Patterico’s Pontifications » Tell Us About Yourselves

5/8/2005

Tell Us About Yourselves

Filed under: Blogging Matters — Patterico @ 12:10 am

Kevin Drum has a post asking commenters to tell a little about themselves, including:

City, country, age, gender, educational background, profession, hobbies, how they define themselves politically, favorite sites, etc. sort of thing.

To this I would add: tell us something interesting about yourself — especially something most people don’t know.

It has proved an interesting thread, and I’d like to try it here. I’ll start:

Marina del Rey, California; USA; 36; male; B.A. in English and music from Cornell University; J.D. from University of Texas at Austin; attorney.

I enjoy playing with my kids, blogging, music (I play piano and guitar, have written a little rock and classical music), reading (especially narrative non-fiction like Ed Humes), and yelling at the L.A. Times.

I am conservative but not doctrinally so: for example, I am pro-gay rights; in favor of a “beyond all possible doubt” standard for death-penalty cases (and am very concerned about innocents on Death Row); anti-Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, and other conservatives whose rantings give sensible conservatives a bad name.

I hesitate to name sites I visit, for fear I’ll leave some out, but I definitely never miss Instapundit, Captain’s Quarters, Power Line, Michelle Malkin, Pejmanesque, Spoons, Xrlq, Beldar, Hugh Hewitt, The Interocitor, JustOneMinute, Tim Blair, How Appealing, Romenesko, L.A. Observed, PressThink, Volokh, Kevin Drum, Winds of Change, Calblog, Baldilocks, PrestoPundit, BoiFromTroy, Dean’s World, and many others.

I was a very good golfer as a little kid. I won a kids’ tournament and was runner-up the next year. Ben Hogan told my dad I was good! Then I screwed up Ben Hogan’s opinion of me by hitting his golf cart while he was shagging some balls out on the course. He jumped in the air when I did that.

How about you?

227 Comments

Brady Westwater; Downtown Los Angeles, CA, USA; 56; four years at UCLA with five majors but left without degree; writer (novels, screenplays, memoirs, http://www.lacowboy.blogspot.com) president of Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council, now up to 29 pro bono boards, committees and commissions; former profesions include wild horse breaking, bar fighting and repossessing airplanes in South America, among other things;working out, grappling, art, architecture, reading, hiking, anything outdoors; radical pragmatist - liberal on social issues and conservative on economic issues. Gays get get married and have abortions as long as they don’t raise my taxes. As for sites I visit - all of those you mention plus Kausfiles and all the pressclub bloggers and many, many more.

Comment by Brady Westwater — 5/8/2005 @ 12:30 am
You said the magic word, golf. Do you still play?

Comment by Will — 5/8/2005 @ 8:33 am
Seattle, WA; 42; University of Washington, 2 BAs: Political Science and Business Administration (Accounting); Professional financial advisor for wealthy individuals and families; Civic activities include: NASD arbitration panelist, officer of neighborhood community council, advisory panel on a city-wide capital spending program; Married w/children; Generally lean libertarian (small-l);SoundPolitics, Ace of Spades and Wizbang.

Comment by Regret — 5/8/2005 @ 8:49 am
My dental site will tell all: http://www.smilesforalifetime.com

I am conservative, Roman Catholic and have been active in Republican Party politics, including being a member of the California Republican Pary for a number of years (not currently).

Have four children- two in law school (Southwestern in Los Angeles)and two at Purdue undergrad.

Enjoy blogging, and arguing politics.

Comment by Flap — 5/8/2005 @ 9:38 am
Sorry my dental link is incorrect above, it is http://smilesforalifetime.com/

Comment by Flap — 5/8/2005 @ 9:41 am
Whittier, 68, BA Duquesne, MPA USC, retired Probation Officer. Born and raised in Pittsburgh. I love golf, but am not very good. I love to read nonfiction, mysteries, and classics. Arguing politics with my extended family, most of whom are liberal, is very enjoyable since I win most of the arguments. Married with two adult children, one of whom is a liberal college professor. That’s OK, I was a liberal when I was his age. He has written a book called Where The Ball Drops. It’s a history of Times Square. You can get it from Amazon or check it out of the LA Public Library. I am a conservative with strong libertarian leanings. I support the war in Iraq and favor keeping taxes as low as possible, but criticize GOP for excessive spending. I have no personal objection to same sex marriage, but adamantly oppose changing definition of marriage by judicial fiat. In addition to this one, my favorite blogs are HughHewitt, Conspiracy To Keep You Poor and Stupid, Econopundit, Powerline, Instapundit, Kudlow, Little Green Footballs, Real Clear Politics, Becker-Posner.

Comment by Stu707 — 5/8/2005 @ 10:52 am
Hmmm…

Coweta County, Ga, USA; 43; male; B.A. CSU Sacramento (poli sci), A.A.S. U. of Alaska Fairbanks (applied business); profession: general pain in the neck; hobbies: (see previous); conservative with libertarian leanings; favorite sites: I suppose the ones on my sidebar under “News & Opinion” and “Top Hands” would qualify.

To this I would add: tell us something interesting about yourself – especially something most people don’t know.

I’m really a 14-year-old Catholic school girl.

Comment by McGehee — 5/8/2005 @ 12:59 pm
Atlanta, Ga, 32; female…sister to Patterico and aunt to his cute kids. Undergrad and graduate degrees from Texas A&M University. Profession: teacher at small private Christian academy. I love to run, read mysteries, hang out with the nieces and nephews, and eat lots of chocolate. I am a varsity cross country coach and a varsity track coach. One of my runners just set a new state record in the 400 meter dash! I am generally conservative, although some of my conservative friends believe me to be a tad on the liberal side, comparatively. I am not against gay marriages, although as a Christian I believe homosexuality is against God’s plan for His world (is this going to cause a huge stink?). I’m not much into the blogging thing so I don’t have any favorite sites other than this one. I’m sure I am not the typical Patterico reader…

Comment by susan myers — 5/8/2005 @ 5:28 pm
Hey, sis! I’ll call you . . .

Comment by Patterico — 5/8/2005 @ 5:31 pm
Waldport, Oregon, 26, Male, B.S. in Criminal Justice done Feb ‘06. I’m doing menial jobs at the moment while I complete school. Not really interested in being a “cop”, so I’ve been exploring some options at some federal agencies, as well as some other stuff.

Hobbies include Chess, Baseball Statistics and Fantasy baseball, Reading (history and science mostly), Politics, and almost anything dealing with computers and technology.

I hate labeling myself with any political label, but for this I’ll say it’s a mix of some Conservative ideals, Republican ideals, Libertarian ideals, and a touch of complete independence. About 90% of issues for me are solved with an ideal of fundamental fairness. I’m also very states rights as well as financial responsibility. No one is doing much for either at the moment. My hot button is the 2nd amendment. I see red concerning this issue, and just to spice it up, with the exception of only a few felons, I think gun ownership rights and voting rights should be reinstated. (…for another day).

Favorite sites. I know there are some great ones out there that I’m missing out on, but I only have so much time to read them. My list, as pulled directly from my aggreggator, Little Green Footballs, Powerline, Poli-Pundit, Michelle Malkin, The Immigration Blog, Captains Quarters, Sound Politics, The Volokh Conspiracy, Insta-pundit, Patterico, and Xrlq. Also, as per my 2nd amendment flash point, Of Arms and the Law, Triggerfinger, Smallest Minority, Heartless Libertarian, and Sayuncle.

I’m a veteran of the U.S. Army, and to this day get a lump in my throat when I think of my experience in there. It was a life changing event. I now am finishing my education, and at 26, feel like grandpa compared to my peers. I am married to a Texas gal and we have two little boys, 3 and 1, who are the best ever. I play matchbox cars in the sandbox more now than I did as a kid.

One final note, since I know a lot of bloggers and blog readers are not from my generation. Don’t give up on my generation. A lot of them are dead weights on society, but it’s the loudest people who are always noticed first.

Comment by dkm — 5/8/2005 @ 9:00 pm
51 year old in San Diego, California. College dropout who reads a fair bit, likes to learn new things, and doesn’t get out enough.

On disability thanks to clinical depression. Blog and write to keep myself busy. Just went on new medication, and I’m actually getting out more.

A moderate on most things. Pro choice , pro death penalty, and pro freedom. I know damn well the War on Tyranny is one we and our descendents shall be fighting from now until the end of time. Against despots and men on white horses you must always be on guard.

These days I visit 2Blowhards, ENworld, Roger L. Simon, Buzzmachine, The Blog is Full of Crap, and The Panda’s Thumb on a (more or less) regular basis. Meryl Yourish, Kesher Talk, Austin Bay less regularly, but fairly often.

Blogging philosophy? Be honest with your reader. And write about what interests you. You do a better job when blogging about stuff you’re into.

Current projects include a book about dragons, a fantasy world, and saving up for a new Macintosh. (Donations gladly accepted. )

Little know fact about me? If I knew how old I truly am - not this life, me - I wouldn’t believe it. I was there when the pyramids were built, and not a frickin extra terrestrial in sight. We built the pyramids, not some Kraut bigot’s wet dream. (You asked. )

Looking forward to getting older, my next life, and the establishment of permanent settlements off-world. Also looking forward to the discovery of the sasquatch, yeti, alma, and orang pendak. And a cure for depression, diabeties, and nerve damage. Among other things.

That’s it as of 11:44pm PDT on May 8th 2005 But this story is no where near ending.

Comment by Alan Kellogg — 5/8/2005 @ 11:46 pm
I was there when the pyramids were built, and not a frickin extra terrestrial in sight. We built the pyramids, not some Kraut bigot’s wet dream.

Consider works of (1) Edgar Cayce and (2) Seth and Jane Roberts.

Comment by Yi-Ling — 5/9/2005 @ 12:02 am
I prefer to show only a tasteful bit of ankle via my blog and let your imagination fill in the rest.

Comment by Sissy Willis — 5/9/2005 @ 6:47 am
I am pre-Me generation. Grew up during WW II, twenty years formal education. Have a profession, not law. Do not have a blog. Now live in northern California…8 years US military… Enjoy reading intelligent bloggers at least 150% more than responding to the grunts and nods of some really not-so-bright neighbors where I live. Lived one year Thule Greeenland courtesy of the USAF, hence the name Nanuk… The rest is unimportant but I will say some lawyer people have very tricky, tricky minds, like my brother. Just trying to keep the mental machinery tuned in. Blogs help.

Comment by Nanuk — 5/9/2005 @ 8:24 am
Ventura County, CA; female; 41; happily married w/3 daughters (ages 11, 13 and 15); graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from Pepperdine University; worked for a few years in television news and entertainment; also worked for non-profit Christian ministry before taking on the full-time, stay-at-home mom role (best job ever!); conservative in all ways — politically, socially, economically, religiously…; literacy and public library advocate, involved with annual Children’s Book Week events in my community; active volunteer at my daughters’ public schools, church youth ministry, and the public library; with time left over, I dabble in writing for children — have magazine stories published, but no book contracts — yet! Favorite websites besides this one: Michelle Malkin’s and LaShawn Barber’s blogs…

Comment by Ann — 5/9/2005 @ 8:51 am
50 years old, no fear at all of labels: I’m a conservative Roman catholic, member of a Tridentine Rite parish. I commute every day from Richmond, VA to DC where I work for a smallish federal agency (forgive me father, for I have sinned). Graduate of University of Miami (BBS, Finance) and Thunderbird (Master’s in International Management). Collector of 18th century English literature; also partial to Wodehouse, Waugh, George MacDonald Fraser, Patrick O’Brian, Vladamir Voinovich, Conan Doyle (the Brigadier Gerard stories). Married to a lovely Chilean woman (whose family fled Allende). Two children: one a fine artist, the other . . . well, I figure he’ll either be President one day or trustee in a prison library; hard to tell. Love swing music; boogie woogie the highest of all music forms in my highly biased and musically uneducated opinion. As a teenager, owned two Plymouth Superbirds, wrecked both of them. New dream car: a 1939 Packard touring sedan (still looking).

