said -

Should Russia decide to launch missles or strategic bombers against the United States, they won't fly across Alaska. They will fly over the North Pole and Canada, which is the shortest route to the US. That is why the US and Canada established the DEW line in the 1950's.

They would not bother to go near Alaska at all.

#### So! Alaska will indeed be the safe place when the End Times come!

That's what I was thinking. There was such a stink about Obama's pastor, who at least had some justification for railing against racist America, and there's virtually nothing, no constant reruns of video on CNN etc., of Palin's church goings-on, esp. of this African nut and his imaginary witches.

That's what I'm doing - about NEXT week's debate, the commentary here and elsewhere, and you guys' posts. Oh joy. (But I fear it will never happen... The GOP isn't that crazy.)

with politicans is something we Canadians have managed not to do (since the charming but disastrous Pierre) - Dion? Harper? Layton? May? Pleeeeze. So we have to look to other things, however much it may make our poor heads hurt, like policies and such. And, of course, we don't have the terror and responsibility (that many Americans, obsessed with gays and abortions and other close-to-home matters, seem to be oblivious about) of electing the most powerful person in the world...

But any glimmer of consciousness must surely result in RAGE at this Palin person that has been foisted upon the voters...

femininity shmemininity.

Actually, with Palin, it's ninnity we're talking.

I for one have no use for people like you - Joan puts her name and face to what she writes, and you are anonymous. If you don't like reading Joan, or Salon, then DON'T.

How about "qualified" meaning able to speak a coherent sentence w.o. a teleprompter, and having just a clue or two. I could have answered some of those interview questions much better - and I don't consider myself remotely "qualified" for, um, even mayor of Wasila.

Politicians routinely expect the Spanish Inquisition, and any politician worth hisser salt, even small-town ones, know how to meet and even win over the SI. Palin will have a lot tougher people to talk to than Couric (reasonable), Gibson (a mite snotty) and anybody else in the press corps. Politicians should at least be able to produce a coherent response THE SECOND TIME AROUND on some really simple question, like Russian's proximity.

Obama was able to put together complete sentences and complex thoughts at the debate. He uses the teleprompter for speeches, standard practice, but functions perfectly well away from it.

Point everyone is making is that Palin doesn't. (sheesh)

McCain's choice of Palin is the most sexist and offensive slap at women (and people in general) in recent memory.

One thing I am wondering about, and have seen it brought up only a couple of times:- Palin is a Pentecostal and of a part of the Christian religion that (still) says the man is the head of the household and women must obey. I had some Pents in my house the other day and the husband made some kind of joke about how the bible says the man is the head...but, he added, the woman is the neck and can twist the head any way she wants, haha (puke). Anyway, what I'd like to know is does this man-head-of-household apply outside of the household? And don't those people think women should be in the kitchen cooking the moose and not trying to run world affairs? Todd may be a more immediate threat than bringing on the End Times... (Or just humiliating those of us who are feminists, or just women, or just people.)

Right - how about some references? It's easy to find all sorts of references FOR the obedient-woman thing (after all, it says it in the bible). If Palin's church has more progressive ideas (tho the witch-hunter thing makes one doubt it), it would be good to know. (Might make an infinitesimal improvement in my view of Palin's possible presidency.)

Whew, and here I thought it was going to be some kind of vast burden on us and our children.