The air defense identification zone, almost completely over water, extends 12-mile past the perimeter of the United States. Most nations have similar areas.

However, no Russian military planes have been flying even into that zone, said Maj. Allen Herritage, a spokesman for the Alaska region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

What Palin might have been referring to was a buffer zone of airspace that extends beyond the 12-mile strip. Although not recognized internationally as America’s to protect, the military watches it.

That zone is where there has been increased Russian bomber exercises – about 20 incidents in the last two years. When Russian bombers enter that expanded area, sometimes called the outer air defense identification zone by the military, U.S. or Canadian fighter jets are dispatched to check them, Herritage said.

…

Herritage said Air Force officials discussed with Palin instances of Russian planes entering the buffer zone and the U.S. response during their annual statehouse briefing in February.”

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/707994.html

You’ll find the story copy + pasted all over the internet in varying forms. Russia doesn’t violate U.S. airspace, and it’s hardly something new for a country to maintain a conspicuous military presence in a region just to make their intentions to defend their sovereignty clear.

At the same time, you won’t find any comment at all on the state of affairs between Russia and Georgia from any candidate, which is unsurprising for the most part, except that Palin claims expertise with Russian foreign relations.

I’d love to believe in your other point, that of ‘only an idiot would think war is possible’. Unfortunately, I can’t. History tends to repeat itself with inhuman precision and greater force each time around. But at the same time, I do hope that you’re right.

This is why it’s funny that Palin thinks that Russia is a credible threat to the U.S. She is an idiot, pure and simple. Take a second, and think of what Canada would have to do to mount an attack on Moscow. Now imagine if a Russian politician spoke in front of you about how dangerous Canada is to Russia, how close the two countries are together on a map, and the military forces at Canada’s disposal. If a politician told you Canada was a threat you would laugh in his face, yes?

Oh, and by the way. We don’t any war with you. We’ve just started to recover from the crash of USSR, both economically and politically. What I’m really afraid is, YOUR government may consider it a good idea to solve economical issues you bestowed upon yourselves with a war. It’s done before. I’m really afraid that we have year 1913, Internet-age version.

I don’t wanna be radioactive dust, and neither do you, I suppose. Please choose your president wisely. I’m pretty safe with ours, but can’t say the same about yours.

“2. Really REALLY stupid mark-to-market rules.”
Have to agree with you there. However I think it is a bit more. I watched “Enron: The Smartest Guys In the Room” this past weekend. Boy did it seem REAL familiar!
A very interesting point though was that a lot of investment banks had gotten stock from Enron and then helped them hide their losses. I can’t help but wonder if what we are seeing now is just a continuation of the bad business practices that they engaged in.

Both major candidates are flawed beyond belief and fail. Just ask yourself this: would you want either of them leading your Sunwell guild raids? I think not! McCain would constant change strats mid-fight and Obama would take forever to explain his strat while not giving you a goddamn clue as to what he plans to do.

Yes, I know. Nerdraging is passe’. Shut up, it’s early here.

The logical route would be across the Atlantic, through northeastern Canada. It has a better supply route, and no one would really care about the invasion. It wouldn’t even get a mention or spin-off game on G4.”

I’ve actually worked in Northern Ontario, specifically a small town called Kashechewan which had the unfortunate luck to flood when the three meter thick slabs of ice clogged the river during breakup. On the flight there, I was informed by a Lieutenant Colonel in the reserves that the Canadian Military had actually considered the area as a possible point of invasion but dismissed it as any mechanized infantry attempting to traverse the boglands on the way south would all invariably be swallowed alive by the peat giving way under the weight of vehicles, which supposedly can extend several dozen feet downwards and has a similar tendency as quicksand to liquify once weight is applied to it.

“The Canadian citizens would probably even welcome the Russian troops for bringing in cheaper cigarettes and booze.”

I’m not a fan of Vodka. I could live with an invasion by any of the nations on the British Isles though.