F.B.I. and States Vastly Expand DNA Databases - NYTimes.com

Artemis - what you and I think won't change shit - sorry - we have to deal with what we've got.

Mik - Obama is thousand times worse than Bush or Putin - I am totally not convinced whose interests he represents - but let me assure you - it's not yours or mine. Hussein has an agenda - and it will pain us all to find out what it is - I just have this nasty feeling.

Scarabus - you seem like an old wise man - maybe not that old - perhaps its that St. Nick beard. So tell me - are you proud of your president? Do you want him to succeed in building socialism here? When our European allies tell us that nationalized healthcare is a mistake - do you think he should listen? From where I sit - oh, you know what I see from where I sit. I see a mole - and not the one on his face - but him as a mole of something sinister. I hope I am wrong - but none - I repeat - NONE of his choices or actions so far exhibit behavior I would be proud to call American! I thought dealing with Somali's was the 1st - but apparently he delayed it by 2-3 days too, while seeking advice on how it would make him look. Man oh man - you guys have picked a really dangerous man for this job - a wolf in sheep's clothing. Maybe more than a wolf - a hyena!

I am thankful that I live in America though, where I can say these things and not be afraid that someone will be knocking at my front door - at least for now. I mean he is buddy buddy with Castro and Chavez - maybe he will learn some new tricks from those dictators - and try to step on my freedom of speech. Will you support me then, I wonder?

I propose that anyone running for office , say like the presidency must have a record of effective public service , and have contributed to the betterment of communities , say 100 different times . I also thing you should have the right to keep your DNA private from everyone until you lose that right by breaking the law . Now watch how fast weed gets legalized . You know even politicians use it !

Well I can see your point of view seeing how Putin was even a bigger asshole than bush by comparison Obama must seem disappointing.

Hussein is the worst you could have done for this country. I don't need to try harder - the evidence of this is everywhere and anywhere. C'mon buddy, you're a proud American - you like him apologizing and sniveling? You like him bowing down? You like his past associations and present misdeeds? You think he is looking out for your best interests?

Gotta try harder, igordy. That's too easy. Barack is the exception that proves the rule. :-)

Scarabus and Mik - so where does this place your recently chosen presiden Hussein?

Ha! Yes, 661! In my more cynical moments I've often said that no one who seeks public office could possibly be morally and ethically qualified for public office.

Kind alike the old joke about not wanting to belong to any organization that would be willing to have me for a member.

And, quite honestly, I thinks that's way too often true. But, fortunately, it isn't always true. Persons of intelligence, education, character, integrity, and compassion do occasionally seek and attain public office. It's vital that we recognize the distinction.

We should always remember that there is no intelligence test for election to congress. There is no "civics" test. There is no education or understanding test. There is no moral or ethical test.

Result? No one should ever be surprised to find stupid, baffled, uneducated, clueless, immoral, and unethical persons in congress. Not ever! But so what? Let's grant that many members of congress are stupid, ignorant, venal, and driven purely by narrow ideology. In other words, let's accept reality.

We gotta remain alert, support watchdog organizations, join together to multiply the strength of our voices, etc. Because what's the alternative?

I have always felt that the best canidates for President would both be unelectable and uninterested in being elected because as you say many great men are in some ways also very bad men.

Above the entrance to the original library at the college where I teach is carved the assertion that "Knowledge is power." (Written first by Francis Bacon, but repeated by others.)

The assertion is usually understood as positive and idealistic. In reality, though, power is like the ring in Tolkien's novels. It might be used for good. But...

As Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Scary enough in itself, but what Acton goes on to say is even scarier: "Great men are almost always bad men."

Yeah, I know. What does he mean by "great"? I infer he means men/women who have a huge influence on the world.

I'd have to say this is good for fighting crime, but hope it doesn't get out of hand and used for evil.