the anthropist returns

The Anthropist is back after an unplanned hiatus resulting from my life getting a great deal busier at work and home. I apologize to those of you who'd come to expect daily postings. I'm not certain how often I'll be able to update now, but look for a new post about every other day.

Last night, along with nearly everyone else I know, I watched the Vice Presidential Debate. I won't go into too much detail, but my overall reaction is that it certainly wasn't a game-changer. Of course the whole event--and the attention given to it--was really about Sarah Palin. She did better than expected; when the bar is set that low, it's not very challenging to clear it. Still, I found her rambling, incoherent, and the only thing she showed a thorough grasp of were her prepared talking points.

Looking back at the first Presidential Debate between John McCain and Barack Obama, I have to say I'm sorely disappointed in all 4 nominees this year. With the economy in a meltdown, you'd think one of them would've been shaken out of their campaign-approved trajectory and offered some real leadership. I feel like everybody--the public included--is acting as though this is 2004. We're all settling in for a good show and focusing on trivialities as if it was just another election. Meanwhile, the economic crisis continues to worsen and nobody seems able to step up.