I see we're back to a non-capcha universe. Spam monkeys got ya down, George? I don't blame you, the Internets are presently an infestation of gross criminal opportunity, while also wallowing in the realm of indulgent shallowness and banality. I think it was great when Syria turned off their Internets and I hope more failed nation states follow suit. No more riff-raff on the Internets, shall we? Speaking of riff-raff, what a mess in the US Senate this week. Turning down the disabled treaty, what sadness and delusion! The good news is that the FEMA camps are almost ready now, and they will soon be open and available for new recruits to begin their crucial re-education process. It's all about the healing. Welcome home... http://www.kickthemallout.com/article.php/Story-FEMA_Camps_Executive_Orders

Hey Walt, Biden wins by default, since Bam-Bam is still in diapers, and Romney's 5 boys are so busy cruising the Conan O'Brien circuit that they don't have any extra time to serve their country in the Army, Navy, Air Force, or US Marine Corps. Unlike Biden's son, who is an Army JAG officer. Money talks, bullshit walks folks. Romney's son's are bullshit walking, and it's pretty embarrassing. When I hear Romney and Ryan talk about foreign policy, it's like listening to another chicken hawk, Rush Limbaugh, discuss military issues. MONEY TALKS, BULLSHIT WALKS. Get some skin in the game and get back to me, Romney and Ryan. F'ing pussies. "'With all due respect, that is a bunch of malarkey,' Biden said when Ryan accused the White House of projecting an image of American weakness to the world." I have no truck for hypocritical cowards... Michael A.

Exactly, Earl. Bam-bam and Mr. Green Jeans won't be seeing any live screen time at our house tonight.

Ryan, Columbus does nothing for me. Way over-rated. I'm much more of a Henry Hudson kinda guy. Michael A.

I just wish the damn banks were open. But thank god it's no longer a school holiday. Progress!

I won't be playing in this arena (due to too many other current distractions) but I am enjoying the repartee. Thanks George. My favorite line thus far: "@Heminator That wasn't a debate so much as Mitt Romney just took Obama for a cross country drive strapped to the roof of his car" Priceless...

Meanwhile, back in Afghanistan: http://www.militaryaerospace.com/blogs/aerospace-defense-blog/2012/09/marines-experience-their-worst-air-disaster-in-nearly-half-a-century.html?cmpid=EnlMAESeptember262012

Todd, I have no idea how to respond to your comment. So I will just move on. George wrote: "Courage me lad, press on!" Yes, and your addendum afterward is interesting. I will try to comment tomorrow on this subject.

I totally agree Paul. And if you look at the trending graph for electoral votes on the right, Romney is taking a downward turn and Obama is heading up. http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/author/nate-silver/ Virginia, Florida, Ohio -- these are the phat ones. And Ohio looks to be the phattest one again. Todd Juvinall, call your office!

Paul, criminal conspiracy doesn't count if you believe in God and Country. If your intentions are true, then everything is legal. It's only a crime if your enemy does it. See how simple that is? And once America is reduced to a single conservative party, everything is going to be a lot simpler.

I tried George. Then Todd claimed this was "his county," and all hope was lost.

Thank you Todd, for leading the way in having good manners on the blogs. As someone who never goes personal and always sticks to the subject, I truly thank you for your excellent example.

Todd, your rock beckons...the sun is up, time to return to the darkness underneath.

