A challenge for our Smith Defender friends: Name one major accomplishment that Smith is personally responsible for. Not a good vote, not a pork barrel earmark; I'm talking about a major law that he conceived of, sponsored, and pushed through to completion. NAME ONE.

Kari, I think this challenge should be preemptively issued to The Oregonian editorial board before they endorse Gordo again for the simplistic reason that they think Oregon needs a Senator in both party caucuses (never mind that the Republicans will be completely powerless in the next congress).

The new Benenson poll on Merkley is promising, even though an insider poll. There were some numbers on Obama also. Anyone know what that was?

On 9/11 Sarah Palin related her sons pending service in Iraq to 9/11. We have been through all this and even Dubya has conceded there is no relationship between Iraq and 9/11.

Sarah is just another hockey mom who fell victim to the soviet-style propaganda tactics of the Bush Administration. We don't need a pitbull with lipstick in the White House, not even as the VP. But our attack on McCain is how could he believe someone so ignorant can be Vice President of the US. I would think he would love his country enough to choose someone more informed on the issues.

palin has exectutive experience but no idea about international relations, except maybe that Alaska is near Russia. Illinois is closer to Canada. It's right across the lake!!! So what!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/12/AR2008091201267.html?hpid=topnews

Has Norm Coleman and Gordon Smith answering questions about whether their ads are in compliance and the beginning of the story mentions stations in Minnesota and Oregon.

Kari, please help us all understand what infrastructure is in place to deliver natural gas (compress, liqufied or other) to the lower 48?

Oh yeah, there isn't any.

Kevin:

So you're saying there is no infrastructure to deliver natural gas to the lower 48, but there is infrastructure to deliver to Japan?

Sorry, KURT ... not Kevin.

There isn't a natural gas pipeline, railroad or other transportation infrastructure to get natural gas from the North Slope to the lower 48. Therek isn't a LNG off-loading facility in Portland. The one that they want to put in outside Coos Bay or North Bend the NIMBYS are fighting tooth and nail. the natural gas pipeline that is proposed across Oregon is also being fought.

Japan, which must import almost 98% of their energy has the off-loading infrastructure for LNG and the capabilities to handle.

Kari, how cute of you to try to sound coy and not know the difference between natural gas, an atmospheric gaseous diffusion and crude oil a liquid at normal temperature and pressure.

FYI, the natural gas on the North Slope has mostly been re-injected into the fields or flared off for decades.

Kristin:

For hope, just watch the interview Palin just gave to ABC news. It appears Sarah the Impaler [I just made that up out of nuthin'!] was born with a mukluk in her mouth! [That's Yup'ik eskimo for boot]

Sarah declared that the soldiers from the Alaska National Guard are in Iraq in respone to those who attacked us, so I'm assuming that is where Osama bin Laden is. Once he's dead, we can declare mission accomplished. That first time was just a dress rehearsal. It looked good with the great wide ocean in the background and all, but they are going to try another venue next time. Stay tuned!

Palin also stated that we do not have to worry a single bit about why Israel does anything, including a preemptive strike into Iran. Just don't worry about it. We're not going to second guess them. I'm sure that's got to bring you some relief.

Another thing not to worry about is the decision to go to war with Russia, we're going to get Georgia AND the Ukraine on our side, and if they attack their neighbor Russia, we're going too! No reason to think twice.

All is well if McCain gets elected because Sarah is decisive, and if McCain should meet an untimely end for any reason, then she'll be THE DECIDER, until then, she will just be that voice whispering in John Bomb Iran's ear, push the button.

Kari, I'm sorry to differ, But I highly doubt that an LNG offloading terminal would be located in the heart of a metropolitan area like Portland. Liquified Natural Gas is a highly volatile form of Natural gas that has been reduced to about 1/600th its normal volume by reducing its temperature to -260 F. There are only 4 such facilities in the US, Lake Charles, LA; Port Lusby, MD; An island offshore Savannah, GA and a terminal about 100 miles offshore LA in the GUlf of Mexico.

Perhaps you're thinking of a Compressed Natural Gas plant that compresses NG in cylinders and tanks at about 40% atmospheric pressure.

As Mark Penn has said, the media is on dangerous ground if the only expense reimbursements they pour over is Palin's and they leave the other three people on the ticket alone. So far they have done just that. A quick google search shows Obama has skeleton's of his own with Government Ethics, tax returns, per diem, and speaking fees - that haven't been vetted.

All this fear over LNG reminds me of the nuts afraid of the LHC at CERN. Why are the extremes of the political spectrum (progressives & creationist) always afraid of science and technology?

It costs the state of Alaska $356,500.00 annually to maintain and staff the Governor’s Mansion in Juneau. That is where the governor of Alaska is supposed to live while serving their term. The State Capital, and legislature, is about a hundred yards down the street. Governor Palin prefers to live at home in Wasilla, over 600 miles away, and collect per diem, while the state continues to pour the money into the empty Governor’s Mansion in Juneau. That is not efficient or ethical.