Archive: 2006

443 entries. 116,166 words.

January, 2006

The Macedonians\’s Days Are Numbered. 2006-01-03 6:51 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For those of you flocking to this page to read my insights on programming, you might have noticed that I haven’t written much of anything in this space. Most likely, that was why I removed this Technical section in the first place. But recently I thought.. hey, here’s a good idea.. how about a section of me writing about programming! 317 words.
Computer Upgrade. 2006-01-03 6:59 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Oh, here’s some more technical news. I’ve ordered an upgrade for my computer for the first time since September 2003. It’s just in the nick of time, too, since my current computer has taken to dying with a Blue Screen of Death each time I try to reboot. 137 words.
New Employer. 2006-01-03 7:35 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Today I started my new job.. well, technically it’s the same job, but I’ve shifted from being a sub-contractor to a contractor. 55 words.
Washington at Tampa Bay Prediction. 2006-01-04 3:17 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Washington travels to Tampa Bay for the first round of the playoffs this Saturday. Who would have thought I’d be saying that? The last time Washington was in the playoffs was 1999. 259 words.
Washington at Seattle. 2006-01-09 2:17 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was indeed wrong about Washington at Tampa Bay, although I shouldn’t have been. No way did the Redskins deserve to win that game after the offense stunk up the joint so badly. 120 yards?? 146 words.
Book of Daniel. 2006-01-09 4:21 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
We taped The Book of Daniel and watched it over the weekend. We willfully and maliciously fast-forwarded through the commercials while we laughed ourselves silly in defiance of Big Media. Sorry, I digress. 169 words.
News Flash: Dark Ages Didn’t Happen. 2006-01-09 8:05 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m just trying to kill time here, so I don’t really feel like looking up hard evidence to support my claim, but the article Christianity credited for West’s success, which discusses the book The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism and Western Success by “leading” U.S. sociologist Rodney Stark, sounds like.. what’s the word I’m looking for… total crap. (By the way, I didn’t know there was a sociologist race going on… I wonder if it’s on ESPN?) 239 words.
Purple Phoenix. 2006-01-09 8:26 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m sure you’re dying to know the status of my computer upgrade. 92 words.
Iran Not Quite All There. 2006-01-10 3:58 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I couldn’t find anything particularly noteworthy to mock in this morning’s blogosphere, but I did come across a rather frightening article about Iran’s president (Iran leader’s messianic end-times mission). The more I read and hear about Iran and their president, the more frightening that situation gets. Mr. Ahmadinejad sounds a bit like a loose canon. 120 words.
CSI:Mickey. 2006-01-10 4:13 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Golly, but I’ve been getting uber-political lately! What’s up with that? Let’s get back to more important topics, like the strangulation and decapitation of mice! 152 words.
iPod-Ridiculosity. 2006-01-11 3:52 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Okay, this iPod thing is starting to get ridiculous: Levi Strauss debuts iPod-ready jeans. How gullible do people have to be to fall for this? How desperate are these people to throw away their money? 130 words.
A Truthy Response To Barney. 2006-01-12 6:39 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Barney Brenner’s op-ed piece, Darwinism: An Endangered Way of Thinking?, is a good example of punditry in action. The article has just enough truthiness in it to fool someone who doesn’t know better, or someone who has already made up their mind. He makes a lot of claims and doesn’t back a single one of them up, presuming that the reader will just accept his word on them. 1,202 words.
Green Pigs and Cell Records. 2006-01-13 3:50 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s nothing really to snipe at this morning, so I’ll have to get creative. 195 words.
Quake 4 Review. 2006-01-13 3:54 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
So I’m playing Quake 4 now that I finally got my new computer put together. (What was the first thing I installed after Windows? Yup. 669 words.
Garbage Time. 2006-01-13 7:48 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sitting here watching the clock in the work week’s equivalent of “garbage time” (that portion of a football game after which the losing team has given up any hope of winning the game), I’m reminded that in my last job, the boss frequently liked to use this time–yes, the final hour of the final day of the work week–to brainstorm, go over status reports, and plan for the future. It gives one some perspective. While it might seem that watching the second hand tick by on a clock might cause some resentment or bad feelings, I can honestly say: It could be a lot worse. 105 words.
Dark Tower Found. 2006-01-16 5:52 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I finished the Stephen King Dark Tower books last night… I’ve had the last two books for like six months but just now got around to reading them. (My life is such that I have to deliberately exclude things from my plate in order to read.) I started with book five and went on through to the last two. All I can say is: Wow. 457 words.
Fat Cats Responsible. 2006-01-17 4:40 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m trying out a new feed reader today called Omea Reader. I haven’t made up my mind yet, but one thing I like is that you can “bookmark” (note obvious anti-Microsoft terminology) news web pages that haven’t made it into the RSS world yet. I can’t stand opening up a browser and slogging through a menu of 1000 favorites to find news, so this is a nifty feature for my lazy buttocks. 366 words.
Rainy Commute. 2006-01-18 2:40 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s nothing quite like starting your workday by driving on Interstate 95 for a half hour in the rain. Let’s see if I can paint a picture for you. You can see that there are cars around you, but you can’t quite make out how far away they are or how fast they’re going. 164 words.
Muslim Sit-Com Coming Soon!. 2006-01-18 5:14 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was having a really hard time finding anything to snipe at today. My usual targets were silent or monumentally dull. I even added tons of new feeds to my aggregator, specifically looking for radical thinking from every possible angle. 482 words.
Privacy Wars. 2006-01-19 2:52 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Amid the uproar about the Prez wiretapping everybody’s phones, I thought it would be fun to pass along a couple other privacy issues from today’s news. 228 words.
Mission Statement. 2006-01-20 1:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m starting this blog as a response to Greg Krehbiel’s Crowhill Weblog. Greg Krehbiel is a conservative Roman Catholic advocate. This by itself wouldn’t be enough for me to start a blog, but unfortunately, the Crowhill Weblog ranks fairly high in a Google search for “Krehbiel,” so anyone searching for information about the Krehbiel family name would find Greg Krehbiel and his blog to be one of the first ambassadors of the surname. 238 words.
The Crowhill Irony. 2006-01-20 2:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
When I first came across the CW (the Crowhill Weblog) in a Google search, I was amazed at the irony I found. Here was a man proudly displaying his family crest and using the “crow hill” translation of Krähenbühl in his domain name. At first glance, I thought it was pretty cool. 218 words.
New Blog. 2006-01-20 4:58 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
If you’re looking for more witty and insightful responses to the Crowhill Weblog, you’ll have to go to The Krehbiel Strikes Back. I started that blog for the specific purpose of sniping at The Pope. (I won’t call him Pope Narcissus there, though, because that wouldn’t be polite.) Tell all your friends! 76 words.
Michael Moore vs. The Whale. 2006-01-20 6:58 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
What do Osama bin Laden, Michael Moore, Chris Matthews, and a whale all have in common? They are all hot topics in the blogosphere today. 297 words.
Solving Catholicism. 2006-01-21 1:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally posted January 3, 2006.] 318 words.
Congrats Camille!. 2006-01-21 1:30 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Congratulations to Camille Krehbiel for making the freshman honor roll at Deer Creek-Lamont in Oklahoma! I don’t know who she is or, quite frankly, where that school is, but I thought I’d pass along some kudos anyway. (Honestly, I’m not sure I could even find Oklahoma on a U.S. map… I think it’s one of those vague “middle-of-the-country” states.) The Enid News and Eagle reported this outstanding accomplishment. 70 words.
Nice Job, Lynda!. 2006-01-21 2:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Congratulations also to Lynda Krehbiel-McLain for her “exceptional” solo singing performance in Beethoven’s Fantasy for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, as reported in Orchestra captures essence of Beethoven [link corrected] by columnist Gail Westerfield for The Island Packet. Again, I have no idea who this woman is or where the performance took place, but since she is not spouting any unusual rhetoric that I’m aware of and simultaneously shining a positive light on the Krehbiel name, she deserves a mention on my unabashedly pro-Krehbiel blog. Way to go, Lynda! 99 words.
Sue Rocks Aspen. 2006-01-22 1:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
If anyone happened to be in Aspen last night, let me know how Sue Krehbiel did. See Weekend entertainment: music, more in the Aspen Times: “A house concert in Carbondale will feature Justin Roth, with Sue Krehbiel and Frank Martin opening, tonight. Appetizer potluck at 7 p.m. and music at 8 p.m.” I’m betting she rocked the house. 64 words.
On Materialist Rhetoric. 2006-01-22 2:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m reeling a little from GK’s January 20 post, Arthur C. Clarke on magic. Where in the world did this topic come from? He’s debunking that famous quote, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic,” as if Mr. Clarke just said it yesterday and not, like, 50 years ago. 420 words.
Disconnection. 2006-01-23 1:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally posted January 4, 2006.] 89 words.
Randy’s Review. 2006-01-23 2:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Check out David Boren: an Oklahoma legend, an article for Tulsa World by Randy Krehbiel, a World Staff Writer. I don’t know what it says because you have to be a member to read it, but I’m sure it’s a great article. From the first two sentences, it looks like a music review, which seems like something Krehbiels have a long history of doing. 91 words.
Best Wishes, Sarah. 2006-01-23 3:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In an article dated Christmas Day, Troops celebrate as they prepare to deploy, the Idaho State Journal writes that Army reservist Spc. Sarah Krehbiel, a single mom with a 3-year-old son, is mobilizing for active duty in February. The article indicates that “the Army’s not saying where the Pocatello- and Twin Falls-based outfit’s headed, but war-torn Iraq looms as a definite possibility.” Sad to see her having to leave her son behind like that. 79 words.
On The AFA. 2006-01-23 2:22 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The AFA makes me sick. They have an electronic petition to send emails to NBC about The Book of Daniel. They’ve done all the work, so all you have to do is click a button and bam-o NBC gets a nicely worded email written by the AFA, and they can claim billions of people oppose the show. 142 words.
RSS Fixed. 2006-01-23 4:42 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m sure this issue affected hundreds of people, so I just fixed a small glitch in my RSS feeds. 37 words.
Scott Headed to Kansas State. 2006-01-24 1:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
According to the Kansas City Star, stand out high school offensive lineman Scott Krehbiel is heading to Kansas State to play college ball. (And get an edumacation, too, I suppose.) See Cats land offensive line recruit. 36 words.
Dissecting Crowhill Spin. 2006-01-24 2:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally posted January 4, 2006.] 320 words.
Professor Wars. 2006-01-25 1:00 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yesterday, the Crowhill Weblog referenced UCLA controversy might herald new front in culture wars, an article by Gwendolyn Driscoll. Perhaps you can guess GK’s viewpoint on the matter. Ten points if you picked, “college professors should only be robots programmed to recite conservative-government-regulated teaching curriculums.” (It’s remotely possible that I’m not stating his viewpoint fairly.) 356 words.
An Open Letter to AFA Chairman Donald E. Wildmon. 2006-01-25 1:52 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
To: Donald E. Wildmon Chairman, American Family Association 462 words.
AFA Response. 2006-01-25 2:02 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just for the record, here was the AFA’s response, if you can call it that, to my letter. Note the smug “ohhhh, we’re innocent, we had nothing to do with it!” attitude and link. 99 words.
Congrats to Rip. 2006-01-26 3:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Congratulations to Rip Krehbiel for making the 8th grade Honor Roll in Indian Hill Middle School! I don’t know who he is, but if I did, I’m sure I’d say it couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. Keep up the great work! 64 words.
Reviewing Mark Steyn. 2006-01-26 3:38 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally posted January 5, 2006.] 216 words.
Lee Tells It Like It Is. 2006-01-26 8:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Associate Dean of Students Lee Krehbiel imparted sage wisdom in the ISU Bengal Online about student employees’s limited greivance options at Idaho State University. See Student employment rights non-existant at ISU. It’s interesting to see how many Krehbiels around the country are involved in education. 53 words.
The War On Culture. 2006-01-27 3:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally posted January 6, 2006.] 339 words.
NBC Webcasts Book of Daniel. 2006-01-27 3:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
NBC will be webcasting an unaired episode of The Book of Daniel tonight at 8PM. Please join me in sending kudos to NBC for continuing to make this novel program about faith and family available to both audiences who value creative story-telling in an otherwise dreary television landscape, and to Americans who enjoy the freedom to choose their viewing habits without interference from strong-armed lobbyist organizations. 66 words.
Sorry, Ranting About Daniel Again. 2006-01-27 8:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I would like to take this opportunity to rebuke entertainment journalists worldwide. I am referring, of course, to the somewhat dated news that NBC has cancelled The Book of Daniel. Another slew of articles appeared in my news reader on the subject today, and each was predictable down to the letter, being nearly word-for-word copies of the original news story from earlier this week. 503 words.
A Skirmish In The War On Culture. 2006-01-29 12:59 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Fighting in the Culture War is pretty draining. I’ve been having a “debate,” if you can call it that, with a person on the Blog of Daniel comment boards. I’ll call her Baptist X, since her viewpoints seem to be fairly representative of the typical conservative Southern Baptist Christian. 1,232 words.
Great News For Liberals. 2006-01-29 2:57 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Whoa, I had almost forgotten about the Crowhill Weblog. GK’s been flying under the radar lately, just posting links to articles (half of which were sent in by other people). But now it’s time to put on my “Crowhill media watchdog” hat again, for it is my sworn duty. 331 words.
Latest News From The Front. 2006-01-30 6:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s my wisdom for today: People are really touchy about their religion, especially on the Internet. Provocative comments or questions about someone’s religious tenants are almost always viewed as a direct assault on the individual. 978 words.
The Republican Womb Patrol. 2006-01-31 6:34 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw a post today, Say good bye to your wombs, gals, you no longer control them. The Republican party does, on the liberal blog The Daou Report, referring of course to the imminent confirmation of Judge Alito and the suspected future overturning of Roe v. Wade. 313 words.
Iran Seeks Answers. 2006-01-31 6:35 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
“I am not making this up.” Here’s some cheery news from Iran: Iran Invites Blair to Holocaust Denial Conference. Yes, you read that right. Iran is holding a conference to “scientifically” determine the facts about the Holocaust. 82 words.
Civility Irony Revealed. 2006-01-31 9:54 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally posted January 7, 2006.] 95 words.

