My brief review regarding the American VP debate. This was actually, at times, an interesting and purposeful discussion between the nominees Pence/Trump and Kaine/Clinton. Pence was a much better and more lucid speaker in that he didn't seek to insult the other guy or provoke him. It was worth watching and it did do well for the Trump campaign.

Mr Pence delivered a calm and serious articulation of a conservative position

Today, day off, I am going to watch the US Vice Presidential debate in about an hour. I think it will be interesting to see 2 Americanese talkers who are fairly traditional politicians, good speakers, neither of whom are obviously corrupt etc. The overall indicators are pointing to Clinton as the next President but Trump presents an interesting phenomenon much like the groundswell for Brexit in the UK, something that wasn't noted in the pre-poll considerations at all.

Most people in the USA don't trust in either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, nor should they, for good reason. Most people in the world don't trust in the decisions of the people of the USA, nor should they, for good reason.

As for the US fighting ISIL, well, the USA has never really wanted to or tried to. ISIL was useful in the real politik of destabilising Syria, but that won't happen now.

I think that's a good thing.

As for Syria, with the USA no longer in the picture, the sovereign government of Mr Assad, with the assistance of Russia and Iran will win the civil war, defeat ISIL in that country... and peace will return to Syria.

I don't think this is a bad outcome.

I have been interested in and entertained by the American Presidential elections for some time but I must admit I have reached a kind of nadir of despair. I had hoped by this time that one of the contenders would have talked honestly about the impact of the last 'recession' as it wasn't called at the time in 2008 and had mentioned that these corrections always take about 20-25 years to recover from and in the meantime things won't be so good. That to me, would have been a bright point of honesty and most folk could understand it.

I have been interested in and entertained by the American Presidential elections for some time but I must admit I have reached a kind of nadir of despair. 
I had hoped by this time that one of the contenders would have talked honestly about the impact of the last 'recession' (as it wasn't called at the time) in 2008 and had mentioned that these corrections always take about 20-25 years to recover from and in the meantime things won't be so good, can't be good, and may well get worse, as they always do with the big economic 'corrections', throughout real history in the US and world wide.
That to me, would have been a bright point of honesty and most folk could understand it...and work towards a good long term goal nationally, socially and calmly.
It is still as if the Americans, and others including the UK and Australia, can only believe in something if it means everything will be alright within two weeks.
I think if we look back at this time from the future we will see many things arising from the recession (i.e. global financial crisis) including the Arab Spring, the Rise of China (who were smart enough to bypass it), Brexit, and the next American President.