Today's Cranky Rant

Speaking of repressive dictatorships. Thomas Friedman in the New York Times, who has never met a concentrated state power he doesn't like as long as he can duck into a McDonald's, tells us we all have to be more like China. Which would mean industrialization at the expense of the environment, mass curtailing of protests, only happy stories in the news, and the Potemkin Village of a 24/7/52 Olympics. Y'know -- sort of like watching Fox News in Disneyland all day.

Speaking of the Olympics.

Number of new world swimming records set in 2004: 8
Number of new world swimming records set in 2008: 25
Number of new Olympic swimming records set in 2008: 65

Ignoring, like the IOC, the possibility of doping, isn't the addition of the new preferred swimming outfit, Speedo’s LZR Racer, like saying "Everybody used to have to drive with their windows locked open; now you can drive with them closed, if you want to?" And isn't the addition of two empty lanes on either side of the pool the equivalent of saying "Hey--you can return the ball from the doubles court, not the singles court now?" So how is that anything like an equal playing field?

Speaking of equal playing fields. Tuesday morning's top Democratic convention story: will Hillary rise to the challenge? Today's top Democratic convention story: will Obama rise to the challenge? Why do I think that none -- repeat: none -- of the top stories of the Republican convention will ever contain the word "challenge?" Because the mainstream media is always harder on the liberal. "God forbid I get accused of liberal bias!" they cry, like closeted Senators who vote against Gay Rights bills. They'll give McCain a free pass; wait and see.

Speaking of the election. If the middle of the country believes that we're on a war footing, the Republican will win. If the middle of the country believes that we're heading for a Depression, the Democrat will win. And all undecided voters will make their decisions, pro or con, based on either race or military experience.