February, 2006

Christianists. 2006-02-01 3:57 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I came across the article, Onward, Christianist soldiers?, by Ruth Walker of the Christian Science Monitor today, after I saw a reference to the word “Christianist” on a liberal blog. It’s a good read. The term is very appropriate, too. 116 words.
The Danger of Sheehan. 2006-02-01 7:18 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
When Cindy Sheehan first arrived on the scene, I was touched by her story. How could anyone not be? I didn’t particularly think the President should give in and talk to her in Camp Casey–he already had once, after all, and that’s more than most Americans get–but she made a brave stand. 510 words.
Crowhill on SOTU. 2006-02-01 7:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Imagine my surprise to find a parody of the SOTU on the Crowhill Weblog (The crowhill version of the state of the union speech). When I read it, I was shocked right down to my socks; it was actually kind of funny. And here’s the really scary part: I actually agree with some of his points. 285 words.
Academy of the Martial Arts. 2006-02-02 4:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yesterday’s Crowhill post, “Boy” defined as “obstacle to female-defined success”, contains some alarming content. 129 words.
Another Musical Krehbiel. 2006-02-02 4:53 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
American choir shares German town’s sorrow with gift of song is a touching piece about the Bethel College Concert Choir being the first to sing in Bad Reichenhall (Germany) after a roof collapse killed 15 people, mostly children, a week earlier. Of particular note to Krehbiels was “the male octet Open Road’s rendition of “Lord, be near me,” an original piece by Moundridge senior and Open Road member Joel Krehbiel.” 70 words.
Fred Backs Joe. 2006-02-02 5:05 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I missed this news from a few days ago: Molex CEO Fred Krehbiel seems to like Republican Joe Birkett for lieutenant governor of Illinois. He contributed $10,000 to his campaign fund. See Governor raises $15.5 million, and scroll way down to the bottom. 80 words.
No Humor Required. 2006-02-02 5:13 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
And you thought Christianist fundamentals were bad. Check out Storm grows over Muhammad cartoons. 205 words.
Busted. 2006-02-03 3:19 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ruh roh.. I’m busted. I guess I’ll have to be a little more civil now. :) It’s pretty amazing how fast things happen in the ol’ blogosphere. 99 words.
Wry Henry. 2006-02-03 3:20 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I just saw this little insight into the personality of music critic Henry Edward Krehbiel in A Met Broadcast Moment. 126 words.
Tom’s RSS Reader Roundup. 2006-02-03 6:13 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here are my opinions about popular RSS readers, in no particular order. I just wanted to keep these somewhere so I won’t keep re-downloading the same programs over and over again. 112 words.
Grrls Rock!. 2006-02-03 7:09 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[Originally drafted January 9, 2006.] 322 words.
The Church’s Shaky Foundation. 2006-02-04 11:11 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
[This is a complete rewrite of something I first wrote on January 11, 2006.] 299 words.
Send More WalMarts. 2006-02-05 10:03 PM.
- Commentary
Oddly enough, I agree with GK’s assessment about Those Cartoons. Muslim protesters, carrying signs about slaying and butchering Europeans while burning down Danish consulate buildings, are not exactly painting their culture in a very positive light. Muslim leaders, too, are suspect, as this opinion piece in the Daily Telegraph points out: The complained-of cartoons first appeared in October; they have provoked such fury only now. As reported in this newspaper yesterday, it turns out that a group of Danish imams circulated the images to brethren in Muslim countries. When they did so, they included in their package three other, much more offensive cartoons which had not appeared in Jyllands-Posten but were lumped together so that many thought they had. 246 words.
Insensitive Mark Steyn. 2006-02-06 7:05 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s another opportunity for me to review an article by Mark Steyn, ‘Sensitivity’ can have brutal consequences. I’ll summarize it so you don’t have to read it. 337 words.
Sam Swims To Second. 2006-02-06 7:57 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sam Krehbiel and the Macomb High School Bombers placed second in a swim meet last Thursday night, missing first place by two points (I think–I don’t really understand swim points). See MHS swimmers edged in meet competition for the exciting details. A tough loss, but I’m sure it was fun for everyone involved (everyone who likes swimming, that is). 72 words.
Tacky Cartoon Resignation. 2006-02-08 3:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I can’t find much of anything to write about today except the Danish Cartoon Incident and the Coretta Scott King funeral. And there’s not much to say about the funeral except that it was awfully tacky of Democrats to use it as a political soapbox. So… 290 words.
Thoughts On The War On Culture. 2006-02-08 8:01 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been thinking about this War on Culture. It seems to exist on many different parallel hierarchies. (In software, it could be represented with a TreeView control.) 343 words.
Drawing The Line. 2006-02-09 6:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I think it’s about time to draw a distinction between sensitivity toward religion and denial of information. So many MSM reports about the Danish Cartoon Incident contain disclaimers that say, “we will not show the cartoons because they aren’t relevant to the story,” or something like that. Then they go on to describe the cartoons as “offensive” and run a lot of quotes from outraged and insulted Muslim leaders over the horror of it all. 498 words.
Wild Conspiracy Theories. 2006-02-10 6:58 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I found the following text on Americablog (about as liberal of a blog as you can possibly get without being Michael Moore’s own blog), referring to today’s news that Homeland Security knew about the levee breaks in New Orleans a day before the Bush administration said they did. 394 words.
AFA Missed A Memo. 2006-02-10 8:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In Little Christs and little Mohammeds on the world’s stage, GK muses that Christians generally don’t respond when they’re insulted, because of the difference between Jesus’s sacrificial death and Mohammed’s glorified life. I see his point, but somebody forgot to tell the AFA–they sure throw plenty of hissy fits when they perceive Christians being mistreated. Granted, Mr. Wildmon’s idea of “mistreatment” is, of all things, exposure to public radio waves, but the principle is the same. 109 words.
Republican Womb Patrol Warming Up. 2006-02-12 10:09 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just before Samuel Alito was confirmed, I quipped elsewhere. 351 words.
More Cartoon Musings. 2006-02-13 7:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I continue to muse about the Danish Cartoon Incident, which is growing into a full-scale Cartoon Intifada (uprising). I don’t like link-fests, but here are some recent articles on the subject that I’ve found interesting. 542 words.
Saddam\’s Trial. 2006-02-14 6:11 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is only tangentially related to the culture war, but how much longer will Saddam be allowed these ridiculous childish outbursts? (See Hussein throws tantrum on return to court and Hussein: I am on hunger strike.) I can’t recall a more laughable “trial” in my lifetime. Does anyone actually think Saddam–the same guy who always did anything to save his own skin–will starve himself to death? 132 words.
Cartoon Intifada Part Of The Project?. 2006-02-14 6:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Warning: If you are already bummed about where the world is heading, do not read this. 460 words.
Yay For Ohio. 2006-02-15 7:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This has been a very slow day for news. (Unless you like reading about birdshot and political conspiracy theories, that is.) 267 words.
Kookiness All Around. 2006-02-16 8:42 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s comforting to know that there are just as many kooks on the right as there are on the left. For liberals, there’s the kooky Michael Moore. For conservatives, there’s the kooky Ann Coulter. 245 words.
Abuse Photos. 2006-02-16 9:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another tough day to find anything to comment on. Muslim protesters continued to protest, and “journalists” kept trying to uncover a Cheney scandal. 303 words.
Banning Kale. 2006-02-20 2:23 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
One of the more popular (secular) arguments I hear against same-sex marriage appeared recently on the Crowhill Weblog (Why same-sex marriage isn’t just about somebody’s “rights”). It goes something like this: By allowing same-sex marriage, the same-sex philosophy is forced onto people who don’t agree with it because they have to “accommodate” it. This argument usually comes in response to a “live and let live”-type statement. 375 words.
Tuesday Smorgasbord. 2006-02-21 8:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A smorgasbord of topics today as I sit here in agonizing pain from a strained neck muscle. 591 words.
Actually Profiling Sounds Kinda Good. 2006-02-22 6:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Today, conservative bloggers are berating Democrats for their obvious hypocrisy in objecting to the Dubai Port Sale when they previously objected to any sort of profiling against Muslims. I hate to admit this but, um, they’re right. About two things: 1) Democrats are being blatantly hypocritical (but then, they’re politicians), and 2) My objection to the Dubai Port Sale is indeed based solely on the fact that we’re talking about the UAE, so I guess I’m engaging in profiling like everyone else. 408 words.
Coming Soon: DaVinci Riots. 2006-02-23 4:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m stupefied by the irony and ignorance found in Barbara Nicolosi’s Da Vinci Code ‘Dialogue’? No Way! The thinking process that goes into concluding that the people who made The DaVinci Code “hate Jesus” and “wanted to bash Christians” is exactly the same thinking process that goes into concluding that a handful of Danish cartoonists insulted Islam and should literally be killed for blasphemy. 476 words.
Thursday Blogworld Wrapup. 2006-02-23 6:30 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yesterday Blogworld was busy taking sides on the Dubai Port Sale. 85 words.
Awesome Sarcasm. 2006-02-23 8:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I wish I’d written this: Bob Cesca: South Dakota: Where Rapists Live Forever! 37 words.
Quick, Grab A Thesaurus. 2006-02-24 6:20 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
One thing I find amusing about the media, and now the blogosphere, is the number of different ways that writers say the same thing. No writer wants to sound like he’s plagerizing someone else, so the result is often a hilarious variety of randomly mixed-up words from a thesaurus. Here’s a selection from bloggers talking about the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Iraq. 211 words.
Friday Smorgasbord. 2006-02-24 8:44 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
No one story has jumped out at me today, so here’s a link-fest of random cultural interests. 362 words.
“Gobbley” Quotes. 2006-02-25 12:50 AM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I just reconfigured the blog to use the ISO-8859-1 charset so those silly “smart” quotes work right. I’m always having to change them back to “dumb” quotes and half the time I forget when pasting text so weird gobbley characters get into my writing. It’s a real pain. 68 words.
Revised Mission Statement (2006.02.24). 2006-02-25 2:08 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I originally started this blog as a response to Greg Krehbiel’s Crowhill Weblog. GK is a conservative Roman Catholic. That by itself wouldn’t be enough for me to start a public blog, but the Crowhill Weblog ranks fairly high in a Google search for “Krehbiel,” so anyone searching for information about the Krehbiel family name would find Greg Krehbiel and his blog to be one of the first ambassadors of the surname. 373 words.
Bears Pay For Parental Negligence. 2006-02-26 2:28 AM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s nothing interesting happening nationally, so I thought I’d mention a local outrage here in Richmond. 353 words.
Okay Steyn, Now What?. 2006-02-27 5:50 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel * 391 words.
Monday Smorgasbord, Feb 27. 2006-02-27 8:28 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Thomas Lifson at American Thinker writes about an Islamic domination angle that I hadn’t heard before: The Islamist Attack on Intellectual Property. A world without intellectual property sounds pretty bleak, and not just because my whole career is based on it. Wait, nevermind… it is because my whole career is based on it. 262 words.
Comment-Spam Policy. 2006-02-27 10:42 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I deleted an obvious spam comment today. Oddly enough, it linked to what appeared to be a free fundamentalist Christian book. I wonder if Jesus would consider spam an appropriate evangelical tool? 307 words.
Bear Mom Speaks. 2006-02-28 6:45 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 83 words.
Tuesday Smogasbord – Feb 28. 2006-02-28 9:01 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Winner of today’s most disturbing look into the life of a typical Palestinian, via. Little Green Footballs: A Mother from Hell. This woman is actually disappointed that her daughter failed to become a suicide bomber (she was caught before her bomb vest went off). 293 words.
The Terminology War. 2006-02-28 9:03 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 528 words.

March, 2006

More Thoughts On The Bear-Slayer. 2006-03-01 5:47 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 311 words.
Zogby Poll. 2006-03-02 8:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This isn’t really cultural, but Mrs. Krehbiel wanted to make sure I didn’t miss Zogby’s survey of U.S. troops: A Letter From The Troops. 432 words.
Coulter On The Oscars. 2006-03-03 4:09 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I think I’ve got Ann Coulter figured out now. My mistake was categorizing her as a pundit or analyst or journalist, when she’s really just a stand-up comic for conservatives. An insult comic, actually. 562 words.
A Most Unusual Abortion. 2006-03-05 4:31 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s an odd item from recent Virginia news: Woman shot self to induce abortion. 423 words.
Belated Oscar Bashing. 2006-03-06 7:11 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s Oscars time again, and we all know what that means: Time for conservative pundits everywhere to phone in and bash Hollywood! (Just pretend I finished this before the Oscars.) 385 words.
Evidence Of Gallagher\’s Beliefs. 2006-03-07 8:16 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 349 words.
Torturous Civil Rights Activists. 2006-03-09 5:55 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 853 words.
Kneejerking Back At Kos. 2006-03-09 8:16 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Grrr. This makes me sound like a wingnut again, but this Daily Kos post pisses me off: U.S. To Close Abu Ghraib. “Georgia10” tells us that the U.S. is turning Abu Ghraib back over to the Iraqis, and then commences preaching about the “culture of abuse and maltreatment” in other U.S. prisons. 276 words.
Islamic Law & Order. 2006-03-10 4:23 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
From Michelle Malkin: Free Muhammad Al-Asadi. Malkin discusses a Yemeni newspaper editor facing a potential death sentence for publishing those Danish cartoons (he covered them with big black X’s and condemned them, too, but that doesn’t seem important to the prosecutors). Here’s the part I really enjoyed. 129 words.
The Cycle Continues. 2006-03-10 6:59 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s a notable poll: Gallup: More Than Half of Americans Reject Evolution, Back Bible. (The title is, of course, misleading.) I haven’t seen it done yet, but I’m sure Intelligent Design proponents will soon begin using these poll results to validate their thesis, using the age-old scientific principle which states, “If most people believe X, then X must be true.” 157 words.
Unified Christian Theory. 2006-03-13 7:53 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s rather annoying to me when people mis-characterize the different denominations of Christians and Christianity. It frequently happens when people mistakenly assume all Christians are part of Pat Robertson’s army of zombies. But it can also happen in other ways. 261 words.
NASA Speaks On Global Warming. 2006-03-14 8:30 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 232 words.
AFA Marching Again. 2006-03-15 7:53 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s always fun to rag on the Totalitarian Family Association: US anti-gay group launches boycott of Ford. Don Wildmon, raging American patriot, is inciting his flock to stone… I mean… boycott Ford Motor Co. I first encountered him back in January when he took credit for denying Americans the freedom to watch whatever shows they want on their own televisions. Now he’s trying to deny Americans the opportunity to help Ford claw its way back into the global automobile market. 85 words.
Malkin\’s Media Experiment. 2006-03-15 8:39 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel * 336 words.
Ban Ambien. 2006-03-16 8:55 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Part 1 in a Special 4-Part Series: Random Thoughts Of Thursday 131 words.
Media Bias Exposed. 2006-03-16 8:56 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Part 2 in a Special 4-Part Series: Random Thoughts Of Thursday 143 words.
Eskow and Hitchens Have It Backwards. 2006-03-16 8:57 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Part 3 in a Special 4-Part Series: Random Thoughts Of Thursday 127 words.
The War Against Introverts. 2006-03-16 8:58 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Part 4 in a Special 4-Part Series: Random Thoughts Of Thursday 154 words.
Introducing Katrina Vanden Heuvel. 2006-03-17 3:38 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve never heard Katrina Vanden Heuvel before, but I’ve often heard her name mentioned on conservative sites. Not very kindly, either. Now I understand why. 744 words.
Tom\’s F.E.A.R. Mini-Review. 2006-03-19 4:39 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
PROS 215 words.
The Continuing War On Spam. 2006-03-19 4:45 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Recently, Cynthia and I have been bombarded with a clever variety of spam that gets past our web host’s spam filters. 162 words.
‘Ware That Tricksey Media. 2006-03-21 2:47 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I always enjoy deciphering how stories get distorted by the people that report them. 531 words.
Christian Faces Death In Afghanistan. 2006-03-21 5:05 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This story has been making the rounds in the last couple days: An Afghan man, Abdul Rahman, is on trial for converting to Christianity and faces the death penalty if he doesn’t repent. This is a rare story that is uniting bloggers from both the left and right in their wondering about how this reconciles with the new and improved “democratic free people” of Afghanistan we’ve all been told about. The story is also a nice reminder of why strict Islamic law should not be allowed to spread. 169 words.
Correction To Vanden Heuvel Sniping. 2006-03-22 4:34 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I must make a small retraction/correction. A while back I sniped at Katrina Vanden Heuvel for spreading rumors on CNN about “the slaughter possibly of innocent women and children” during that Operation Swarmer thing. I called her comment “purely inflammatory and completely baseless.” Well, today I came across this disturbing article on Daily Kos: Iraqi police report details civilians’ deaths at hands of U.S. troops. 356 words.
georgia10 Makes The List. 2006-03-22 8:23 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
(Heh.. I just discovered georgia10 is a “her,” not a “him,” so I am quickly revising my text.) 508 words.
PunDippety Specifics. 2006-03-23 6:17 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been challenged to point out exactly why it’s self-evident why I inducted georgia10 into the PunDip Hall of Fame yesterday. Today I’m thinking maybe I was a little too harsh on her – she’s a youthful idealist, after all, and apparently has no understanding yet of how the life-crushing machinery of the cold, cruel world actually works. Maybe I shouldn’t squash her Utopian dreams so soon in life. 674 words.
SusanG Inducted Too. 2006-03-24 4:01 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve identified another PunDip on Daily Kos: SusanG. No substance, just entertaining prose. Maybe PunDip isn’t the right word. 125 words.
Entertaindit Balance. 2006-03-24 4:35 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since I’ve been ragging a lot on Daily Kos writers lately, I suppose I should be fair and balanced and identify some conservative Entertaindits too. I’ve already mentioned Ann Coulter a few times, which was a no-brainer. But overall I find that it’s much harder to locate Entertaindits on conservative blogs. 356 words.
PZ Myers On Easter And Drywall. 2006-03-24 6:14 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I find that PZ Myers at Pharyngula generates a mixed bag of reactions from me. On one hand, I find his thoughts on evolution pretty solid and interesting. On the other hand, I find his thoughts on religion pretty childish and annoying: War on Easter! 257 words.
On Al-Haramain and Government Wiretapping. 2006-03-24 8:42 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
(Today’s been very dull, if you hadn’t noticed.) 531 words.
It\’s Mock georgia10 Monday. 2006-03-27 5:35 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Georgia10 continues her supremely intellectual “liar, liar, pants on fire” personal vendetta against the president: Liar in Chief. I shall dumb down my writing to a level she can understand. 670 words.
Evangelicals On The March Again. 2006-03-28 1:56 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
They’re at it again… GOP Blogger Mark Noonan thinks that Fundamentalist Evangelicals represent all of Christianity: “Tolerant” San Francisco. Once again, Fundamentalist Evangelical Salesmen are rolled out as the essense of Christianity, the all-knowing, all-seeing Truth of Jesus, not to be questioned, not to be argued with. Forget those loser Episcopalians, Catholics, Presbytarians, Methodists, Mormons, and Mennonites… if you want the Christian perspective on anything, just go to the loudest Evangelicals you can find. 99 words.
Civil War or No Civil War?. 2006-03-28 6:38 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
With everyone trying to define exactly whether Iraq is in a “civil war” or not, as if the label should somehow affect our opinion of what goes on there, I thought it would be a fun project to see how many Americans are murdered every day in our country. I think we can all agree that there is currently no civil war in America, but most people recently have been citing “dozens of Iraqis” dying every day as an irrefutable measure of a civil war. So let’s see how the numbers stack up. 459 words.
Video Game Violence Scrutinized. 2006-03-29 6:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A rare article about kids and video games that actually puts blame where it belongs: Rebecca Hagelin: Video game violence and our sons. (Hint: It’s not on the video game industry.) 134 words.
georgia10 Smitten By Real Security. 2006-03-30 5:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Well, well, it looks like the great georgia10 is quite smitten by this newly unveiled Democratic “Real Security” “plan:” Real Security, Part II. So smitten, in fact, that one has to wonder if she is not on the Democratic party payroll (the word “shill” comes to mind). She even calls it “tough and smart,” a verbatim recitation of the party line. 213 words.
Borders and Waldenbooks: Dead To Me. 2006-03-30 5:44 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
In the wake of today’s announcement that Borders and Waldenbooks will not stock an issue of Free Inquiry magazine because it shows some of those Mohammad cartoons on its cover (uh.. I dunno where I read it, just look it up on Google News), I will no longer be frequenting their establishments. (Not that I ever did before, but that’s beside the point.) Take that, you stupid lemon-eating Sharia-lovers! 69 words.
On Immigration. 2006-03-31 7:19 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I suppose I should comment on immigration, since it’s the hot topic of the week. 277 words.

