I miss my old VCR...

The VCR we used to have had one great feature - it automatically fast-forwarded through all commercials. As a result we seldom watched any 'live' broadcasts.

It broke a year or two ago and its replacement does not have the same functionality. As a result, we can no longer watch anything without seeing some sort of attack ad.

It was bad enough earlier on when we could watch the Democrats and Republicans south of the border blather at one another. Now that's escalating with Republicans using ancient comic routines from Democratic Senatorial candidate Al Franken to show that he's 'out of control' and the Democrats say incumbent senator Norm Coleman is in bed with big business.

And federally, the McCain camp says Obama is too inexperienced. The democrats don't have to say anything. Just think of McCain's age, try and figure out when he'll have the 'big one' and see if you really want his running mate in the big chair. Just Google 'Palin' and 'global warming' or 'Russia' and figure it out for yourself.

Then, thanks to a needless election call by Steve Harper, we now have Canadian election attack ads fighting for airtime as well. And it took about, oh, 14 seconds after the writ was dropped before the Tories started the ball rolling by slamming the leaders of the other parties. And that begat the mud-slinging by one and all.

It makes me long for the good old days when party policies were what mattered, not whether or not the leader spoke perfect English, had laminated hair or was 'too slick.' Frankly, none of this group of leaders up here give me any cause to think of them in the same breath as Churchill, Kennedy or even Trudeau.

More like Harpo, Zeppo and Groucho.

I'd even settle for the bad old days when you voted for the guy who bought a round. At least then you knew what your vote was worth.

I almost expect opposition politicians to attack, but that's not the decorum I expect from the Prime Minister. He should be above that.

So Steve, if you expect my vote, respect my intelligence.

Now let's see if I can fix that old VCR.