Do you need a sales rep? Call me.

"We're going out of here to fight for a mighty dream that will let America be America."

So, America is primarily about marrying rich widows and suing obstetricians out of business?

It's obvious John Kerry has a strict work ethic. I mean, look at his attendance record this year. Does this mean that John Kerry has two jobs?
Senator and Presidential candidate.

Wow, the economy really must be doing badly.

I'll care about what you have to say about Kerry/Edwards when you get equally serious about fisking Bush/Cheney. I'd rather have a president who is flatulently vapid than one who is a bald-faced liar intent on weakening government for the benefit of his cronies and at the expense of the majority of citizens.

a bald-faced liar intent on weakening government for the benefit of his cronies and at the expense of the majority of citizens.

So which is it, a police state or a weakened government? There's too many leftie canards to keep track of.

If you listen to Kerry, it is all bluster and vague promises. I am waiting for his peomise of a chicken in every pot.

Simon, gee, perhaps Sharky should fisk Bush and Cheney. I mean, aside from CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, the BBC, al-Jazeera, Michael Moore, Al Franken, Err Amerika, Seattle P-I, Time, Newsweek, USN&WR, The Economist, MoveOn, Kos, Josh Marshall, Eric Alterman, Yglesias, Ted Rall, Paul Krugman, Maureen Dowd, Bill Press, Ellen Ratner, Alan Colmes, Andrew Sullivan, Ellen Goodman, the Boston Globe, The New York Daily News, Elinor Rodham Clift, David Brock, IndyMedia, the Democratic Undergroud Message Board (DUMB), and a few thousand other left-wing sites... there's hardly any criticism of George W. Bush at all out there.

Simon:

Are you on some kind of work-program where you have to read this blog, and worse care about what it says?

Last I checked, you not only don't have to care about what Mr. Sharkansky writes, you don't even have to read it.

hang in there simon. you're just visiting the other side's choir. honest debate doesn't really exist anymore (b/c very few people really listen then form an opinion). instead, one has an opinion and understands facts/arguements so as to support the desired result. that's true of both the left and the right by the way.

Dinesh:

I've seen you complain periodically about how Sharkansky doesn't fisk Bush/Cheney. I'm curious, since you at times sound like a libertarian, why you feel incumbent to suggest what Mr. Sharkansky does on his weblog.

There is nothing to keep you from starting your own blog to do exactly that---critique Bush/Cheney. If you do a good job of writing decently and finding interesting points, you'll have plenty of readership. (It's not like there aren't lots of folks unhappy w/ B/C, from both the Left and the Right.)

As for your encouragement of Simon, again, it appears that you feel it is a good thing simply to show up and present an alternative view. If that's what Simon wants to do, that's certainly his prerogative, but Simon's comment, that he doesn't intend to give any weight to Mr. Sharkansky's comment(s) does not seem to suggest that so much as disgust.

So, again, I'm curious---exactly why is it Mr. Sharkansky's job to present ANY alternative view on any subject? Indeed, is he supposed to somehow indicate why the WA Dems are the party to support, on his own weblog?

dean:

i fully recognize that this is shark's blog and he determines its content. while i've not reviewed all of my posts, generally i come from "oh that double standard" sort of reasoning--that is to say, if shark is going to identify lying liars, i nominate cheney for consideration, as his lie is 1) clear; and 2) regarding a matter which is serious in nature.

so, i don't believe it is shark's responsibility to do anything in particular whatsoever with his blog. i trust that b/c he allows comments to be posted, he is inviting discussion, narrowly on the topic of the post, or more broadly, on related topics.

as for providing support to simon--i agree he is a bit hyperbolic in his language (who's not at times these days?), but if you notice the posts that follow, well it is sorta like a yuppie showing up in a suit at a leather biker bar. i was simply reminding him that this blog is visited by folks that tend to be on the other side of the political spectrum (as best as i can gather from the posts).

so may i ask, in light of your comment that one doesn't have to read it, how is one supposed to learn of other/different points of view? should we really just surround ourselves with like-minded thinkers who espouse ideas with which we are predisposed to agree?

Dinesh:

You write:

dean:

if shark is going to identify lying liars, i nominate cheney for consideration, as his lie is 1) clear; and 2) regarding a matter which is serious in nature.

Shark is not identifying lying liars. This is not a "Who is a lying liar" weblog, this is a weblog of Mr. Sharkansky's views. If this were a weblog on the Seattle Mariners, and he was writing about great pitchers on that team, is he somehow remiss for not including Nolan Ryan?

Moreover, your strident "Why don't you write about X" betrays your claimed belief that it's up to Shark to write on what he wants on his blog.

Why don't you start your own blog?

i was simply reminding him that this blog is visited by folks that tend to be on the other side of the political spectrum (as best as i can gather from the posts).

Thanks for acting as the appointed guardian and guide for this blog. Funny, though, I don't see you listed as such?

so may i ask, in light of your comment that one doesn't have to read it, how is one supposed to learn of other/different points of view? should we really just surround ourselves with like-minded thinkers who espouse ideas with which we are predisposed to agree?

Read Simon's comment again. HE is the one who says that he won't give Shark's comment any credence or weight. Fine, then WHY BOTHER COMMENTING on this? Why complain?

You seem to be the flip side of Shark, eager to agree w/ those who criticize the host, yet ignoring what the critics themselves say. EXCEPT that this is the host's blog. If it were YOUR blog, it would then make sense to cheer on Simon.

As for surrounding oneself etcetcetc, is this somehow a service you're rendering? I didn't see a listing on the blog for "self-appointed conscience," "devil's advocate," or "loyal opposition," either. Perhaps you should see if Mr. Sharkansky is looking for a fellow blogger and put your own opinions down, to be subjected to "other/different points of view" rather than simply sniping away?

Or perhaps you're referring to Simon, in which case, again, I think that the issue is Simon claiming that he's not going to pay attention to Shark's comments AND TAKING UP BANDWIDTH WITH THE PROCLAMATION, and not whether there are those who disagree w/ the host here.

dean: one simple question: why does shark allow comments to be posted when other blogs don't?

you seem to be the monitor of acceptable blog posts, telling me that mine are not.

Hardly. I am merely asking you, not telling. That is for Mr. Sharkansky to do (or not do, as is his wont).

Are you really suggesting, though, that by having comments, ergo one is supposed to act as some kind of "loyal opposition"?

I know that when I comment at various blogs, it's to ask a question, to differ w/ other's opinions or to express support. Not because I somehow am thinking that I am doing a service, acting as some kind of "loyal opposition" or "voicing an opinion simply to make a point."

And, again, I'm genuinely curious: Why don't you start your own blog, since you clearly have opinions, are not shy about expressing them (a key point to having a blog), and wish to get them across? Or do they exist only in opposition?