April, 2006

Only Two Doors?. 2006-04-03 6:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s another one of those Pharyngula posts of the annoying variety: Doors. PZ’s making the slightly ignorant assumption that there are only 2 “doors” to choose from in life. (Ie. 91 words.
georgia10 Wins 2005 Koufax Awards. 2006-04-04 2:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Well, well. (He says with undisguised contempt.) The 2005 Koufax Awards, apparently a celebration of the most melodramatic anti-conservative blogs (I have to speculate, since there is nothing on that page indicating what the Koufax Awards actually award *), has voted georgia10 the Best Commenter of 2005. So congrats to her. 139 words.
Liberals v. Conservatives. 2006-04-04 6:12 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I read this today: Dennis Prager: Who hates the other more - liberals or conservatives? The answer, according to Prager, is liberals, but I think he’s a little biased. From what I’ve seen the hatred goes both ways, but the means of expression is very different. 92 words.
Get The Door, It’s Jesus!. 2006-04-05 2:09 AM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
A very special guest-blogging appearance by Mrs. Krehbiel: 59 words.
On Kerry\’s Iraq Plan. 2006-04-05 8:01 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
HuffPo’s been awash with celebrity bloggers today: John Kerry: A Plan for Getting Iraq Up on Its Own Two Feet. 299 words.
No Love For South Park. 2006-04-06 6:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I haven’t read a word in any of my daily blogs today about South Park, which is weird. Not too long ago, every conservative blogger in the world was constantly harping about the “creeping Sharia watch.” (Liberal bloggers ignored the whole thing.) Anything even remotely related to a Muslim forcing prehistoric Islamic laws on the rest of us was major, major news. So last night South Park, the only show I’ve seen that even comes close to touching this subject, runs the first of a two-part parody about the Cartoon Jihad and nothing? 268 words.
Comparing and Contrasting. 2006-04-06 7:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just so you know, georgia10 is now literally writing fiction for dKos: The Week the Gloves Came Off. It’s not much different from what she was doing before, actually. I think she could learn a few debating tricks from Al Franken: An Evening with Ann Coulter: Opening Statement. 65 words.
Malkin Grudgingly Approves Of South Park. 2006-04-07 7:08 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Malkin finally jumped on the bandwagon today: South Park And Cartoon Jihad. I think I see now why conservatives have been so slow on this – it must really infuriate them that South Park, of all things, is leading the charge against worldwide dhimmitude, while their own efforts so far have produced bupkis. :) 54 words.
Still Immigration Protests?. 2006-04-10 4:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Okay, the immigration bill was scrapped last week, so why are people still marching in protest today? 191 words.
The Nerfed Palm Sunday. 2006-04-10 4:41 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yesterday I went back to church for the first time this year. I stopped last year for a variety of reasons, most selfishly because I rather liked having Sunday morning to myself. But I digress. 392 words.
What Would Cenk And Bob Do?. 2006-04-11 4:19 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
No doubt you’ve heard about this past weekend’s articles from Seymour Hersh and The Washington Post, exploring the possibility that the Bush administration is planning nuclear strikes against Iran. 743 words.
Something For Everyone. 2006-04-11 6:07 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
No matter which side of the political fence you’re on, you’ll find something to like in this post! 74 words.
What Would Cenk And Bob Do? (Part 2). 2006-04-12 2:57 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Mrs. Krehbiel noted that I didn’t provide a comprehensive solution to the Iran crisis. 446 words.
Bad Krehbiels. 2006-04-12 5:12 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s a very sad day to be a Krehbiel: Krehbiel sentenced in sexual assault case - Grand Junction Sentinel. Throw the key away, I say. Or better yet, just execute him so we don’t have to pay for him to rot in jail. 43 words.
Cartoon Wars, Part II. 2006-04-13 5:42 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been trying to research whether Comedy Central actually did censor Mohammad in last night’s South Park. Fortunately, National Review Online did so for me, and it sounds like Comedy Central did, in fact, refuse to show it, which is a huge relief. I was pretty annoyed when they blacked out Mohammad (especially since he was “just standing there looking normal”) and I would have been really super annoyed if I’d found out that Matt and Trey had censored themselves. 80 words.
Reframing Iranian Appeasement. 2006-04-13 6:01 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s another HuffPo attempt to “reframe” Iran as the victim of BushCo’s aggression: Bill Scher: Reframing The Iran Debate. This one, at least, presents some supporting evidence, but ultimately I didn’t find it very compelling. 598 words.
Cenk Stinks. 2006-04-14 3:29 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
More impassioned pleas for Iranian appeasement from HuffPo: Cenk Uygur: If You Liked the Iraq War, You’ll Love the Iran War. 612 words.
Back In A Bit. 2006-04-16 4:53 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Mrs. Krehbiel and I are heading out for a much-needed vacation this week, so you’ll have to fend off Iranian Appeasement and the persuasive but not entirely factual writings of georgia10 and Cenk Uygur without my help for a little while. 41 words.
On Price Gouging. 2006-04-24 7:24 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
RedState uses the classic “if you don’t like the gas prices, don’t buy any” argument in discussing whether or not price gouging is good or bad: The Twilight Zone Comes To The Debate Over Gas Prices. 260 words.
Nightly News Watch. 2006-04-25 1:39 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m officially renaming NBC Nightly News to NBC Nightly News For Dummies. Last night, I saw one of the most asinine news reports ever. (Yes, even more asinine than the unending “Long Road Back” series.) Here it is: Road trip reveals impact of gas prices. 354 words.
Malkin\’s Hasty Generalization. 2006-04-26 3:00 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Mrs. Krehbiel has noted that I tend to rag on liberals more than conservatives, so this one’s for her: Michelle Malkin: The victims of illegal immigration. I tend to like Malkin’s blog because it’s mostly news and links that you never see in the media, but I find that when she writes opinions, they end up sounding a little shrewish. 507 words.
Reminder: Iran Deadline Looms. 2006-04-26 6:26 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Lest we forget about Iran in the midst of our Pain At The Pump(TM): Iran ‘will harm U.S. if attacked’. This Friday, the IAEA will be reporting back to the UN about whether Iran is going to comply with the UN’s demand that they cease their enrichment program. I think you can guess what the report is going to say. 266 words.
Move Along, Nothing To See Here. 2006-04-27 10:56 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Today I’m too lazy to write about anything. Except I just watched some of NBC Nightly News About New Orleans For Dummies, and found it pretty silly overall. I’m pretty sure NBC doesn’t even send reporters anywhere but New Orleans anymore. 105 words.
Introducing: The Party Afraid Of Death. 2006-04-28 7:16 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was reading this yesterday: A Q&A with Ramesh Ponnuru on The Party of Death. While perusing the author’s pro-life remarks, a complementary Republican party nickname occurred to me: The Party Afraid Of Death. It seems fitting. 275 words.

