Book Review: Duane Knapp's The BrandPromise

The BrandPromise book is Duane Knapp's continuum of his last work, The BrandMindset. In his most recent brand philosophy, Knapp concentrates on how your brand can deliver a distinctive experience to all stakeholders and customers by making a Brand Promise.

It's not enough to make a promise, Knapp says, you must truly live that promise; and he shows you how in ten easy to read chapters. Knapp asserts that its not just business as usual, full of marketing tricks. Instead he offers a definitive solution of how to make a brand genuine.

Those who have read The BrandMindset will find that The BrandPromise is narrows the scope of what genuine branding is. Knapp delights readers with inspirational prose and concise examples of real companies experiencing real success in each chapter.

Throughout the book there is a reoccurring theme: provide unique experiences that enhance customers’ lives. Knapp believes that in order to do this, an organization must connect with its stakeholders on both a functional and emotional level. Customers must not only discover a practical benefit to a brand that will meet their needs, they must also have an emotional connection with that brand.

Much of the content from chapter to chapter identifies brand strategies for different organizations (corporations, non-profit groups and personal brands) each with the underlying “promise” theme. After several chapters the information seems repetitive. However, I believe this is intentional. Knapp wants his audience to understand the importance of his idea for distinctive branding. By the end of the book, the reader gets it, and the message sticks.

Knapp’s book also provides a blueprint for how an organization makes a promise. The chapter devoted to this process emphasizes that all associates from top to bottom must be involved in developing a brand’s promise. Further, Knapp dictates that once an organization has made its promise, it must stick to it. Any organization seeking to “make a promise” will want to pay special attention to that chapter and take it to heart.

The writing is simple, but clear and Knapp seems to be putting his philosophy to work in his own writing. It’s clear that Knapp himself wants his readers to have a distinctive experience and feel energized to employ their own brand promise. Moreover, many organizations could benefit from applying Knapp’s promise principles.

Every executive, celebrity, bureaucrat and association interested in taking the steps to energize his or her organizational appeal ought to read The BrandPromise. Doing so will not only transform your outlook on your own brand, but on every other brand you come in contact with every day. The BrandPromise is a must read!

Buy the book on Amazon
Also, see this review at the book's Amazon page

7th Generation Nissan Maxima Makes Its Debut

This week Nissan debut the next generation Maxima. For those of you who know me, know also that I am a car guy and love Nissans – the Maxima in particular.

At first glance the new Max is stunning. It seems to fall in line with the European sport saloon styling while staying true to Nissan’s design and heritage.

It’s good to see that Nissan has also reintroduced the “Four Door Sports Car” (4DSC) label as well. The car seems to be following its natural evolution. You can tell it’s a Maxima. Now offered in S and SV trim levels (doing away with the former SL and SE trims), the sportier SV has taken the reigns as the top model.

The car retained a unique grille design that Nissan defines as being in scope with the GTR styling. Maybe. But to some, the front end looks more like a Scion tC than a GTR. I think it looks like neither. The headlights definitely resemble those of the GTR, but that is where the similarities end. The 2009 Maxima is it’s own car. It’s lines and curves are natural. The side has a beautiful flow to it with its “L” shaped ridge. The back end is conservatively styled with minimal badging.
Nissan also seems to be intent on defining auto-design innovation with accents like it’s newest attempt in a dual view sunroof and unconventional wheel and grille design. The interior is well equipped, and heavy in amenities and gadgets, including a 9-gig music storage drive, upgraded navigation and it’s traditional Bose audio system.

Let’s get down to sportiness. The car now offers a 290hp 3.5L V6 power plant with 261 lbs/ft of torque. This is a pleasant surprise since Nissan downgraded Maxima’s horsepower from 265 to 255 in its mid-generation revision in 2007. The car also features a revised Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with a “Ds” mode and manual mode. As an added feature, and much to my excitement, the Maxima will now have sport paddles shifter at the wheel.

