PastaJoe

I'd like some more discussion about all the people who were kicked out of their homes against their will and not fully compensated so the Olympic venue could be built where it was. Or the reformers who were imprisoned or detained so they wouldn't protest during the Olympics. Or the fact that Tiananman Square was put off limits to everyone so there would be no public displays of protest. Or the restrictions on internet access that the Chinese imposed on even the foreign journalists. Let's see the real China, not the happy face farce that is being promoted to make people think everything is great in China. I wish one of the medal winners would hold up a Free Tibet banner while on the platform.

Pro-American doesn't equal Pro-Bush policies. And I doubt the first issue a European voter looks at is how their government relates to the U.S..

Get a radio talk show and pander to like-minded people who don't want to acknowledge there's a problem that needs to be dealt with. You can sell them chairs and t-shirts with your logo on them so they can show others they're "Proud to be a Global Warmer".

The left understands there are bad guys, but you need allies to build a coalition to stand up to them, and use diplomacy and sanctions when possible, and military force as a last resort. McCain comes across as having a short fuse, and more likely to jump to the last resort quicker than is prudent. What do you propose the U.S. do, blockade Russia? Send troops into Georgia?

If that's what they're doing, yes.

The smart response is not to lose your cool like McCain as a first response. The tough talk should be done behind the scenes so as not to publicly embarrass Russia and make them more resistant to a pull back because it will look like they backed down to the U.S..

The amazing pictures were the ones on the news earlier in the day that showed the crying people who's homes were bulldozed to make room for this publicity farce, and the people who got arrested for protesting it.

"Mr President, do to me what you did to our country".

- Can the left tackles protect the QBs back side - Can Edwards get the ball away before getting hit from the back side - Can the O line maintain a sustained ground drive - Can the D line get good push up the middle

McCain has a history of infidelity, Edwards didn't. Just like all the stories in the past few years of Bill Clinton having affairs since leaving the White House, which were reported as rumors but never proven. Once you're known as a cheater, people are more likely to believe and publish rumors without proof. It's not fair, but it occurs to politicians from both parties.

On the plus side, it was with a woman.

"Boris, you've just conquered Georgia, what do you plan to do next?" "Ve're going to Disneyvorld!"

If people have to get their hope from an image on a window or a grilled cheese sandwich, that is a bad thing regarding those people's mindset. And it's even worse when people exploit them and make them pay to see it or sell it on ebay.

I give Howard a pass on sometimes letting success go to his head because Howard really had to do some lousy jobs and face rejection when he started, but he stuck to his vision and in the end it worked. He made it in spite of his looks, not because of them like most other celebraties. Not so much compassion for people who came onboard after the success like Artie, who has a job that allows him to basically do whatever he wants, all he has to do is show up. I understand that part of Artie's appeal is his personal life and habits, but he's gone overboard. I always preferred Jackie anyways.

John McCain now supports properly inflated tires. On a conference call with Philadelphia voters Tuesday night, McCain offered support for the fuel-saving tip. "And could I mention that Sen. Obama a couple of days ago said that we ought to all inflate our tires, and I don't disagree with that," he said on the call. "The American Automobile Association strongly recommends it. But I also don't think that that's a way to become energy independent." Of course neither does Obama. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

But shouldn't a person be able to go to a game wearing opposing gear without worrying about being doused with beer or beat up? I'm not talking about a jerky Patriot fan who yells, "the Bills suck, we own you!", but the guy who might bring his son to a game and root for his team in a respectful way. Fans wear opposing jerseys to hockey and baseball games all the time, and there isn't the level of abuse that there is for football.

I'd have no problem with Cheney and Bush dressing up as Batman and Robin and going to fight the bad guys. But of course the reality is they just make decisions that put other people in danger while they're safe and secure; more like Amanda Waller (for the other comic geeks).

The downside of this is that it could mean that Schobel is underperforming.

On a Syracuse radio talkshow this was discussed yesterday, and the Bills fans were getting hammered by callers who went to the Ralph to see their favorite teams who were playing the Bills. They talked about how they were verbally abused and got beer dumped on them just for wearing the opponents jersey or hat, and when they complained to security they were told to remove their gear and it wouldn't happen. They also talked about abusive language and people pukeing while tailgating in the parking lots. True or not, that's the reputation the stadium has out here. The host put the Bills fan's behavior in the same catagory as Eagle and Raider fans.

Real Clear Politics takes an average of all the different polls most recent results: Poll Date Sample Obama (D) McCain ® Spread RCP Average 07/23 - 08/04 -- 47.3 44.5 Obama +2.8 AP-Ipsos 07/31 - 08/04 833 RV 48 42 Obama +6.0 Gallup Tracking 08/02 - 08/04 2674 RV 47 43 Obama +4.0 Rasmussen Tracking 08/02 - 08/04 3000 LV 46 47 McCain +1.0 CNN 07/27 - 07/29 914 RV 51 44 Obama +7.0 USA Today/Gallup 07/25 - 07/27 791 LV 45 49 McCain +4.0 Pew Research 07/23 - 07/27 1241 RV 47 42 Obama +5.0 Colorado 47.0 45.3 Obama +1.7 Virginia 47.3 46.3 Obama +1.0 Missouri 45.3 47.3 McCain +2.0 Michigan 46.3 42.0 Obama +4.3 Ohio 46.0 45.5 Obama +0.5 Florida 45.2 46.8 McCain +1.6 Electoral College Obama McCain Toss Ups RCP Electoral Count 238 163 137 No Toss Up States 322 216 - http://www.realclearpolitics.com/

The holographic shielding for Gorilla City must be malfunctioning (for those familiar with The Flash).

Just like betting on football increased interest in games, so has fantasy football. More people are watching games they would never care about if not for fantasy implications, which boosts ratings, which is good for all concerned. It's a way to have some friendly competition among friends and coworkers, just like Superbowl squares. I've been running a league for 18 years, and it's been a way to keep connections with old coworkers and friends. You can root for your NFL team to win but still hope a player you have on an opponent's team gets good stats; it's not inconsistant.

A couple of factors that contribute to the uncertainty of the polls this year is 1) some people who are unwilling to vote for Obama because of race won't say so in a poll to a stranger (the Bradley factor), and 2) many younger voters use cell phones and not land lines, and therefore may never be contacted by pollsters. So there are unique circumstances that may contribute to hidden support for both candidates.

Do I believe the neo-cons want to make a military strike on Iran before they leave office and lose their chance, you bet. The question is whether Bush is smart enough to resist them after being burned by their push to invade Iraq.

The bigger question is will Bush wait, or will he succumb to Cheney whispering in his ear to attack.