May, 2006

The Matt Margolis Connection. 2006-05-01 1:12 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here is a quote from the GOP Bloggers “about us” page. 241 words.
May Day Survived. 2006-05-02 7:16 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
If you’re rabidly opposed to any form of immigration, and are looking for ways to hastily generalize the actions of a few individuals to encompass all 12 million illegal immigrants, you will undoubtedly want to visit Michelle Malkin’s blog to gather ammunition for your logically fallacious argument: The Day To Hate Republicans and Borders? What Borders? and The Pictures You Won’t See. 167 words.
Malkin Screeches More Propaganda. 2006-05-03 5:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
More Malkin immigration hysteria: Reconquista is real. I might even go so far as to call it “screeching,” a word she would no doubt find incredibly offensive. In this particular rant, she applies her trademark “hasty generalizations” along with a dash of “appealing to fear” in order to drive home her point that we are under attack from Mexico. 337 words.
God\’s Get Out Of Jail Free Card. 2006-05-03 5:24 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s my theological thought for the day: In response to bad news, some people will say things like “don’t worry, God has a plan for you” or “oh well, it’s all part of God’s plan” or “it’s what God wants.” This sort of philosophy tends to come from a certain prominent persuasion of American Protestants which shall remain nameless. 400 words.
Dvorak on Microsoft. 2006-05-03 7:48 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Hurray, a technology post! 128 words.
Hot Air Worthy Of Name. 2006-05-04 4:11 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yet another example of either spin, propaganda, or ignorance from a blogger (this one happens to be conservative) at the new, aptly named, “Hot Air:” Pare Amnistia Ahora! The Cero Peso Campaign. 307 words.
The Sisters Afraid Of Death. 2006-05-04 5:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Hot Air “director and producer” Bryan Preston also gives out free(?) advertising for Ramesh Ponnuru’s book: The Party of Death. 166 words.
Sisters Must Face Harsh Reality. 2006-05-08 5:49 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Quick followup: Michelle Malkin ever-so-quietly remarked that Andrea Clarke Has Died. Yes, under the care of the newly installed pro-life Dr. Lentz, she died anyway. No word yet on whether the sisters will be issuing an apology to the hospital ethics committee for interfering in their business, or whether Hot Air “director and producer” Bryan Preston will be complimenting the hospital for making the tough but absolutely correct decision to declare Andrea’s case futile. 74 words.
Atwar Bahjat. 2006-05-08 7:24 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
(See Atwar Bahjat, Revision 2 above.) 296 words.
Atwar Bahjat (Revision 2). 2006-05-09 1:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
(Forgive me while I experiment with different ways to revise blog entries.) 354 words.
Levin Pummels Straw Kennedy. 2006-05-09 4:36 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I find it illuminating to note when political commentators use the techniques of propaganda. Mark Levin, writing in his National Review blog, recently beat the crap out of an imaginary straw man: Patrick Kennedy & Double Standards. (I found the article via. 317 words.
BushLiedPerchesDied. 2006-05-09 5:33 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
DailyKos says: Bush lied about that perch. Which was based on the reporting of Americablog, which says: Bush tells German paper he caught the largest fresh-water perch in world history. Which was based on the “reporting” of the Stacy Taylor Show on KLSD-AM in San Diego. 197 words.
Minutemen Being Watched. 2006-05-10 6:09 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
By Thomas Krehbiel 120 words.
Blogging Back: Death And Delegation. 2006-05-10 7:41 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m not popular enough to get many comments (sniff), but even if I were I wouldn’t spend much time responding to them, because I figure blog comments should be the territory of the readers. If I find noteworthy comments, though, I’m going to start blogging about them (or maybe that should be blogging back at them), so in that spirit here are some responses to Vince: 326 words.
Slow News Week. 2006-05-12 5:39 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There is shockingly little to write about. Something big and controversial happened on American Idol the other night, but unfortunately, it was not a large explosion killing everyone involved, so I won’t be exploring that here. 80 words.
The Week In Counterterrorism. 2006-05-12 6:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Mrs. Krehbiel seemed surprised the other night when I mentioned there was evidence that the insurgency was losing in Iraq. In the conservative blogosphere, these types of news bits are reported all the time, along with the obligatory snarking that the liberal, pro-terrorist media is “suppressing” it. Personally, I just think that television media doesn’t consider anything news unless there is eye-popping video to go along with it. 331 words.
Google Rankings. 2006-05-15 2:11 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Vanity Watch: I currently occupy 6 of the top 10 spots in a Google search for “Thomas Krehbiel.” I also rank within the top 10 for “Tom Krehbiel,” and in the top 20 for “Krehbiel.” Woop! 36 words.
Genealogy News. 2006-05-15 2:07 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Hi! I’m starting a new blog for genealogy-related news. 62 words.
Centreville House. 2006-05-15 2:16 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Thanks to zillow.com, I discovered today that the house I grew up in, which used to be at 6035 O’Day Drive, Centreville, VA 22020, now appears to be: 5964 Manorwood Drive, Centreville, VA 20120. 54 words.
Data Mining: Government vs. Private Sector. 2006-05-15 3:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s something I don’t understand about the whole NSA wiretapping thing. Everyone is pretty outraged about the government collecting data. 239 words.
Miller v. Webb. 2006-05-15 5:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In the Virginia Democratic primaries coming up on June 13, it’s Harris Miller vs. Jim Webb. One of those two will go on to challenge George Allen for VA Senate in November. (It’s sort of like American Idol, except it isn’t stupid.) 378 words.
Today In Counterterrorism (15 May 2006). 2006-05-15 7:42 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A step toward the return of U.S. troops. Since last summer, 39 more Iraqi combat battalions have been rated “Level 2,” for a total of 75 battalions. “Level 2 units gather their own intelligence, conduct their own planning and are deemed ‘in the lead’ during combat operations.” Independent Operations and the Iraqi Army. 140 words.
Meet The New Reports, Same As The Old Reports. 2006-05-17 10:13 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
At work we’re planning to use SQL Server 2005’s Reporting Services for future reporting needs. (It’s main attraction is the free-ness of it compared with Crystal Reports.) We can do everything the customers need with DataGrids on web pages, but everyone thinks Report Services are cool. I’m pretty indifferent about it. 199 words.
More Miller v. Webb. 2006-05-17 10:20 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Didn’t get around to posting this yesterday: Following up on my post from Monday about Jim Webb and Harris Miller… 225 words.
Malkin On O\’Reilly. 2006-05-17 10:33 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another one I didn’t get around to posting yesterday. 236 words.
Malkin Goes To 7-11. 2006-05-18 8:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
More ignorant anti-immigrant propaganda from Malkin: Michelle Malkin: 9/11, the Pentagon, and our borders. She thoughtfully discusses (ie. rants about) how some of the 9/11 hijackers got fake credentials at an illegal alien “day-labor” hangout in a 7-11 parking lot. 188 words.
Early Propaganda From The Miller v. Webb Debate. 2006-05-19 6:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Interesting post from The Richmond Democrat (aka. Jim Webb shill headquarters): Breaking! Disaster at debate for Harris Miller! 424 words.
My Review Of The Miller v. Webb Debate. 2006-05-20 4:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Disclaimer: I am not at all qualified to judge political debates. 572 words.
SusanG Jumps To Conclusions… Again. 2006-05-22 1:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I think I’ve made it clear in the past that I’m not a fan of DailyKos (especially georgia10 and SusanG.) They’re Their [oops] goal, after all, is to “crash the gate” (a euphemism for overthrowing the government), presumably by any means necessary. Here’s another reason why they are an untrustworthy propaganda machine, from last Friday: Gitmo: The Hell You Can’t Escape By Dying. SusanG quotes an AP story about prisoners attacking guards trying to stop an attempted suicide, and then writes. 383 words.
Malkin Embraces Greed. 2006-05-22 6:58 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I see Michelle Malkin has fully subjugated her journalistic integrity to Greed… today her RSS feed only contains two-line summaries, so you have to go to her web site to read all of the posts. There, you are subjected to DoubleClick sidebar advertising which on this particular page refresh includes ads for Microsoft Windows Live (beta) and GameTap. No doubt it’s also dropping some cookies on my computer and tracking my IP address and browsing habits. 76 words.
Elmer and Anna’s Wedding Date. 2006-05-22 7:10 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The other day, I found an invitation to Elmer and Anna’s wedding, which shows the wedding date as April 1, 1926. Previously, I had always thought their wedding was April 1, 1925, because Dad had noted on his slides that Elmer and Anna’s 25th anniversary party was on April 1, 1950. So I suppose that means the 25th anniversary was actually on April 1, 1951. 101 words.
Miller v. Webb: Observations. 2006-05-23 5:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Back to Webb and Miller for a bit. I never did finish my review of the debate, but it’s old news now. 383 words.
Default Content Changed. 2006-05-24 12:06 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Astute observers will notice that the default content is now blog stuff, instead of the portal page. 29 words.
Summary Of George Allen\’s Voting Record. 2006-05-24 1:21 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In my continuing effort to figure out what the heck to do with my votes in June and November, here is my home grown summary of some of George Allen’s Voting Record, as reported by Project Vote Smart. I just picked categories that seemed interesting to me. 1,002 words.
Deducing Webb\’s Platform. 2006-05-24 5:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since Jim Webb and his supporters aren’t going to do it for me, I guess I’ll have to deduce his platform for myself. 532 words.
Miller\’s Agenda. 2006-05-24 5:52 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just to be thorough, here is a link to Harris Miller’s Agenda page, complete with bullet points and detailed explanations. (It’s even available in Spanish.) Ahh, that was easy. 29 words.
Webb\’s Positive Campaign So Far. 2006-05-24 9:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
To illustrate my “Webb supporters are just anti-Miller opponents” observation from yesterday, take a look at this sample. 160 words.
Rebellious George. 2006-05-25 2:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In case anyone was worried, I’m now convinced that George Allen is, in fact, the devil. On Hardball last night, the “aw shucks, I’m just a good ol’ Virginia boy” routine was particularly nauseauting. (By the way, do appearances on shows like Hardball during an election campaign count as election advertising? 238 words.
Blog Advertising Exposed. 2006-05-25 4:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
How profitable is punditry? The other day I was ragging on Michelle Malkin for forcing me go to her ad-driven page. She uses the “big name” advertisers like Doubleclick and Fastclick. 328 words.
Look and Feel Changes. 2006-05-25 4:39 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Astute readers will notice that I am once again fiddling with the “look and feel” of the site, especially the blogs. 45 words.
Yikes! A Strike Against Miller. 2006-05-25 8:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Much has been made of Harris Miller’s ITAA lobbying career. Since I’m a programmer, Information Technology is probably the single most important issue in any campaign for me, so I did a little browsing on their web site to get a sense of what the ITAA actually lobbies for. From all the negative press they were getting, I was bracing myself for something truly evil. 516 words.
Question Authority (and Bloggers). 2006-05-26 6:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A commenter wondered what was wrong with DailyKos making money. I don’t mind Kos making money from his blog, but I think it’s important to understand the motivations of any opinion writer (especially ones in positions of public influence). I think most people would assume that a community-driven “revolution,” as dKos is perceived, is a selfless, non-profit effort (I know I would). 180 words.
My IT Background. 2006-05-26 7:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A commenter wondered how I could possibly be ignorant of H1Bs and the ITAA. 203 words.
H-1Bs And The Virginia Senate Race. 2006-05-28 10:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw some comments about me on another blog that made me laugh. Just for the record, I’m not in any way affiliated with Harris Miller, Jim Webb, or George Allen. I’m certainly not an “apologist” for any of them. 634 words.
Memorial Day Observance. 2006-05-30 2:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I observed over the weekend that there is apparently an unspoken rule that anyone with a blog is required to make a Memorial Day post. So here’s mine, a day late: I don’t know anyone that died in a war. My grandfather was wounded in WWI, but did not die, for which I’m quite thankful. 110 words.
Where’s The Outrage?. 2006-05-30 7:58 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I guess even bloggers have a hard time getting back into the swing of things after a 3-day weekend. The blogosphere seems to be working hard to manufacture outrage today. 289 words.
Miller\’s Attack Ad. 2006-05-31 2:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw Harris Miller’s attack ad last night, which was described by Jim Webb’s campaign as “brutal, cynical, [and] negative.” (This from the people who always refer to Miller as “Corporate Lobbyist” Miller.) The first part of the ad talked about Miller’s platform (with specifics!) of firing Donald Rumsfeld and something else I can’t remember. And then as an after thought, it added that Jim Webb supported Republicans in 2000. Not exactly the cut-throat negative attack I was led to expect. 224 words.
SSIS. 2006-05-31 5:34 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
At work, I’ve been playing with SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS) for use in an upcoming project. (“Integration” is one of those fancy “enterprise” terms that means “getting information from different places and organizing it into something useful.”) There’s some value in SSIS, but overall I’m not terribly impressed. In fact, it’s a bit of a pain. 193 words.
Infosys Single-Handedly Destroying America. 2006-05-31 7:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Following up on More H-1b abuses from American Techno-Politics, wherein it was stated that 2,392 H-1B Programmer/Analyst jobs were approved by the DOL in 2005 for under $30k salary (or $15/hour). 333 words.