Maxima will retain its front-wheel drive platform. Looking at the sport sedan market, this may seem like a disappointment to many who had hoped for an AWD or RWD car. My guess is that Nissan will not do this lest in infringe on Infiniti G35 territory and upgrade to a much more competitive market. By keeping the FWD platform Nissan can boast that the 2009 Maxima will be the highest performing front-wheel drive sports sedan in the world – a remark made at its debut at the New York Auto Show this week. This is strategically a good move for Nissan. Further, with its CVT, Nissan seems to have alleviated many complaints that the car’s power produced a lot of torque steer before. I can attest to this. A romp on the gas pedal in my 2006 Maxima will be like trying to hold the reigns of spooked horse and carriage. Fun at first, but not when it inhibits the car’s ability to perform.

My only criticisms of the car are minor. The unique front end is pleasing, but slightly lacking. It seems to me that the bottom of the bumper in unfinished. The car would look way more full with a front splitter or lip spoiler. I will be anxious to see any body kit options for this by Stillen. The car, as with all Nissans it seems, still sits to high. Likely to improve ride quality, it still looks awkward and detracts from a sporty stance that many BMWs and Audis have. I have never loved any gap between wheel and fender and lowering the car slightly would give it a better overall look.

As a primarily performance-minded enthusiast, I do wish Nissan would keep the 6-speed manual tranny option, and even added a big brake kit option to the SV model. But I understand the marketplace and see why these things are not available.

With 19-inch 10 spoke wheels, the car is finished off with a gorgeous look. It hits dealerships this summer and you can bet I will be there to test drive it. With the revival of the 4DSC, I can now only be excited to read it’s hopeful numbers in Motor Trend, Car and Driver and Road & Track in the coming months.

Click here to read the full press release by Nissan about the 2009 Maxima

Click here to see more pics

More on Character

As a follow up to my previous post, Character Really Is King, I just read this news story on CNN.com: Controversial minister off Obama's campaign.

The relationship between Senator Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright was referenced by Sowell in his recent column. It appears that now that relationship, at least in the political sense, has dissolved – likely due to political pressure.

It should be noted here that Mr. Obama has been a member of Rev. Wright’s church in Chicago for twenty years. The role of Wright has traditionally been as a spiritual advisor but was parlayed into a political one with the advent of Obama’s bid for the White House.

It’s no secret that Wright has now, and in the past been known for his inflammatory remarks. However, while on the subject of character, Obama said that (in the twenty years he has been attending Wright’s church) he never heard those remarks before.

"Had I heard those statements in the church, I would have told Reverend Wright that I profoundly disagree with them," Obama said, adding, "What I have been hearing and had been hearing in church was talk about Jesus and talk about faith and values and serving the poor."

Yet, it is interesting to me that Obama waited 20 years, until the presidential primary heat is nearing a boil, to denounce Wright’s remarks.

Does that seem transparent to anyone beside myself? Thought so.

Partisan politics aside, that only further draws into question Sen. Obama’s integrity. Let’s hope the American electorate continues to question these small things when deciding whether or not Obama is fit to be in charge of the large things.

Character really is king

There is no doubt that Thomas Sowell is one of my favorite modern political philosophers. He has a way of bringing issues down to the core – explaining in plainsong prose how something really works.

This weekend, my mother of all people sent me his latest commentary. While nothing new in revelation, it was a great refresher on the impact of character and a reminder that in these modern times, the issue of character is at odds with talking heads who say it doesn’t matter.

I found this article much in line with one of my favorite books on character, The American Leadership Tradition by Marvin Olasky (Sean Taylor still holds this book hostage from me). Olasky examines a series of prolific and controversial leaders and analyses how their personal lives and character impacted, if at all, their ability to lead. It’s worth the read for anyone interested in being a person of influence.

Sowell adds his corollary to ALT drawing on Eliot Spitzer’s recent disgrace of public discourse and even pulls punches from the Barak Obama camp. In a time when people say character doesn’t matter, that the personal is absent from the professional or even political, Sowell’s article is a great reminder that is really does.

Read Non-Judgmental Nonsense by Thomas Sowell

Airlines and Broken Promises

It’s 0330 on a Tuesday morning. I need to drive from my home in Anacortes to catch a flight out to Charlotte from Seattle. The airport, an hour and a half away, requires me to be there at least an hour before my departure time if not longer. I am a speed traveler and like to push it. Don’t leave me in a crowded terminal at 0600 with crying babies and crabby travelers waiting for my flight to leave. I like to get to the gate and go. My flight doesn’t leave until 0645, but I know I will likely have to endure horrid lines before I arrive to my tiny seat in coach.

