... to paraphrase Time Magazine's latest cover title.

I'm was fed up about 543 days ago with media hype (and we can hardly avoid it even here in Canada, short of crawling under a log) surrounding the 2008 election. I've heard so many Canadians say the same thing. When campaigning for the next US election starts but days after the inauguration of the current president, of course bazillions of dollars must be spent. Talk of limiting campaign spending is as effective as swatting flies in an outhouse so long as the US presidential election process is not first revised from the very depths of the sump.

It wasn't a great joy here, last federal election, to drive to the poll in sub-zero temps (Fahrenheit or Celcius, take your pick) with but a few weeks' notice of the upcoming federal election. At least there was no blizzard. The abbreviated campaign time actually accented who was able to think on his/her feet as opposed to those who could afford the best spin MD's. (Well, yeah, we still got Harper. Could have been worse.)

Neither system is infallible. I don't believe that either one can be proven to be superior to the other. I do believe that I am more likely to make the effort to get out and vote if I haven't been subjected to hundreds of days of - to put it politely - political rhetoric.

My mother had a stroke several years ago.

Her cognative abilities were only slightly altered; almost exclusively restricted to short-term memory abilities. The affected leg suffered a 50% reduction in strength/coordination which affected her ability to walk accordingly.

The most traumatic result of the stroke was the loss of 95% of the use in her left arm. She counts her blessings because she is right-handed. She says her biggest curse now is having that useless left arm always in her way. While awake, she suffers the 'phantom pain' of any amputee - with the added annoyance of having a 15-lb dead weight to keep out of the way.

It's worse at night. Every move she makes at night involves dealing with that same dead weight. It reduces her quality of sleep and in doing so, also reduces her ability to maintain the upbeat state of mind she needs in order to deal with the reality of having her formerly active lifesyle reduced by over 50%.

She has begged physicians to amputate the arm. The majority say they would do so in a heartbeat - were it not that the wrong combination of heartbeats during that surgery carry serious, indeed, fatal risk of another stroke.

I also have a paraplegic sister who would rid herself of half of both legs if the risks were not so great.

These are only 2 adults I will quote (able to think, reason and argue for themselves) who would, if able, undergo huge physical alterations for the sake of larger benefits. I haven't walked a single step in their mocassins but I stride alongside them every day.

Cost of Alberta Health Care Premiums in the last 10 years for my extended family:

$20,000.

Total bill for serious family injuries/illnesses in the last 10 years:

$1.5 million.

How much more my extended family has paid in taxes compared US to extended friends/family/acquaintances in the same tax bracket:

$400,000.00

Hillary Rodham was born beyond smart. She made a big impact in her own field while helping her husband aspire to his political ambitions and offices.

She stuck with him during his indisretions (ouch - but - how many of you out there have stuck with a mate because, despite the misery, you couldn't imagine being with anyone else?). Oh, and by the way, she birthed and raised a daughter through it all.

She proved herself a valid, electible and efficient candidate for NY senate. She came as close to being the first female POTUS as any are likely to be in my lifetime. Seems to me that President-elect Obama had more than a bit of bravery to select Ms. Clinton to this position.

As the adage goes: If you want something done, give it to a busy person - someone too busy to worry about her "fat can" being sheathed in a "polyester suit".

Adios, Ms. Rice.