June, 2006

Kabul Riot Explained. 2006-06-01 1:43 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Again I’m compelled to recommend the Counterterrorism Blog as an alternate view of sensationalized terrorism-related events in the news. They are surprisingly non-partisan and thoughtful in their reporting. They generally just stick to the facts and explain them thoroughly, which is incredibly refreshing in this day and age. 325 words.
Haditha Thoughts. 2006-06-01 7:58 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
So Michelle Malkin and her subsidiary Hot Air are still out in front on defending the marines of Haditha. Their “citizen journalism” machine is really working overtime. Oddly enough, though Malkin et al frequently cite moonbats slavering over the incident, I haven’t seen much of it myself. 274 words.
The Fightin’ Seventh. 2006-06-02 4:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Well crap. Looks like I’ll have to start researching two more Congressional candidates. I had previously thought I wouldn’t have to worry about the 7th district because Eric Cantor didn’t have a challenger, but then I read this Breaking News about 7th CD on Virginia Centrist. 46 words.
An Analysis Of WW\’s Propaganda Machine. 2006-06-02 5:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sorry, this is really long. 1,604 words.
Progress With Iran?. 2006-06-03 6:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been encouraged by recent news regarding Iran. Russia and China appear to be getting on board with sanctions against Iran, and that’s definitely a good thing. The U.S. offer of talks with Iran – if they suspend their nuclear enrichment – is a good step. 384 words.
National I Don\’t Feel Like Blogging Day. 2006-06-05 6:10 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m officially designating today, “National I Don’t Feel Like Blogging Day.” There’s not much new going on anyway. 46 words.
It’s The End Of The World…. 2006-06-06 7:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since I have the good fortune to be working with a SQL query that takes about 15 minutes to execute, I have some spare writing time today. Sadly, just like yesterday, there is nothing particularly interesting to write about. Today’s trend in blogosphere conversation: D-Day and End Times. 200 words.
Avoiding SSIS query timeouts. 2006-06-07 12:36 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just so I have a record of this: In SSIS, I was trying to pull data from a SQL Server database with a complex, slow SELECT query (written by someone else) which took a good 15 minutes to run. 90 words.
Quick Demon Book Review. 2006-06-07 1:44 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was reading the excerpt from chapter one of Ann Coulter’s new demon book (released on 6/6/06, get it?, hyuk hyuk) on Townhall.com: Ann Coulter: On the Seventh Day, God Rested and Liberals Schemed. 170 words.
DS2 and CoD2. 2006-06-07 3:09 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Two quick game reviews. 365 words.
BlogPac Good or Evil?. 2006-06-07 3:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw this post a few days ago: BlogPac: For the Netroots, From the Netroots. It’s advertising a site where you can donate to so-called “netroots” candidates, or to this thing called “BlogPac,” which is basically a bank account to fund the MyDD/DailyKos people in improving the “image” of the netroots. (Also, buried in the middle of a paragraph, they also “need to be paid for the work [they] do.” Caveat emptor.) 188 words.
Win-Win In San Diego. 2006-06-07 4:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There were primaries in many states yesterday, but by far the result generating the most spin today is the infamous Bilbray-Busby race to succeed Duke “Jailbird” Cunningham. 179 words.
Zarqawi Mania. 2006-06-08 3:20 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
As I begin typing this, it’s only 8:06 AM in Virginia. Since I’m sure that Zarqawi will still be leading the news at 8:06 PM and beyond, let me be among the first to say… omg I am sick of hearing about Zarqawi already! Can’t we leave the job of making him a martyr to the jihadists?? 238 words.
Constitutional Amendments. 2006-06-08 3:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Crowhill is back in my reader after some down time, and via. The phony baloney moral rules of liberalism I saw this post: On the gay marriage amendment. 252 words.
The Right Words For The Right Occasion. 2006-06-08 9:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Uh oh, the Virginia Democratic blogosphere is self-destructing again over the “jewbaiting” thing. 267 words.
WWJ[N]D?. 2006-06-09 4:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A quick note about our illustrious 7th district Rep. Eric Cantor: Last night, he voted against the Markey amendment protecting Net Neutrality (along with the majority of other Republicans). What Would James [Nachman] Do? 34 words.
Hardball Post-Mortem. 2006-06-09 4:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I didn’t have any new insights after the Webb/Miller Hardball “debate” last night. Not surprisingly, Webb won the charisma battle. Miller looked kind of shifty and nervous again. 244 words.
The Spy Who Spews Hot Air. 2006-06-09 4:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In a predictable display of immaturity, Michelle Malkin’s Hot Air division sent a “spy” to the Yearly Kos convention. So far, the plant has been struggling mightily to find things to mock… I mean… report on (for a second there I almost forgot that Malkin and co. carry the weighty credentials of “Fox News Analysts”). Infiltrating Yearly Kos: Post 1, for example, contains nothing but… erm… hot air. 148 words.
A Story About Fearsome Activist Judges. 2006-06-09 7:05 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I haven’t said much about the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment, but I’d like to say a few words about it now. 585 words.
Who\’s Duping Who?. 2006-06-11 3:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s my humorous Virginia politics observation for the day. 184 words.
What To Watch In The Primary. 2006-06-11 3:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I won’t make a prediction on the Virginia Democratic primary Tuesday, because I don’t know anything about politics, and the outcome is relatively unimportant in the global scheme of things anyway. For me, the most interesting thing to observe about the primary results will be whether or not the Virginia Democratic blogosphere represents the typical Virginia Democratic voter. If Webb wins, the VD blogosphere (hyuk, hyuk) echoes the sentiments of “mainstream” Virginia Democrats. 83 words.
Haditha Marine Speaks. 2006-06-11 3:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Good news from Haditha for a change: Marine Says Rules Were Followed. I’d like to officially apologize for initially jumping to the conclusion that those marines were guilty, based solely on initial media reports. (They could still be guilty, but I should know better than to rely on the media for facts.) Anyway, I’m more and more hopeful that the civilians in question were collateral damage instead of murder victims. 78 words.
The Revolution. 2006-06-12 7:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Last night, I watched some of the History Channel’s series The Revolution. It was interesting to me because, much to my chagrin, I had previously not known much about the American Revolution. I noticed something odd though, when viewed through modern eyes: America was basically founded by liberals. 151 words.
Kos Power Watch. 2006-06-12 7:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s probably no surprise to regular readers that I don’t think very highly of Daily Kos. They have a sweet siren song, but they’re just power hungry elitists like everyone else in politics. In case you’re wondering, here is georgia10’s advice if you want to be endorsed by the Kos power elite: A Single-Step Guide For Democrats. 171 words.
The Best Offense Is A Good Suicide. 2006-06-12 7:19 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
TomPaine.com gets a wag of my finger for spreading this blatant propaganda from the lawyer of some Gitmo detainees: A tunnel without end. I agree that when those 3 detainees hanged themselves, it was a sign of desperation – but it was desperate defiance, not depression – you know, the kind of thing an enemy combatant might do. Seeing as how suicide vests are such integral parts of terrorist combat tactics, it seems like a no-brainer that we should take an Islamist suicide as an act of aggression. 139 words.
Weather Happening In Gulf, Experts Shocked. 2006-06-13 12:44 AM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s a quick impression of tonight’s NBC Nightly News For Dummies: 238 words.
Gaza Strip: No Place For A Picnic. 2006-06-13 2:22 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I really feel bad for anyone living in the Gaza strip: Beach deaths ’not Israel’s fault’. The alleged Israeli missiles that hit that beach family turned out to be.. Palestinian landmines. Palestinians should seriously reconsider their government selection. 135 words.
Rove Fuels Childish Wingnuts. 2006-06-13 2:24 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s started. I guess this will be the story of the day: Let the gloating begin: Rove cleared in Plame case. This exemplifies why I think Malkin and Kos are two sides of the same coin: Childishness. 160 words.
Mild Voter Apathy. 2006-06-13 10:49 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Democracy in action: At 5:30 PM, after the polls had been open for some 11 1/2 hours, Mrs. Krehbiel was voter #30 and I was voter #31 in our precinct. 31 words.
Site Optimizations. 2006-06-13 10:56 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I optimized the web site so it builds pages about twice as fast. There were a number of unnecessarily redundant database queries that I trimmed out. Of course, my web host isn’t exactly a speed demon so the changes are not apparent. 51 words.
Post-Primary Pondering. 2006-06-14 5:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m pretty disappointed in the primary results, but probably not for reasons anyone would expect. Jim Webb is as good of a candidate as anyone else, and his Reagan Democrat status can only help him in the battle against George Allen. 255 words.
Post-Primary Partying. 2006-06-14 7:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Virginia bloggers are predictably taking credit for getting Jim Webb elected in the primary. 245 words.
Scientists Gore An Inconvenient Truth. 2006-06-15 4:11 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is one area where Crowhill and I agree: Scientists respond to Gore. On An Inconvenient Truth, apparently some Canadian climate experts think… let me get this right… “Gore’s circumstantial arguments are so weak that they are pathetic.” Ouch! 222 words.
Amateur Webb-Bashing Already Started. 2006-06-15 4:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Two days after the primary, Virginia conservative bloggers are already jumping into the mix with their own amateur campaigning, bashing Webb and telling us why Virginians shouldn’t vote for him. 111 words.
Why I Don\’t Think We Invaded Iraq Just For Oil. 2006-06-15 6:40 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Someone recently asked me how I could possibly believe we didn’t invade Iraq just for their oil. (You know who you are!) At the time I didn’t have a ready answer, but here’s some reasons. 776 words.
Virtucon Tries A Red Herring. 2006-06-16 12:44 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s an example of the seedy underbelly lying beneath George Allen’s “good ol’ boy” exterior – an example of the kind of “common sense leadership” he inspires in his campaign workers: Webb Campaign Steals Marvel Comics “How-To” Art For Flyer. I suppose we’ll be seeing quite a bit more of this kind of rhetoric in the near future. 200 words.
An Inconvenient Motivation. 2006-06-16 12:38 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Thanks to Dave T. for pointing this out: An embarrassment to Australian science. Apparently the guy that wrote that article bashing Gore’s movie has a monetary interest in debunking global warming. Doh! 32 words.
The Sock Puppets Are Winning. 2006-06-16 7:46 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Virtucon, apparently the unofficial insult comic blog for the Allen campaign, informed us that Virginians Like Their U.S. Senators – Both of Them. Looks pretty grim. For some bizarre reason, Virginia seems to like having a sock puppet for a Senator. 221 words.
The Dixie Chicks Witch Hunt. 2006-06-19 2:11 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ll admit I’m not a Dixie Chicks fan (though their latest album is pretty good). Most of the Chicks’ material is about girlie stuff – you know, how men are lyin’ cheatin’ bastards and so forth – that doesn’t particularly resonate with me. And – I hesitate to mention this because it might brand me a terrorist-sympathizer – I’m not fond of bluegrassy country music in general. 383 words.
How To Spin A Non-Indictment. 2006-06-19 2:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Compare and contrast. 58 words.
The New Boss. 2006-06-19 6:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The Episcopal Church elected a new Presiding Bishop Sunday. Oh yeah, and she’s a woman. This is perceived as a bold move by American Anglicans. 202 words.
The Senate Debate Wars, Episode I. 2006-06-20 5:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sigh. Can’t politicians ever agree on anything? 258 words.
Long-Range Missiles Are So 1986. 2006-06-20 6:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ll admit I don’t know much about North Korea or why it’s part of the “axis of evil.” (Other than the information found in the excellent documentary Team America: World Police.) Maybe I should read up on that. Especially because of recent news that North Korea is getting ready to test a missile that could potentially reach the west coast. Huh? 245 words.
Repeal The Stamp Act!. 2006-06-21 6:01 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It would appear that the majority of people in the ECUSA (U.S. Episcopal Church), like our forefathers of the American Revolution defying the Stamp Act of 1765, prefer to thumb their noses at Mother England and the Windsor Report. Maybe that’s a slight over-dramatization of it, but it certainly doesn’t look like there’s much enthusiasm in the General Convention for apologizing about the consecration of Gene Robinson or the blessing of same-sex marriages, let alone reversing those actions. So I guess that means a schism of some sort is inevitable. 179 words.
Stamp Act Repeal, Part II. 2006-06-22 5:53 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I blogged too soon about the ECUSA – the General Convention, at the last minute, caved in to Mother England. In response to the Windsor Report, the House of Bishops voted to “exercise restraint” in electing bishops “whose manner of life presents a challenge” to the Anglican Communion. While not technically a ban on electing gay bishops, it could be interpreted that way, because it would now take a super amazing gay priest to justify wading through all this political fallout again. 123 words.
Well-Intentioned Authoritarian Lunkheads. 2006-06-22 6:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I got an email recently exhorting me to wear red on Fridays to show my support for our troops. I am sure it was intended to be a friendly gesture of patriotism. But that being said, I was outraged! 137 words.
Markos Gains The Moral Bilgewater. 2006-06-22 10:15 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I think of Markos as a shrewd latter-day dot-com entrepreneur trying to exploit progressives (actually, it’s more like he’s successfully exploiting progressives). But then I saw Monday’s Midday open thread, and started to think that his dot-com success must be pure luck, because he’s clearly prone to sticking his foot in his mouth. It pains me to point out the same thing that Little Green Footballs did, but lest it be forgotten amidst all the “Ko$ola” accusations swirling around (which I might comment about later) this bit of Kos wisdom deserves to be highlighted again. 411 words.
This Week In The Senate Race. 2006-06-23 6:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A new Zogby poll shows Allen leading Webb by a mere 5.3 points. Democrat blogs are validated, Republican blogs will talk about why political polls are irrelevant. (Isn’t it funny how opinion polls are so useful to support a position, but useless for opposing a position?) Anyway, don’t get too excited, because most people feel Zogby is not a very reliable poll. 233 words.
Malkin Coordinates Lockstep Attack On NY Times. 2006-06-23 6:57 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It seems sort of ironic that right after wingnut bloggers got done accusing liberal bloggers of “going into lockstep” and “coordinating attacks” and blindly following Markos’s marching orders and whatnot, we find Michelle Malkin, icon of the rightwing blogosphere, encouraging her readers to write the NY Times to express her outrage: NYTimes Blabbermouths Strike Again. GOP Bloggers follows orders: Fight Back Against Media Traitors! Who else will fall into lockstep and repeat Malkin’s call to write to the NY Times? 95 words.
Disturbing Daily Kos Analogy. 2006-06-26 2:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I won’t comment on the so-called Ko$ola scandal, since you can read about it in excruciating detail elsewhere (see background below). Suffice it to say it just reinforces, albeit circumstantially, my existing suspicions about Daily Kos. 316 words.
Cut-and-Run Iraqis?. 2006-06-27 4:32 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I don’t really feel like writing today (it’s been raining like crazy here on the East Coast, which sucks all the life out of me), but here’s a quick observation: Watching the politics of Iraq is amusing sometimes. I’m pretty sure that Republicans and Democrats and all of America want the exact same thing – for the Iraqi army to defend their own country – yet somehow it’s a divisive, partisan issue. Lately, it looks like the Iraqis might trump everyone by kicking us out. 93 words.
Don\’t Tread On Israel. 2006-06-28 3:13 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Anyone who thinks the U.S. is a warmongering power should take a look at Israel and rethink that position. It’s not very humanitarian of me, but I kind of admire them for their response to Palestinian terrorists snatching one of their soldiers over the weekend and holding him hostage. Israel basically said, “We will not negotiate – either give him back NOW or we will take him back.” And they meant it. 139 words.
Pagan Flag Worship Still An Elusive Dream. 2006-06-28 5:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just for the record, I think the flag protection amendment idea is just as silly as the marriage protection amendment idea, if not more so. Why on earth does a flag need so much protection? And why the flag and not anything else? 177 words.
Senate Debating The Wrong Metric?. 2006-06-28 6:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The war in the Senate over the “war” in Iraq was about timetables – Democrats wanted a timetable, but Republicans didn’t. I think “time” was the wrong metric, though. Democrats should have been questioning Iraq in terms of “deliverables.” Ie., what exactly constitutes “victory” in Iraq? 108 words.
The Dullest Of Blog Entries. 2006-06-30 6:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
They say the difference between a “real writer” and a “struggling writer” is in their ability to write when they don’t feel like writing. So in that spirit, I am now writing a blog entry even though I don’t particularly feel like it and there is nothing particularly interesting to write about. 250 words.

July, 2006

Last Week In The Virginia Senate Race. 2006-07-03 2:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for George Allen, and Steve Jarding, spokesman for Jim Webb, spent the week trading insults over the flag burning amendment (Allen is for it, Webb opposes it). The unfortunately-named Wadhams was trying to bait Webb into “blowing up” by deliberately pushing his buttons. As far as I can tell, nothing in the way of intelligent debate occurred. 130 words.
The Lynchmobosphere Stalks The NY Times. 2006-07-03 6:11 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m pretty baffled about the outrage over the NY Times “revealing” the government’s SWIFT-monitoring program. And as if the SWIFT thing weren’t enough, Michelle Malkin and the puppet minions of the “wingnutosphere” were even further enraged when the NY Times published photos and locations of Donald Rumsfeld and other’s vacation spots. It turns out the NYT did so with Rumsfeld’s permission, but Malkin et al were not deterred in staging a full-scale assault: They’re protesting at the NYT building and publishing the home phone numbers and addresses of NYT editors in retaliation. 183 words.
North Korea Tests Catapults. 2006-07-05 6:43 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Looks like North Korea is now rivaling Iran for the Tinpot Dictator Of the Month award. But for some reason I still have a hard time taking the ol’ Democratic People’s Republic of Korea seriously. Maybe it was that whole “I’m so rone-ry” song in Team America: World Police that did it. 169 words.
Smackdown Tonight. 2006-07-06 3:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s an all-out smackdown happening tonight on MSNBC: The debate between People-Powered Hero Ned Lamont and the Evil, Traitorous Joe Lieberman. They are facing off soon in the Connecticut Democratic primary. 119 words.
Thursday\’s Random Links That Don\’t Suck. 2006-07-07 1:08 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Let’s face it: 99.9% of the hyperlinks you follow on the Internet lead to content that sucks. To combat this phenomenon, I’m presenting a few topical links that don’t suck. 79 words.
Friday’s Random Links That Don’t Suck. 2006-07-07 7:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yeah, I know, I’m being lazy today. 91 words.
Taking The Plunge. 2006-07-10 3:15 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I don’t normally write much on weekends, but I’m accepting the challenge of the “Weekend Without Echoes” proposed by SLANTblog for July 21-23. Not that my participation means much. But I think it’s a great idea, even if it’s kind of sad that it requires an “event” to get people to stop being snarky. 329 words.
Alternate View On Dwindling Church Attendance. 2006-07-10 6:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve always found it annoying when people disparage religion as if it were a hopelessly outdated fad (“that’s soooo 1950s”). Lately I find it even more annoying when conservatives disparage the Episcopal Church. It reminds me of high school cliques – Catholic writers refer to the Episcopal Church the same way that football jocks refer to the chess club. 321 words.
Weekend Senate Update. 2006-07-10 7:42 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I didn’t see Webb and Allen on Stephanopoulos yesterday, so I don’t have any comment about it. I’ve already made up my mind about the Senate race anyway. There’s no point in confusing the issue by listening to the candidates. 118 words.
Monday’s Informative Links. 2006-07-10 7:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in my new series of lazy blogging link-fests, otherwise known as “the things I didn’t have anything to add to.” Feel free to skip if you don’t care what I think is informative reading. 123 words.
Thoughts On Slavery Reparations. 2006-07-11 6:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yesterday I linked to a story about reparations over slavery. It was also mentioned on the bastion of multicultural sensitivity, Michelle Malkin’s Hot Air blog. 269 words.
Israel At War?. 2006-07-12 3:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
My knowledge of the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict is limited, but recent news seems to suggest that the U.S. probably backed Israel for no other reason than the fact that they were the only ones around that didn’t act like impetuous toddlers: Israel sends tanks into Lebanon after Hezbollah attack. Golly, that was a poorly constructed sentence. Thankfully I don’t use a grammar checker. 240 words.
Disgusting But Predictable Hypocrisy From RedState. 2006-07-12 5:41 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is pretty funny. It’s hard to quantify the amount of hypocrisy in this RedState post: Disgusting: DCCC Uses Dead Soldiers to Raise Money. Republicans have been using the deaths of Americans on 9/11 for political gain about, oh, every day since 9/11. 105 words.
Wednesday’s Informative Links. 2006-07-12 5:47 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I actually collected these yesterday and forgot to post them. 125 words.
Sad Story From Chincoteague. 2006-07-13 4:05 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
On the radio this morning I heard about a 16-year-old Chincoteague teen with Hodgkin’s Disease who refuses to undergo a second round of chemotherapy treatment, because the first round didn’t work and he didn’t tolerate the chemo very well. He wants to pursue alternative treatments, and his parents support him. It’s a sad story, but to my way of thinking, not terribly controversial. 336 words.
Thursday’s Informative Links. 2006-07-13 7:55 PM.
- Commentary
Oh, lovely: Israel: Hezbollah plans to move abducted IDF soldiers to Iran. And: Hezbollah escalates the war in Lebanon, launches rocket attacks in Haifa. Now Bush is giving up secret wiretapping? Specter touts deal on eavesdropping review. Have aliens replaced the president? As Israel and Lebanon meltdown, there’s progress in Iraq: Transfer of Security Responsibility in Muthanna Province. A general’s review of Gitmo: McCaffery on Guantanamo, which summarizes McCaffery’s full memo. The preceding links have been deemed “not to completely suck” by Thomas Krehbiel’s patent-pending content rating system. The system rates the relative merit of Internet content in terms of originality, non-partisanship, grammar, and educational or research value. 108 words.
Old News Closed. 2006-07-14 6:03 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m no longer adding to the “Old News” category. 35 words.
Televisions and Pianos. 2006-07-14 6:28 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
As you can probably tell, I’ve renamed the Genealogy News to Household News. I figure I can combine both topics into one category, and perhaps have enough material to post something once a month or so. 384 words.
An Island For Israel?. 2006-07-14 7:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Nothing to talk about today except Israel and Lebanon. I can sum it up pretty quickly: They’re, um, shooting at each other. Again. 221 words.
Friday’s Informative Links. 2006-07-14 7:54 PM.
- Commentary
Good behind-the-scenes info on Middle East happenings: Important overlooked news on latest Hezbollah attacks. It’s always fun to abuse Ann Coulter and televangelists: Jesusless: The Church of Conservatism. Is it humanly possible to be more narcissistic than this? Woman arrested after 911 call for ‘cute’ deputy. The preceding links have been deemed “not to completely suck” by Thomas Krehbiel’s patent-pending content rating system. The system rates the relative merit of Internet content in terms of originality, irony, non-partisanship, grammar, and educational or research value. 84 words.
Israel On The March. 2006-07-17 6:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Guess what? Israel is invading Lebanon. Well, kind of. 275 words.
ADD Media And Belligerentive Bloggers. 2006-07-18 5:59 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Apparently an outbreak of war between two countries only warrants a few days of major media coverage. The CNN feed today mainly covered Bush’s un-newsworthy epithet and details of Westerners “fleeing” Lebanon. Pretty much nothing from CNN about the fighting itself or any of the politics surrounding it. 276 words.
The Baffling Case Of Bush And The Stem Cells. 2006-07-19 2:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m baffled over this stem cell thing going on in Congress right now. Which is not unusual: Congress generally doesn’t make much sense to me. But I digress. 176 words.
Surely He Can\’t Be Serious. 2006-07-19 6:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I normally consider the Counterterrorism Blog an excellent source of (real) news and insights. This post is no different: The Israeli Incursion into Lebanon: Strategic Considerations. But I have to wonder about one seemingly incongruous point Mr. Gartenstein-Ross makes. 278 words.
Happy Thoughts On Capital Punishment. 2006-07-20 11:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
On the radio this morning, they were discussing the impending execution of Brandon Wayne Hedrick, who chose to die by the electric chair instead of by lethal injection. It’s been a big story here in Virginia for the last few days. The guest commentary on the radio show came from the leader of some group opposed to capital punishment. 379 words.
Mathematically, Still On The Brink. 2006-07-21 5:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Back in March, I mathematically concluded that 117 Iraqis would have to die every day for the situation in Iraq to be correctly labeled a “civil war.” The numbers are getting close, but they aren’t there yet. According to a recent report, 14,000 Iraqis have died in the first half of 2006. That works out to an average of around, say, 75 deaths every day. 96 words.
Time To Start Wrapping It Up?. 2006-07-21 5:25 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ruh roh: Worst Case Scenario: Hezbollah’s Conventional Forces. When Bill Roggio says the results of ground fighting between Israeli troops and Hezbollah are “disquieting,” it makes me a little nervous. According to his sources, the Hezbollah ground forces are much stronger than anyone expected. 256 words.
Welcome To My Weekend Without Echoes. 2006-07-22 12:06 AM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
A Virginia “Weekend Without Echoes” post by Thomas Krehbiel 380 words.
Creating Content From A Substantive-less Blogosphere. 2006-07-22 12:19 AM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
A Virginia “Weekend Without Echoes” post by Thomas Krehbiel 397 words.
The Moral Authority Of The Bible. 2006-07-22 9:46 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
A Virginia “Weekend Without Echoes” post by Thomas Krehbiel 503 words.
My Virginia Representatives In Action. 2006-07-23 8:24 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
A Virginia “Weekend Without Echoes” post by Thomas Krehbiel 400 words.
More From Chincoteague. 2006-07-24 3:53 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
I heard an update on the story of that 16-year-old from Chincoteague this morning on the radio: The state is forcing him to undergo chemotherapy again. The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a few more details: Teen loses bid to pick treatment. They still don’t say what the odds of successful treatment are, but Jimmy Barrett on the radio implied they were not too good. 90 words.
The Silence Of The Left On Israel. 2006-07-24 7:50 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve seen some mutterings, most recently at CJR Daily, about why the liberal blogosphere is ignoring the Israel/Hezbollah/Hamas conflict going on right now. To me, it’s pretty simple, and I’m a little surprised it isn’t common knowledge. It has nothing to do with the “complexity” of the Middle East. 173 words.
Hopefully, CNN Is Just Confused. 2006-07-26 4:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was home sick yesterday, and I saw a somewhat distressing report on CNN. The British anchorwoman reported that Condoleeza Rice had offered a cease-fire proposal to Lebanon that included an international peacekeeping force and a prisoner swap. Nooooooo! 142 words.
Not A Slam Dunk For Me Yet. 2006-07-26 8:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Naomi Oreskes recently wrote a piece in the LA Times telling us about the most recent scientific consensus on global warming: Global Warming – Signed, Sealed and Delivered. 423 words.
Yesterday. 2006-07-28 2:00 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Yesterday I found basically nothing interesting in the news or blogosphere. I wrote a few paragraphs about Dude, Where’s Your Independence? but when I got home I decided not to embarass myself by posting it because it suffered from what I like to call “pointless rambling crapiness.” So today I’ll just give you the link and say I found Jarding’s attack on George Allen kind of childish. 75 words.
Somalia The New Afghanistan?. 2006-07-28 5:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Now here’s something interesting that nobody’s talking about: Somali minister assassinated. By “interesting,” I really mean “scary,” but at least it’s not the same old “more ways that the UN and the mainstream media hate Israel and love terrorists” news from the Middle East. 321 words.
ThatViralMarketerEmily. 2006-07-28 6:26 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Some weeks ago, I saw a post somewhere in the Virginia blogosphere about ThatGirlEmily’s blog. I jotted down the link on the 19th and wrote: “I think it’s contrived, but it’s compelling in a can’t-look-away-from-the-train-wreck kind of way: That Girl Emily, the blog of a woman’s revenge against her cheating husband.” It never ended up on my blog, though, because it’s more “pop culture” than “culture wars” material. 247 words.
New Email Formatting. 2006-07-29 3:35 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is a test post. 38 words.
Where’s An EMP When You Need One. 2006-07-31 6:51 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was reading over this typically excellent QandO post, Israel and Qana and “net wars,” and pondering some ways to counter Hezbollah’s advantage. (That advantage being, of course, that they can kill civilians whenever they want without any consequences.) It’s looking more and more like brute force isn’t going to work in a modern war with Islamic terrorists, thanks to the ever-present international media scrutiny. 376 words.