Much of the wait time on a busy early morning at any airport is in the security line. I have conceded that in the post 9/11 world extra precautions are needed. I have also conceded that at little more than minimum wage, TSA personnel are very inefficient; but they try hard despite their incompetence and you win some, you lose some.

Private enterprise is, as a matter of survival, required to be more efficient than government agencies. So I have still not been able to figure out the self-service check in process most airlines have implemented.

Let’s be right honest with ourselves. We common travelers are a bundle of nerve-racked, incompetent cads. Our minds are filled with way too many things between the parking lot and seat 16B. Do I have any contraband that will get me arrested? How am I doing on time? Why doesn’t this fat guy in front of me move? Is the line at Starbucks long? How am I doing on time? All these factors, however unintelligent, contribute to the fact that we cannot check ourselves in and that the area at those kiosks are a nightmare.

I guess I have resented self-serve anything that used to be full service. I hate self-checkout lines at Wal-Mart because if there is a technical issue I have to get help from a blue vest staffer anyway. And those kiosks at Delta or United or American aren’t any different. Moreover, I figure that I have just dropped a grip of cash to take a six hour journey from Seattle to Charlotte, with little more than a bag of pretzels and minus three inches of leg room, so at least the airline could do is empathize with me and check me in. Nope.

An airline’s neglect to serve its passengers is really a broken promise from company to customer. It’s not about what works (in this case, what doesn’t work), it’s about delivering an experience that makes the passenger feel good. Airlines need to acknowledge that the average passenger has a lot on their minds and should do everything possible and economical to reassure them of their experience. Don’t expect much satisfaction from me when I am tired, hungry and have to check myself in.

Enter Alaska Airlines. These guys seem to get it. At Sea-Tac they recently implemented what it has named “The Airport of the Future.” In a streamlined check-in counter, Alaska has sworn off conventional self-service and still managed to help twice as many passengers in an hour than its larger competitors. While the check-in process is still largely self-serve, which I resent, there are more agents standing by to provide more assistance. It’s a fair compromise. On top of it, Alaska will save nearly $8 million with Airport of the Future. Check it out in this month’s issue of Fast Company magazine.

Back to the blogosphere

Nearly 20 months ago (wow, that long?) I called the blog quits for a while. Many know that I was deployed by the US Navy to serve a 12 month combat tour in Afghanistan. That tour was extended to 15 months and only five months ago I returned. I have used the latter time to catch my breath, reflect on the experience and decide what's next for me in the blogosphere. The options are limitless. I am currently exploring the idea of retiring the Underdog Blog and starting anew. I still may do just that. The primary reason being that this blog has, in so many ways been a political blog. It is where I have digested my thoughts on public policy. In my career, I have since moved beyond professional politics. A short lived career, but one that I do not deem to be over.

Since returning from overseas, I have merged into the private sector and found a niche doing marketing and communications for a small company doing big things. I have returned to Bellingham, and I am exploring the many topics to write about in a blog beyond just the political.

So stay tuned here, lots of things will be happening at this site in the near future; and I look forward to once again bloviating for the masses.

Hold that blog! Duty calls

I have just received word from the Navy that I will be recalled to active duty for one year in support of theatre operations in Afghanistan. My deployment begins in July 21 and will take me first to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for 60 days of combat and weapons training, and then in-theatre where I will work to provide critical intelligence to troops on the ground.

While this will obviously will be an emotional strain on me and my wife and family, I am anxious to serve my country and advance the cause of freedom.

This, of course, also means that I will leave Spike behind for the next year as well. However, I intend to start a new blog soon chronicling my adventures in Operation Enduring Freedom. I'll post a link to that new blog once it's up and running.

Thank you all in advance for your support and prayers.

Golden rules

Blogger Ken Germer has a great idea. On his site, Not that you asked me, but… he has begun a running list of rules to live by. I am inspired. So much so, I have begun my own list of life’s rules. These are things I have long thought, so I am pleased to able to rip Ken’s idea and share my own. I will add as I see fit, and these are in no particular order.

