Topics for this week's blog include Election Day, Nov 2014; TV ad buys; Jihadists from Great Britain; democracy and human rights; the Roberts Court; fall in the high country

Let the race begin!  The following caption from the lead photo in PBS "Morning Line" (Wednesday, 8/20) foretells nicely what we can expect between now and November 4th. "With the Alaska results, the stage is now set for the fall’s most hotly contested races that will decide control of the Senate." A letter to the editor (Denver Post) predicted (as I have) that between now and election day there will be substantial sales of new TV remotes as "mute" buttons begin to fail.

TV ad "buys" by both sides of the aisle are at all time highs. Listen carefully once to your favorite ad and note that all the other ads will be only slightly different -- all filled with half-truths about the other candidate/issues. To use CO as an example, any political ad for US Sentor Mark Udall (D, CO) that goes beyond, "Hi, my name is Mark Udall and I am running for re-election. I'd like to have your vote this coming November" will quickly devolve into half-truths about his position(s) and those of his opponent. It is time to sit back with a good book and listen to some soothing music!

News from the US and Great Britain that you did not see on the 5 O'clock news, at least not before the recent beheading of American journalist, James Foley. This story comes from the British magazine, The Spectator, and the article notes other violent, troubling jihadist events that have gone largely unmentioned, especially in the American press.

Into the Future. In his recent New York Times op-ed, Russ Douthat cautioned, "The ideals of democracy and human rights are ascendant in our age, but their advance still depends on agency, strategy and self-sacrifice, no matter what date the calendar displays." The increasing economic inequality in the supposedly "developed" world does not bode well for capitalism or democracy.

SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the US). These three recent books examine recent decision of the Court headed by Chief Justice Roberts.

Fall. The temperatures are dipping, fall is definitely in the air in Breckenridge, and the late summer monsoon rains are a daily occurrence. The aspens have not yet taken on their customary golden hues, but this spectacular fall show cannot be far off.

Thank you for reading and I hope your week goes well.