@Matt, yes it is too much to ask

Matt,

"Is it too much to ask that the the Reg, a technical website, sticks to technical matters? "

Yes. it is too much to ask. We are all techies, true, but we are also - first and foremost - citizens, of our nation and ultimately of the world.

As Donne said: "No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main ...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind", for those that don't speak deathless prose that means that the current situation in the US matters to all of us. Its not quite a battle between good and evil, but its certainly one between a reality based government and something else.

"If the Reg was posting political articles in a balanced manner"

Fair and Balanced? Like Fox News? I don't think so. This is El Reg, not some Rupert Murdoch rag. I'll stick with reality thanks, as reported by The Register, which is rarely fair and never balanced, but always a lot more interesting.

"I might just ignore it, but when Cade and Co post their twaddle it's like a visit to Daily Kos (and if you have never visited Daily Kos, don't bother unless you enjoy the muterrings of the seriously paranoid and deluded). "

So, you don't like Daily Kos. OK. Its a matter of taste and I often find the pages too schmaltzy and American (lots of stories about people crying - often in hospital car parks because they can't afford medicine, that kind of thing.). Conversely I'd imagine that you find the analysis hard to understand. They use lots of words and numbers.

That said, Daily Kos does do rather well, both in terms of readers with around 2.5million pages impressions a day and as political activists. They raised about $2m for the US election, so if they are seriously paranoid and deluded - normally conditions that stop people being successful - they are doing remarkably well.

For those that don't know the Daily Kos are led by a former Republican, Markos Moulitsas Zúniga. Daily Kos was founded because "Kos", a former soldier, was appalled at the way that his former comrades were being thrown into unwinnable wars. Reg-regular Lewis Page might have a grimace of recognition here.

"If I want political comment I go look at the Fox, CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Times, etc, etc. "

Fox, and the Times are Murdoch-owned, so tend to be very right wing. In the case of Fox its very, very far-right wing. BBC is independent, but offers almost no real political commentary as it has no official viewpoint - in short the BBC is pretty bland.

The Washington Post, although called "liberal" in the US (well, by Richard Nixon) is, in reality, centre-to-far-right; the Washington Post employs noted Neo-Con Charles Krauthammer and it still rabidly supports the US invasion of Iraq and privatisation of social security - hardly centrist positions.

"If I want to know the latest rabid whinings of the left here in the UK I go to Indymedia (and laugh for hours). "

You laugh for hours at stories like the current Indymedia front page of the anniversary of the massacres at Safsaf, al-Dawayima and Kafr Qasim villages? That seems a little odd. Even Israel apologised for the Kafr Qasim massacre (in 2007). Maybe its just a bad choice of day to say that... I'm sure that protesting causes you concern, which is fine. Still, where do you stand on the murder of anti-abortion doctors by American fundamentalists? Better or worse than protesting a new road? Its purely a question, intended to make you think a bit.

Actually Matt... I have to ask... you are aware that you've already been taken apart by a half dozen commentators for not knowing what you are talking about, or comprehending a fairly simple report that you yourself were examining? Boasting about your ability to read at this stage seems a little arrogant.

"I'd rather the Reg stayed true to its original readership and stuck to technical and industry news. To be honest, Cade Metz can get on his bike and go back to San Francisco."

I think that sticking to technical news when there are other more important stories would be suicidal for The Reg. Following this advice would lead it ultimately to a dead end - people read zdnet or slashdot, but no one cares about them.

The Reg's coverage of the US election has been challenging, cynical, grumpy, backbiting and occasionally wise. Its been everything we would expect from them. To the Reg team, well done.