So, I went to the store this afternoon and saw my first political signage of the campaign. I saw yard signs [big and small] and many different bumper stickers – all for Ron Paul.

Did I mention that this is a very military area, active-duty and retired? I don’t understand this phenomenon at all. This might be the libertarians showing their presence. It’s a little spooky when the locals start doing things this out of character.

If you didn’t know, McClatchy has a Editorial Cartoon Gallery at its site. I am especially fond of the selection from the Miami Herald by Jim Morin, but then I’m a nasty person.

Chet Scoville at Shakesville has a question for liberal-minded people: Do you believe in a utopia?

I’m just not ruthless enough to stamp out all of the Republicans, so there is no way of establishing a utopia. When you have Repubs weaseling their way into power, there’s always an increase in poor people, so that problem will be with us forever.

If you are a liberal, you believe in people making their own choices, and too many people choose to be greedy and ignorant. Utopias aren’t possible until people learn to share, and accept that “all men are created equal.”

I’m going out on a limb and predict that John Edwards and Mike Huckabee will win in Iowa and South Carolina. If anyone, like the reporters who are covering the elections, don’t understand why the races are theirs to lose, it’s time to do your homework.

These two men appeal to the committed voters in their parties in these two states, and these two states have been consistent in their choices for a very long time. This is of course why these states should not be given the over-emphasis that they receive from the media.

On the Democratic side people seem to have forgotten that Edwards came in second to Kerry in Iowa in 2004 and has expanded on that experienced team, while Bill Clinton and his team didn’t even contest Iowa in 1992, so the Clintons and others don’t have the Iowa-specific team that Edwards has.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is picking up as many awards as Al Gore. He already has the highest awards from Germany, France, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and now he is Time‘s Person of the Year.

Interesting name “Vladimir” – it is a combination word in Russian from two roots. “Vlad” is power, while “Mir” can mean peace, world or village. His last name comes from the word for path. “Vladimir Putin” could be interpreted as “the way to a peaceful reign” or “the road to world conquest” – your option.