But they never will, Dick. No matter how many elections you win, they never will.

If you check any of the political debate this morning on neutral political sites you'll probably notice that much of the discussion around Barack Obama's electability continues to focus on race. I personally don't get it. Obama would have a hard time getting elected President but it's not because he's black. It's because he continues to believe we can make nice with the other side.

His supporters as evidenced by comments on Kos on his victory speech are downright delusional if they think that "hope" will carry us through to election victory. Hope is meaningless without action. The only action Obama consistently promises is to reach across the aisle to find consensus with Republicans. There is none.

I've supported politicians as preachers before. This isn't the time for that. We need a fighter not a preacher.

I've never thought it a fair characterization to say that presidential candidates "don't have the experience" for the job. Lot's of presidents have done a terrific job with little experience in politics. But Barack Obama is dangerously naive when it comes to taking an open-eyed view of the political situation facing the country today. It's a bad thing that he won Iowa yesterday.

He loves reading Trash.

One of the saddest things about getting older is watching the things we valued in childhood lose their luster under the revealing light of time. Take for example Sesame Street's Count. Most of us probably remember him as a plushy vampire with a numbers fixation and not as any sort of threat. We couldn't have been further from the truth.

I don't remember the following song but the editing necessary makes it clear the Count was one foul-mouthed little puppet.



It wasn't consigned to just that segment. He involved the children visiting the show in his nasty little exercises.



Sigh.

Like an oil lease, you're easily disposable.

Still on vacation.

It seems easier to blog during working hours. Hmmm.

This is not a great record for the world to break and very bad news for everybody.

I'm personally worried that not only will society collapse but the Peak Oil disaster will force Overdroid to come live with us on our farm.

(Shiver)

You shouldn't keep souvenirs of a killing. You shouldn't have been that sentimental.

Dday over at Digby's place provides a good run-down of U.S. involvement in Pakistani politics and what the Bhutto assassination means to those efforts.

I refer again to my observation made last year that the United States would be much better off if Bush and company did absolutely nothing during their remaining time in office. Absolutely everything they touch turns to shit.

The U.S. should have never pushed Bhutto back into Pakistan if they weren't absolutely certain she would have adequate security while campaigning. While the Pakistani Foreign Minister points his finger at al-qaeda today it's more likely that Musharraf's directly involved.

I can't help but wonder if this is the result the U.S., at least our Vice President, was looking for.

Mankind should be our business, Ebenezer, but we seldom attend to it.

A small clip from my favorite scene of my favorite version of "A Christmas Carol."

Merry Christmas to all with a "humbug" thrown in for good measure in memory of gramps.

All I want is what I... I have coming to me. All I want is my fair share.

Oregon's "Waddling Bandit" is making national news with the FBI accidentally arresting the wrong guy.

As of today the real bank-robber with the funny gait remains at large.

Hmmm...

Schwartz created a slight breach of etiquette by skipping the triple dare and going right for the throat!

The news that the GOP Senate minority is the most obstructionist ever is being met by the predictable response that Democratic Senators fillibustered some Bush nominees in the last session and so it's a pot/ kettle situation. It would certainly appear that way, especially if one was laboring under some sort of major head trauma or in the late stages of mad cow disease. Otherwise; not so much.

I've been spending the last several months pretty much taking the Democratic party to task and I stand my resolution that the party, especially the party leaders, are absolutely worthless. That said- the idea that the actions of both parties surrounding fillibusters while in the majority are somehow equivalent makes me want to bang my head against my desk. In fact, hold on a second....

Okay, back.

Just to review yet again- the nuclear option was basically a plan by Republican leaders to break the senate's own rules in order to stop minority Democratic fillibusters of Bush nominees. The Republicans were able to avoid throwing the Senate into disarray by breaking the rules only by the "wise" compromise agreement by the Gang of 14 that the Democrats would stop fillibustering and Bush would get all of his nominees voted on. This led to general unhappiness among the bases of both parties as the Democratic base recognized we'd been shafted once again and the Republican base still wanted blood and to kill the fillibuster forever.

In the current situation the roles are reversed and the base of the Democratic party is again very unhappy that the will of the majority of Americans is being thwarted by the determined radicals on the other side. The difference here - which is hugely telling of what sort of people are attracted in general to both major parties - is that the Democratic base isn't crying for an end to the fillibuster. The Democratic base is screaming because the Democratic leadership is refusing to make anyone but Democratic Senators (Chris Dodd) actually fillibuster.

Republicans were angry with their party because they wouldn't break the rules. Democrats are angry with their party because they won't force the other party to FOLLOW THE RULES. That's the difference.

Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

Forgive me for this it's been a long day and I haven't had much sleep the last couple of days but it occurs to me that if George W. Bush were George Bailey he would awaken to a world in which he never existed in which the town was called Bedford Falls instead of Pottersville, the transport with those soldiers wouldn't have been blown-up, killing every man aboard and the people of the town weren't getting shafted by Real Estate tycoons offering crappy loans.

It'd be a wonderful life for everybody else.

We hobbits are plain, quiet creatures. Adventures make one late for dinner.

Overdroid might not like this but for the rest of us this is great news!


PETER JACKSON AND FRAN WALSH TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE TWO FILMS BASED ON “THE HOBBIT”

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007) Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.” New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on “The Hobbit.” New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) Trilogy.

Said Peter Jackson, “I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”

That sounded terrible! The tenor section was weak.

If you're a fan of the band Nerf Herder you've probably seen this video or heard this song. If not - enjoy!