The first 20:

1. Men should never curse in front of women unless it is with good humor. Women shouldn’t curse period. There is nothing worse than hearing an f-bomb dropped from the mouth of a lady.

2. Showering together saves time and water. Plus, it’s always more fun.

3. Kia and Hyundai are for people who hate cars, hate driving, and therefore must hate life. I can’t think of a more boring automobile than either of these two brands.

4. Don’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk. That’s not mine, I just heard it somewhere and it sounded good. Which brings me to my next rule:

5. The first time you retell someone else’s anecdote, give them all due credit. The second time, just say you heard it somewhere; and the third time you tell it, it’s all yours.

6. The scent of a woman will never cease to bring a man to his knees.

7. If you wear glasses, then you shouldn’t have any facial hair. It just makes you look like a tard…or a Canadian. You pick.

8. The shoes make the man. Don’t cut corners here. Get some nice kicks to go with that Burberry suit.

9. Not because they don’t understand good fashion, and not because they have better taste, but solely because they never wear them, women, will never be able to understand the importance of a good tie.

10. It has been said that no electronic device should ever be clipped to your belt. I agree, but that is just not a feasible solution on today’s information highway. Therefore, limit one device per belt please.

11. NASCAR is no longer just for rednecks. And for that, the sport has suffered.

12. I know you think nobody can see you when you pick your nose while driving. Nay, we can all see you. Don’t do it. It’s gross.

13. Always, always tell your spouse you love her/him upon your departure. Whether you are going on a business trip or going to the supermarket, it is a necessary last utterance.

14. Make it a point to drive upwards of 100mph at least once in your life. You’ll be surprised at its affects on your lifestyle.

15. Some say that in order to find the true love of your life, you must first endure a miserable heartbreak. That’s crap. Don’t go through that if at all possible.

16. Nobody ever really regrets their military service. If you are thinking about doing it, then nut up and enlist.

17. For the record, you can wear black shoes with a dark blue suit. This is one of the few exceptions.

18. Abbott and Costello is not just funny to old people, rap is not just for young people and Manischewitz wine is not just for Jews.

19. Don’t be inhospitable. Be a warm host and have people over often. Make your house their house while they visit.

20. Deal with tragedy as it happens. It is okay for men to cry.

21. Never, EVER use phrases like laying cable, pinching a loaf, or poking cotton in reference to going number two. Terms like that are gross. Just plain old gross.

In memory of 1st LT Forrest P. Ewens

KXLY: Whitworth ROTC graduate killed in combat in Afghanistan

Whitworth College Press Release

Forrest was a friend of mine in college. We lived on the same hallway in Stewart Hall my first year at Whitworth and kept a friendship throughout our years there. I have always held him and his twin brother Oaken in the highest esteem.

Forrest died for America’s cause, and in the service of his country; I believe the world is better place because of people like him.

Forrest was truly a great American and a real patriot.

My prayers are with his family as they mourn his loss.

Sticking it to the Man

Video clip of dude trying to cancel his AOL service

The world needs more Vincent Ferraris. Talk about sticking it to the Man, this guy went through all the hoops with AOL just trying to cancel his account. Speaking from personal experience, this is what really peeves me about big companies.

Ever try to cancel your phone service with Verizon? Or try to actually get that rebate that was promised by Comcast? How about retrieving the additional charge placed in error on your credit card by Enterprise? The experience will damn anyone to socialist philosophy (until they remember socialist philosophy has worse customer service).

To Vincent Ferrari I say, "Bravo." You stuck it to the man!

TRIVIA: Villians named 'Jaleel' for two-hundred please, Alex

The name of the White Witch in Disney's version of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was:

1. Jadakiss

2. Jadis

3. Jamiroquai

4. Jaleel White

The Columbian: State voter database needs more work

As published in The Columbian newspaper 5/24/06

Sometimes I think the citizenry is too anxious to be assured that their elected officials are making things better.

The Columbian recently published an editorial that, once again, praised Secretary of State Sam Reed for his work to reform Washington state elections. Back in February, Reed released to the public the new and much anticipated statewide voter database. The Columbian followed up the release of the database by saying, "Bring it on."

