So, that's a thumbs down, I take it?

A ride on the escalator for my pal Julie, who forwarded the link to Roger Ebert's assessment of your Republican VP nominee. Pretty right-on, I think.

My dad recently mentioned to me that he thought it would be nice if there weren't so many people - indeed this segment of our population seems to be massive, rapidly growing and, seemingly, mostly right-wing - who consider attributes like "intelligent" and "well-educated" as character flaws to be mocked. My dad, incidentally, also once mentioned me that you really don't need that much shaving cream per shave - a little squirt is usually enough.

Anyway, I guess Republican brass deserves credit for figuring out the best way to appeal to the most voters - accentuating their candidates' native averageness. It's like we're watching the Republic turn into an Idiocracy right before our very eyes. As for me, intellectual curiosity is like a quality I'd like a president or vice president to have. That, a natty hairdo and a snappy wardrobe.