Comment by D. Carter — 5/9/2005 @ 9:01 am
Burbank, 46, B.A. Macalester College, J.D. Loyola Law School.

Happily married to stay-at-home mom, Henry is 10, Emma 5. Two dogs, two cats, two turtles, three hermit crabs, all came after she had her tubes tied… It’s like freaking Noah’s Ark over here.

I write and produce movies and television.

I started blogging two months ago after my wife told me to do it and stop arguing with everyone around me. So now I blog and still argue with everyone around me. That’ll show her.

I’m pretty liberal socially, but a hawk on foreign affairs.

All the stuff you hear and read about the Hollywood monolith of thought is right on. I was literally thrown off of several A level e-mail (daisy)chains in the run-up to the war because I would actually suggest that the hundred or so liberals agreeing with each other and congratulating each other for being so much smarter than the rest of us, were wrong.

I link on my webpage to my credits and actually have three horror projects going back-to-back in the coming months.

Patterico rocks. So does lgf, Roger L. Simon, Hugh, Betsy’s Page, Democracy-Project, and… wait. This sounds like an acceptance speech where if you leave someone out you’re going to hear about it. Your agent won’t return calls (not that he does anyway), your lawyer will bill you for those previously chatty calls.

Anyway, as soon as I decide what my weblog is supposed to be, I’ll lock into a format and maybe even hire some kid to figure out what things like skins and templates are.

Comment by reelcobra — 5/9/2005 @ 9:14 am
Since my CV is linked to my website, I’ll include just a few points.

Both parents are Cornellians. I’m a product of an imperfect but challenging Catholic secondary school, the US Army, and Texas A&M (BSEE and BSME). I expect to complete the formal educational process soon with several degrees from Purdue.

It is not possible any longer for me to categorize myself politically. Rather, I prefer to categorize and investigate the current modes of political thought.

I visit sites to test my understanding of things and to challenge those I run across to do likewise. Therefore, sites such as L2R, Becker-Posner, Leitner Reports, etc tend to appeal to me for specific purposes and up to the limits of the authors and participants. I visit sites such as PoliPundit, Powerline, etc to keep up with the news and appreciate their occassional insights.

Comment by Paul Deignan — 5/9/2005 @ 11:20 am
City, country, age, gender, educational background, profession, hobbies, how they define themselves politically, favorite sites, etc. sort of thing.

Los Angeles, CA–26–Male–BA Political Science/Philosophy from Columbia University, JD from Loyola Law School in about 6 days, bar exam in July–then a commission in the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps

Hobbies: Baseball, curls, military history, yelling at the TV, and pretending to kill dragons on my PC

Politically–Center Right. Sympathetic to economic libertarianism, not so sympathetic to social libertarianism.

Favorite Site–Why, Patterico of course!

Something people don’t know
I giggle like a schoolgirl whenever someone says “titmouse.”

Comment by Christopher Cross — 5/9/2005 @ 11:25 am
Dave Gudeman (aka Doc Rampage), Burlingame, CA, male, PhD in computer science (along with BA, general studies, and MS, CS all from Arizona), only worked in computer-related fields. Interests in formal logic and empiricist philosophers, but don’t blog much about those things because it drives away readers :-). Write fiction (lots of it on my blog) but have never tried to publish any.

I tend to be on the conservative side politically, but very often that is motivated by the fact that I think the country is governed unconstitutionally and undemocratically from the left. If the constitutional political process gave us gay marriage and open immigration, I wouldn’t care very much. But public officials that subvert the democratic process by pretending that the courts have more authority than they do or by just ignoring the laws that they swore to uphold, give me the hives. Love Coulter (although she does go over the top occasionally), dislike O’Reilly (but he’s not a conservtive, so that doesn’t really say anything).

My blog reading consists of just going down my blogroll (which is pretty short), but due special mention are Back of the Envelope, La Shawn Barber, Monday Afternoon, and Mostly Cajun.

When I did this on my blog, I got two, count them: two responses. Can I have your readers?

Comment by Doc Rampage — 5/9/2005 @ 1:40 pm
[...] rs to tell us a little bit about themselves. Don’t leave the comments here. Please click on this link and leave a comment! [...]

Pingback by Patterico's Pontifications » Another Plug for Getting to Know the Readers — 5/9/2005 @ 1:51 pm
54 years old,MD;taking a year off;(well a little free clinic work and 1/2 day a week paid).I’m getting back into running (althoug you can tell your sister that in h.s. I always considered 400 meter runners to be masochists.)I consider myself generally conservative.I don’t invest much thought in abortion,because I feel it’s unassailable at present.However.I do feel terminaing a potentially viable foetus s both a sin and murder.I am basically displeased with the fact the left wing has become so rage and hate filled and dishonest.I am vey impressed by the work of some of the blogosphere in disseminating information and correcting itself when they’re are wrong.Finally,does anyone have a discrete way to tell an ex(we have a good relationship) that she is really putting on weight?

Comment by lincoln — 5/9/2005 @ 2:32 pm
38, Stanislaus County DDA, Penn, then newspaper reporter (LA Daily News), then Bob’s Waffle Hut and College of Law.

I’m an avid bridge, poker, and fantasy sports player.

I grew up with the LA Times and still have a soft spot for it. I think some of the reporting is better than anything else out there, and I strongly prefer the LA Times to, say, the NY Times. I think some of this web page’s criticisms are misguided, but I think the bulk of the criticism is well-justified.

As a newspaper reporter, I was considered some sort of right-wing freak. At the Waffle-Law Hut (actually a now-defunct Bakersfield law school with another name and no waffles) I was considered a leftist nutball. My politics haven’t changed much; I’m a stop-spending, socially liberal Republican.

I’m a big fan of Volokh. I am not a Libertarian, and believe members of the Libertarian party would often do well to consider medication, but I like many of Volokh’s measured Libertarianish arguments.

Earlier this year, my comment got a spelling error fixed on the LA DA page telling us about Steve Cooley (with a very nice note from the webmaster thanking me for catching it). I covered Cooley many years ago when we were both in Lancaster.

Comment by John R. Mayne — 5/9/2005 @ 2:49 pm
Too old to be a Baby Boomer though I served on a real Boomer (subs) during the cold war. Lived all my life in California, and four years ago moved to New Jersey - haven’t looked back yet.

I now own a 300 year old home in a little town near Trenton. If I could get away with it - George Washington may have slept in this house…OK no proof - but with so many old battle fields around here - who knows.

Never liked the LA Times - of course the SF Chronicle was not much better. I gave up on newspapers long ago, and now do my own research for new - like I find here and other blogs - I know what I am getting (as long as there are links so I can go find out myself).

I work in the electric utiloity industry, but not for any utility (reliability standards org). Sure would be nice if you all would goat Congress to complete the Energy Bill - we need it.

I drive two old Model T Fords, enjoy surfing the web, reading naval fiction, photography and collecting antiques (that are older than me).

Comment by John Theotonio — 5/9/2005 @ 3:09 pm
20 years old, college student in Buffalo working on a B.A. in Economics. I’m studying Austrian Economics on my own time, while taking courses in spurious Keynesian pseudo-mathematics in order to better refute the interventionary sophists. I am heavily influenced by Bastiat, Madison, Hazlitt, Sowell, Mises, Rand, Twain, and Rothbard. I am a Constitutionalist, Capitalist, Classical Liberal, and a Constitutional Republican.

I am a bibliophile, have been bitten by a chinchilla, and lived in Senegal for a month to both learn Djembe drums and see what havoc socialism and Islam wreak on a society.

My favorite sites can be found on the sidebar of my blog.

Comment by Tom Treloar — 5/9/2005 @ 4:17 pm
Sunnyvale, CA, USA; fortysomething; male; BA (Computer science) from UCSD.
Current occupation: engineer (electronics, software, some mechanical stuff).
Hobbies and such: tinkering, hiking, nature photography, costuming, filksinging, science fiction, etc.
Political alignment: basically libertarian, though I recognize the need for some government, and the potential for unconstrained private enterprises to become as bad as unconstrained government. My political philosophy has both progressive and conservative elements - after all, both are necessary, to find a course between stagnation and chaos.
Favorite sites: Instapundit, Normblog, Iraq the Model, Mudville Gazette, Egyptian Sandmonkey, Patterico, Michael Totten, Harry’s Place, LGF, Kim du Toit, ….
Something about myself: what is this, a Minbari rebirth ceremony? Well… most people don’t know that I went through a raving Wagnerite phase in college.

Comment by Eric Wilner — 5/9/2005 @ 4:47 pm
Wash DC suburbs. 72, Retired. BA, MS, PhD (Mathematics), NYU (Courant Institute). Lifetime registered Democrat who hasn’t voted for a Democrat in a national election since Lyndon Johnson in ‘64, Taught for a while then had a 33-year career in the Federal civil service doing such wonderful things as debunking mathematical models and designing command and control systems. Favorite blogs include this one, Belmont Club, Scrappleface, and LGF. I do miss USS Clueless a lot.

Comment by vercingetorix — 5/9/2005 @ 5:48 pm
Clarksville, TN, USA. 51 yo. BS Chem Penn State. Retired from the Army in 1994, went back to work for them as a DA Civilian after 9/11, helping the 101st Abn Div (AASLT) deploy. Christian. Conservative myself, was libertarian in governmental matters until forced to endure things up with which I will not put. Considered myself independent until the Bork hearings, now am anti-Democrat. Hobbies reading and genealogy.

Comment by Robert Bell — 5/9/2005 @ 8:22 pm
Well… most people don’t know that I went through a raving Wagnerite phase in college.

So you might be interested in my recent post about Wagner and Hitler.

Comment by Patterico — 5/9/2005 @ 8:34 pm
San Diego, CA; USA; 30; male; B.A., English, Cornell University; video game designer; spend my free time playing with my daughter, playing games, reading books and blogs; politically a bit mixed: I support capitalism, states’ rights, guns, drug laws, spreading democracy, and am anti-abortion, but also oppose the death penalty, favor gay marriage, and support the ALF; enjoy Volokh Conspiracy, Althouse, Instapundit, Powerline, Captain’s Quarters, Discriminations, Dave Huber, Xrlq, Clayton Cramer, and Bainbridge.

Comment by Nels Nelson — 5/9/2005 @ 9:35 pm
Dude, you sound a lot like me. Six years younger, but otherwise, very similar.