August, 2006

Resistance Is Futile? Part 1. 2006-08-02 2:19 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is the first in a three-part ramble on global warming, which ironically begins on a day when it was close to 100 degrees here in Virginia. 359 words.
Imbalance In Casualty Coverage. 2006-08-02 5:52 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s been a lot grumbling in the right-wing blogosphere over how much more attention the media is paying to the civilian casualties in Lebanon as opposed to the civilian casualties in Israel. Most accuse the media of a pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic bias, as is their stock-in-trade. 163 words.
Resistance Is Futile? Part 2. 2006-08-02 11:41 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is the second in a three-part ramble on global warming. See also Part 1. 389 words.
Resistance Is Futile? Part 3. 2006-08-03 8:43 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is the third in a three-part ramble on global warming. See also Part 1 and Part 2. 419 words.
Presidential Semantics. 2006-08-04 8:02 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
The local feud between SLANTblog and Skeptical Observer has inspired me to remove the following “big name” feud blogs from my newsreader: Daily Kos, GOP Bloggers, Hot Air, Little Green Footballs, Michelle Malkin, and RedState. Daily Kos has been living in a vacuum-sealed Leiberman/Lamont bubble for months now. The other four pour out non-stop snarkiness, day after day after day after day, and it’s gotten pretty tiresome. 308 words.
Conspiracy Theories On The Rise. 2006-08-08 1:40 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
On the way home yesterday, I heard Mac Watson (voted Richmond’s most annoying talk show host) talking to callers about conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11. I was compelled, because Mac Watson normally only talks about incredibly superficial topics during the time I drive home (yesterday I left later than usual). I was further intrigued, because I had also read a CNN story yesterday about how conspiracy theorists were supposedly gaining more credibility because a couple of people with college teaching credentials are on board with the theory. 519 words.
If Ned Wins…. 2006-08-09 1:56 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Blogspot readers: This is yet another post that didn’t get posted on the first try. Yes, Blogspot sucks that much. But hey, it’s free. 97 words.
It’s Pandemo-Ned-ium. 2006-08-09 3:35 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I haven’t read any news or commentary yet today, mostly because I don’t particularly want to hear anyone gloating about Ned Lamont. His primary win is pretty depressing news. 247 words.
All This Spin Is Making Me Dizzy. 2006-08-09 8:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I just dropped Media Matters from my news reader, thanks to this ridiculously insulting post-primary propaganda: Fox News’ Cameron misrepresented election returns to argue that Lieberman had support among “blue-collar” voters. I thought Media Matters was a media watchdog blog that pointed out instances of conservative bias, but as I’ve grown to suspect and as that post clearly shows, it’s really a media watchdog blog that highlights failures to promote liberal bias. 228 words.
People’s Republic Of The Democratic Party?. 2006-08-10 5:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s a lot of scary language in the discussions from Democrats about Lieberman running as an Independent. Everyone is basically calling Lieberman a scurrilous traitor for not succumbing to the will of the Democratic Party. It’s very disturbing – I think it’s because I always thought our elected representatives were supposed to represent The People, not The Party. 95 words.
Zen Terrorism. 2006-08-10 7:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This terrorist plot to blow up planes over the Atlantic doesn’t make much sense to me, when you consider that media coverage is a terrorist’s greatest ally. 71 words.
Cockroach Victory. 2006-08-11 4:22 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Just when you thought there wasn’t enough propaganda in the world, here comes Hezbollah declaring victory in their little war against Israel. Not only is it a little premature, but it’s sort of like cockroaches declaring they’ve won because they survived a nuclear bomb. Their countryside is ruined, their city’s destroyed, half their population is dead, but they can still crawl out of their underground hiding places and raise their creepy forelimbs in a cheer, so they think they’ve “beaten” the enemy. 85 words.
Shut-Out Eleven Straight Years. 2006-08-11 4:40 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Reading about terrorist tactics on the Counterterrorism Blog is amusing sometimes. According to an article by Evan Kohlmann, terrorists have to travel to distant camps to “train” for mixing and sneaking liquid explosives onto airplanes, and they’ve been working on this plan since 1995. I mean, come on. 126 words.
Doom 3 Review. 2006-08-14 2:34 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I finished Doom 3 yesterday. Overall, I liked it a lot. It was a very satisfying single-player experience. 425 words.
Cease-Fire Sounds Doomed. 2006-08-14 5:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
News that Hezbollah has told the Lebanese army that they’ll have to pry their (Iranian) guns from their cold, dead fingers doesn’t bode too well for the cease-fire: Lebanon’s ‘real’ soldiers are put in their place. But then one might argue that there shouldn’t even be a cease-fire, because Hezbollah hasn’t returned the two kidnapped Israeli soldiers and won’t be abiding by any International laws or U.N. resolutions anytime soon, and will continue to take hostages and launch rockets whenever they feel like it. 142 words.
Missing Egyptians Caught… In Richmond??. 2006-08-14 6:21 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
Nice. They caught all of the 11 missing Egyptian students: All Missing Egyptian Students in Custody. I’m glad they caught up with the last two, but, erm, what were they doing in Richmond? 134 words.
My Understanding Of Hezbollah. 2006-08-15 3:25 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Since I’ve thrown all the “big name” liberal blogs out of my reader, I’ve been evaluating various other left-leaning blogs, looking for one or two that aren’t so obsessed with Ned Lamont. Anyway, today I ran across this post on The Agonist: Imagine. 292 words.
The War Reviews Keep Coming In. 2006-08-15 7:19 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Bill Roggio thinks Hezbollah scored a huge victory: After Action Report: Winners and Losers in the Hezbollah-Israel War. 234 words.
What I’ve Learned From Allen’s Racial Slur. 2006-08-16 5:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve learned… a new racial slur! Though I’m still not quite clear what ethnicity it’s supposed to demean. Indians? 125 words.
Media Reports Of Lebanese Reconstruction. 2006-08-17 2:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve seen several media reports discussing the reconstruction in southern Lebanon, all of which seem to go out of their way to mention that Hezbollah is right there to help out the poor displaced citizens with food, medicine, and money, while everyone else’s relief efforts are slow and ineffectual. The implication, of course, is that Hezbollah is a powerful organization, and much better suited to govern southern Lebanon than anyone else. 298 words.
Other Important News. 2006-08-18 2:39 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Now that the situation with Israel, Hezbollah, and Lebanon is completely solved, we can turn our attention to other important news. No, not Iraq, silly. I mean the all-important JonBenet Ramsey case! 77 words.
NY Times Reports Haditha Non-News. 2006-08-18 3:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Blogspot readers: This was originally posted August 18, 2006, 11:14am, but didn’t make it to Blogspot the first time. 242 words.
My Blog Worth. 2006-08-21 1:17 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is pretty funny. 15 words.
Explicit Complicity. 2006-08-21 2:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was reading a CNN story about the recent Israeli commando raid into Lebanon, and this quote jumped out at me. 134 words.
The Next Move In The Iranian Chess Match. 2006-08-22 1:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Let’s check in with Iran to see how the diplomacy to stop the next World War is going. Previously, the UN offered a package of incentives to Iran for them to stop enriching uranium, with the unprecedented support of Russia and China. I don’t remember ever hearing what the incentives actually were, but presumably it was good stuff. 210 words.
Webb Pulls Even… Somehow. 2006-08-22 5:10 PM.
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- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is pretty amazing: Despite Webb’s under-funded non-campaign, a new SurveyUSA poll shows he’s now basically tied with Allen, 48-45. Not that I’m complaining, but how does he do it? He did the same thing to Harris Miller in the primary – no money, no advertising, no message – and he still won. 53 words.
Just Get It Over With. 2006-08-22 6:22 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The big story here in Richmond is whether Ricky Gray will receive life in prison or the death penalty for the Harvey family murders. The jury is currently in its second day of deliberating punishment (it took them all of 30 minutes to decide he was guilty). 273 words.
Bring On The Sanctions. 2006-08-23 4:01 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Great news! Iran is still leading us toward the next World War! They refused the package of incentives the UN offered for them to give up nuclear enrichment, offering instead a meaningless counter-proposal. 221 words.
A Look At Iraq, Part 1. 2006-08-23 9:07 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been thinking about Iraq lately. For some reason, this week seems like a good time to re-evaluate what’s going on there. 523 words.
Reason Prevails In Prague. 2006-08-24 7:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I, for one, am glad they kicked Pluto out of the Solar System, rather than re-defining the planets to include it. The last thing our Solar System needs is a tenth planet named after Xena, Warrior Princess. 37 words.
A Look At Iraq, Part 2. 2006-08-25 2:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Last time, we learned that, for our own interests and those of the civilians in Iraq, we can’t leave until the Iraqi government can function on its own. Otherwise, we leave Iraq ripe for takeover, just like Somalia is now. 392 words.
Slow Monday. 2006-08-28 2:16 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ye gods, there’s nothing at all to write about. The Islamic Courts Union continues to take over Somalia, making them a possible future target in the war on terror. The media continues to desperately hope that a massive super-hurricane blows into New Orleans this season. 82 words.
High School Bible Study?. 2006-08-28 7:53 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s something different from the usual body counts and scare-mongering hurricane watches: While skimming over Ahh, the Tolerance of Mudcat Sanders on LeanLeft, I saw that one of the platforms of the Democratic Party in Alabama is to teach Bible literacy in public schools. I can’t verify whether that’s actually true or not, since nobody gave me a convenient link to follow and the Alabama Democratic Party web page is hopelessly complicated, but let’s assume it’s true. 230 words.
Sharia Creeps Into Zanzibar. 2006-08-31 3:28 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m sure my throngs of adoring fans have wondered what’s up: It’s been a combination of a slow news week and a busy work week. Anyway, today I noticed this curious example of impending Sharia law on CNN: Zanizibar Muslim leader: Ban Freddie Mercury party. I, for one, was personally offended by this news because Queen is one of the most musically-talented and technologically-superior bands in history, and any move to ban a celebration of their members or their work is tantamount to crushing the human creative spirit under the iron bootheel of fascism. 105 words.
Ernesto, Day 1. 2006-08-31 4:25 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
We’re hunkering down for Ernesto here in Richmond. In the spirit of those brave bloggers who fought off the looters and stayed online in New Orleans last year, I’ll also try to stay online and report on this disaster. 245 words.
A Pause To Scold Blogspot. 2006-08-31 6:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
On the off chance anyone is reading this from a Blogger or Feedburner RSS feed, you might be wondering about the seemingly random order of posts. For example, this post that I wrote first thing Monday morning would have just shown up in the RSS feed today (Thursday). The reason? 123 words.
Ernesto, Day 1 Update. 2006-08-31 9:40 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A quick update. The radio said Ernesto was racing toward the coastline, now at tropical storm strength. They said it will be impacting our weather starting tomorrow morning, so it’s vitally important that we stay tuned to Richmond’s Morning News with Jimmy Barrett for all our weather-related news. 142 words.

