Driving back through Ohio was kind of interesting. Prior to leaving for DCia to start the semester, yard signs were relatively rare and where they did exist were almost always Obama signs. During the primary season more than few Paul signs sprouted up and the odd Clinton sign or two, but McCain signs were always sparse. Then we drove through Springfield, Ohio and McCain signs were all over the freaking place, but in smaller quantities than Bush signs were in 2004 and a handful of Obama signs were sprinkled in. The capstone was driving back to DCia and passing through Muskingum County, Ohio where there is presently a US DOJ investigation of some municipality or the other for refusing to take town water service up to the bits that are predominantly black. There, there was one of those six foot high, ten foot across plastic signs loudly proclaiming ``Obama/Biden.'' In past  years, I didn't see that for Kerry, For Gore, or even for Clinton.

(Writing the above makes me feel old. This is the fifth presidential cycle I've voted in. This thought will almost certainly get a chuckle out of that. Five? Five presidential cycles makes him feel old?)

But the campout was nice. On the way there, we counted the direct relations of the four generations to be present. We got to 52 and we probably missed at least one. And there were also friends and a few in-laws. There was lots of food, fire, beer and bourbon. I had a few heart-to-heart discussions with cousins I didn't really know that were pretty neat. I had a drunken shouting match. I also headbutted a flaming log and threw one of my cousin's favorite axes into the fire after the handle split.

I made the drive back on a mere four hours of sleep. It went well and I believe all the time I've spent running and doing situps paid off. Despite getting not enough sleep by far, I was alert through the whole trip. In the past, I've been in danger of dozing off during such a trip when I'm well rested. I blame the renewed energy levels of being something approaching healthy. Perhaps it also helped that I was trying to work out my next critique of Libertarianism for most of the way. This one will deal with what I see as a disparity in Libertarianism between the choice to work and the choice to accept the social contract. It's been in the back of mind for years now after first being brought to my attention in a way-too-long k5 thread with a certain trhurler, may the Good Lord have mercy on his soul.

That is all for this morning.