Comment by Patterico — 5/9/2005 @ 10:07 pm
Sydney, Australia, 19, Male, Journalism diploma, unemployed student, evangelical Christian…

Hobbies: Blogging, action movies, composing and listening to music, soccer, cricket (hopefully one day Americans will understand it), drinking Coca-Cola. Oh, and I’m the Protest Warrior chapter leader for Sydney, so counter-protesting as well.

Politically: I like to think I’m a moderate-conservative, but most people consider me to be an off-the-map right-wing extremist neo-conservative, so I guess I’m probably a conservative with neo-conservative leanings. I supported the war against Iraq, am anti-abortion, anti-death penalty, anti-gay marriage, pro-controlled legal immigration, very anti-UN Security Council/Human Rights Commission, and I believe strongly in fiscal conservatism, something which seems to escape most politicians. Ann Coulter is a hilarious comedian who can’t be taken seriously as a political commentator. Bill O’Reilly is noticably left of me.

Favourite Sites: The elite daily read blogs are A Western Heart (where I also post), Captain’s Quarters, Chrenkoff, LGF, Michelle Malkin, Polipundit, Right-Thinking From The Left Coast, Right Wing News, Tim Blair and Wizbang. Other blogs I read 3-4 times a week are this one, Blogs For Bush, Instapundit, Michael J. Totten, Patrick Ruffini and Roger L. Simon.

something interesting about yourself – especially something most people don’t know

I love Cannibal Corpse and many death-obsessed similar bands, but run a Christian youth group for kids aged 8-10.

Comment by Leigh — 5/9/2005 @ 11:43 pm
Sacramento, CA, 25, Male, UC Davis, BA Economics, BA Political Science, Political Consultant/ Legislative Staffer, Spending Time w/ Family/ Hunting/ Fishing/ Camping/ Shooting, Traditionalist/ Extremely Pro-Gun/ Right to Lifer/ Capitalist-Pro Business/ Law and Order - Conservative, pcyr.blogspot.com/ Hugh Hewitt/ Roger Simon/ Power Line/ XRLQ / Patterico / Of Arms and the Law/ CQ/ Northern Alliance Folks / Instapundit/ Protein Wisdom and many more.

Comment by Mark — 5/10/2005 @ 10:55 am
~~Rancho Santa Margarita, CA~~ Richmond, VA, Male, B.A. from UC Riverside in German, Spanish and French, J.D. from UC Berkeley (Boalt). Grad school dropout from Northwestern in Linguistics. Regular reads include Patterico, ~~Spoons,~~ Say Uncle, Captain’s Quarters, Interocitor, Dean’s World, Michelle Malkin, Powerline, Volokh Conspiracy, too many others to count. Have lived in four countries and ~~three~~ four U.S. states, and either lived or worked in eight California counties. Have not lived in a single county for ~~more than three~~ four or more consecutive years since 1981.

Politically, I fall somewhere between conservative and libertarian. I don’t believe you have a First Amendment right to yell “fire” in a crowded theater or a Second Amendment right to fire in a crowded theater, but believe both Amendments protect almost everything short of that. Weakly oppose gay marriage on substance, neutral on civil unions, but strongly oppose either if done by judicial fiat. [10/26/06 update: not a big fan of constitutional bans on gay marriage, either, unless narrowly drawn to prevent judicial usurpation.] Would “nuke” the filibusters altogether if given the opportunity; failing that, “nuking” them for judicial appointees is a good start.

I was dropped as a baby, and drowned at 12. I’m also a Mayflower baby, but that’s not necessarily anything to be proud of, as the guy I descended from, John Billington, was a real S.O.B.

Comment by Xrlq — 5/10/2005 @ 1:46 pm
Los Angeles,39,Male,Moody Bible Institute,BA Communications, Regent University MA Film/TV Production,Writer for the largest toy company in the world,Hunting,Fishing,Shooting,Video Games-I own a PS2,GC,XBOX,DS and hopefully a PSP for an upcoming birthday,Pro Gun, Pro Life, Anti-Illegal Immigration, Married for 9 years with our first baby due this month. Hugh Hewitt, The Corner, LGF,Instapundit,IowaHawk,Powerline,Cathy’s World,Patterico
I don’t trust Big Government enough to be a Democrat(I thought the movie Brazil was a documentary) and I don’t trust Big Business enough to be a totally sold out Republican.My goal is to move back to a nice bright red state and bask in obscurity.

Comment by Eric Hardie — 5/10/2005 @ 1:58 pm
Rocklin,CA (Suburb of Sacramento) 53, BA Business Admin Sac State, Japanese American Male, born in Japan, raised in Hawaii, lived in CA since ‘76, Southern Cal for 16. Occupation Construction Manager Registered Republican (libertarian at heart), loves to travel and photography. Fav blogs Michelle Malkin, Captains Quarters, Powerline, Polipundit, etc.

Comment by Randy Taketa — 5/10/2005 @ 2:23 pm
Native Angelino, 55 yrs old male. Full on Catholic education - Holy Name Sisters, Dominicans, then Jesuits. (Graduated before the “M” was added to “LMU”.) Quit practicing as a Catholic ’cause I couldn’t get it right. BS in Communication Arts, Masters in Info Systems management. 4-F in ‘72, think I could have benefitted from time in the service. Learned not to confuse the war with the warrior.

One daughter, a tall, lovely and talented IP attorney. Share a house with my patient and tolerant S.O., 4 dogs, 2 cat, and several tanks of fish.

Read, compute, do stretch, Pilates and strength training, love Costa Rica, whitewater rafting, and my few close friends. Had a few bits of writing published here and there, along with a shelf (or two) full of technical manuals.

Dreaded the thought of losing one of my best friends last year to Hep-3. He got a transplant, and is doing great these days.

And, lincon, there is *no* way to do that in a way that doesn’t risk life and limb (yours), unless she asks first. Then, only the truth will do.

Comment by leelu — 5/10/2005 @ 5:37 pm
Retired Military

Comment by JayHowardSmith — 5/10/2005 @ 5:44 pm
Home is Corpus Christi, TX, but go to school at Texas A&M University in College Station, TX (I’m an aggie). I’m a 21 year old Catholic male majoring in industrial engineering. My three major passions are music (mostly country rock, folk, and classic rock, but alot of other stuff and nothing really mainstream), boozing, and politics. I consider myself libertarian; however I have a few socially conservative views. I tend to favor Republicans, but at times I get annoyed by their religion in politics. While I am against abortion (that little guy has rights too!) and for civil unions, I just can’t seem to figure out why some Republicans will base their views such as abortion and homosexuality on the Bible and not on the Constitution (that makes sense, right?). And just as I get tired of that nonsense, “a lefty opens his mouth, suddenly I’m not quite as tired” (to quote a reader of Instapundit that was posted). For the war from the beginning, do not think Bush lied, firmly believe the spread of democracy leads to peace, even if that was not the MAIN reason Bush began this war. Blogs I frequent are Instapundit, Ace of Spades, Volokh, Hewitt, Kudlow, LGF, Captain’s Quarters, Althouse, Lex Communis and good ol’ Patterico. I can’t figure out if I like Huffington’s blog or not; time will tell . . .

Comment by TreyEvans — 5/11/2005 @ 8:20 am
I am 53 yrs. old and employed in a Jesuit School here in the Philippines. I just want to meet male friends who are single and is not a racist.
Thank you.

Comment by Gene C. Sandico — 8/31/2005 @ 3:41 pm
I have a profile up at my MSN spaces site. I am currently recovering from illness and helping my recently widowed sister with my ill mother.

Comment by Charles D. Quarles — 9/24/2005 @ 2:10 am
41-year-old Midwestern Republican currently living in Philadelphia. Former legislative press secretary, speech writer, state agency PR type and statewide coordinator of testing for students with severe and profound disabilities. Big Ten football fan. “Enterpriser” on Pew’s political typology survey. Two-Ipod household. Decent cook. “ENTP” according to Myers-Briggs. Owner of a Fisher space pen originally purchased with Tang labels. Fan of Ingrid Lucia, Adrian Belew and the Beatles.

Comment by Bemac — 9/24/2005 @ 4:41 am
OK, Patterico, I’ll bite!

42 years old (well, in November), wife, mom to a beautiful 9 year old daughter. Living in south central VA since Darling Husband retired from the Navy this year.

Hobbies: Cooking, quilting, reading, music, blogging (d’uh), RVing

Like: the color blue (well, all jewel tones), chocolate (hey! I’m female! LOL), champagne, home brewed beer, steak, sushi, EPCOT, Hawaii, travelling, learning, my car, driving, cotton fabric, Oreos, chewy brownies, and peanutbutter and honey sandwiches

Dislike: brussel sprouts, the color red (it looks terrible on me), rude people, golf, and keyboards that do what I TELL them to do, rather than what I WANT them to do! (PIMF), Cabernet Sauvignon, dial-up, clutter (but I live in it anyway *grf*)

Despise: the UN, whiney liberals, ad hominem attacks, Ted *hic* Kennedy/sKerry/Clintoon/etc., pedophiles, spammers

Politically I’m very much the Conservative Christian Republican, but I’m pretty upset with the republican spending habits of late, as well as the poor border control. I want every single illegal alien rounded up and kicked out; you want to come live here? Fine. Do it properly. I’m against abortion, pro-death penalty (*if* it’s followed through), and against gay marriage (e.g. I’ll vote against it, but if it passes anyway, it won’t really affect my world, I suppose).

I don’t mind people who don’t think like I do (heh, NOBODY does that, LOL), but I have far more respect and tolerance for someone who can be politely and rationally 180-degrees from me than for someone who is rude and unthinking who is similar to me.

Comment by Romeocat — 9/24/2005 @ 5:30 am
52 year old white man, living in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania (by way of Wilmington, Delaware; Hampton, Virginia; Lexington, Kentucky; Portland, Maine; and Antioch, California), married for 26 years, four months and five days, with two teenaged daughters, one of whom wishes to bankrupt me by trying to get into MIT.

I’ve been in concrete construction, first as a finisher and then as a supplier for thirty long years now. My hobby (sure wish someone would actually pay me for it!) has been political writing, from the Kentucky Kernel (when I was in college) to Common Sense Political Thought, my website today.

I’m politically very conservative, extremely Catholic, pro-life on all issues (including capital punishment) and annoying as all get out. I have a face made for radio, a voice made for print, and an attitude made for the internet.

Comment by Dana R. Pico — 9/24/2005 @ 6:21 am
I am 53 years old, live and work in Cedar Rapids an Electronic Technician for Rockwell Collins, I am FROM Western Ky, you will understand that my Grandfather Stonewall Jackson Puckett would roll over in his grave if I ever claimed to be from North of the Mason Dixon line.

My family on both sides sprung up from the bottom ranks in the last two generations, Grandfather Stonewall was a sharecropper, died of pneumonia before WW2 which was before antibiotics, Mom finished high school which says something about my Grandmother who was left a widow in the middle of the Great Depression, with 14 children, Dad was a 50 cent a day field hand in PA before he joined the Navy.

I was born Greencove Spring Naval Base FL, lived in New Port Rhode Islan, Norfolf VA and Midway Island Pacific Ocean FPO Pearl Harbor, we were NOT to mention the Island in any letters. We retired from the Navy and settled in Western Ky where Moms family is from, they are part Cherokee and the Family legend is we skipped out on the Army in that area during the Trail of Tears and the Indian part was a family secret for quite a few generations until being a Breed was no longer a Handicap.

I have had a varied life and eclectic experiences. President of the Honor Society at Paducah Community College, President of the Physcis Club and Deptmental Rep to the Student Counsel at UK.

I dropped out in my Sr year there being real slim pickings in that field and having lost weight due to lack of funds down to 130 lbs, and having gotten a letter that said Dear Mr Kauffan we think you should have graduated by now it is time to start paying back your student loan.

I got a job at a K-Mart as a Security Guard and then a Store Detective, a steady diet got me back up to 180 and I got a second job working on the Door of a Jazz Club and a Black Disco Tec. At the latter job besides the bartender and the DJ I was usually the only person on the premises with Blue eyes.

Later I worked a variety of jobs until at 43 I found a need to start over. Divorce does that losing everything does that too. I went back to school and got a 2 year degree in Electronics.
I sometimes Like to look at my Social Security Wage Sheet at a couple of years there in the 90s where my income did not exceed 6K I am doing MUCH better now since I joined Rockwell, good enough that in the last 8 years I have been to Russia about 10 times and Italy once, I have an interest in the Former Soviet Union and a tad of wander lust.

I consider myself a typical Jacksonian Libertarian, if typical describes that breed.

I have left out a lot, some day I will write more down and tell the tale of the time I gave a Burned Out Brain Dead Drug Addict who was holding a gun on me a dime to call the Police and have me picked up, he thought he was Serpico making a Bust, but that is another story.

Comment by Dan Kauffman — 9/24/2005 @ 6:37 am
Longtime occasional reader, first-time commenter (I got the impression you wanted to hear from everyone who ever stopped by the blog).

SWM, age 28; from Sprinfield, VA, USA; currently living in East Lansing, MI, attending Michigan State U. veterinary school; B.S.-Biology from University of Richmond, 1998; U.S. Army field artillery officer 1998-2002; hobbies include running, playing sports informally, collecting music, playing pool.

Politically, I’m a recent convert to Republican, but no Rick Santorum (not even close!). Part of me is also a hands-off libertarian…get out of my wallet AND my private life. Just a dirty capitalist pig who shops at Wal-Mart ON PURPOSE. Stop by a lot of blogs, including this one, mostly Instapundit, Neal Boortz, HughHewitt, Powerline, PoliPundit, and RedState.

Comment by XSpyder — 9/24/2005 @ 6:41 am
50-year-old white male, attorney focusing on construction law who attempts to operate a blog on construction law (recently interrupted by preparation for and 5-week trial of a construction case, but a very good verdict this past Monday); currently riding out Hurricane Rita here in The Woodlands, 30 miles north of downtown Houston (my hatred of traffic jams is more intense than my fears of a CAT-3 hurricane: sitting on my ass smoking cigars and watching TV worked out pretty well after all); on my third marriage, 5 children by the first two ranging in ages from 14 - 25; very conservative; a “South Park Republican”; political news junkie; anti-abortion, pro-death penalty, pro-gun; big fan of Mark Levin, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham and Dennis Prager; frequently surfs The Corner, Ed Morrissey, Michelle Malkin, Charles Johnson, PowerLine, Tim Blair, Glenn Reynolds, Howard Bashman and Patterico; liftetime goals still not achieved: to jello-wrestle Elizabeth Hurley, learn to bowl overhand, drive cross-country without a map and at least half-way in reverse gear, and join the Mile High Club even if I have to do it alone. Then jello-wrestle Elizabeth Hurly again.

Comment by Don Hawbaker — 9/24/2005 @ 6:48 am
Age 67, live near Salem, Oregon, retired. I have a doctorate in physics, which I taught at one time. I’m very concerned about the ongoing invasion of impoverished third-worlders. In our case, they’re coming from Mexico, but this is a world-wide problem for the West. This problem was presciently dramatized by Jean Raspail in his 1973 novel “Camp of the Saints.”

Comment by dchamil — 9/24/2005 @ 6:56 am
Woman with a strong desire for privacy.

I’m an ex-liberal and I think that the Left’s view of human nature is laughably off-track. I considered myself a liberal only because I believed the lies that the Left said about conservatives. I now think that the Left has as much power as it does only because of those lies.

Viva the internet. I look forward to the demise of the Democratic party and to the healthy split of the GOP into traditionalists and libertarians. (A girl can hope, can’t she?)

Comment by Bostonian — 9/24/2005 @ 7:01 am
About me.

Comment by Tom — 9/24/2005 @ 7:32 am
Rochester, MI; female, 49; happily married to a man I met while working at the South Pole Station in Antarctic 21 years ago. (No kidding—I had to go to the ends of the earth to meet that man. J) We have 2 daughters (ages 13 and 16), and 2 sons adopted from Kosovo (22 and 24). I have a doctorate in systems engineering and am a professor of engineering, teaching and doing research involving electromagnetics at a local university. Working on my second book, tentatively titled “Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole my Mother’s Boyfriend.” Learned Russian while serving in the US Army (started out as a private, ended up a regular army captain serving in what was then West Germany—I have the profoundest respect for those serving in Iraq and elsewhere nowadays.) Moderate politically–very much aware that Pollyanna liberalism has worsened many social problems (the law of unintended consequences). Although I’m not a Christian (I can’t take that leap of faith very easily, having seen how much one’s faith depends on the geography in which one was born), I feel very comfortable and accepted when hanging out with fundamentalist and conservative friends—much more so, in fact, than when hanging out with some of my more “tolerant” colleagues in academia. I think this website is the best I’ve ever seen at pointing out the disconnect between MSM versions of reality, and reality. I also read Instapundit, Powerline, Betsy’s Page, Roger L. Simon, University Diaries, and many others.

Comment by BarbO — 9/24/2005 @ 7:51 am
49 married-third-time-female/one engaged son 26. Just when I think I’m super far right, my libertarian views kick in. I believe in law and order but think less is more. Involved politically, current President and newsletter editor for RWF club. Volunteer for many different charity events as “grunt”. (not involved at planning stage, hey grunts are needed just as much) Wake up and read all my favorite blogs: Ace of Spades, Amy Ridenour, Attack Machine, Bortz, Buzz, Calicapia, Cathys World, Hugh Hewitt, Infinite Monkeys, Lucianne, Michelle Malkin, Patterico, Polidundit, TKS on NRO, Vodkapundit, Xrlq, there are more…..I’m a mosaic artist and avid gardener who has won awards for both.

Comment by Dayna — 9/24/2005 @ 8:24 am
Place:Oakville, Missouri, USA
Age:53
gender:male
Occupation:past aircraft inspector, present paralegal.
Hobbies: Shortwave radio, computers, wood turning, Politics: fiscal and politically to the right.
Favorite sites: martindales, the reference desk, Right Wing Nut House, Patterico’s Pontifications, Cao’s Blog…….where do ya stop?

Comment by Marv — 9/24/2005 @ 8:58 am
Mark Tillman; Memphis, Tennesse, USA, 43, B.A. from the University of Memphis with double major in psychology and philosophy, M.S. from the University of Memphis in Psychology. Computer programmer.

Enjoy: music - I’m an audiophile, my Siberian Husky dogs, electronics and food. (I’m actually going to to see the orchestra tonight, but that is really out of character for me - they’re doing a Beatles tribute and the Stones tickets are too expensive, anyway).

Liberal, but more of a centrist in a lot of areas, probably more fiscally conservative than most liberals. My grandfather was a judge, which influences some of my political philosophy. Was completely apolitical before college - so I tend to be cautious in what I claim to know. Made Patterico furious with my first comment on this site, but intend to show him that I am a worthy adversary. (Maybe I’m a troll here, but you learn little if you only talk to people who have the same ideas as you do. Classic liberal, right?)

I also read Kevin Drum, Billmon, Kos, Yglesias, Michelle Maulkin, Sullivan, Instapundit, to name a few. Josh Cherniss (”Sitting on a Fence”) is great, but he doesn’t post often. He teaches poitical philosophy at Yale.

Comment by Tillman — 9/24/2005 @ 9:20 am
41-year old white female. Married 15 years. Two sons, ages 13 and 10. Junior/Senior High English teacher; BA (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), Sweet Briar College & M.Ed. Secondary English Education, Lynchburg College, and working on Ph.D. in English Literature t Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

I enjoy reading (I love the Harry Potter books), watching good (usually old) movies, listening to music, and doing things with my family. We have 3 cats and a dog.

I read Little Green Footballs, Polipundit, Michelle Malkin, Iowahawk, Ankle Biting Pundits, Powerline, Instapundit, The Anchoress, Ace of Spades, Wizbang, Hugh Hewitt, Captain’s Quarters, Baldilocks, Patterico, and National Review Online daily, and other similar sites occasionally.

I am conservative, prolife, and strongly support tough immigration law enforcement. I don’t watch much MSM news because I tend to scream at the TV. I read Fox and CNN on line, and I read Slate for Christopher Hitchens and Dear Prudence (and sometimes Mickey Kaus). Mark Steyn is my favorite columnist.

I am Christian, and I really try to “walk the walk” in all I do.

Comment by goddessoftheclassroom — 9/24/2005 @ 9:34 am
Single 63 year old, white male, Newport Beach Ca. A.A. photography. Independent reader, approx. 3000 books in last 40 years (estimate). Occupations: photographer, port police officer, test equipment engineer (yes you can be an engineer without an engineering degree if your employeer determines your accomplishments productive and qualified), electrician, finish carpenter, US Army Reserve medic, chauffeur and fired as an air conditioning repair trainee.

Politics, born conservative in Muscatine Iowa and stayed that way. Only mistake was voting for Jimmy Carter. Will not repeat that Left swerve.

Lived in Seattle from 1979 to 2003. Two ex-wives and two great children. Moved to Calif to assist sister in caring for mom who is 90 years old and is probably stronger than I am! Not working so as to do home-care for mom. While here am doing a couple www sites. One site on photography and one on politics. Bloging and web site maintenance help me to learn about digital photography and site creation. Two years ago I knew nothing about either.

Sites I visit the most are: Drudge, LGF, Michelle Malkin, Iowahawk, WorldNetDaily, TheViewThroughA Windshield, HughHewitt, AnnCoulter and Paterico.

Started my political comment site because the MainStreamMedia is just a mouthpiece for Democrat-socialist collectivist pap. Hollering at the TV and newspaper was not productive.

Comment by Todd Roth — 9/24/2005 @ 9:37 am
Kansas City, MO. Age 57. Male. BS Geology. Own a small manufacturing company. Social Liberal - Fiscal Conservative. No labels - I like to take each issue individually and form an opinion. I am a lover of facts and detest spin and obfuscation. Veteran of the USMC (66-69) served in VietNam (68-69). Love everybody’s grandchildren including mine. All babies are born free of prejudice, bias, racism and political affiliation.

I am an avid golfer, playing some 150 rounds, on average per year. I enjoy reading (I try to read at least one book a week) and I read the newspaper (Kansas City Star) every day.

I intend to sell my business in the next year or so and retire. After retirement, I intend to attend Law School and become an attorney. My intention is to provide pro bono work in civil law, becoming, basically a non profit law center.

Comment by rls — 9/24/2005 @ 10:29 am
This is fantastic. I especially love hearing from the people who rarely or never comment.

Now, if I can just get you to *start* commenting!

Comment by Patterico — 9/24/2005 @ 11:18 am
I reside in NC, graduated Columbia ‘61 (NYC), have been working on my golf game since I retired in 1978. Hope to shoot my age in the next 3-4 years.
I’m proud of my country and Pres. Bush. Wish that he would STOP
legal and illegal immigration for a few years. Wish that he would stop calling Islam a religion of peace (pure PC) and get tougher on the WOT by extending the battle to Iran. And do not attempt to rebuild NO, its a no brainer. I guess that makes me a right winger.

Comment by rab — 9/24/2005 @ 11:45 am
I’m a Senior at NYU, majoring in History and English. I spearhead a profanity-laced blog that has little significance in the world as of yet, but will clearly become one of the most socially innovative projects in thie history of mankind. I’m a moderate Democrat, though that apparently means a Republican, according to the creepy people in my Socialist Theory class.
I’m a diehard Mets fan, still sleep with a moldy teddy bear that I received at my baptism, watch Law and Order SVU religiously, and have a shrine to Marlon Brando circa 1949 on my wall.
My favorite blogs are: Michelle Malkin, Captain’s Quarters, A Small Victory, Alarming News, Protein Wisdom and Powerline.
I have a cat named after Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Comment by Emma Grimshaw — 9/24/2005 @ 12:04 pm
Retired from being a Stagehand in Las Vegas for 35 years. I did lighting for many celebrities. I am a union member that disagrees often with the political recommendations of the union. (I’m not the only one.)
Moved to Boise, Idaho where I could get my wife the horse I had been promising her for years. Of course that turned into 3 horses.
I’ve been blogging since January at blogidaho.com
Favorite sites: Ace of Spades, SondraK.com, Garfield Ridge, Michelle Malkin, CQ, Wuzzadem, Iowahawk, Powerline, LGF and of course Patterico.
I’m having fun and enjoying my Golden Years.

Comment by Retired Geezer — 9/24/2005 @ 12:07 pm
Orange County, California; 43; female; B.A. in history; self-employed proofreader (mostly for court reporters, have also worked on some published books); politically conservative; married w/4 children (homeschooling 3).

Avid film fan (esp. 1938-1963; love to read (esp. children’s books, politics, film, cookbooks, history, biography); finally on the road to becoming a better cook; love news/talk radio/blogs/magazines; spend a lot of time at Disneyland…an interesting fact is that’s where I met my husband :).

Favorite sites include Free Republic, Lucianne, Hugh Hewitt, Power Line, Captain’s Quarters…basically all the “big” conservative political sites…I am a reluctant TIMES subscriber (can’t get by without their Sports section) and check out Patterico regularly.
Thanks for the terrific job you do here!

Started my own blog this summer…usually a half-dozen or so links a day to an eclectic assortment of articles in my areas of interest, with varying amounts of accompanying commentary. Always happy to have new readers drop by for a visit!

Comment by Laura — 9/24/2005 @ 12:11 pm
See-Dubya, Northern Cal, low thirties, transvestite ballerina. I like tutus, pink slippers, and swans. Born in Congo but am mixed race (Sioux/Uyghur/Hmong) Educated in fine arts at the Sorbet in Paris. I’m a lapsed Unitarian, which means I believe in God. Politics are all over the place but I believe that if we can all hold hands and hum really loud divine cosmic energy will bring world peace. So hum, right now. HUM, DAMN YOUR EYES! And hold my hand.

Comment by See Dubya — 9/24/2005 @ 12:40 pm
Lansing, MI. 53, MBA-Accounting, BS-Management, Phillips ‘70, slightly libertarian conservative. Regularly read Powerline, Patterico, Austin Bay, Belmont Club, Instapundit and others.

Comment by sjphoto — 9/24/2005 @ 1:10 pm
A lurker checks in!

Female, 43, Los Angeles-bred, UCLA almost-graduate, disgruntled Republican. Immovably opposed to abortion and, living as I do in L.A., growing more and more impatient with illegal immigration.

Ancestry — nearly 100% Celt, and that mostly Irish. Red hair, and one of the whitest white people you’re likely to meet.

I read a lot but I’m picky; even well-done junk bores me senseless. But I love all movies and have a soft spot for cheesy, second-rate junk with people like Vin Diesel in it.

In real life, I’m a writer who has a weekly column in a national paper, and I also serve as second-in-command copy chief. I should be working right now, actually.

Comment by Bridey — 9/24/2005 @ 1:18 pm
“Name” (MD in Philly) is true. We’ve lived in Philly for the last 21 of my 48 years after getting my MD in ‘84 and BS in ‘80 (Biochem) from Univ. of Wisconsin (-”Madison”, but no one who went to Madison, the main campus, bothers to add that). Have always practiced in “underserved areas” in urban environment, muchas veces estoy hablando Espanol, including large percentage of work with patients with AIDS, travelling through neighborhoods and visiting in homes.

Grew up in a morally and politically conservative home, but little church/religious background. My own college-age questioning ended-up in my “becoming a Christian” in my junior year, and my previous career plans of basic research transformed into going into medicine. Hobbies I would enjoy more if I could would include music, esp. guitar; outdoors-camping, etc.; woodworking/”building things”; fencing (as in foil/epee’/saber); and engaging others in “discussion” about cultural/moral issues with intellectual integrity (That’s why I frequent patterico). All enjoyed more with my wife and two sons (19,17) and daughter (5) as they choose.

Politically, conservative background as I said, which does not mean one doesn’t have a social conscience. Voted for President Carter’s reelection as I liked his work for peace in the middle east, what I saw as his refusal to continue to back Somoza (sp?) in Nicaragua. Never voted for Reagan, still don’t understand why Oliver North is treated as a hero by some, but have come to appreciate Reagan’s stand against communism and lost respect for President Carter and all those who act as if all the world’s problems and mean people would just go away if the US was better. I don’t understand how people can think of the Holocaust and say “Never Again” when we allowed it to happen in the Soviet Union, Communist China, S. Vietnam, Cambodia, Rwanda, and the Sudan. Domestically, not being a Democrat actually doesn’t mean you want children to go to bed hungry at night (at least it doesn’t have to). Sometimes it simply means a disagreement as the best way to go about it.

Never was told I was particularly good in any sport, but my oldest was told he was “a pretty good fencer-when he pays attention” by a two time Olympian Gold medalist. (He decided to quit “paying attention” completely in the sport). I doubt I am one that Patterico wants to “get commenting” (any more).

Comment by MD in Philly — 9/24/2005 @ 1:26 pm
Midwesterner, 53, MBA, widowed mother of three, “collapsed” 7th generation Episcopalian praying for schism. My family has voted Republican since Lincoln and so conservative that my grandmother would not allow us to have Roosevelt dimes (grin).

Comment by Lesley — 9/24/2005 @ 1:31 pm
Jackie, 46, New York City, lawyer. Former boss (one of several) of Patterico, although I had no idea that was his real name. (In case you were wondering, Patterico is indeed a very good lawyer.) Democrat, although increasingly in name only, and I fear that that the Dems are never going to get their stuff together. For the most part, I care more about maintaining (or re-establishing) the health of our civic, governmental, and cultural institutions than I do about particular policy questions. I fear that the U.S. and the world have entered an era in which hate and lies are in the ascendant and that no good can come from that. In addition to the blogs others have listed, I recommend Clive Davis.

Comment by Jackie — 9/24/2005 @ 1:43 pm
Nice to hear from you, Jackie. You haven’t commented in a while; I actually meant to write you to ask if you had stopped reading the site.

Comment by Patterico — 9/24/2005 @ 1:58 pm
If you want to learn about me, just visit my blog and click on About

Yes, I know my blog is butt-ugly. Sekimori is working on it.

Comment by Voice of Reason — 9/24/2005 @ 2:18 pm
I’m a 65-year old female who’s retired from the advertising business. Was a Broadcast Business Mgr. for many years. My hubby is also retired and we live in southern Calif. We both golf, play bridge and mess around on the computer for fun.

We’re both Republicans, but my husband is more liberal than I am. Other than Patterico, I also log onto Drudge and link to Lucianne. When I’m not surfing the web, I play Free Cell or Spider.

I have some college but no degree, two wonderful kids and 2 grandkids. Life is good, but I fear for our country sometimes - the political sniping that goes on on both sides is not doing us any good.

Comment by Jackie Warner — 9/24/2005 @ 2:42 pm
Born in Congo but am mixed race (Sioux/Uyghur/Hmong)

See Dubya, are you teasing? I could believe mixed race from the Congo if at least one of the ethnic groups was indigenous within the surrounding 2,000 miles, but you are stretching credulity a little bit.

How are we going to know who to take serious if people keep putting stuff like this on the thread? Shheesszzz, there was a good reason my mom told me to never let a stranger take my hand…

Comment by MD in Philly — 9/24/2005 @ 2:59 pm
Huntington Beach, CA, 56, male, BA History and graduate studies in Ancient History. Raised at the beach and still surf. I am currently a substitute teacher in Orange County. I started off as a knuckleheaded hs liberal and like many others was mugged by reality. I’m a neo-con(suspecting that most of what I believe will never happen). Favorite sites are here, Charmaine Yoest, Powerline, Civitas, Captain’s Quarters, Tim Blair, Surf Report, Davids Medienkritik and Waking Up on Planet X. I’ve discovered I like gardening and Gilbert and Sullivan.

Comment by Pat Patterson — 9/24/2005 @ 3:17 pm
51 year old white male. Married for 15 years (1st marriage for us both). Two young daughters, 8 and 5, going to Catholic School, though I am agnostic. Just finished a 5-year stint as treasurer of the Libertarian Party of Maryland and I can tell you that McCain-Feingold immensely complicated that job.
I got a degree in Political Science from Brandeis in 1976 and minored in Economics. Tom Friedman was one year ahead of me. Did I ever run into him in the Economics Dept, you might ask. What do you think?
Patterico, I did a significant amount of drinking at Cornell and the surrounding environs in the mid 1970s. My cousin was going there at the time and belonged to Acacia. We spent time at the 9s, the North 40, the Boxcar, the Stables Inn, and the Thirsty Bear. I have very fond memories of the subs from King Subs.
I work for the National Federation of the Blind in Baltimore in the direct mail fundraising department. I’ve been a computer guy for 20 years now.
Something I’ve never told anybody: my highschool sweetheart, who ran off to California with a married man and later married and divorced him, might not have been as stupid as I thought at the time. In retrospect, I was a bit of a jackass in those days.
Those on the left have, since the 2000 election, put me in the position of constantly defending the President. I’ll never forgive them for that.

Comment by Joe Miller — 9/24/2005 @ 3:20 pm
City, country, age, gender, educational background, profession, hobbies, how they define themselves politically, favorite sites, etc. sort of thing.

Hi everyone, long time reader, long time commenter.

I live in Los Angeles, and you can find me blogging about the law enforcement aspect of it a whole lot. I work in law enforcement, and my hobbies include reading, blogging, spending way too much time in traffic, and getting stuck in elevators in Los Angeles County buildings. I’m very right of center, hate wasteful government spending, and frequently guest-blog on Right-Thinking.com so I can tell the world about it.

Outside of that, much of my time is spent pestering Patterico.

