Here's something I thought was way out... I followed a link from My Cluttered Desk to this political views test... the damn thing called me a libertarian. Now I've been called a lot of things, but this is a first. When someone asks me what I am, I usually respond "liberal conservative." I have some extremely liberal ideas on some subjects, and some extremely conservative ideas on the other:

• I am against gun control and registration, but I am in favor of mandatory gun locks (integrated into future weapons) to secure any weapon during storage or transport.
• I am pro-choice, but not for abortion on demand and against late term abortion.
• I think that some drugs aren't as bad as the government wants us to think and should be de-regulated (marijuana in particular, but not the "hard" drugs that will kill you on the first use.. cocaine, crack, opium, heroin, etc).
• I believe in a strong, well paid and well equipped, military, made up of volunteers. I was for action in Kosovo, but not the way it was handled. I was all for the action in the Gulf.
• I am for the freedom of speech in all instances, but I also support private groups' rights to boycott, ban, or suppress information they don't agree with. A private group or individual cannot perform censorship, only a government can.
• I think the sex laws governing prostitution need to be overhauled. Prostitution as it is now is a haven for all sorts of problems. A set of laws for monitoring disease and licensing of the "sellers" would help the problem greatly. The problem here is that you don't get any more private than sex... and do you really want the government "poking" whatever into that business?
• I'm for free trade, including repealing subsidies for certain kinds of crops. Do you realize how much money the government gives to tobacco growers?
• I am anti-discrimination... in all cases. This means that no person should be denied anything due to race, color, creed, religion, sexual preference, age, or anything else you want to use as a measurement. Equal pay for equal work. Women should be allowed in combat situations, other dangerous work, and to traditionally male campuses. This view cuts both ways, though. Equal pay for equal work and equal access means that standards should not be lowered to make it possible. Physical standards for firefighting should not be lowered so women can be firefighters. Academic standards should not be lowered for African American students so they have a better chance of getting into an institution. In case you haven't guessed, this is a tender subject to me.... and one you will see again when I get some of my new "essays" online.

I am a husband, father, and programmer. My wife and I run a computer consulting company with a number of web sites.. you've probably seen their buttons at the tops of the side columns. Before meeting my bride in the late 80s on an old chat system, I was a military brat and lived in a magical place known as Okinawa.

It is a tale told by an idiot.. full of sound and fury.. signifying nothing.