Steve, I was taken out of school halfway into 10th grade just before the school would have kicked me out ) It was less embarrassing for my parents that way. My grades in English were the German equivalent of the American “F” for several years running before that, so it’s rather obvious that “school” and “I” simply never got along. I’ve always been a voracious reader, though, and incorrigibly curious about everything and nothing.

Being free to make up one’s mind based on a grand variety of information rather than having to go by limited and pre-chewed opinion would serve our politicians well too – and even more Us The People. ‘Course, that’s not realistic, but it’s a nice dream.

“At work today we were debating what to drink/eat after every Palin gaffe on Thursday. We determined that shots would not work because we’d all be blasted after the first half-hour. We’re now torn between chocolate or jelly beans.”

I suggest you go back to shots. Why be sober in the second half-hour? If you train yourselves to associate Palin’s ravings with tasty munchies, you will end up thinking of her every time you have some – wouldn’t work for me, how about you?

Avril, you wrote:

“Are the candidates allowed to wear ear pieces to be given info while at the podium while debating?”

No.

“If not then how do we know that they are complying?”

Search under Palin’s hair if she’s wearing it down.

“Also do they know the questions in advance?”

If the questioner is honest, no.

Suchanut, you wrote :

“I’ve become a conspiracy theorist! OMG!”
(snips)
“Sheesh….it’s almost believable.”

Not totally farfetched. In 1900 the New York State Republicans pushed Governor Theodore Roosevelt to run for vice president because they wanted him out of New York. McKinley and Roosevelt were elected, and then McKinley got blown away. McCain claims to be a successor to Roosevelt – but could Palin be hoping she is?

JM, you wrote: “Are there any people who prefer being the ‘power behind the throne’ rather than on it? [If one studies histories of monarchies, quite often there have been regents who really ran things on 'behalf of' minor kings.]”

Dick Cheney, Karl Rove…

Ira, you wrote : “I have no college education ( I never even finished high school. Is there any way to be “elitist” just on account of having a brain, or am I doomed to be an enemy in Palin’s camp?”

I would not have guessed, after reading your other messages, that you have not had the benefit of higher education. So the answer to your question is, Yes. You think, and you write in complete, grammatical sentences. Therefore you are the enemy.

A flock of Canada geese just flew over my house here in PA, so I am preparing for my new job as the Prime Minister of Canada. Wish me luck.

Oh my God,That is too funny,Thank You

Top 10 Reasons Sarah Palin Cancels The Debate:

10. Suspicious Russian tourists spotted across the Bering strait in Dezhnevo

9. Wrasslin’ a bear

8. Learns Tina Fey will be watching

7. When taken on tour of White House by McCain handlers, is “inadvertently” locked in Cheney’s man-sized safe

6. Schedule for memorizing state capitals thrown off by need for new schedule to memorize states

5. Speechless after finally looking up what “MILF” stands for

4. On deadline to finish her book, Namin’ Your Baby the Alaskan Way

3. Needs more time to really nail those hilarious hair-plug zingers

2. No matter how hard she scrubs, she can’t get Kissinger’s moral stank off of her

1. Stuck in traffic on the Bridge to Nowhere

Mr. Palin = reTODD

second. Joe Biden has just as much common man appeal as SWWNBN has as the hockey mom. If she goes on about her family life, he can too. And he can talk about his son in Iraq, if she does. he can talk about taking the train to work, too. That will be a losing argument for her. He’s the opposite of elitist, IMHO. And his smile lights up a room as well as hers.

Today was a Coffee Creme.