Chicago Tribune - 8/22/2004
"This is what I saw that day"
By William B. Rood

Kerry & Rood

William Rood

There were three swift boats on the river that day in Vietnam more than 35 years ago--three officers and 15 crew members. Only two of those officers remain to talk about what happened on February 28, 1969.
One is John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate who won a Silver Star for what happened on that date. I am the other.

Brad's Ten-Foot Poll on Swift Boats---RESULT

posted 12am - 1115pm Mon 8/23/2004 These Vietnam swift boat stories are starting to get good! 169 42% are an instant tuneout. 233 58% Vote total 402

Bush promises detailed plans at convention Republicans also plan on portraying street demonstrations as Democratic-sanctioned displays of disrespect for a sitting president.

E-vote machine certification criticized "Suppose you had a situation where ballots were handed to a private company that counted them behind a closed door and burned the results," said Dill, founder of VerifiedVoting.org. "Nobody but an idiot would accept a system like that. We've got something that is almost as bad with electronic voting."

New Florida ballot expected to confuse Palm Beach County is the only county in the vicinity where absentee voters are asked to connect the arrow next to a candidate's name instead of filling in a bubble.

US may have to stay in Iraq for years U.S. officers say the continuing attacks suggest that it will take time, possibly years, to crush the insurgency. President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have said U.S. forces will stay in Iraq as long as they are needed to assist Iraqi security forces.

Iraq abuse hearing procedures begin The US soldier accused of organising the alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison has appeared before a military judge in Germany.

How stupid can our anti-terrorist policies be?
Air marshals say discount may cost them their cover Must disclose position upon hotel check-in

Comal county testing phones Not a telemarketer

Coastal cities ban short-term rentals Galveston -- Some Texas Gulf Coast communities are joining a nationwide trend of banning short-term rentals of vacation homes in an effort to protect the peace and quiet of their neighborhoods.

Guadalupe / Schertz tax freeze hits roadblock A grassroots initiative to establish a tax freeze for elderly and disabled residents may be stalled. Harvey Hild, who began the movement in Guadalupe County, said officials with the county and the city of Schertz are dragging their feet.