The ISH's mainly working - though still a bit choppy - but we haven't called off the competition's service visit for next week. I understand that change is what we may need. When I asked myself whether we could have high speed that didn't cut out, I thought "yes, we can." It's about hope for the future. For some reason I can't put my finger on, it's like John McCain doesn't understand.

• Your What Is Normal Scandal Update: So if reputations are not hurt over larger scandals, isn't it relevant?
• Your Man For Mao Update: the oldest Beijing Brooklyner.
• And Now McCain Slams Down Fabulous Wild Card Update: I LOVE IT!!! How's that for out Obamaing Obama. Nice lid, too, Ms. Palin.
• What's a Grecian Urn Update: "The young workman who saw it was astounded and shouted 'land mine!'"
• Anyone notice how the music industry has yet to collapse? How many false promises have not panned out?
• How many steps away are we from the word seige? Not being meodramatic, but the comparisons to the Seige of Fort Stanwix in 1777 popped into my head after we visited there Sunday.
• I liked the bit of the Obama speech I heard on the radio before I fell asleep. So, just for the record - yes - if that becomes one of the greatest political speeches of all time...I fell asleep. I liked the strong but implicit challenge to the idea that he is an average African-American through the continuous images and references to his Kansas family and even the one picture. I expect to hear discussion of whether race is a meaningless concept at some point before November.
• Choppier still.
• I can't decide if I want a Federal election - other than, like Ben, I just like elections. While Harper's manufacturing of an excuse to break the fixed date law is just silly we have to remember, to be fair, he has simply run out of ideas. And this is besides this point well made by Paul Wells: "He does not like to be crossed. I am no longer sure he can conceive of an interest more elevated than making everyone understand he does not like to be crossed." Being without national vision as a matter of ideological principle, we are left with ArcticQuest 2009 as well as reasonably centrist administrative skills as a platform. Does anyone find the program compelling? That being said, Duceppe and Jack are cheeky wee buggers.
• More intermittent than choppy now.
• GIAMBI!!! You think the guy starts to loose it with his on again off again facial hair and then, after he wins the game, you start thinking it's time to grow your own moustacheo.
• Support the Beijing grannies!

I better stop now to see if I can even get this posted. Norman may have been a breath of fresh air but I have only so much time to watch a page grind and grind and grind trying to open as I pay fifty bucks a month for high speed...but what if it's just my computer...yikes, never thought of that.