"No, it is too onerous and anti property rights." Whoops, wrong answer. And here we get to the onus of the boil (carbuncle?): the Hysterical District was the driver of the saving of Nevada City from boarded up hell. And yes, the building boom that resulted in Lake Wildwood, Lake of the Pines, Cascade Shores, Deer Creek I (and other smaller developments as well), was also a huge driver. A lot of things all came together to make it happen. And it is still a work in progress. Then as now (now more than ever), the global economy and domestic demographics had a lot to do with our national success, as well as what drove the local success in Nevada County between 1962 and 1988. I think this is a great discussion, and I would hope that everyone is willing to agree to disagree, as well as find whatever percentage of things there is that we can indeed agree upon. One thing I would like to offer regarding the George v. Paul "hippies vs. GVG" meme is that I was in both worlds from 1988 till 1997. I was part of the local theatre scene from 1988 till 1996, founding the City Theatre Company on Commercial Street along with Karen Leigh in 1989 and eventually ending up on the board of the Foothill Theatre Company from 1992 till 1996. I was also a Systems Administrator for the Grass Valley Group during that same time frame, and came to appreciate the amazing gift that we have in our community with some of the top digital signal processing and communications protocol scientists in the world living here and raising their families. Actually, we're moving on to the second generation (at least) of that group. We also have 2 generations of hardware and software engineers living here, from the same GVG jobs engine, probably living in quality homes that Todd and his brethren thankfully built. I have more to add to the arts side of the discussion, but I'll let this comment stand as my beginning foray.

Did I somehow stumble upon the Kumbaya blog? My mistake...

What if everyone's right? What if many of the protests across the Middle East were spontaneous + the attack in Benghazi was planned?

Whooooops: http://www.theunion.com/news/2605458-113/lester-investors-lenders-gold

D. King wrote: "...after I exfoliate!" As an invertebrate, isn't that something you'd want to keep to yourself? Privacy man!

I love you, Billy T. Go Giants!

Steve F. wrote: "...but that doesn't mean its smart for KVMR and The Union to provide every blowhard a megaphone." I make it a policy not publish my opinions on people's business decisions on these blogs. If my fellow citizens want to know how I feel about those, they'll have to sit down with me and share a delicious hot or cold beverage. I found the whole Rush Limbaugh/KNCO "debate" very distasteful. If people make unwise business decisions, eventually they find out about it via direct feedback from their customers when those customers stop showing up. Boycotts should be saved for life-and-death matters. I was very vocal about my opinions regarding George's "Obamunism" screed. But I draw the line at telling The Union whether they should have printed it or not. The main reason? Because there is so much nonsense coming out of all media that that's all I'd be doing! Also, the non-value of screeds (from whatever direction) is self-evident; why beat a dead horse further by demanding its removal from public view?

Since Todd asked: for the record, and I've written this before, I think it's great that George has a regular column in The Union and a regular radio commentary on KVMR. And as Steve F. mentioned, I could care less if his last "Obamunism" column was under the masthead. Todd and Barry have it right: more speech, not less. Without George's column, I would never have heard of "Obamunism." Which, BTW, I still think is a ridiculous idea.

That was funny, Todd. Thanks for the morning laugh!

It's called "irony" Todd. You can look it up on the Internets.

Barry, is that a Cubs uniform you're wearing? I am so very very sorry, my friend. At least you have Houston to keep you from utter dispair. One of the things I have learned over the years is "change in self = change in others." This reflects somewhat Barry's sentiment. Todd, OTOH, continues to portray a cartoon character. I don't want Todd to change. Ever. He is a museum piece, and an important icon in Nevada County history. Perhaps we can get him installed standing smugly next to the steam car at the Nevada County Railroad Museum.

Nate Silver is the only place I bother looking anymore: http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/ What he tells me is that Obama had a great last couple of weeks of August and first week of Sept., and then Libya blew up and he's been losing ground ever since. The post-9/11 trend started to flatten out in the past day or so, and unless Romney can stop this new movement he's finished. Ohio, Virginia, Florida -- these are the only states that matter. Only in Florida does Romney really have a shot, at least as of today. As Steve Frisch says, this could all change in a heartbeat: an October surprise in the Middle East, Obama taking a dump in the debates, something else we can't even anticipate. So, until I get any further info. from Nate that things are changing, I am planning on Obama having a 2nd term. And I am actively avoiding the 24/7 election news cycle since I have a lot better things to do with my time.