Dave In Texas made me aware that there are sporting contests going on today involving groups of armored mesomorphs chasing after an oblong ball of some sort. Dave in Texas sends his regrets that he cannot post on this sporting event himself, but the county jail does not allow prisoners access to the internet kiosks until late afternoon.

UPDATE [DiT]: What the Sam Hill, I don't even know what mesomorph means.

Cheerleader added next to Red Grange, or Curley Howard, whoever that is down there.

(also thanks Monty, running a bit late today) more...

Posted by: Monty at 08:55 AM | Comments (651)
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Sorry for the tardy book thread today.

I'm afraid that today's book thread will be both late and lame: I've been terribly busy with work this past week, so I haven't had any time for recreational reading. In what few moments I've been able to spare, I've been working on my vast backlog of as-yet-unread books.

I did come across a thought-provoking article entitled "The Future of Books". I think it's obvious that what we mean when we say "book" is going to change a lot in the next decade or so -- it's already changed a lot. I don't necessarily agree with the future this article foresees (mostly because the future always plays out in ways that people don't expect), but it's food for thought.

I know these changes bother a lot of people, especially those (like me) who like the physical manifestation of a book: the feel of an actual paper book in the hand. But on balance I think that most of the changes I've seen so far are positive ones, particularly in the power the new publishing model brings to writers and readers both.

Posted by: Monty at 08:00 AM | Comments (98)
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No really. That's his plan.

Cain, however, said he plans to "dial back" his campaign and media appearances in order to avoid missteps. Since climbing in the polls, he has had a series of fumbles, forcing him to clarify comments on abortion, immigration and terrorism suspects.

Cain has chalked up the mistakes to a grueling campaign schedule jammed with media interviews. Such itineraries are standard fare on the presidential campaign trail and it is unclear how aggressively he will restrict his schedule.

A former pizza magnate who has never held elected office, Cain is adapting from a longshot candidate hustling for any media attention to a front-runner who must be more selective with his time and disciplined in his message.

"When you're too tired you're not on your 'A game,'" the 65-year-old Georgia businessman told a throng of reporters who greeted the arrival of his bus on the Samford campus.

He said it was a mistake to schedule interviews immediately following debates. Cain maintained he did not flip-flop on issues, but simply did not hear questions properly.

The blunt-spoken Cain has been more cautious lately. At a campaign stop at the Alabama Republican Party headquarters on Friday, Cain paused then asked a reporter to repeat a complicated two-part question on immigration.

"I don't want to have to clarify," he said with a laugh.

Imagine if say, Rick Perry, hinted he might skip some debates because he wasn't all that good at them. He'd take a lot of well deserved shots. Oh wait, he did. (The Perry campaign has backed off that and says he'll be in the next 5 debates).

Cain isn't even campaigning in Iowa or New Hampshire as it is but he needs to scale back because he keeps screwing up and is tired? Well, it's a good thing the job he's trying to get is pretty much a part time gig with plenty of down time.

I know some Cain supporters will shrug this off and claim it's a brilliant bit of strategy that shows how a non-politician is far superior to anything else. On the other hand, you might want to consider that this guy can't get through a week of selling books "campaigning" without repeatedly sticking his foot in his mouth really doesn't indicate he's up to a general election campaign let alone actually being President of the United States of America.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:15 AM | Comments (375)
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This post brought to you via gasoline-powered home network.

Suck it, AlGore!

Prayers to the rest of you Northeast morons dealing with snowmageddon.

Posted by: andy at 04:17 AM | Comments (193)
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Liberals say a lot of things but their actions never seem to match up to what they are saying. Here's a quick tutorial on how to translate those duplicitous bastards. How To Speak Liberal: 20 Words and Phrases Translated.

Compassion: Feeling good about yourself for wanting to give away money you didnÂ’t earn to people you hope will vote for your side.

Jesus: Someone who shouldnÂ’t ever be brought up in schools, other government buildings, or politics in general unless youÂ’re claiming he was really a liberal whoÂ’d be in favor of gay marriage and abortion.

Racism: A word you cry when youÂ’re losing an argument with a conservative.

No justice, no peace: Give us money and weÂ’ll find someone else to bother.
Our opponents refuse to compromise on this issue: The Republicans refuse to do everything we want.

That charge is outrageous: That charge is true, but itÂ’s embarrassing that you brought it up in public.

Posted by: CDR M at 06:00 PM | Comments (674)
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Cain 23%, Romney 22%.

Cain has surged 13 percentage points since the first Iowa Poll of the caucus cycle, conducted in late June. His rise has come despite spending little time in Iowa recently, campaigning here just once since the Aug. 13 Iowa straw poll, where he placed fifth.

Likewise, Romney has campaigned in Iowa just three times this year, but he retains a core network of supporters from his near-constant presence in the state during his first presidential bid four years ago.

No one else is really even in the picture.

Paul is at 12%, Bachmann 8%, Perry and Gingrich are at 7% and Santorum brings up the rear at 5%.

A lot can happen in the next two months but if things stay this way, it will come down to the passion of Cain's supporters and Mitt's organization's ability to get people to come out in the cold 2 days after New Year.

Could Mitt more or less wrap this thing up by the end of January? I guess the upside to that is it would give us time to go through the stages of grieving and get to "#%$#@ acceptance" by November of next year.

Speaking of Romney and reconciling ourselves to his possible nomination...the George Will column that created a buzz yesterday is out. I'm not sure what the big deal is. It's nothing that has been said on this blog (in posts or comments) and every other righty blog for months, if not years.

Maybe it's a big deal because Will is more or less conservatives senior establishment columnist but so what? Will has the same problem a lot of us have...we loathe Romney but don't have a plausible alternative. You can't beat somebody with nobody.

I've joked before that if the economy is this bad by election day in 2012 we could run a ham sandwich and beat Obama. It appears that may very well be the plan at this point.

Posted by: DrewM at 04:27 PM | Comments (427)
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Below the fold, A short essay on art culture in the Weimar Repbublic. Apologies to resident art guy CAC for the amateur opinion.

But it's essentially another open thread, since the other one is stale. more...

Posted by: Open Blogger at 03:38 PM | Comments (207)
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It's snowin like a mufucka in the northeast today.. have already heard from friends about power outages. Heavy, wet snow following a cold steel rain.

Stay safe, northeastern morons. It's cold outside.

(outside here it's sunny and 64)

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 11:53 AM | Comments (435)
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Go Bears.

(also, congrats to the Cards fans. Well done).

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 09:25 AM | Comments (183)
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Just awful.

A Taliban suicide bomber rammed a van into an armored NATO bus Saturday in Kabul, killing 13 American troops and four Afghans, U.S. and Afghan officials said, in the deadliest attack on coalition forces in more than two months.

The explosion, which occurred as the convoy was passing the American University, sparked a fireball and littered the street with shrapnel. Heavy black smoke poured from burning wreckage at the site.

The armored personnel carrier, known as a Rhino was sandwiched between of a convoy of mine-resistant military vehicles traveling on a four-lane highway frequently used by NATO forces in a southwestern section of the city.

Prayers for these heroes and their families.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:15 AM | Comments (173)
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