The quality that defines us as Americans is the courage to respond to being hit. The courage to root out and destroy the killers. And most importantly the courage to hold on to our values and protect our hard-won freedoms while doing it.

I always disliked dogs those protectors of cowards who lack the courage to fight an assailant themselves.

Just as courage imperils life fear protects it.

No matter what you think about the Iraq war there is one thing we can all agree on for the next days - we have to salute the courage and bravery of those who are risking their lives to vote and those brave Iraqi and American soldiers fighting to protect their right to vote.

Before computers telephone lines and television connect us we all share the same air the same oceans the same mountains and rivers. We are all equally responsible for protecting them.

Sureness is something like a neck brace which we clamp around our lives hoping to somehow protect ourselves from the frightening constant whiplash of change. Sadly the brace doesn't always hold.

If we're going to change the laws let's change them in ways which makes it easier to catch criminals and yet at the same time protect the Second Amendment rights of our law-abiding citizens.

So there is going to be that balance of understanding how to get the best out of the car that day whether it's 15th or even if I have a shot at a top 10 protecting that car so we can bring it back when we have to.

A gun can be dangerous. But a gun can protect you you can hunt for food with it - you know the tool itself is a tool. The intention of the party using the tool is a part of the process right? You know: the knife cuts the steak stabs the person saves somebody from danger cuts somebody out of a car.

A geek isn't the skinny kid with a pocket protector and acne. There can be computer geeks video game geeks car geeks military geeks and sports geeks. Being a geek just means that you're passionate about something.