And, lest anyone should think that I'm a McMain McCain man...

I dislike the recent advertising run by the McCain campaign on the price of gasoline.

"Pump" depicts Senator Obama and his liberal counterparts in congress as blocking potential solutions to relieve the rising cost of energy. In other words, to drill or not to drill? To subsidize or not to subsidize?

I know that Obama supporters will split hairs on Senator Obama's feelings on various solutions to defuse the specific tenets of this advertisement. Fine, do as you wish. The crticisms, while Obama lovers will cry about them, probably fit more than they don't, but every politician has his spin.

In truth, the brunt of this attack campaign should also be pointed back at Senator McCain. Not for his failure to champion any of the specific strategies mentioned, but rather because he is a part of the gridlock that has gripped our government for years. When congress can't claim any view longer than the current fiscal year, there's trouble a'brewin'. In other words, McCain's got no room to talk on this subject.

Pols should react when necessary, but I elect representatives in government to get out in front of these things. Is that too much to ask?

(By the way, I can't believe that I even wrote that McMain thing. I'd better get some sleep.)

Sigh. More Media bias. Admitted by the media themselves.

First of all, let's just talk about the mass of coverage. Who's getting the good press?

CBS News reports a study by the Center for Excellence in Journalism (an academic organization recently separated from Columbia University) that shows the coverage gap to be significant:

In 77 percent of the stories, Obama played an important role, and 51 percent featured McCain.

"That's an edge," said [study author] Rosenthiel. "That is a big enough difference that it is an uneven playing field probably for McCain."

Secondly, this story about Senator McCain's travails with an Op-Ed piece written in response to Senator Obama's treatise on the Iraqi occupation in the NY Times has truly gotten attention from some writers with other media outlets, as follows:


LA Times writer Don Fredrick, on the NY Times defense of their rejection of McCain's writen piece:

Shipley may have been on slippery ground in touting the "new information" that Obama had provided; little leaps out in a rereading. Indeed, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee introduced several of his specifics with these phrases: "As I've said many times," and "As I have often said."

Obviously conservative writer Ross Balano of the Kansas City Star has this to say:

It should be noted that from 1995 until 1997 [NY Times Editor] Shipley was Special Assistant to the President and a Senior Presidential Speechwriter for Bill Clinton.

So, The Times reveals itself (as if there were any doubt) to be completely in the tank for Obama with the big three television networks.

Finally, about the recent overseas trip by Senator Obama to Afghanistan and Iraq (his FIRST):

Mr. Hounshell of Foriegn Policy has this to say:

A show of hands: Who remembers anything that happened during John McCain's travels to Colombia and Mexico?

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?

Well, I'd bet you have a good handle on what Barack Obama is up to this week. ...

His trip is getting major, wall-to-wall coverage...

Bias. Everyday, everyway! Whoo hoo! I love network wonks and idealistic journos choosing my president for me. It's much easier that way.

Read BOTH sides people. REALLY read. If you're already decided, you're probably woefully inadequately informed on the other candidate. READ. FOR YOURSELF.

Canon PowerShot S5 IS Swindle Update

As you may recall, I have a Canon PowerShot S5 IS that has the "Lens Error, Restart Camera" or "E18 Error" defect.

Canon refused to repair it.

I called today to ask why Canon wouldn't repair the five-month-old camera, and I'll boil their position down to this: "It's not us, it you."

Canon, I will actively campaign against you. There are many ways, but I will create a stink big enough that you'll beg me to take a new camera from you. I will win.

It did feel good to smash the flawed PowerShot into shards of metal and plastic on my driveway this evening. At least I have that.

Shan Foster, former Vanderbilt Hoops Star, sings

Shan: Great years at Vandy. OK singing.

However, you are in danger of not making the Dallas Mavericks roster. Concentrate on the ball, OK?

Just a suggestion.