To tell you the truth, I'm not sure we haven't had this conversation before; perhaps over on BladeForums -- I'm jnphares over there. I'm pretty sure I recommended that series before, and your recommendation of alibris.com sounds very familiar.

Time to sign off for the night. I'm on vacation starting tomorrow until the 12th; if I were smarter than I am, I wouldn't check my work email while I'm out, but I'll probably check it at least once/day and even answer questions.

anyone around this evening

I had mentioned it when I made a post about finishing my collection of The Horseclans novels.

Man. This election really annoys me. I hate the way the system is set up, with a President having so much power and the people having to elect him (or potentially her; I'm not opposed to the idea of a female President;) as a "package deal". The two major candidates have such opposite views, and I strongly disagree with both of them on different specific points, that I don't feel that either one is fit to be elected to the office. But realistically what other option is there? You either elect somebody you dislike, or somebody else you dislike, and choose which issues you're prepared to see flushed down the toilet.

I really really wish the President had less actual power. Less of an agenda. And that more of the critical points were individually and separately decided by Congress and House where, given the number of participating members, there is at least some chance of the outcome reflecting the actual will of the people.

*sigh* <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

You could have a government like ours, where if the PM doesn't have a mojority when elected, he/she has gotta cowtow to the opposition (right now, that would be either the NDP or LIEberals) to get enough votes to pass anything.

Morning fellas, what's going on

Well your presidential election is dominating our TV News.....even we are over fed with this....also because I am a member of your NRA I am getting constant e-mails to remember to vote McCain....it is all a bit O.T.T. on quantity....my type of candidate no longer exists....but I have a lot of admiration for Teddy Roosevelt....he was very much like our Churchill....there are no more men of stature in politics....

my preferred candidate is no longer running, it feels almost like the GOP has conceded this election and are just giving McCain his dues, much like they did with Dole. Oh well, I can still hope, at least for another 12 hours <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crossfingers.gif" alt="" />

It does seem that way....a two horse race ....and none of them worth a bet!

I agree, oh well, not much we can do about it other than vote, however out here in California it is a foregone conclusion who the state is siding with.

Constitutionally, the Executive branch shouldn't be nearly as powerful as it currently is. The office of the President has gained power over the years, mostly since the latter half of the 20th century and at a fearfully accelerating rate since 9/11, because Congress has abandoned their responsibilities. They've handed over authority, and failed to challenge when even more authority was assumed because they don't want to accept blame for bad decisions. The Executive should never never have the power that it has exercised under the Bush administration.

The US was shocked by being attacked by the Japanese in 1941, and when nuclear war became a real possibility, Congress handed over war powers to the President because it accepted that events could overwhelm the deliberative character of the Legislative branch and overtake their ability to react to them. Now that we're at war with a noun rather than a nation, the Executive has a perpetual foot in the door to exercise war powers -- this nation is not recognizable as the government that it was intended to be.

it is only going to get worse from here