Comment by Nick @ HBR — 9/24/2005 @ 3:30 pm
I am 59 ( in a month), male, retired - because of job restructering, and staying that way because my wife is a retired teacher with a good retirement. I line in Colorado, presently have 3 cats. My “job” now is to excercise by bike riding and swimming. I read blogs and feel that I am much more informed than I ever was. I am a Navy vet. and a Republican (middle of the rode type). Voted for Bush twice and proud that I did. For the first time ever I put political signs in my yard.

Comment by LYNN — 9/24/2005 @ 3:33 pm
I am a 48-year old male. I own my own export business and work out of my home in Louisville, Kentucky where my wife and I have lived in the same home since 1987. A dog lover, I have two chihuahuas, Tiny and Pepe.

I am a Navy veteran - formerly a nuclear reactor operator on fast attack submarines. My wife and I are both proud Republicans. I enjoy blogs, golf, and Kentucky Wildcat basketball.

Comment by Glenn — 9/24/2005 @ 3:49 pm
The group that has posted here would make a very interesting dinner party, some wonderful stories. First time commenter. Chicago, IL, 48, male, single, right of center politically though not doctrinaire. Independant real estate appraiser. fav sites: instapundit, powerline, lgf, Volokh, etc. Hobbies play guitar and singing hard core country songs which not many do anymore.

Comment by brian — 9/24/2005 @ 3:57 pm
Male; 61, live in Glendale, CA; undergrad at San Diego State, JD from UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall; tapering off from career as lawyer; Democrat in name only since my political views skew right, although I vote for people in both parties. Hobbies include fishing, golfing, flying antique model airplanes, and serving on local boards and commissions. Lurker insofar as Patterico is concerned. Possess healthy contempt for hypocrisy and cant of all types, so am alternately distressed or amused at what I see among the political class.

Comment by Mike Myers — 9/24/2005 @ 4:31 pm
I am a 61, male, married, and live in Gautier MS. US Army Veteran, 1962 to 1965. California hippie and peace activist: 1966 to 1975. Education: BA in Biology (1975), Ph.D. Chemistry (1980), and M.B.A. (1999). I currently work for a large defense contractor as a materials scientist. Hobbies: reading (economics and science fiction, mostly), gardening, target shooting (I own 4 pistols and 6 rifles… I gotta buy another pistol), computers (built my first computer from a Heathkit, remember those?). Favorite websites: well, Instapundit, Powerline, LGF, Patterico…. The usual for a Libertarian/conservative, I guess.

Need any help with chemistry, science or materials questions? Shoot me an email.

Comment by Harold — 9/24/2005 @ 4:31 pm
San Diego, CA, 53, High School and a whole lot of computer technology courses over the last thirty years or so. Conservative, for the most part. Hobbies: reading (mostly sci-fi, fantasy, mysteries), motorcycly riding, shooting, music (listening), movies. Love being with my grandkids, daughter; they live in Georgia. Blogs/websites: Frontpagemag.com, annika’s journal, hogonice.com, michelle malkin…

Comment by Brad — 9/24/2005 @ 4:46 pm
I check the following blogs before I go to work: polipundit, captain’s quarters, powerline, spectator.org, lucianne, and patterico. I also read instapundit, theanchoress, michelle malkin, hugh hewitt, lileks and gopvixen. I don’t even read the local paper anymore I’m 46, a college professor, and a resident of Florida. I have a husband (lawyer) and an 18 year old son and 14 year old daughter. My 18 year old is vascillating between going to college next year & spending 2 years in the Army. I’m ok with either - my husband is having a little harder time. He would like the son to go ROTC.

Comment by Mary — 9/24/2005 @ 4:49 pm
City: Phoenix, AZ
Country: USA
Age: 39
Gender: Male
Educational background: School of Hard Knocks
Profession: Business Manager
Hobbies: Reading. Lots and lots of reading and now a little blogging, too. Blame Hugh Hewitt. I read his book.
Politically Defined: Used to be a registered Democrat. Now a registered Republican. Feeling the increasing need to register as an Independent. Wait a minute… …There. Just changed my registration.
Favorite sites: I keep a blog roll at Fox Gnaws, my blog. Nothing there that will blow anybody’s mind, but what the heck.
Something interesting about myself: I was once chased through an apartment complex parking lot by a woman’s machete wielding boyfriend. And no, I didn’t know she had a boyfriend, let alone a psychopathic one.

Comment by Ben — 9/24/2005 @ 4:53 pm
North Port, FL. 55 and male, BS/MS-Econ, PhD-Accounting, CPA, CMA. Retired university professor and PT farmer/accountant. Avid fisherman, former +2 golfer who is a fiscal/social conservative. In addition to this site I frequent instapundit, powerline, captain’s quarter, malkin, ace of spades, polipundit, the corner, lgf, imao, and some Canadian blogs, small dead animals, neale news, angry in the great white north.

Comment by Mikey — 9/24/2005 @ 5:58 pm
I am retired and now live in Sanibel Fl. In my real life I worked for newspapers (business side) and before that I was an officer and intelligence analyst for the Navy in the early 60s.

Favorite blogs are (in no particular order) Powerline, Captain’s Quarters, Patterico, Instapundit, Wizbang, Publius Pundit, Instapundit and Irish Pennants.

I started reading blogs as a result of the Dan Rather fiasco. I finally found great writers who challenged the incredibly biased reporting of the MSM. Dropped my 40 year subscription to the NY Times at the same time for the same reasons. It’s not so much their bias, it’s that they totally fail to report news that doesn’t support their agenda. I cannot tolerate people or organizations who try to make things “unhappen”.

I stay active editing and writing for my local Power Squadron’s monthly magazine. If I had only known how much easier the editorial side of publishing business was, I would have abandoned the business side years ago.

Comment by Corky Boyd — 9/24/2005 @ 6:20 pm
Born in Los Angeles, grew up in Granda Hills then behind the Orange curtain in Brea. Currently live in the strangely designated Inland Empire (which the LATimes, and most El-Lay media, studiously ignores). 51 [gasp], married, mom of 4 daughters (youngest just started college in Frisco), grandma [gasp gasp] to twin boys who turn 3 on Tuesday. BSIT but currently still a clerk at the DA’s office. I blame my dad for my news info/politics addiction — he started me at age 10 reading the LA Times in full after school then we’d discuss all the articles at the dinner table. He refuses to read the Times any more but we still dissect all events whenever we can.

I’ve been a full-time-homemaker, soccer/swim/band mom, PTA and very successful fundraiser and kid taxi service.

I flirted with the Libertarian party but their isolationism and the tendency to confuse being a libertarian with being a libertine has me back in the Republican party. My pet-peeve being those that deliberately conflate the social with the legal. Another reason I’m not comfortable with the “socially liberal” label. There are a lot of behaviors I have no trouble characterizing as “immoral” but about which the government has no business regulating.

I’m a fiscal conservative, pro-capitalist, live-let-live socially, and pro-death-penalty.

I’m in love with blogging because I don’t have to write letters-to-the-editor any more. I read whatever I can and always have an opinion.

Comment by Darleen — 9/24/2005 @ 6:41 pm
Loyal lurker er…reader.

Orginally from Seattle, now living in Fontana Ca. via Germany, London and N. Ireland. Will probably move back to Seattle within the next 2 years.

55 years old, married 33 years, 3 children two grand children one cat aquired in England and still with us.

BA history from the University of Washington.

Quality Assurance Field Rep for Boeing, going on 28 years.

Politically and Socially conservative, like to jog and garden, read US history, political books and blogs.

I would like to try to establish a blog myself someday, but right now I have other priorities for my time.

Comment by Pete Mackay — 9/24/2005 @ 7:06 pm
I am in my mid fifties BSME and MSIE from Mizzou in the 70’s

I spent most of my career in technical sales but now teach HS math in northern Mississippi where I now live. Married to a teacher live in an antebellum home ( the boyhood home of Shepard Smith of Fox news)

I like to ride a bicycle. I was once an expert bridge player and read center type blogs such as as this one instapundit donkelphant etc.

Comment by tom allan — 9/24/2005 @ 7:19 pm
Tom,

I love bridge! Mrs. P. and I used to play a lot more before we had kids. I learned as a kid; when Grandma came to town my parents needed a fourth.

Comment by Patterico — 9/24/2005 @ 7:46 pm
I’m Mike S. I’m a male, open minded, conservative, under 30, a computer engineer in Seattle, WA. I value tolerance, though I value truth more. I got into blogs from Powerline.

Comment by Mike — 9/24/2005 @ 8:06 pm
The name is just like it says. I am 51, divorced, two grown children, 2.5 grandchildren (one due in February). I live in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which is not the best place to admit that I attended the University of Texas. I served six years in the Army, including a stint in the Middle East; today I’m a hired hand on a server farm. My Web site went up in 1996, which in Internet terms is somewhere in the Old Silurian period, and is inexplicably still there. Politically, I follow the lead of Will Rogers, who wasn’t a member of any organized political party: he was a Democrat.

Comment by CGHill — 9/24/2005 @ 8:21 pm
Hinckley, (central) MN. Male, 30 years old. Japanese/caucasian. As of recently, attorney. Born NYC, raised NY suburbs. Macalester College (English/East Asian Studies), Univ. of Wisconsin Law School.

Began this, my first rural experience, with my family a little over a year ago. 5-year old daughter, another currently on the way. Among the reasons for being here – opportunity arose through in-laws, living in the woods w/ my favorite people rocks, I love the homestead and, for the most part, the work that goes with it (chickens, wood heat, etc), and, finally, my idealization of Atticus Finch.

My views often place me as a liberal, but I am disenchanted with much of the nonsense, and political ineptitude, of that camp. (NYT printed my letter on that subject on 8/8 - my daughter’s birthday.) I believe the Second Amendment should be enforced like the First – unequivocally upheld and reasonably regulated. I am ardently opposed to the drug war. Because of continual political one-upsmanship, intelligent policies on drug control, sex offenders, and sentencing generally, remain so close, yet so far. But enough – I’ve spread my opinions on these quite generously on some of the threads here.

Nonexhaustive list of formative experiences: hitching from st.paul to albuquerque and back with a friend during college; studying in western china, including three weeks studying taoist tai chi at a famous temple; two and a half years (incl. two winters) as a roofer in minneapolis; trial internships with the Milwaukee public defender – adult and juvenile – during law school; parenthood. Was a pretty good HS wrestler, have played ultimate frisbee since then.

I am “fishetarian”, avid vegetarian cook. The fish part is mostly a concession to the limited dining-out options in the two-horse communities where I live and work.

I’ve attempted to start a blog several times, but admit it’s hard. The thoughts I really want to get down are not usually related to politics, thus I’d rather journal on my own. Why blog when you can kick up some dust on the PP threads? I scan maybe 20 blogs semi-regularly. Currently reading Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, for the second time. Highly recommend it.

Comment by biwah — 9/24/2005 @ 8:30 pm
Yeah–

I’m one of those not easily characterized or binned by the trendy liberals.

I’m a three degree (BS, MS, PhD) graduate in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. I was there when Mario Savio climbed on top of the police auto to proclaim the Free Speech Movement (what a joke!). I was there when Noam Chomsky pronounced the acceptability of academic anti-Semitism. I was there when Gov. Ronald Reagan declared marshal law, and a bystander was shot off the roof in Berkeley.

