• Ron Paul's thoughts exactly.
  
  
• It's really sad when candidates talk for two hours and two sentences become the focal point of all the coverage.
  
  
• In the span of a single sentence, the Tribune discusses de-evolution and implies that politicians are not "real people." Such is the state of our political discourse.
  
  
• Obama wants to give 17-year-olds who will be able to vote in the general election to be able to caucus in Iowa. When George W. Bush was elected for the first time, I was scared shitless that he was going to start a pointless war so he could rebuild the military-industrial complex, and make sure he got re-elected based on public reticence to switch presidents during wartime (go figure). More to the point, I was six months shy of being old enough to vote, and scared shitless that Bush would start a really big war which would require a draft, and I'd die a bloody and miserable death for the political career of a man I despised and couldn't vote against. I thought it was dramatically unfair, even though I lived in a blue state and my vote wouldn't have changed a thing. I do recognize that a line on voting age has to be drawn somewhere, but I'm all for giving almost-there kids a chance to voice their opinions. Really, the difference between 18 and 17 and a half isn't that huge: kids who are going to be well-informed before they vote are going to be well-informed, and kids that are going to cast a write-in vote for Shaggy 2 Dope are still going to vote for Shaggy 2 Dope.
  
  
• TPM:

  Considering this White House's track record on leaks, it should be noted that the bin Laden video was leaked on September 7, the Friday before Gen. David Petraeus was slated to begin his much-anticipated testimony on Iraq the following Monday.

  
  
  
• It's been almost 100 years since the Armenian genocide, but as a nation, we still haven't recognized it as such. And today, we're no closer, because George W. Bush is afraid that our failed war in Iraq is going to fail harder if we piss off the country that committed the genocide.
  
  
• Remember: Wikipedia is to be consulted for general information, which can lead to more detailed research. It is NOT a valid source.
  
  
• Any readers with a bottle of patchouli oil and a copy of Aoxomoxoa at home, you're not going to believe the news I have for you! On the other hand, I can now claim that Kuma's Corner and I are on a heroic environmental crusade to kill and grill this dangerous source of greenhouse gases.

As I'm finishing up for the day, I'm seeing the first reports of a school shooting in Cleveland. I won't comment, other than to express my sorrow. Things like this shouldn't happen, much less be so common.