But the problems with the database were all too apparent. The Evergreen Freedom Foundation and other organizations and concerned citizens pointed out serious flaws with the new system.

Even Reed acknowledged some of the problems, but said he would fix it. He has since made the effort to remove 55,000 dead and duplicate voters from the database. While this is a step forward, it overlooks the fact that there are still federal felons, double registrants, and noncitizens registered in many Washington counties, with no plan to actively check for them.

The Columbian's most recent editorial commending Reed for his work to cleanse the rolls is jumping the gun. The editorial board states, "Washington state elections have become more efficient and reliable since the hotly contested 2004 gubernatorial race, when Chris Gregoire won the governor's race by just 129 votes after three counts, and after 2.9 million votes had been cast."

Really? How do we know? The state has yet to endure a single general election since the introduction of the statewide voter database.

Continue reading State voter database needs more work

VP Cheney demoted to Secret Service?

Dishonoring memories, part II

Here are the three mitigating factors the federal jury used in deciding the sentence of Zacarias Moussaoui:

1. He had a dysfunctional upbringing.
2. He was abused by his father.
3. He was subjugated to racism as a Muslim youth growing up in France.

While these three factors may bring to light Moussaoui’s modus operandi, they do not by any means excuse him from the grave significance of his involvement in the plot to attack American sovereignty.

One of the more prominent comments I have heard in conciliation of Moussaoui’s life sentence in lieu of the death penalty is that he would be labeled a martyr, and that’s what he wanted anyway. So we are taking away his last desire.

I’ll cry fowl to that argument. First of all, who cares what Moussaoui wanted? Further, who cares what the rest of his radical extremist colleagues make of him? He could just as easily still be called a martyr simply because he got caught. This is not about a label; this is about justice amidst a great war on terrorism.

Second, shall we then apply that same precedent to Osama bib Laden someday? A man responsible for the deaths of thousands, but we won’t want him to viewed as a martyr? Why give the death penalty to anyone if we do not—by precedent—give it to the worst of those in the world?

Death is, and always will be, the ultimate price to be paid whether for good or for evil.

I do not take the death penalty lightly. This is a serious thing, and a hard decision to make if you are a judge or juror. But keep in mind Moussaoui’s involvement in the 9/11 conspiracy:

He was trained to fly commercial jets for the purpose of carrying out the same detriment his cohorts caused;

He lied to federal agents regarding any knowledge he had about the 9/11 plot;

He was involved in a plan to fly a fifth plane into the White House that day until he was arrested on a visa violation.

I agree with the many who have said that this sentencing should not be about vengeance. But it should be about justice.

This man was involved in the worst attack on American soil ever. Thousands died leading to a war that has cost the lives of thousands more. For that, there must be a judgment that requires his life. For such a horrible tragedy, one man’s life shall be only the tip of what justice serves.

I am more than disappointed at the jury’s quiet decision. Unlike many politicians, pundits and diplomats, I do not ‘respect’ that decision. I believe it is an awful one that is, to reiterate my last post, horribly dishonoring to memories of those who innocently paid the ultimate price that day for being regular Americans.

It is not enough—it is never enough—to skirt justice because of a hard knock life. While that is sad, tragic and unfortunate, never should excuse one from committing the gravest of sins. Human nature is flawed. We are not perfect. We do horrible things in this life; commit horrible transgressions against each other and against God. However, we will always be accountable for those actions despite our circumstance.

Our true grit as a nation defines us equally as much as our grace and eloquence. The grit demands our basic freedoms. The eloquence makes that freedom great. I think we tend to forget that the two are codependent. When we forget that, we forget that freedom demands justice. It appears that we have done so here.

My hope now is that our mistakes a people in delivering justice will not be repeated. Until then, Moussaoui’s real justice will be before God following a life sentence at Supermax with the Unabomber and actor Woody Harrelson’s dad.

Dishonoring memories

Today a federal jury ruled-out the death penalty for 9/11 co-conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui deciding instead that he serves a life sentence.

This is by far the most dishonoring act in the post-September 11 era.

