AND ANOTHER ONE: Daily News Endorses Romney.

REMEMBER THE EIGHTIES: How the Japanese top down model was going to outgrow our economy in no time?  Yes?  Well, about that: A declining Japan loses its once-hopeful champions.

PARENTING DOES MATTER: Who knew?  And as we know from Head Start, this is not the sort of thing solved with a government program.  How about making taxes less punitive, so that people can afford to raise their own kids?

I’LL TAKE “AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN” FOR SIXTEEN TRILLION, ALEX: Obama needs to come clean on Benghazi.

THE FAIL: ALLARD: Obama knew about the attack, ignored three requests for help.

SCARY: Some of the best Halloween costumes are the simplest.

NY POST FIRES FULL BATTERY AT OBAMA: On the fiscal cliff, Kyle Smith on his lack of a second-term agenda, Peggy Noonan on his debates and negotiations, Amir Taheri on how he lost the Middle East, John Bolton on that Nobel Peace Prize, Matt Welch on his lies, Edward Klein on his amateur governance, Michael Tanner on the cost of ObamaCare, John Podhoretz on his radical agenda, Amity Shlaes on his bad economic choices.  Apparently Michelle Obama could not be reached for a post on his bad eating habits, or Bo for one on how he’s an inadequate petter.  But even without those these op-eds make Obama a demolished man.

FORWARD:  It’s our only hope!  It’s 3 a.m.  Do you know where your government is?

AND THE BEST WAY TO SAVE YOUR LIFE IS TO DRINK CYANIDE: Meet the fiscal cliff-divers, who think jumping off could be our best bet.  (I don’t think “best” means what you think it means.)

SAY NO: Will Obama’s Benghazi Cover-up Succeed?

It might be time for folk to call or write their local news outlets with questions about “what happened in Benghazi September 11?” and “why aren’t you more fully reporting the September 11 events in Benghazi?” — that way we can help ensure the cover-up does not succeed.

Remember, no one died in Watergate.

PIN PRICK TO THE EDUCATION BUBBLE: Florida Tries Higher Ed Experiment.   Well, at least they are aware of it now.  However, as the mother of two college students, something must be done about the tuition.

HEH! *AM I ALLOWED TO DO HEH?*: Snake on a plane! Glasgow airport gets a surprise.

TWO CRUMBLING MODELS ARE BETTER THAN ONE: The Telegraph fails to see why two traditional publishers merging together will not make them better.  When Amazon and Apple rule the roost in publishing, being bigger is not the path to success — being innovative is.  But hey, publishing mergers worked (badly) in the eighties.  So they should work today.

CREEPY: Even for Halloween this commercial from the Obama Campaign is over the top.  Having kids sing about how bad life will be under your rival is not exactly hope — or a change anyone wants. You know what it reminded me of, that anti-global warming  ad with children exploding.  This is what happens when you lock yourself in an echo chamber.

WHEN A GEEK MEETS A GEEK:  Nerd York City.

HOW BIG DOES MITT HAVE TO WIN FOR FRAUD NOT TO COUNT: Is voter fraud being committed in Ohio? It’s like this administration comes from Chicago or something…

UPDATE: To clarify — those voters on buses might be perfectly legitimate.  Even the sort of voter “aid” that’s being provided while shady fits in with an American tradition in the immigrant precincts in the early twentieth century.  What made me scared in that article were Ohio’s requirements to register to vote.  I don’t live in Ohio, but guys: neither the social security number, nor the drivers’ licenses, nor the electricity bill are proof of citizenship. I know.  I am an immigrant.  When did citizenship stop mattering?  When are we going to puncture through the idea that people with an accent or imperfect English are offended at being asked for proof of citizenship?  We’re not.  Those of us who have naturalized, those of us who are Americans are PROUD to show THAT paper, proud to be accorded the legitimate right to vote.  Trust me.  I know.

THIS HIRE IS JUST NOT WORKING OUT: Termination of Employee USAPOTUS0044\

KIND OF LIKE HOW AMNESTY WAS LEFT OUT OF HIS PLATFORM: Obama tells MTV he won’t push for gay marriage in a second term. “Let me be clear” at this point any voter who believes anything this man promises is either an idiot or trying to be victimized.