Yeah, I’ve seen it all, and I’m bitter as Hell! That was 1969, the same year the scion of a dynasty founded on bootleg booze and prostitution (Ted Kennedy) literally got away with murder, thanks to mommy Rose and a highly compliant Catholic diocese in Boston.

Then comes that Kennedy satrap John Kerry in 1971 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by the highly dishonorable William Fulbright. I guess it doesn’t matter to liberals that not one of Kerry’s charges of U. S. war crimes in Viet Nam has ever been validated in a court of law. Too bad that the liberals can’t take the time to review Kerry’s checkered military war records and find the blatant contradictions between what he says he did versus what his fellow veterans remember happened.

I’ve worked with Oakies and Arkies in the Sierra foothills of California. I’ve worked with labor union members who only asked that I view their greivances with management equally with the views of management. More than once, I a Republican, sided with the unions. Those unions represented real working people, unlike the current leadership of the Democratic Party controlled by big bucks scumbags like George Soros,Terresa Heintz Kerry, and Air America founder Sheldon Drobny.

Comment by Mescalero — 9/24/2005 @ 9:06 pm
Seattle WA, since 1991

single, male , 43 , religous

consider myself a conservative in the mold of President TR with a little libertarian streak. Perhaps best to think of my views as PJ O’Rourke

work as an in-house computer consultant and email manager (sendmail on RH9)

Comment by seePea — 9/24/2005 @ 9:27 pm
“my idealization of Atticus Finch…..two and a half years (incl. two winters) as a roofer in minneapolis”

biwah-
I think we disagree more often than not, but those two qualities alone warrant my respect.

Comment by MD in Philly — 9/24/2005 @ 9:45 pm
I’m a program manager for an education company, so I spend a lot of time flying around the country visiting Dental Schools. I am a voracious reader, love newspapers and periodicals, and being a conservative ( not to be confused with being Republican )I read your website with a wicked little smile. Every mark your whip leaves on the soft belly of the bloated LA times allows me - living vicariously through you - to forgive those around me who make stupid comments on issues they know little about other than what they read in the LA Times.

When I graduated high school I followed politics not at all. Around 24 years old I met a professor at the local community college who managed to offend every sensibility I had never thought I cared about, and in doing so inspired me to question what was, as I was told, common sense. This started me on that neverending journey to find out who I was. Through these many years I’ve come to believe that while perspectives cannot be categorized strictly, political perspective at its core is not a learned trait but an innate coloring of who we are, or even better - a template from which we define the conundrums that inevitably distort the life we had once thought owed us something. My grandfather put it best when he told me ” Its not experience that makes the man, its what man makes of his experience.” Too true…

So back we come to ‘ vicariousness ‘ - I treasure this site for that. I visit numerous sites, but this site is precious, in that it is one of the rare chances to witness arrogance addressed. MSM is no longer unaccountable. That is a good thing for us and the MSM.

Thanks!

Shane Borgess
Anaheim, CA

Comment by Shane Borgess — 9/25/2005 @ 12:08 am
I’m a marketing / business development consultant for European high tech start ups and I live on the French Riviera. I have a blog which will probably explain my political viewpoints better than anythign I can write down.

I enjoy this blog because of its relentless takedowns of the LA Times and its moonbats. Somethign that I occasionally attmept with the UK equivalents.

Comment by Francis — 9/25/2005 @ 2:43 am
Check out my Pajamas Media profile for a few clues:

http://www.pajamasmedia.com/index.php?p=2005/08/sisu_sissy_willis.php

Comment by Sissy Willis — 9/25/2005 @ 3:29 am
Hi. I’m a lurker. I’m 43 years old.
University of Santa Clara (’84)
Worked as an accountant for a few years in
San Jose/San Francisco area.
For last 14 years have lived in Japan.

I just love to read about take downs of the MSM.
Let’s face it: The MSM is “The Man”.

Favorite sites:Iowahawk, Tim Blair, Powerline,
Instapundit, Patterico.

Enjoys: Film Noir, rap, Simpsons.

Comment by joeyjojo — 9/25/2005 @ 5:20 am
Hey - I’m a lurker too. Maybe I left a comment once.

Like some above, I’m also very frustrating to liberals b/c I defy their usual stereotype of a conservative. Im 32, was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and am an attorney at a prestigious firm in NYC (”but Jeff, you’re a smart guy, how could you support Bush?”). I’m not religious, but I was raised jewish (my father was roman-catholic). I married a muslim woman (my college sweetheart) whose family is from Pakistan and we have an 8-month old son. My family is my entire life.

I guess you can call me a “9/11 conservative.” Everything changed for me when I saw the second plane hit the tower while sitting in my car across the river. In a nutshell, this is the greatest country in the world, no matter who is president. We can have our disagreements about how things should run, or what policies to enact, but lets have an honest debate about it. If you tell me the country is a “living hell” under Bush, you have no hope of convincing me of anything.

Its more of a political conservatism than a social one. For example, I’m fine with gay marriage - would probably vote for it. But I’m appalled at the idea that people think it would be ok for a judge to impose it on the entire country. Preserving our system of govenment is more important than any one issue. Just as congress should not be passing laws outlawing any type of abortion, neither should any judge impose a rule on the entire country absent clear direction from the constitution. But I do think one of the biggest problems in our country is the breakdown of the family, and parents not taking responsibility for the children they bring into this world.

That said, I also love music - from classic to modern rock, jazz and opera - football, and reading (usually non-fiction political books).

I like your site because you state your arguments clearly and rationally, and there’s generally no name-calling or ad hominem attacks on those you oppose. If you start doing that, you’re losing the argument.

Your commentary on bias in the mainstream press is excellent. It is that reason i like sites such as timeswatch, MRC, Newsbusters, etc.

Keep it up, and keep it honest, and I’ll keep coming by.

Jeff

Comment by Jeff T. — 9/25/2005 @ 6:19 am
Interesting reading above! Am 70, born in a small town in Michigan. Was a foster child. Presently reside in retirement at a golf course resort in Sparks, NV. BS - University of Detroit; JD - Hastings College of The Law, University of California [order of the coif]. Practiced law in San Mateo County, California for almost 38 years.

Served as an officer in the Navy for 4 years between college and law school. Am a life long Republican, conservative but not doctrinare. Was the Republican nominee for Congress in the 11th. Congressional District in 1972. Served almost 5 years on the board of trustees for a large high school district in San Mateo County.

Am opposed to the death penalty, except the murder of a prison guard or another prisoner by a prisoner in for life without possibility of parole. Am neither pro choice nor pro life. Am not opposed to abortion in the first tri-mester, but am opposed to partial birth abortion and in favor of parental notification. Am 100% in favor of the Bush Doctrine and our efforts to liberate the people and Iraq and Afganistan. Consider the War on Terror to be the most important task ever taken by this country.

Golf - reading - betting on football games, etc. Am traveling extensively during retirement.

Comment by Charlie Chase — 9/25/2005 @ 7:21 am
Lurker, here. I’m a 38-year-old television writer/producer in Los Angeles and, while liberal relatives and colleagues accuse me of having “drifted to the right” since graduating from college, my sense is the Democratic Party leadership has taken a hard turn to the left.

I’m astonished at the seething hatred for President Bush and his Administration and how this hatred is so casually tossed about in Hollywood meetings having nothing to do with politics. It’s generally assumed that everyone in the room shares the same “progressive” [COUGH] viewpoints, and it’s expected that all will chuckle with appreciation when someone jokes, for example, about having the assassin in our story go after Bush & Cheney (witty, eh?).

I pick my battles carefully and respond only to the most egregious liberal drivel. Despite the Left’s oft-pledged commitments to “diversity” and “tolerance,” I know certain Hollywood conservatives whose careers suffered when their politics became known.

I’m married with a family, am an active member of my church, and — according to my wife — spend way too much time on blogs and fantasy football.

I find that the queasy feeling I get after reading the L.A. Times can often be soothed by the Tums that is Patterico. Thanks — and keep up the great work!

Comment by Scott H. — 9/25/2005 @ 8:26 am
I am a 68 year old male graduate of U.C.L.A., and was an attendee at the Anderson School of Management at U.C.L.A. I started out as 1) a liberal Democrat, and 2) a CPA. I subsequently became: 1) a conservative Republican and 2) a real estate investor and developer. I am a conservative activist and am president of a conservative activist group in Los Angeles sponsored by Townhall.com, and I am also President of the San Fernando Valley Republican Club. I write a blog, Bear to the Right and you can read more about me there.

Comment by Gary Aminoff — 9/25/2005 @ 10:58 am
Longtime lurker here. 18 year old male, Jewish, grew up in Beverly Hills [yes, 90210] and now attending college at Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania with an intended pre-law major. Political junkie since my freshman year of high school, self described libertarian [fiscal conservatism + social liberalism w/ a dash of neocon]. Avid guitarist [5 years], anime fan [7 years] and videogamer [12 years]. Favorite sites include Powerline, Michelle Malkin, Instapundit, most things NRO, Ace of Spades, and just for balance, a trip to Daily Kos and Atrios every now and then. Weaksauce Bush supporter who thinks he’s hurting more than he’s helping, but doing a better job than anyone the DNC could prop up. Pro-military, pro-closed borders, but not a major fan of the current warhandling. Legally pro-choice, morally pro-life. Thinks the government should pull out of marriage entirely to end the whole stupid debate. Pro-legalization of all drugs with strict federal oversight so at least we can stop letting criminal syndicates build a powerbase on it. Pro-gutting the federal budget of nearly all social programs and rerouting that money back to individual states, cities, and people. Extremely anti-censorship regarding all optionally viewed media, including television and radio.

As for the personal aspect of this signing - I’m not a strict follower of Judaism, but I highly value the moral tenets it imbues. I hated my prolonged Hebrew schooling, though. It sucked years out of my life. I’m extremely interested in musical theory and Asian culture in general, which explains most of my hobbies and hybrid hobbies - anime, videogames, anime music, videogame music, etc. My favorite anime series include Bleach, Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist, Samurai Champloo, Hunter x Hunter, Prince of Tennis, Detective Conan, Cowboy Bebop, and Flame of Recca, just to name some recent onces. Favorite videogames include most anything Final Fantasy and Street Fighter. Favorite bands include Thrice, Coheed & Cambria, 30 Seconds to Mars, Staind, The Used, Straylight Run, Mae, Chevelle, TRUSTcompany, Breaking Benjamin, AFI, Death Cab for Cutie, Incubus, Emery, My Chemical Romance, Papa Roach, Story of the Year, Gorillaz, The Postal Service, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Flogging Molly, Seether, Disturbed, Vertical Horizon, Goo Goo Dolls, Frou Frou, John Mayer, Elliot Smith, Nobuo Uematsu, Yasunori Mitsuda, and Koji Kondo.

If you don’t recognize those last three names, go to http://www.ocremix.org - you can thank me later.

