"The support for Gore comes much more quickly and much more easily once voters get a sense of who he is, " says Tad Devine, a senior consultant to the campaign.

CNN: latimes.com: Conventions to fill in portraits of Gore, Bush

But while the excitement is justified, it is probably a tad early to get the spacesuit fitted.

ECONOMIST: SpaceShipOne

Things may then become a tad less consensual as peers get their first chance to debate the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill - the measure which is designed to make sure that benefit payments don't increase faster than wages.

BBC: Week ahead

So, while the headline number will get the press and will be treated as a downgrade, one could argue that it was actually a tad stronger than the earlier estimate.

FORBES: Real Final Sales Tick Up a Notch

Moreover, amidst reports that government funding is a tad tight these days, I had that troubling feeling that my written and telephone complaints might not get much (if any) attention.

FORBES: Connect