Current conditions

I took the weekend off.  I could get use to just kicking back and relaxing a bit in the early morning.

Oh well, I will start out today with the past week in review, cartoon style.  Again, I remind everyone that both sides of the aisle need a sense of humor.   From RealClearPolitics.com.

Now that you have hopefully had a few chuckles ...

There is an interesting ad running on t.v.  I have only seen it on CNN but I have have read it is running on a few other cable channels.  It is paid for and "stars" if you will a self-made billionaire immigrant from Hungary.  No not the famous, or infamous, George Soros.  This gentleman is Thomas Peterffy.

There is a good on-line piece on the CNN website about Mr. Peterffy.  If you want to see the ad, you can catch it on You Tube.

Shifting gears ....

The fairness doctrine.  Just what is it.  Being involved on the local level, I am acutely aware of how upper levels of the government apply the fairness doctrine to local communities.  Indeed, state and federal government commitment for many categories of aid/grants/etc. to local communities is directly related to wealth distribution fairness concept, and also to a modest extent it is based on just how effective your elected representatives are at filling the pork barrel.

The concept of fairness does not always imply equal.  Indeed I can and do agree there are circumstances that require less then an equal distribution in order for things to be fair. Depending on what wedge of a pie chart you are squeezed into will depend on your whole concept of what is or isn't fair.

We could spend days, months, years discussing what is fair and why, and never reach an agreement on it.  A pretty obvious statement given the gridlock in D.C. But what is fair does in fact depend on one's point of view, and there in lies the rub.

And there in lies the reason the country is so divided, because deep down what is fair is, and has always been, dependent upon one's point of view.  Today's public point of view is as fractured as a broken mirror unfortunately.

Shifting gears again ...

Another example of the people's party and its tolerance for those who decide not to tow the blue line, see  The Daily Beast and the Buzz Bissinger piece.

Once again I note this not to show that the right is any better, because it is not.  The point is to again show that the moral high ground seems to have been lost to both sides.  It is no longer about all, but about pieces of that pie chart.

Moving on ...

Tomorrow night's debate will be a pivotal moment in the presidential election.  There is no down playing the fact. Do I expect a repeat of the last debate? No I don't.  Of course I didn't expect the results that came out of the last debate either.

It will be very interesting.  The town hall format will certainly limit the "attack" mode possibilities for either candidate.  One would think so anyway.  Questions will be coming from the audience.

The questions that will remain is whether Obama can stem the tide.  Biden did manage to put a band-aid on the gash when he and Ryan debated.  There is some issue as to whether the blood flow was stemmed by Biden per se, or the simple fact that the post Obama debate performance had stopped hemorrhaging support naturally.  

Yesterday's RCP poll average has Romney up with a 1.3% popular vote lead.  I am assuming that will fluctuate some today based on up to the minute results from polling done yesterday, and what those polled have absorbed from all the "news" talk shows that proliferate the airwaves (or cable lines) on a Sunday.

The question that seems to be swirling around is just how well must Obama do in the next debate.  Can he regain momentum with a "draw"?  Must it be a clear and convincing win for him?  If he stumbles again, what the heck does that result in?

The registration deadline for voting is Wednesday.  If you moved recently, especially if you have changed towns, have never registered or know someone who isn't registered, make sure to get registered.  It is simple, and quick.  Go to your town/city clerk's office and do it!

Locally, the selectmen meet tonight.  I expect the special town meeting date will be set tonight.  To clarify, it was a near certainty we were going to have to call a special t.m. prior to the annual to deal with other issues.  So the proposed new addition at voc-tech is not the only reason for a meeting, it is just the reason driving the timing.

To further clarify, I am neither for or against it at this point.  You have to have a basis to be for or against a specific project, and at this point, the wealth of my knowledge is comprised of the fact I simply know the project exists and has been green lighted by the state, and the initial stated reason in the paper, and the radio blurb recently about the hearing in New Bedford.  My expressed ire has been about, let's call it attitudes and procedures.   

Speaking of attitudes and procedures, I expect the state report on the Town operations will address the same to a degree. I am told that the same now should be out soon.

Related to financial operations, if you haven't heard, our Director of Finance is resigning effective November 2, 2012 I believe.  

Anyway, that's it for today.   Take care and be safe.