[Sleeper]

I don't know that we can all agree that Jefferson and Washington were great men. I think that all would agree that they were men that, while flawed, did great things. They shaped a constitution that is still unique in the world that protects many freedoms we enjoy. I don't think history will be kind to President Clinton, as the information from his administration has yet to show any meaningful accomplishments. The jury should still be out on Bush, as he still has two years in his first term and much more history yet to write. He will probably go down as a middle of the road president, neither great nor bad, which is where most presidents fit.

I think you confuse the rebuttal of facts to the offering of opinion. I am of the opinion that we messed up the Vietnam war. The fact is that we were invited. I am of the opinion that the loss of life at Hiroshima and Nagasaki were monumentally sad. The fact is that the bombs dropped saved tens of thousands of US lives and brought WWII to the end. I am of the opinion that your posts tend to be caustic, arguementative, sarcastic and contrarian. The fact is you have every right to have those opinions and I defend that right vehemently.

Rut, you have a lot to share, both sports and otherwise. But much of it is lost in the way you present your information and defend your ideas and points. You have an ivory tower mentality that really makes it difficult to sift out the information. I do feel sorry for you.

By the way, my reading list is more than just the rulebook, even at this time of year. It includes the Economist, Time of London, WSJ (at times), CNN, local newspapers, Yahoo news, Drudge Report, NewsMax, WorldNet Daily and other alterative sources to give me as balanced a view of the world as possible. I have an MBA in Global Management and did my thesis on the French Influence on the EU. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am hardly the mental midget you try to portray. There are two things that I know. The first is to base what I believe on fact versus emotion and the second is that I understand that I can always learn more. I am open to other views and opinions, but there has to be more to them than just feel good and fluff. I don't believe what I do because it is convenient, I believe because I have the information that backs it up.