September, 2006

Ernesto, Day 2. 2006-09-01 6:14 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Back for a second. Will post while I can. Ernesto is still bearing down on us. 276 words.
Ernesto Wrap-up. 2006-09-05 1:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Sadly, Ernesto timed its appearance to coincide with Labor Day weekend, so several great comedic posts went unwritten by this not-very-dedicated blogger. You’ll just have to trust me when I say they would have been hilarious. Unless you don’t think parodies of frenetic media coverage of natural disasters is funny, or you suffered some unfortunate personal loss of life or property from the storm, in which case you probably would have been shocked and enraged by my lack of sensitivity. 92 words.
Removing Collection Elements During Enumeration. 2006-09-05 5:52 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 270 words.
Same Propaganda, Different Week. 2006-09-05 8:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s still hard to find anything meaningful to write about in all this political blather over Iraq. Republicans say we have to stay in Iraq to stabilize the region and fight the growing terrorist threat, blah, blah blah. Democrats say we have to leave Iraq to stabilize the region and the terrorists will die out, blah, blah blah (and, by the way, fire Rumsfeld). 114 words.
Aw, Leave The Poor Guy Alone. 2006-09-06 5:01 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It seems like everyone thinks Donald Rumsfeld is single-handedly responsible for everything bad that’s happened over the last 5 years, and simply removing him from office will immediately restore the world to the happy Utopian paradise it was before 2001. Personally I think people are giving him a little too much credit. It’s like an owner firing the head coach of a losing football team in the middle of the season in the hope that it will “spark” the team to win more. 232 words.
Taliban Who?. 2006-09-07 6:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I am shocked – shocked! – that nobody is talking about Katie. (At least nobody in my daily reads.) Perhaps it’s because she behaves just like any other generic anchor chained to a news entertainment business that’s desperate for ratings. 271 words.
The Fronts Are Everywhere. 2006-09-08 4:32 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
President Bush has been pouring on the rhetoric lately and claiming that Iraq is The Front in the global war on terror, or something to that effect. I think that’s a bit misleading. I agree that it’s one of the fronts in “the war,” but I think there are quite a few other fronts, too. 118 words.
Rush On The War. 2006-09-08 7:24 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Rush Limbaugh sounded off on Katie’s “free speech” segment last night, because if there’s one thing Rush Limbaugh needs, it’s a public forum to express his opinions. Overall I thought his spiel was okay, but he snuck in a couple of head-scratchers. 290 words.
My 9/11 Tribute. 2006-09-11 2:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
As you know, today is the anniversary of William Wallace’s defeat of the English at Stirling Bridge. Let’s all take a moment to remember where we were on that fateful day. 390 words.
On 8mm Film Transfer. 2006-09-11 5:26 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Once again I find myself pondering how to cost effectively transfer 8mm films to a digital format, for genealogical and archival purposes. Here are some notes so I don’t forget them. 417 words.
StringBuilder vs. Concatenation. 2006-09-11 6:08 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 226 words.
George Allen On The Radio. 2006-09-11 7:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Oh… I heard George Allen briefly on the radio this morning (you can find the interview at WRVA’s site, if you have the slightest interest in anything a politician has to say). I don’t remember much of anything he said during the interview, except something about trying to be a father figure for one of his neighbor’s kids who had lost his father in the Pentagon attack on 9/11 (gag), but I explicitly remember the way he ended the interview. 137 words.
The Virginia 9/11 Memorial Post Toll. 2006-09-11 7:37 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Humans have a particular fascination with Death Tolls, so in that spirit, I’d like to create the Virginia 9/11 Memorial Post Toll. 156 words.
Olberman Isn’t Above Spin, Either. 2006-09-13 2:47 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Keith Olberman’s This Hole In The Ground speech is making the rounds of liberal blogs. The Agonist went so far as to call the speech “true courage.” 437 words.
A Couple Of Links. 2006-09-13 8:22 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s been a busy day building SSIS custom data source components, plus there’s nothing new or interesting happening in the world today, unless you’re interested in why Anna Nichole Smith’s son died. 193 words.
Bits From The News. 2006-09-14 8:22 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Links = Laziness. 199 words.
Updated Mission Statement, September 2006. 2006-09-15 5:50 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I noticed I hadn’t updated my mission statement on the Blogspot front page in ages, so here’s a new revision, which was largely stolen from my introductory Weekend Without Echoes post, which could probably be considered some sort of irony. 415 words.
It’s Time For An Exciting Senate Update!. 2006-09-15 7:23 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In case you’re wondering what’s going on in the Virginia senate race, here’s a quick update: Jim Webb’s staffers made fun of something George Allen said, which was echoed and amplified in the Virginia liberal blogosphere. Then George Allen’s staffers made fun of something Jim Webb said, which was echoed and amplified in the Virginia conservative blogosphere. This process has repeated itself about seventy-three times. 183 words.
Debate Watched Successfully. 2006-09-18 2:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It was sometimes hard to hear the debate/dual-interview on Meet The Press over Mrs. Krehbiel’s virulent cursing whenever George Allen spoke, but I observed: George Allen is definitely a professional politician; that is, he failed to answer almost every single question directly. Instead, he recited Bush’s talking points almost word-for-word. I also happily noted that Jim Webb has made great progress in cutting the “ums” out of his speaking. 146 words.
Digital Fortress. 2006-09-18 5:29 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I finished Dan Brown’s Digital Fortress last night. It’s a very typical Dan Brown novel (that is, sort of a cross between the Hardy Boys and Oliver Stone’s JFK), but I didn’t think it was as good as DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons. Um, perhaps I should say that it’s below the quality level found in DaVinci Code and Angels & Demons, because I wouldn’t want to give the impression that any Dan Brown novel is “good.” At best, I’d call them “kind of entertaining.” 168 words.
Washington at Dallas. 2006-09-18 6:04 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ugh. It was embarrassing to watch. The first week, I thought the Redskins looked average; last night, they looked horrible. 134 words.
Who Broke Up With Who?. 2006-09-19 5:55 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Looks like the media focus for today is the important topic of whether or not President Bush will get into a fist-fight with Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the hallways of the UN. Serious Jerry Springer fans want to know. 143 words.
Krehbiel’s Korner. 2006-09-20 11:09 PM.
- Personal
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The Official Homepage Of Thomas Krehbiel 332 words.
New Styles. 2006-09-21 12:19 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
You’ve probably noticed that I’ve given the web site yet another facelift today. My goal was to clean up the style sheet and get rid of a lot of tables. I’m still aiming for a “clean and simple” look – the antithesis of what most modern web pages look like. 66 words.
String Constants. 2006-09-21 3:02 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 638 words.
Busy Days. 2006-09-21 7:12 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Busy, busy, busy. No time for frivolous things like the legality of torture. 29 words.
Friday Wrap-up. 2006-09-22 7:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Let’s see, what’s been happening this week? I haven’t been paying much attention actually. Looks like a plan will be going forward to try the Gitmo detainees without having to re-write GC Article III. 248 words.
Debugging Custom SSIS Components. 2006-09-22 8:00 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 210 words.
The Ethics Of Allen-Bashing. 2006-09-25 2:06 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Good news, everybody! According to former teammates, Allen used the “N-word” in college. 157 words.
Week 3, Washington at Houston. 2006-09-25 2:53 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I didn’t see the game, but apparently it was a blowout against the hapless Texans (as was expected). The Giants lost (despite what appears to be a valiant fourth-quarter comeback attempt) but the Eagles won, putting them in first place by a game. The Cowboys had a bye week and didn’t play. 105 words.
Reformat Complete. 2006-09-26 12:10 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Over the weekend, I finally reformatted my main computer and upgraded from Windows 2000 to Windows XP, a task I’ve been putting off for ages. I hadn’t made any major upgrades to this computer in at least three years, so you can imagine I had quite a bit of junk on it from years of installing and un-installing software. I made tedious, redundant backups of everything before the big wipe, so I haven’t lost any data, but at the moment all I have is a blank computer running Windows XP. 154 words.
A Glance At Military Commissions. 2006-09-28 8:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another busy work week with it being the end of the fiscal year and all. Not much time to decipher the news of the day. After just a glance, I think I’m okay with the new bill to allow military commissions for terrorists. 96 words.
Easy SSIS Package Deployment. 2006-09-29 4:38 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 121 words.
More Lamentation On The State Of Democracy. 2006-09-29 3:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s one good thing about researching the potential Senate candidates and making your voting decision early in the year: You don’t have to pay attention to the actual campaigning, which is really just a big playground fight between the opposing campaign managers and has little or nothing to do with the candidates themselves. The drawback, of course, is that you get to watch the quality of public discourse plummet to new lows during the time you’re waiting to vote, and you come to the inevitable realization that elections are decided not by issues, but by manipulation of mass media. The key to victory, it seems, is to ensure that the media spends more time covering an accusation than a refutation, and lean on the average voter’s lack of political knowledge. 229 words.
Agile Manifesto Not So Bad After All. 2006-09-29 5:12 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I read (most of) Steve Yegge’s blog post on Bad Agile, and thought it was great to hear someone ranting against Agile Development for a change. (Unfortunately, it quickly devolved into a “golly, Google is such a fun playground for programmers, it’s the greatest place to work ever!” rant.) 955 words.

