Unfortunately, voting for the "truth" based on our perception of good or evil does not uncover the truth. And I, for one, do not profess to know the "truth." But finding it based on faith and dogma (which, by definition, disallow any critical analysis) is getting no closer to it than the followers of all the previous gods that I have listed.

perhaps the one that has spawned more good than evil in the world? Science is deconstructing what already is to make sense of it and perhaps replicate it. This does not make science the creator of anything - even the components of man-made elements already existed without science. I'm far from religious but the disdain most here, and in other places I frequent, have toward faith causes me to inject a bit of balance.

5,000 years ago it was the Church of Ra; 4,000 years ago it was the Church of Jahovah; 3,000 years ago it was the Church of Zeus; 2,000 years ago it was the Church of Jupiter; will several no less important Churches in Asia throughout that period, as well as today; 1,000 +/- years ago it was the Church of Jesus; 700 years ago it was the Church of Allah; pick a Church today from the menu and tomorrow from God X. So, which church do you suggest as the infallible explanation of Life?

I did know that Obama did that to an opponent in his senatorial campaign. I didn't know that it was Jack Ryan. I remember the crook George Ryan. He was governor while I was there. Maybe I shouldn't use the descriptor "crook" before Illinois politicians; it doesn't help narrow things sufficiently.

are you talking about Paul Ryan? -- j

You gotta be kidding, right?
Actually, I know that you're not. The idea that scientists who put forth the theories as illustrated above going to a church in order to compliment their theories does seem ludicrous. Observing a universe composed of billions of galaxies containing billions of stars, so vast that light traveling at 186,000 miles per second takes years to reach us being created by a god looking like one of us wearing flowing white robes and a flowing white beard is beyond the pale. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not a militant atheist. If religion gives you comfort and a moral compass, so long as it doesn't impede my forward progress, is OK with me. But to think that a trip to a local church will guide scientists in their pursuit of the truth is not something I, or most likely they, could get on board with. I am not denying, however, that there is a possible overall intelligence in the universe. I don't know, and I don't think that anyone else does either. If there is, It seems strange that it would be concerned with the well-being of each individual of the 7 billion people on earth, or perhaps in a few other places.

I knew about Axelrod and Cain, but didn't know about Jack Ryan. I thought Jack Ryan was only a character in Tom Clancy novels. Thanks for the education.

Good clarification, Fred!

I seldom can afford to throw stones :)

Sorry about the grammatical errors. I must be tired.

Wow! I had forgotten that!

Perot spoke publicly about a rumor that one of the tabloids was supposedly going to run in a story, accusing his daughter of having lesbian relations with Madonna. That was the turning point, I think, of when politicians became fodder for all forms of liable media abuse. Perot couldn’t see that this wasn’t a one-time hit piece, but the beginning of culture norm. He wasn’t paranoid, he was blind-sighted. The days of treating people running for office with a certain level of respect were over. That’s just the way I remember it. After the election, SNL did a skit where an actor playing Clinton is trying to flirt with the real Madonna but she winks at the make-beleive Chelsea.

In some respects, he was not paranoid. The Republican party planned on sabotaging Perot's daughters' wedding, and Perot found out about it. It was never clear whether they were going to go through with the sabotage, but his crumbling under the personal pressure was enough to end his chances.

Considering where we are now with NAFTA and O, was he really all that paranoid?

It did remind me of Perot, too. As quirky as he was, Perot could have done a lot of good had he not been so paranoid.

Agreed on the Fed, even so he came of sincere enough for me to volunteer my time to help his campaign. Unfortunately, his campaign collapsed before he set anything up I could be part of here in Phoenix.

Reminded me very much of Perot. It killed his campaign.

I was really surprised when Cain dropped out. I didn't think they had any real dirt on him, but if it caused friction between him and his wife, I totally get it.