Back to Tuesday night

It was interesting to watch the State of the Union Address. I was expecting President Bush to begin with the State of the Union internationally, i.e. Iraq. Instead he did a sandwich style: first domestic matters (health care, education, etc.), then the war on terror and Iraq, and finally moving back home with immigration policy. Maybe that was to emphasize the importance of these domestic matters (to him as well!) and remind that the war on terror and the war in Iraq relate directly to our domestic well-being. Rachel thought that it may have been a strategy to keep people listening... those who were willing to start watching would keep watching till he brought up the Iraq war, and then afterwards they'd be curious to hear the end topic. Either or both ways, the Middle East situation was nearly the best-detailed of the speech.

I do have a few questions. Is American productivity actually the highest in the world? Who are these civilian who don't have to pass through boot camp?

In any case, there was certainly a theme. There were 2 announcers for the presidential entry. The president made 2 tributes to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, followed (of course) by 2 long applauses. There were lots of hero stories, about 4, I think. Someone could easily find more 2's if they wanted to keep looking.