. The President's choice to address this topic is telling. It indicates that his words come from one who is well acquainted with a life of prayer himself.

Bush on Ethanol

The BBC is picking up on the Bush's speech in Nashville yesterday where he spoke again on the development of ethanol as an alternative fuel to oil.

The President said, the U.S. is close to breaking through into a new energy market with the development of ethanol in as soon as six years.

The skeptics are right to note that change is difficult. But the question is not whether change can occur but whether or not Bush will commit the resources needed to develop the fuel.

Alito Errs on Life

Some pundits and talking heads recently have already begun to question the conservative credentials of Justice Alito.

In his first vote on the Supreme Court, Alito voted to block the State of MO from executing a man who claims that lethal injection is a cruel and unusual punishment. The court has decided to use the case to clarify how prisoners can challenge the way they will be put to death.

To me, this case has little to do with conservatism and a lot more to do with life. One faction of conservatism believes in swift punishment to deter crime. In principle, I do not disagree with this notion. However, another facet of conservatism holds dear the sanctity of life and the need to proceed judiciously before taking it.

Alito's decision deviates little from either view regardless of the spin it gets in the press. Blocking the execution only delays it until an appeals court reviews the decision and the suitability of lethal injection as a death penalty.

The move also respects life by observing that the worth of an individual mandates the execution of prisoners in a humane manner. If the penalty is cruel and unusual, then the courts have an obligation to treat each individual however accused with dignity in their final end.

Jimmy Carter Backs Hamas

Showing just how out of touch a well meaning guy can be, former President Jimmy Cater weighed in yesterday on the recent Palestinian election.

Carter cautioned against withholding aid to the Palestinian Government saying, "If there are prohibitions -- like, for instance, in the United States, against giving any money to a government that is controlled by Hamas -- then the United States could channel the same amount of money to the Palestinian people through the United Nations, through the refugee fund, through UNICEF, things of that kind."

Carter's words seem well-intentioned albeit misguided. It is wise for the United States to not punish the wrong people. Presuming there is a genuine need for aid in Palestine, the United States has an obligation to make good and deliver for them just as we would do for any other ailing Nation.

The problem which the former President fails to recognize is that the violent aims of Hamas preclude the United States from providing full support. The issue is not that the United States does not wish to back a democratically elected government- by all accounts their election was a resounding success with record turn out. The issue is that the United States does not wish to back a terrorist organization bent on the destruction of our ally. The decision to reform its agenda of terror rests with Hamas, not the United States.

Hillary Clinton in All Her Glory

There's really no reason for this post other than the photo above. Count on this being exploited if she runs for President. Rightly so.

Punxsutawney Phil- Six More Weeks of Winter

This year's celebration on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, PA, marked by unseasonably warm weather, yielded cool results. Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning indicating we have six more weeks of winter on the way.

CNN notes, "According to the Groundhog Club, Phil has now seen his shadow 96 times, hasn't seen it 14 times and there are no records for nine years." Punxsutawney Phil seems a little biased to me. Perhaps we should send him to the Media Research Center for further scrutiny.

But then again, only someone from PA would trust a Groundhog to predict the weather pattern anyway.

I would still travel to

Sooners Recruiting Class Ranks #8

The OU Sooners football team recruited well this year.

Stoops and Co. can boast of their incoming freshmen class, which is ranked 8th in the Nation and 2nd in the Big 12 ( behind only National Champion, Texas).

The Sooners will bring star talent to Running Back and the Defensive Line this year, while also strengthening their corp of wide receivers.

Texas A&M Sues Seahawks Over "12th Man"

In a lawsuit only relevant to a small group of citizens and alumni, Texas A&M is filing a restraining order against the Seattle Seahawks claiming a right to sole use of the "12th Man" slogan.

First of all, since when is the idea of the "12th Man" a trademark? Isn't every rowdy home crowd called the "12th Man?" Second, who cares? The major protagonists are a handful of Texas A&M alum, who pine for the days when Texas A&M actually mattered in the college football universe, and now the City of Seattle. But Seattle's participation comes only after realizing their team wasn't as dismal as it had been in previous years.

I won't support them in this, but I will support them in the Super Bowl. Go Hawks!

State of the Union- The Energy Aftermath

The NY Times had an interesting analysis of last night's State of the Union Address. After dismissing much of the speech, the Times focused on the President's Energy initiative as the hallmark of the address.

The Times wrote, "But for Mr. Bush, the emphasis on reducing foreign dependence on oil, particularly in the often volatile Persian Gulf, reflected a critical political dynamic this year: Republicans have been increasingly alarmed that escalating gas and home heating prices could prove a major issue in Congressional elections this year, particularly as oil companies are reporting record profits."

Although cynical, I think this point has a lot of explanatory power. The fact is that if energy costs continue to rise and the public becomes upset, then Republicans will not remain in power very much longer. Jimmy Carter in the 1970s is an example of energy malcontent that springs to mind.

After all, no one wants to wear sweaters and turn down the heat. The public wants affordable energy just like they want lower gas prices. Taken in bulk, these two items are practical issue of concern for Middle and Lower income families. By addressing energy and the need to break from foreign sources of fuel, Bush's outreach seeks to assuage their concerns about the rising costs by offering them a vision for addressing these issues. "Don't like high energy? Let's cut our ties to OPEC and generate new, green energy supplies right here at home. And let's do it in six years."

The Times got it right. The energy plan is bold. And it's a practical concern for most Americans. But bold visions are just dreams unless they are backed by action. Bush also had a dream for Social Security last year which never materialized- to the disappointment of many. What will be most telling and what remains to be seen is whether or not the White House has the same wherewithal to stay the course on domestic policies as it does in foreign affairs. The Advanced Energy Initiative will either sink or swim as a function of the White House’s commitment to the cause.