On one hand I tire of the banality and yahooism of the US election, as a perusal of recent posts and comments here and elsewhere might suggest, yet - perhaps like the building of fire - one is drawn the the effect of it all. Look at today's Electoral Vote Predictor. Lots of movement since July. 52 votes are tied but the gap is 42. So much for the convention bumps for either candidate and, in fact, so much even for the popular vote.

There are only, what, 538 votes for the US president. Just 538 votes.