Drilling: The view from Russia.

That would be the very big country growing powerful enough off of its oil money to tell us convincingly to mind our own business in Georgia. That's it right up there next to Alaska. Here's a little anecdote from Tom Friedman:

Palin’s nomination for vice president and her desire to allow drilling in the Alaskan wilderness “reminded me of a lunch I had three and half years ago with one of the Russian trade attachés,” global trade consultant Edward Goldberg said to me. “After much wine, this gentleman told me that his country was very pleased that the Bush administration wanted to drill in the Alaskan wilderness. In his opinion, the amount of product one could actually derive from there was negligible in terms of needs. However, it signified that the Bush administration was not planning to do anything to create alternative energy, which of course would threaten the economic growth of Russia.”

Of course, Edward Goldberg may have gotten the story wrong, or Tom just made it up. After all, he works for those bozos at the New York Times.

Palin - the GOP's VP

It is rare that I am nonplussed by a political development - infuriated or amused maybe, but not often speechless. Have to admit the selection of Sarah Palin for VP by John McCain left me saying ... HUH? Even now I am not sure how this will cut with the public, but it sure looks like a mistake. Carmen is a bit more ....uh... direct. As Cubans sometimes are.

FWIW: here is a link to a blog called Fabius Maximus*. Though it is liberal, I found it on Instapundit, which I believe leans conservative. Its chief virtue is that it amasses some straightforward facts about Palin's career with some links. Whatever your perspective then I think this site is a good place to start for material about the governor.

Since I know very little about Alaska, except for the obvious fact that it was settled by Russians, complete with Orthodox churches**, I was delighted to find an Alaskan blog written by an Obama supporter who is a bit acerbic, shall we say, about McCain's choice. Still, it's a voice from Alaska and worth taking a look at. I assume there are lots of pro-Palin blogs out there by people who know her.

Or you can just cut to the chase and go over to National Review Online for totally uncritical acceptance of this candidate. And, a bit surprisingly, some brutally honest critiques of the choice.

Later I'll talk about some Alaskans I have known.


*I'm a sucker for Latin titles and names. oh. you noticed.
** we have just hired an expert on the Russian fur trade in the Bering Strait. Knows all about this stuff. I will call him Dr Ryan.