I ASK MYSELF THIS EVERY WEEK:

AND IF HE LOSES: Obama’s destiny: Lame-duck revenge or four-year revolution?  In 2010 Neo-neocon coined the term “Mad Duck Congress” — because of the harm they could do in their lame duck time.  If we win this, beware the Mad Duck President.

EUROPE: Eurozone nears Japan-style trap as money and credit contract again.

THE MAGICAL MYSTERY FANTASY SCIENCE FICTION TOUR:  I’ve been postponing doing this, because I’ve been trying to finish a novel, and because well… elections, but yesterday I got contributor copies for Darkship Renegades.  This means the book is shipping or about to ship to bookstores at least, which means it’s time to get some word of mouth going — since these days book preorders are massively important.  As I did for Darkship Thieves, I’m doing a blog tour.  This means I’ll write a post for blogs that invite me and (if asked to) answer comments.  For details, or if you wish to invite me to stop by your blog, please see my blog today.

DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS: The Attorney General of Texas Slaps Down the UN.  I hear Alabama has also served warning UN observers not welcome.  What I wonder is what is wrong with the other states, including mine.  Guys, if it’s not clear to you, the UN is in the grip of the thugocracies of the world.  It was predictable.  There’s more of them than of us.  Their hatred of the only liberal democracy in the Middle East is proof of this, if you need it.  Why we still fun this naive project is something else.  Nostalgia for past illusions?

UPDATE: From Reader Mark Lardas:

I am an election judge in Galveston County on Nov 6, so I have a dog in the fight.

There is both less and more than meets the eye on this story. Greg Abbott, the Attorney General of Texas informed these UN “Observers” of Texas State Law.

Basically, in Texas no one can remain within 100 feet of the entrance to a polling place if they do not have business there. What groups are permitted to remain?

1. Voters and those assisting a voter until the vote has been cast.
2. Election workers (this includes the staff running the polling place and county and state officials involved with running the election)
3. Appointed Poll Watchers
4. Federal election observers
5. Individuals whose normal activities require them to be at the polling location. (One example — teachers and students at a school being used as a polling place.)

Since they are unlikely to be voter, election workers, Federal election observers or have jobs at polling places, the only way they can remain at a polling place is if they are appointed poll watchers.

Who appoints poll watchers? Any political party, candidate, or ballot initiative interest group (pro or con) can — if the party, candidate or initative is on the ballot being voted. So, if the UN Observers qualify as poll watchers, they can be appointed by a relevant interested party. What does it take to qualify as a poll watcher? You have to be a qualified voter in the county in which the polling place is located. (For the full legal language see Chapter 33 of the Texas Election Code.) So the only UN Observers that can enter and remain within a polling place as poll watchers must be qualified voters in the county in which they choose to observer. And they are not admitted as UN Observers, but as appointed poll watchers representing a party, candidate or initative group. (I suppose they could arrange to assist voters — assistants do not have to be qualified voters or even US citizens, but assistants have to leave after that voter casts a ballot.)

As an election judge, if I observe anyone who does not have business within the polling place loitering there it is my responsibility to see that these individuals leave. I start out by informing them of the law and asking them to leave. If they refuse, I call the local police and have them removed. It does not matter whether the individual is a drunk trying to make sure their spouse votes “the right way” or the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Mark Lardas
League City, TX

UPDATE: Because this year I’m a poll observer, I’m a little more cognizant than I would otherwise have been, so I asked Mark if TX, unlike CO, does not require observers to be registered to vote in the state (in some states in that county.)  He checked, and yes TX does.  (He never needed to know it because if people present credentials he assumes they’re allowed to be there.)  The only way non citizens can be around is if they’re engaged in “voter assist.”  This of course makes me wonder why CO hasn’t protested the UN “observers.”

WAR ON MEN:  Mistresspieces: why switching art by men and women doesn’t work.  Thank heavens, in the coming matriarchy women are sensitive and refined and won’t do anything as crass as… Oh, forget it!  Even sarcasm hurts.

NOW IT’S GONE, GONE, GONE: Magic gone in Ohio?