It has been nearly five years since that awful Tuesday morning when America awoke to the most horrid of tragedies. A federal trial apparently found that Moussaoui was guilty enough to be a part of the conspiracy to crash two planes into the New York cityscape, another into the heart of the nation’s capitol and yet another bound for an unknown target. However, Moussaoui was apparently not guilty enough that his own life was demanded as punishment for the act of war that was committed.

Over 3,000 people perished that day. To me, this jury verdict is dishonoring to the memories of each of those lives lost in addition to every life lost in the global war on terrorism.

Such a verdict sends a message to every radical terrorist that if you conspire to attack the United States of America, the worst that can happen to you is that you will spend the rest of your life in a warm bed to sleep in and provided three squares a day…with an option for cable to follow up on the actions of your buddies, or the occasional Lifetime movie special.

This decision begs the question, “When we finally find Osama bin Laden, we’ll he ‘suffer’ the same penalties as his associates?”

A decision like this makes all the flags unfurled and draped across America on September 12, 2001 a terrible display of vanity and sensationalism, destroying any true patriotic intent that was perhaps perceived by them at the time.

My apologies to the family members of the victims of 9/11 whose memories have been dishonored by this most recent decision.

Read the AP story here.

What makes gas prices soar

As reported by one of my colleagues...For truth in advertising, the below story should have read:

Olympia: $2.56 gas + 18.4 federal tax + 31 cents state tax (increasing 3 cents 7/1/06, 2 cents 7/1/07 & 1.5 cents 7/1/08) = $3.05 per gallon

Seattle: $2.59 gas + 18.4 federal tax + 31 cents state tax (increasing 3 cents 7/1/06, 2 cents 7/1/07 & 1.5 cents 7/1/08) = $3.08 per gallon

Tri-Cities: $2.48 gas + 18.4 federal tax + 31 cents state tax (increasing 3 cents 7/1/06, 2 cents 7/1/07 & 1.5 cents 7/1/08) = $2.97 per gallon

Spokane: $2.40 gas + 18.4 federal tax + 31 cents state tax (increasing 3 cents 7/1/06, 2 cents 7/1/07 & 1.5 cents 7/1/08) = $2.89 per gallon

Vancouver: $2.46 gas + 18.4 federal tax + 31 cents state tax (increasing 3 cents 7/1/06, 2 cents 7/1/07 & 1.5 cents 7/1/08) = $2.95 per gallon


AAA: Average price of gas in Washington $3.04 gallon
5/3/2006, 6:48 a.m. PT

The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — The Triple-A auto club says the average price of a gallon of gasoline in Washington is up another two cents today to three-dollars-four cents a gallon ($3.04).

That's up 44 cents in the past month.

Some gasoline prices for metro areas, according to the Triple-A:

Bellingham $3.16

Bremerton $2.98

Olympia $3.05

Tri-Cities $2.97

Seattle-Bellevue-Everett $3.08

Spokane $2.89

Tacoma $3.03

Vancouver $2.95

Yakima $2.97

Islam: Religion of contradiction

I have been reluctant to join in the anti-Islam overtures that have paraded many conservative columns lately like that of Ann Coulter. Admittedly, I think that Coulter and the like have made a valid argument that contradicts Islam’s slogan as a “religion of peace.” My voice on that matter has largely been diplomatic. I am hesitant to call Muslims names and beat on their religion. I don’t think this tactic does anything to resolve the post-September 11 tensions that exist. Nor do I believe it will curb the tendency of Muslims to act out violently. Positive reinforcement has been my mantra.

And yet, I am continuously disappointed at the results of that approach. My own patience grew thin when Muslims around the world responded in violent overdramatic fashion to the infamous Danish cartoon incident.

Muslims insisted that a visual depiction of the Prophet Mohammed was against the laws of their faith. No matter that the rest of the world may not agree. They were to abide by Islamic law, too.

The message: Respect our faith. Okay, after the flag burnings and rioting and violence and even death, we get the message. No more Mohammed in cartoons (see the latest South Park/Comedy Central controversy in case you’re not sure).

Turn now to a new story. Surfing through the news sites today I read this headline: Palestinians: Tel Aviv Bombing Legitimate. Here’s what happened:

TEL AVIV, Israel - A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up outside a fast-food restaurant in a bustling area of Tel Aviv during the Passover holiday Monday, killing eight other people and wounding at least 49 in the deadliest Palestinian attack in more than a year.