October, 2006

Recent Discourses In Politics. 2006-10-02 6:07 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I guess that old joke about incumbents having to be caught with a dead girl or a live boy to lose an election isn’t so funny anymore, in light of Mark Foley’s resignation following hinky emails to teen page boys. 198 words.
Week 4, Jacksonville at Washington. 2006-10-02 10:03 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
One-fourth of the season is behind us. Washington looked like a completely different team from the one I saw two weeks ago. That is, they looked like professionals again. 212 words.
Musharraf On Tour. 2006-10-03 6:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Pakistani President Musharraf has been making the talk show rounds on his book tour lately. (One has to wonder how the president of an entire country has the time to write a book and go on a tour, or why he would need the money or the publicity, but that’s a different story.) He seems like a nice man and an intellectual on television, but who knows what kind of person lurks behind that quaintly amusing accent. He’s said more than once that the deal he made with the Taliban in Waziristan is in everyone’s best interests, and that the Taliban will uphold their agreement to end violence, but Bill Roggio observed otherwise yesterday: Pakistan’s Problems in Waziristan and Beyond. 136 words.
Remember, One Class Per File. 2006-10-04 7:14 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 268 words.
Foley Thoughts In Context. 2006-10-04 7:58 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Somehow, a Congressman’s instant messages are getting just as much attention as a madman shooting five Amish schoolgirls in the head, execution-style. 532 words.
Welcome To Web 2.0. 2006-10-05 2:32 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw on Crowhill that one of Michelle Malkin’s videos (something about Islamic violence) got pulled from YouTube. This struck me as funny. :) And not just because Malkin, a la the best war profiteers, is personally profiting from the culture wars. 372 words.
Welcome To Web 2.0, Part 2. 2006-10-05 11:57 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A short addendum to my post on Malkin’s video getting pulled from YouTube: 1) Now that I’m home, I can verify that there is a “Flag as Inappropriate” link right below each video, though admittedly you have to login to use that feature. (Not a problem for bots.) 2) I don’t dispute that dhimmitude was the motivation for wanting to yank Malkin’s videos, I just don’t think YouTube submitted to dhimmitude so much as they submitted to a flaw in the peer-review system. 83 words.
My First Activism. 2006-10-06 12:32 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve never been much of a political activist, but this Marshall/Newman Amendment proposal here in Virginia annoys me. You know, the one that supposedly amends the Virginia constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. 274 words.
Week 5, Washington at NY Giants. 2006-10-08 11:57 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
A total suck-fest by the Redskins this week. Not much else to say about it. The momentum from the past two victories came to a crashing halt. 133 words.
FlatOut2. 2006-10-10 3:28 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve basically finished with FlatOut2… won all the races except the one at the very end, and that’s just a bunch of derbies. The game pretty much ruled until I got bored from racing on the same tracks over and over again and, well, from winning all the time. :) I give it 5… out of 5. 57 words.
World of Warcraft. 2006-10-10 3:30 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Inspired by the recent episode of South Park, and being bored with FlatOut2, I finally installed my trial version of World of Warcraft yesterday, which I’d gotten with a video card about a year ago I think. I’ve been trying to stay away from MMORPGs because, as South Park indicated, you really can’t play them competitively unless you’re willing to join some kind of guild and give up your life, and really, what’s the point in playing a game if not to win? :) But I’ve heard repeatedly that WoW was particularly good for so-called “casual gamers” and people who liked solo adventuring, so I gave it a shot. 918 words.
North Korea Back In The News. 2006-10-10 4:39 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Last we heard from North Korea (or, as the bloggers have suddenly started calling it, NoKo), they were test-firing medium- and long-range missiles over the Japan Sea. (The long-range missile failed.) Now, apparently they’re exploding nuclear weapons underground. There is some question from seismologists about whether it was really a nuclear explosion and not just a conventional explosion, though. 215 words.
My Implementation Of Active Records. 2006-10-10 5:30 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I was somewhat gratified to see that the method I had come up with to wrap database rows inside objects has a name: The Active Record Design Pattern. Furthermore, someone else (namely, Castleproject’s ActiveRecord) thought of using .NET attributes to markup the row class just like I did (though chronologically they thought of it after I had finished my first version). It’s always fun to see myself inventing the same things that the so-called “industry leaders” invent. 136 words.
World of Warcraft Addendum. 2006-10-11 12:36 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Addendum: So I go to login to WoW last night to see how many levels I can acheive with a 14-day trial account, and it says the server is full and I have to wait in a queue for some 30 minutes to get in! You have got to be kidding me. That seals the deal. 257 words.
New Study Hard To Believe. 2006-10-11 3:04 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s this new study out that claims 655,000 Iraqis have died because of the war, where it was previously estimated to be somewhere around 50,000. I find it rather hard to believe, especially considering their method of research: Walking around to private homes and asking the people that live there. Human nature dictates that people always exaggerate, and I’m quite sure that the average person doesn’t keep accurate records of the number of people dying around them anyway. 135 words.
The Crayola Clan Wiki. 2006-10-12 3:25 AM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Check out my new experiment, The Crayola Clan Wiki. I’m using PmWiki, which seems to be a nice little PHP-based, non-database Wiki. It was easy to setup and it’s pretty easy to edit pages. 82 words.
Week 6, Tennessee at Washington. 2006-10-16 2:20 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
To quote from last week: “A total suck-fest by the Redskins this week.” I might add that it was an even worse suck-fest than last week, because Washington lost to a winless team with a rookie quarterback. I only saw the last quarter-and-a-half, but it was just awful. No change in the NFC East standings, though: The Eagles lost, so Washington remains 2 games behind, now with 10 games left to play. 124 words.
Kinda Small For A Nuke. 2006-10-16 5:43 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
According to FOX News, the U.S. is now confirming that North Korea did in fact detonate a nuclear device the other day. (There was some question about it before.) They say it was around 1 kiloton, though, which is really small for a nuke. (For comparison, Hiroshima was 13-16 kilotons and Nagasaki was 20-22 kilotons, and the B83, currently the most powerful U.S. nuke, is 1.2 megatons, or 1,000 times more powerful.) That may sound like it’s no big deal, and from a military standpoint, it isn’t. 168 words.
Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. 2006-10-16 5:59 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I played two maps of Half-Life 2: Deathmatch this past weekend (about 30 minutes worth), so I feel qualified to write a comprehensive review of it now. 311 words.
Counter-Strike: Source. 2006-10-17 6:15 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I broke down and played some Counter-Strike: Source last night. This was the first time I’ve ever played Counter-Strike (CS) in all the seven years or so it’s been out. I figured it was time to assimilate since it’s like the most popular online game in the world, and runs on 6 bazillion servers, and has 7 gajillion people playing it every day. 485 words.
Book Burning Coming Soon. 2006-10-17 8:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
There’s an attempt underway by some of the more desperate elements of the Virginia conservative blogosphere (aka. Allen’s A-Team and co.)–who not too long ago wrote, “let’s get back to the issues”–to focus on the campaign issue of racy content in Jim Webb’s novels. The gist of the argument is that Webb’s personal credibility as a Senator should be scrutinized because of the questionable conduct of fictional characters in his books. 169 words.
Fretting Over North Korea. 2006-10-18 7:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The solution to North Korea remains elusive, and the situation appears on-pace to escalate into a really, really bad scrum someday. Most liberal blogs advocate abandoning the six-party talks and negotiating with them one-on-one, but I fail to see how that’s a position of strength, or how that would solve anything. (Besides, that’s apparently what Clinton did, and it didn’t work either.) It sounds more like giving in to a toddler throwing a tantrum to me. 207 words.
Don’t Use A Lookup Component To Find Duplicate Rows. 2006-10-19 5:30 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Another in a series of random programming tips by Thomas Krehbiel, mostly to help me remember them in the future. 299 words.
Unusual Abortion Followup. 2006-10-20 4:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here’s a followup to an incident I commented on several months ago about a woman who shot herself in the stomach to induce an abortion. Apparently the felony case against her, which could have resulted in up to 10 years in prison, was dropped because of some legal technicalities. 183 words.
Week 7, Washington at Indianapolis. 2006-10-23 5:24 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Washington forgot to show up in the second half of their game this past week, so they got blown out by the Colts despite an unexpected 1-point lead at halftime. Thankfully, the Eagles also lost again so the Redskins remain 2 games behind, now with 9 games left to play. They are off next week, during which time I hope they figure out how to play football at the professional level. 147 words.
World of Warcraft Redux. 2006-10-23 6:59 PM.
- Technology
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Perhaps this was inevitable, but in the absence of anything better to play, I’m reversing my stance on World of Warcraft. It’s grown on me like an infectious fungus, so I paid the $20 activation fee so I could keep playing past the free trial period. 338 words.
Slight Change Of Direction. 2006-10-25 1:56 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I know I said this the Crayola Clan news blog was going to be about Crayola Clan news, but that topic is hardly big enough to fill up a blog. :) Since I’ve been getting bored writing about news and politics, I’m going to amuse myself by writing some occasional blurbs about gaming. 111 words.
The Economics Of MMORPGs. 2006-10-25 3:27 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The entrepreneurial opportunities from exploiting MMORPGs have certainly changed since I last played Asheron’s Call. Back then, you usually just saw people auctioning in-game gold, items, and characters on eBay. 354 words.
On Michael J. Fox. 2006-10-27 5:27 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been silent lately partly because of a newfound fascination with World of Warcraft, and partly because of a complete lack of interest in writing about campaign politics, which seems to be the dominant topic in the world lately. But here’s a few quick blurbs. 149 words.
On New Jersey. 2006-10-27 5:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
On the recent New Jersey decision: My marriage doesn’t feel the slightest bit different. It’s very difficult for me to wrap my mind around how people can honestly believe the Republican line that marriage is “under attack,” especially from something as infrequent as gay marriage (as opposed to, say, rampant divorce). It seems like people with such beliefs would have trouble with basic motor coordination, let alone any kind of higher cognitive thoughts. 267 words.
On Webb’s Novels. 2006-10-27 5:30 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
My opinion about Allen’s people using Webb’s novels against him is the same as it was when it was just some silly blogs doing it. It’s borderline-fascist anti-art propaganda, but a predictable desperation smear tactic. (I’m sure if Allen wrote fiction, Webb’s people would be doing it too.) 68 words.
Week 8, Bye. 2006-10-30 4:21 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Washington didn’t play this past weekend, but the Eagles, Cowboys, and Giants did. With the Giants win, they continue to hold first place and look like the team to beat. Their win also drops Washington to a full 3 games behind in the division with 9 games left to play. 258 words.
Rush And Ann On Fox. 2006-10-30 5:56 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw somewhere that Rush and Ann were up in arms for being demonized over speaking up against Michael J. Fox’s commercial, because (according to them) part of the liberal strategy is to use people with disabilities to advance the liberal agenda so everyone will feel sorry for them and cave in. 189 words.
To Groupers. 2006-10-30 8:40 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’d like to explain something to would-be groupers in World of Warcraft (that is, those people who obsessively invite other people into groups). 227 words.
New Lease On Life For Hubble. 2006-10-31 5:03 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m heartened to see NASA announce plans to repair the Hubble telescope. Granted, it only extends the lifetime from 2009 to 2013, but since we have shuttle flights going up there anyway and we have the capability to fix it, I don’t see why we shouldn’t keep it running as long as possible. (Personally, I’d place a higher priority on the telescope than the space station, but that’s just me.) 144 words.

November, 2006

Allen’s Stalker. 2006-11-01 2:46 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I hate to complain when awkward situations come up for George Allen, but this security incident has all the markings of a setup. I mean, a left-wing blogger, inspired by Michael Moore’s stalker movie Roger and Me, tries to ask Allen an awkward question (by shouting at him) right in front of the press? Come on. 140 words.
Kerry’s Unfortunate Misstatement. 2006-11-02 2:18 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is old news now (or should be, at least), but I couldn’t post yesterday. 365 words.
The Three Amendment Proposals. 2006-11-02 5:02 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Last week, I came across this: Did you know there is more than one ballot amendment? To my surprise, I didn’t know there was more than the minority-hating amendment on the ballot. There’s actually 3 amendments. 108 words.
Last Stand In Somalia. 2006-11-03 4:21 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
While everyone here is busy making nasty political ads, Bill Roggio reports that Somalia is about to fall completely into the hands of the bad guys: The Somalia Showdown. 150 words.
Week 9, Dallas at Washington. 2006-11-06 3:05 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Washington pulled a win out of their collective butts by blocking what should have been Dallas’s last-second game-winning field goal and getting a facemask penalty on the ensuing runback. But it counts as a win no matter how ugly or unlikely it is. :) Overall, the Redskins showed improvements in their passing offense (that is, they actually had one), but their defense still looked pretty shaky, especially on third down. 261 words.
The Big Game. 2006-11-07 3:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For people who enjoy the “game” of politics, today is like the Super Bowl. Pundits have spent months hyping the game, analyzing every possible matchup, and making learned predictions, and the coaches have drawn up elaborate plans and strategies for victory. Today the fans are packed into the stadium and everyone else is glued to their televisions. 131 words.
Freedom Is On The March… Away From Virginia. 2006-11-08 6:59 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In the harsh light of the morning after the political and media orgy known as Midterm Elections, we can now see that 57% of Virginia voters supported changing the constitution to make second class citizens out of unmarried couples. One has to wonder how many of those voters actually thought they were voting to prevent gay marriage. Idiots. 96 words.
Week 10, Washington at Philadelphia. 2006-11-13 2:38 PM.
- Blog
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Ugly, ugly, ugly. I didn’t see most of the game because I fell asleep in the first half, and the game was over by the time the second half started. That humiliating defeat all but eliminates any possibility of the Redskins making the playoffs this year. 259 words.
The Horde Raid On Sentinel Hill. 2006-11-13 5:21 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I saw the funniest thing on Undermine last night: A full-blown Horde raid on the Sentinel Tower in Westfall. 385 words.
Random Post-Election Thoughts. 2006-11-13 7:10 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Thank God it’s over. 217 words.
Oblivion Review. 2006-11-17 7:37 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Here is a very brief review of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: It blows. Hard. 158 words.
The Human Experience. 2006-11-20 8:24 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
For anyone who might be contemplating playing World of Warcraft for the first time: Do not, under any circumstances, select a human character. Your initial playing experience will be much more pleasant if you choose a night elf, dwarf, or gnome. (I can’t speak for Horde races.) Not because those races are better than humans, but because most of the gamers who choose human characters are… how shall I put this delicately… they’re, um, retarded. 555 words.
A Dissertation On The State Of Iraq. 2006-11-21 6:34 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
It’s almost impossible to imagine a satisfying result in Iraq anymore. 1,563 words.
A Strike For The Alliance. 2006-11-21 7:04 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Last night I jumped into a PvP brawl. Armsbig (level 21) was just passing through Goldshire when a Horde raiding party descended on the town. I surveyed the enemies and spotted a level 20 guy among the level ?? 233 words.
Tales Of PvP Shame And Triumph. 2006-11-27 8:20 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The Monday following a four-day weekend is boring as hell, so I’m writing these World of Warcraft tales to amuse myself and make the day go by faster. Plus, I can ramble at any length without seeing a glassy look come over the listener’s eyes. (If you’re married to a non-gamer, you know what I’m talking about. 1,652 words.
Tuesday Links. 2006-11-28 5:29 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m weary of opining, so I’m going to fall back on throwing out some links to stories that I found informative. 196 words.
Developers Talk About Warhammer. 2006-11-28 6:13 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
People who play PC games probably already knew this, but Slashdot had responses from the developers of Warhammer Online, which might be the next big MMO (scheduled for release in 2007). I’m not sure I like what I’m hearing so far, though. It sounds very group-intensive. 46 words.
A Corporal Speaks Against Complainers. 2006-11-28 6:15 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Good news, everyone! Teloiv made Corporal! I had no idea it would be so easy to gain not one, but two ranks in the WoW PvP system. 329 words.
On Free Will. 2006-11-29 6:33 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Scott Adams (the Dilbert guy) has a thing about free will. He visits the topic often on his blog, and this post of his is supposed to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that free will does not exist. 649 words.

December, 2006

More Republican Distractions. 2006-12-06 6:04 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Perhaps this is another example of the Bush administration trying to distract attention away from Iraq: On the same day that the Iraq Study Group is releasing its uber-hyped report advising a withdrawal from Iraq by 2008, CNN is spamming the news that Vice President Cheney’s lesbian daughter is pregnant. Oh, those tricksy Republicans. 70 words.
Car Fires. 2006-12-11 6:52 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is completely off-topic, but on the traffic report this morning I heard about another “car fire” slowing down traffic in the Richmond area. As it turned out, when I drove past the affected area, there was no fiery car to be found and traffic was completely normal, but that’s not the point here. Actually, it’s part of the point. 215 words.
Guild Thoughts. 2006-12-12 7:30 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ve been thinking about Guilds a bit lately. Mostly because I’ve been sick this past week and have had no choice but to play WoW just to get through the bleary, dopey, medicine-filled days. No, really. 760 words.
Today’s Laughing Stock. 2006-12-13 2:50 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I first saw this mentioned by Vivian Paige. This is not a sarcastic bit from the Daily Show. This World Net Daily article is real: Soy is making kids ‘gay’. 169 words.
The Agonist Goes All Wacko. 2006-12-13 6:08 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
This is an outrage: Sovereignty and Somalia. I’m appalled that The Agonist is trying to characterize the Islamic Courts Union’s takeover of Somalia as a good thing. More than that, he’s saying it’s good for the people of Somalia. 223 words.
Mission Accomplished. 2006-12-26 8:05 PM.
- Gaming
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I finally got it! I saved up 80 gold and bought my Night Elf Hunter a riding cat (72 gold for training and then 8 gold to buy the actual saddle). It took me from level 40 to level 45 to save up the money. 437 words.
The Downside Of Accountability. 2006-12-26 8:36 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
You may have noticed I haven’t had much to say lately. :) The election is over, and the news is pretty much the same thing day in and day out, and the various fights between high-profile bloggers are not terribly interesting after the first 723 iterations. 202 words.
Sample Of Virginia Blogosphere Activity. 2006-12-27 3:17 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The Virginia political blogosphere is (mostly) a cesspool of incestuous, self-indulgent children with dreams of working from home so they don’t have to get a real job. There, I said it. The secret’s out. 977 words.
Sun Tzu And The Art Of Blog Warfare. 2006-12-27 5:48 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I flippantly mentioned SWAC Girl in my last post, who is a relatively new fixture on the Virginia political scene. I’ve seen her special brand of conservative thought in the Virginia Political Blog aggregator from time to time, but I haven’t read her posts too extensively. (They generally got tiresome after the first sentence or two.) I just figured she was yet another rabid George Allen supporter with too much spare time on her hands, trying to turn to the new-fangled Internets blog medium to get her pre-Women’s Suffrage message out before the elections. 651 words.
Virginia Blogosphere Sample, Part Two: The Smackdown. 2006-12-27 7:45 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Update: Waldo has taken down the Virginia Political Blogs aggregator. Sort of. He just renamed it Waldo’s Virginia Political Blogroll: “A totally biased and unreasonable list of blogs that I think you might enjoy reading.” He promises, “The number of blogs in my blogroll will drop substantially before too long.” Pretty hilarious. 122 words.
Scandal Body Count Rises. 2006-12-28 7:50 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’m finding this “Waldo scandal” and its aftermath really entertaining. I must be incredibly bored this week. Anyway, I apologize for talking about this again, but it’s like watching a train wreck. 445 words.
On Virgil Goode. 2006-12-28 9:07 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
In an effort to get back “on topic,” I offer my 2 cents on Rep. Virgil Goode: I think he’s entitled to his opinion, and I don’t think his opposition to Rep. Keith Ellison swearing on a Koran is grounds for censure. I just think it makes him (Goode) stubborn and wrong. But he’s not my representative so it doesn’t really matter to me. 186 words.
Playing Catchup On The Debate. 2006-12-29 3:54 AM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
I’ll admit I’m playing catch-up on this Virgil Goode story. Sorry, I haven’t really been paying attention to the blogosphere much, well, most of this month. :) 636 words.
A Dream Fulfilled. 2006-12-29 7:11 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
My dreams of getting a mention on The Daily Whackjob have finally come true! (Just for the record, I know I was being redundant, but Mrs. Krehbiel relies on me to summarize the entire content of the blogosphere for her. :) 95 words.
To Ignore Or Not To Ignore. 2006-12-29 7:20 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Wow, this is fun. I haven’t written this much in a while. 716 words.
Crooks and Liars and Elves and Unicorns. 2006-12-30 3:54 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
The occasion of Saddam’s largely meaningless demise gives us at least one colorful example of extreme partisan blogging from the left: The Farce Goes On. 391 words.
On Riverbend. 2006-12-30 10:39 PM.
- Commentary
- thomaskrehbiel.com
Alice and Mrs. Krehbiel both took me to task for criticizing Iraqi blogger Riverbend, so I went and read over some of her blog today. I have to somewhat shamefully admit that I haven’t read her work in a while. 423 words.