Comment by Daniel L. — 9/25/2005 @ 3:43 pm
53, Single Male with a beautiful 7 year old daughter, BS and MS, West Point Class of 73, Arizona State (MS) In Mechanical Engineering in alternative energy. Too bad it’s so inefficent compared to oil. Former member of NOW and Sierra Club and boy have they gone off the deep end. Classmate (and friend - not close though) of John Abizaid CENTCOM Cmdr. Public safety conservative (includes National security, police and fire etc) libertarian on most social issues (stay out of my private life). Like to read historical non fiction, classics like the “Annals and Histories”, and political science, fantasy like Lord of the Rings, enjoy classical music, Bach to Rock, working out, and lively discussions. Think MSM has been this way since the mid 70s (I used to read the NYT). Probably could do an econometrics proof of it. Believe if we don’t take it to the enemy it will most certainly end up right here, again, and far more tragic. Enjoy most all blogs that have already been mentioned. But reader of blogs not a commentator. Although the “Bush lied People died” meme did get me going. The definition of lie means one must know the truth. And how could Bush know that? The idiocy and illogic (not to mention changing the definition of the word so our children are confused) are profound, so I did send off a note to O’Rielly who had some nincompoop on with that spin. Brought up Episcoplian, but have close Jewish family, believe in a greater purpose to it all, and in the immortality of our souls. But in my view this place (where we are) is supposed to be a boiling caldron of issues. For if it’s not, ie it’s perfect (the liberal goal), then how do we learn? How do we grow as individuals? I think liberals are wrong about this most fundamental issue. We cannot, indeed are not supposed to, and both mans and mother nature will always act, to prevent the creation of a perfect society of no poor etc. The universe grows better thru competition not abject cooperation.

Comment by Craig — 9/25/2005 @ 7:09 pm
My name is Robert O’Brien. I am a 27, male, and a grad student at the University of Florida (though I am a California native).

I am a social conservative who voted for Prop 22 and would like to see the CA constitution amended to exclude the possibility of gay “marriage.”

I am opposed to the Iraq war, though I am more sympathetic to the naive idealism that seems to be the chief impetus behind this war than I am to the oil concerns that motivated the previous war with Iraq.

I also dislike Ann Coulter and Bill O’Reilly.

Oh, and I think the principle of stare decisis is bunk.

Comment by Robert OBrien — 9/25/2005 @ 7:56 pm
Retired telephone tech. Live in Babylon, Long Island. Some college, four years in the Navy ‘63-’67 three tours off Vietnam. Saw the MSM misreporting back then, came home, got married and went to work. When the protester was shot at Kent State, I knew I probably would have reacted the same way the National Guardsman did, in my case out of fear in the face of a hostile rock throwing mob. After that I ignored politics and the editorial sections of newspapers. It wasn’t until the nineties that I became a participant in the political life of my country.

Comment by Dennis — 9/25/2005 @ 9:52 pm
I’m a 31 year old Staff Sergeant [soon to be Technical Sergeant] in the USAF, stationed in Anchorage, AK. Originally from NY. I haven’t been deployed yet. The majority of folks in my career field do their work stateside, although I’ll continue to volunteer for any jobs “over there” that come up.

I’m really into photography. If you check out my site, you can see some of my photos; all were taken with a 25 year old Minolta X-700. Manual focus, exposure, apeture — great camera to learn with. I take my Ruger Super Redhawk .44 magnum to the range a few times a month, and I’ll be adding a Glock [9mm or .40] soon. Glock gives military [and firefighters] the same [huge] discount they give cops. They’ll get my $380 on principle alone.

I was more progressive before 9/11; voted for Nader in an uncontested state [NY] in 2000, and have voted for Schumer and Moynihan in the past. Voted for the President in 2004, and I’ve drifted from the left quite a bit. Don’t care for the religious right, but I hold my nose and vote republican or third party/independent.

I read Insta-dude daily; Roger Simon, RCP, Captain’s Quarters, and VodkaPundit as well. I read LGF, but almost *never* read the comments. I also digest Winds of Change, Belmont, Fourth Rail, Mudville, and a couple of other blogs that discuss the war. I miss Chrenkof. And I have a list of gun bloggers I frequent: Alphecca, American Dino, American Drumslinger, Smallest Minority, and my favorite — mASS backwards. There are a few others, too. I really enjoy sites that inform, and sites that fact-check the media, or highlight its biases. I don’t believe the media is evil, and more than I think politicians are evil. Blogs are to the MSM what the MSM is to elected officials, IMHO.

I started reading blogs during raTHergate, and I started a blog a few weeks ago. Got me an Insta-lanche! N.Z. Bear gave me a password, and I’ll be working on cleaning up the PorkBusters page this week.

Comment by JP — 9/25/2005 @ 10:43 pm
59 y.o. WM Lawyer, Eugene, Oregon.

Born in Edinburg, Tx. Lived (in this order) in Salem, Or.; Portland, Or.; Albuquerque, N.M., Spokane, Wa.; Denver, Co.; Worcester, Ma.; Salt Lake City, Ut.; Nha Trang, Vietnam; and Eugene.

A.B. Philosophy, Holy Cross College, Worcester, Mass.; J.D., University of Oregon.

Only went to parochial school. H.S. and college with the Jesuits. Now am a C & E catholic only.

Registered Democrat (Nixon spoiled that one for me), but mostly libertarian in attitude. We need a government, but not all that much of one.

Was a staff writer for the Salt Lake Tribune right out of college, then, after being drafted, was an army personnel clerk in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and an army journalist in Vietnam.

Went to law school upon return to the states. Practiced mostly civil law, and I hope, mostly civilly, since 1975. Before being elected to three terms on Eugene’s school board (from which I have retired), I occasionally served as a pro-tem trial judge for the state of Oregon, and more recently on a teacher-dismissal appeal board.

Hobbies: Rose gardening; fly fishing; whitewater boating (I’m one of the few people on the planet who has run the Widowmaker on Oregon’s Owyhee river in a raft (in flood)); classical music (was on Symphony board of directors for 25 years or so); bridge; rail fan.

Subscribe only to Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Trains, and Macworld.

Married to a sweetie 19 years younger than me who is just about to finish up a 26 month tour as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Albania. I have visited thrice, and the last trip taught a course in “Democracy and Citizenship” to seniors at the university in Elbasan. (We don’t have kids.)

Don’t often comment on blogs.

Start every day with Instapundit, and go from there. Powerline, Captains Quarters, Little Green Footballs, Hugh Hewitt, Belmont Club, Patterico, Rantingprofs, Michelle Malkin, Oxblog, Roger Simon, Vodkapundit, Beldar, Daily Demarche, INDC, SondraK, Kurlander, Mudville, Iraqnow, Dafydd, Samizdata, Tim Blair (and Chrenkoff). I think I was one of HealingIraq’s and Iraq the Model’s first readers.

Dubya was the first Republican I have ever voted for as President. I don’t regret it. Though I wish he wouldn’t spend so damn much money.

And, am a firm believer in Originalists or at least people of that stripe on the Supreme Court. Why did it take me so long to start voting for Republican presidential candidates? Damn.

Comment by Mike in Oregon — 9/26/2005 @ 12:14 am
41, Male, orthodox Jew, programmer, science fiction fan, and fairly doctrinaire libertarian. Born in Brooklyn, NY, USA, grew up in Melbourne, Vic, AU, and now live back in Brooklyn, about 15 minutes’ drive from where I was born.

Comment by Milhouse — 9/26/2005 @ 4:04 am
56, male, would-be re-born Protestant, MD, live in CT but have a farm in Mass., conservative-traditionalist (didnt leave the Dems - the Dems left me), hunter, fisherman, gardener, sailor, constant book-reader, Dylan fan (hence name of blog),like classical and pop music (gee - this sounds like a singles ad, but married 26 years with 3 great kids). A blogger with my small team since Feb, and getting a lot of fun from it and learning a bit too.

Comment by Charlie Gardner — 9/26/2005 @ 4:27 am
Sun City, CA, USA; 47; female; A.A in Humanities and Computer Information Systems from Mt. San Jacinto College in Menifee, CA; Office Assistant at a local county public health department(I decline to state what county, although some may figure it out. I don’t want to incur the wrath of my union).

I enjoy reading blogs, listening to music and watching old movies on TV or DVD. I currently live with my 81-year-old mother, who is still grieving over the loss of my father almost two years ago.

I registered Democratic when I was first eligible to vote in 1976; in retrospect, I think I did that to counter my parents, who were big Nixon fans. I never voted Republican in any presidential election (I voted for John Anderson in 1980) until last year. My disillusion began with the Clinton-Monica affair, when all the feminists were either silent or mildly critical. If it were a Republican president, all hell would have broken loose. When 9/11 happened, that sealed my break with the Democrats. I recently changed my affiliation to independent, mostly because I have a problem with the Republicans’ attitude toward gays. While I am not for gay marriage as such, I do believe in civil unions. I despise Michael Moore and Bill Maher.

The blogs that I visit the most, in no particular order: Instapundit, Power Line, Michelle Malkin, Lileks, LGF, Hugh Hewitt, Captain’s Quarters, Roger L. Simon, and Moorewatch. I wanted to register at Lucianne.com to counter some of the more outrageous comments, but it seems to be a closed club.

Comment by cj in sun city — 9/26/2005 @ 5:45 am
Born/raised in Modesto, CA. Went to school at Oberlin Conservatory in OH, majoring in music composition. Now I live in Las Vegas, NV where I teach elementary special education. I’m 23. White. Heterosexual. Christian. Male.

Despite where I grew up, I’m very socially and economically liberal. Because I follow the teachings of Christ (instead of merely invoking his name to condemn people), I believe that we all have a moral responsibility to make sure we’ve got ourselves together, then help those less fortunate than ourselves. This bottom-line value largely informs my political views on issues ranging from universal health care to equitable taxation to foriegn policy. (Just to clarify: I was not, however, sold on the “liberate the Iraqi people” line.)

I believe in equal rights under the law for all people, not just heterosexuals. Not only that, but I believe that the continued oppression of gays and lesbians perpetuated by rights-denying “compassionate conservatives” is stunningly immoral and outrageous. (I’m including this in my bio because this is a very important issue for me in the context of who my friends and family are.)

Little-known fact? Ok. For my senior composition recital at Oberlin, May 2005, I premiered my large-scale, sacred experimental work called Hymnalogy, for ‘experimental orchestra’ (forty or so singers, instrumentalists and dancers), saxophones, organ, gospel and traditional choir and audience. It was performed in the Meeting House of a 163 year-old Congregational church.

Comment by Tom — 9/26/2005 @ 5:52 am
Oh yeah: blogs I visit (this’ll set everyone’s hair on fire):

Daily Kos, The Next Hurrah, This Modern World, Thought Mechanics and finally, my own personal teacher-journal blog, the bad, the ugly and the good.

Comment by Tom — 9/26/2005 @ 6:02 am
Tampa, US, 43, Female, Masters in Math Education from USF, web developer, hobbies are reading and family, conservative Republican,

etc: Married for 10 years with two kids, 7 yr old girl and 4 year old boy

Comment by Kathryn — 9/26/2005 @ 8:13 am
What the hay, here’s a little about me.

City: Raleigh, NC
Country: USA
Age: 41
Gender: Male
Educational background: Some college, no degree
Profession: Software Engineer
Hobbies: Spending time with my family
Politics: Very Conservative
Favorite sites:
http://www.instapundit.com/
http://www.groklaw.net/
http://www.drudgereport.com/
http://www.patterico.com/
http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com
http://www.cnsnews.com/
http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/Default.aspx
http://www.dilbert.com/
http://michellemalkin.com/
http://ars.userfriendly.org/
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