The Palestinians' new Hamas leaders called the attack a legitimate response to Israeli "aggression." Israel said it held Hamas ultimately responsible — even though a different militant group, Islamic Jihad, claimed responsibility — and would respond "as necessary."

A radical Islamic group took pride and credit in the Passover attack. For those who may not know, Passover is a Jewish holiday commemorating

the Exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. For the Jews, and even many Christians, this is a big holiday.

It would be foolish to assume that the most recent act of mid-east terror had nothing to do with the timing of the Jewish holiday. Therefore, I cannot help but wonder why Muslims insist that the rest of world respect the principles of their faith, and yet they are not obliged to return the favor?

To me, this can only mean one of two things: Either radical Islam has very poor public relations skills or it truly does not care about the sanctity of any other religion or ideal. My money is on the latter. I think Islamic terrorists (two words keenly chosen to in conjunction with each other here) have executed their message perfectly well thus far.

In tit-for-tat logic then, this begs the question, “Why should the rest of the world show the respect for Mohammed and Islam that Muslims demand when Muslims have no intention of doing the same?”

That question may provoke criticism from my not-so-friends on the left. “Why have I associated all Muslims with a single radical group?” They will demand. Well, I don’t ever recall hearing the greater Muslim community condemn this or any other acts of Islamic terrorism (there’s those words again).

If Muslims continue to act in such a manner, they will find themselves increasingly on the fray of the public defense – even from those who have championed their religion up to this point (President Bush and Comedy Central included). The message ought to be clear to them, abide by the rules of a civil society or forever face defamation and bombings. That’s pretty blunt, but it’s the politically incorrect truth.

And of course, the reigning question here, “Is Islam truly a religion of peace?”

In answer to that, I urge my readers to refresh themselves with the above paragraphs and then flip through the news headlines of the day…or any day.

Spike's Bottom Story of the Day

I'll gladly borrow from WSJ's Best of the Web to publish my own 'Bottom Story of the Day' This headline is worth it:

Ben Affleck: Bush Can Be Hung for 'Leaks' in Plamegate

Why do liberals protect duplicate voter registrations?

A common voice of disdain for the Evergreen Freedom Foundation’s recommended policy to require an update (see here) of all Washington’s voter registrations is that the objective is to “get a Republican majority by default.”

This objection to the policy I have seen numerous times in editorials, letters to the editor and liberal blogs.

Do liberal-minded opponents then concede that if it weren’t for all of the bad registrations in the statewide voter database their Democratic party would not fair too well in elections?

Liberals and conservatives alike surely agree that the database is full of illegitimate registrations (the dead, duplicate and dubious registrations).

So, is this the general consensus amongst Democrats? My own understanding of this argument is left wanting.

If there are liberal readers perusing this conservative blog (for kicks, we’ll say) then refute this by all means.

TIME: ‘Sticking to his guns’

The cover of the February 27 TIME magazine featured Vice President Dick Cheney, questioning his influence over presidential policy in the Bush White House. Here’s what the teaser line said:

From the Iraq war to torture to energy policy, DICK CHENEY stubbornly clings to what he believes. But how much does he still have the President’s ear?

Wow. I wish those darned elected officials would quit clinging to their beliefs! Don’t they know they are corrupting this country? The further atrocity here is that Cheney does so “stubbornly”.

I read this while in the bathroom and so perhaps I am overly philosophical on the subject but, doesn’t society traditionally mark one who sticks to their beliefs, even when the going gets tough, as virtuous? Or I suppose it is only noble to do so when ones beliefs coincide with your own?

This is just one of many, many examples that show how editorialized the news media really is. In fact, most news stories as they appear in TIME and NEWSWEEK are editorialized. There is an inherent bias that exists.

I don’t have a problem with full magazines devoted to opinions and commentary. After all, I don’t think I have ever written an unbiased piece on political subjects either. The difference is that TIME and NEWSWEEK claim to do so under the guise of compelling news. Yet, this is not compelling news at all. And TIME magazine is geared toward the neophyte political reader who is easily influence by mass media reporting. To me, this is a disgusting show of media ethics, purveyed in a subtle form.
When did this become okay?