Hoopla filled television last week as Democrats in Denver -- and Republicans in St. Paul -- held their quadrennial presidential nominating conventions.

Each party chose their president/vice-president team, and both were stunning and historic in nature - but presumptuous.

Illinois Democrat Sen. Barack Obama - with gobs of charisma but skimpy political experience -- chose veteran Senator Joe Biden of Delaware as the vice-president candidate.

Republican Sen. John McCain - a bonafide war hero with 26 years in Congress representing Arizona - chose little known Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.

Illinois Senator Barack Obama wowed 82,000 Democrat faithful at the Denver football stadium last Thursday with music by a popular orchestra, introduction of his running mate - Delaware Senator Joe Biden -- hugs and kisses of family members, cannon-fired confetti, and fireworks rivaling that at the Beijing Olympic.

Sadly for the Democrats, Republican presidential candidate John McCain chose the next day to announce his own running mate - the dynamic Alaska Governor Mrs. Sarah Palin (pronounced Paylin.)

Sad words from the Beijing Olympiad -- that Cuba beat the United States 10-2 in baseball -- was disheartening, but the worst is that "stick-and-ball" events are hereafter banned.

The U.S. and Cuba have traded Olympic gold medals in baseball since the sport was introduced in 1992.

Mix oil, uranium, left over Russian communism, former Soviet provinces now mini-states, and jittery European Union nations.

What we have now is "trouble" with a big T - a war in the Republic of Georgia squeezed between the Black and Caspian Seas, Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan.