What song best sums up the previous year?

For what it's worth. Buffalo Springfield

Sorry for your loss .

Yeah I know what you mean. I was able to read your mind when you posted, I guess they're not as spiritual as you are.

All I can say from having spent quite a lot of time with Pat is that he would be ashamed that you so speak so callously to a community of which you are a member. Compassion and understanding is not conditional, and yet you make it so. Next time you want specific responses, fill them in yourself.

I'm sorry for your loss, Nate, truly. And I'm sorry for your insensivity as well. Re-read your post again. It leaves all options available as far as responses go. If you don't realize that you live in a highly polarized nation, you are either not paying attention, not asking questions, or simply too busy labeling the idiots. Well, you can consider me one of them, and I'm grateful that Pat found it so easy to love me for it.

My biggest issue with the responses is that as soon as anyone asks a question about anything other than what kind of amp should I buy to go with my new Joseph Abboud shirt, it turns into some anti-Bush thoughtless tirade.

Are stereo gear and radical left-wing politics the only thing going on in peoples lives???

Sorry for not narrowing the question enough, but I didn't know I would have to be that narrow to get a meaningful answer!

Maybe I don't belong on AudiogoN anymore, if I ever did???

Nate and Howard;

You both have valid points in my opinion. Howard and I have different politics in many ways, yet it goes without saying that he's a very intelligent guy- and his opinion is something I respect.

Here's what's REALLY sad to me: Our national politics have devolved to a vehement, rhetorical, bareknuckled brawl on both sides of the aisle.

What happened to guys like Truman? Fervent believer in so many traditional liberal causes yet respectful of his opponents- many of whom were close friends? Or Lincoln- smart enough to surround himself with people who DISAGREED with him on a daily basis?

I thought 9/11 was a wake up call. But with guys like Dick Durbin,Pat Robertson and others spouting endless hot headed rhetoric, it's obvious that we can't respect one another's opinions at the National level.

It's okay to dislike Bush or Kennedy politically. But to openly spout HATE toward these people shows a lack of restraint and political maturity.

There. I think Nate, Howard and Lugnut would all agree on that one.