Obama in 2003: Tax Cuts Should Go Only to Those Making "50, 60, 70 Thousand Per Year"
— Ace

A bit hard to believe he changed his mind on this just a few months later.

He also states his primary interest in "tax cuts" is for those receiving the Earned Income Tax Credit, which is a good program and all, but yeah, those "tax cuts" to go people already not paying any income tax whatsoever.

more...

Posted by: Ace at 10:58 AM | Comments (50)
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College Football Thread
— Dave in Texas

Two unbeatens square off tonight, #1 Texas and #6 Texas Tech. #5 Florida vs. #8 Georgia this afternoon at 3:30 EDT.

And if #2 Alabama drops one to Arkansas State (3pm EDT), JackM. will owe us an epic poem elegy.

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 10:12 AM | Comments (50)
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Chris Nolan Talks Dark Knight
— Gabriel Malor

In case you wanted a distraction from election fevah, the L.A. Times' fanboy blog (which is really quite enjoyable, damn their eyes) had a three-part interview with Chris Nolan this week. If you're looking for info on the third Batman movie, there's nothing there. In fact, Nolan won't even say whether he's signed on to make it ('though my sources say, "Duh, you freakin' idiot.")

But there is some good stuff in there about making The Dark Knight. I am unashamedly a huge fan of this movie. It's funny, but the best movie I've seen this year so far is this comic-book/gangster/psych triple-crossover picture. And I didn't even mind that with the previews it ended up being three hours long. (Okay, it was actually six hours long for me, because I exited the theater and then turned right around to watch the next showing.)

I feel a little sorry for Nolan because it's going to be impossible to meet expectations. I have a buddy who thinks the only way to end the third film is to kill Bruce Wayne. I'm starting to think that's not a bad idea, although that's exactly what they did to Ellen Ripley in Alien³.

Your thoughts?

Also is there anything out now or coming out in the next two months I should see? I'll probably see the new Bond picture. The other two that I was interested in (Harry Potter and Star Trek) got pushed to next summer.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 09:31 AM | Comments (60)
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Calling for McCain? Tell Me About It
— Gabriel Malor

Here's a space for chatter from people making calls for McCain's volunteer online phone bank. I'd especially like to know which state you picked to call. Also, if you want to break up the tedium of five answering machines in a row...stop for a minute and tell us about your calls so far.

Yesterday's tips for calling are here.

Update: Some folks are reporting problems with McCain's website being slow or refusing to connect. I haven't had any of that, but if you do, wait a minute and then try again. Hopefully this means that the servers are having a hard time keeping up with all the eager volunteers and not something more nefarious like a DoS attack.

Bumped: Keep on it, if you please. I know it's a bother. Trust me on this, four years of Obama will bother you more.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 08:19 AM | Comments (108)
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US Casualties Down In Iraq And Afghanistan...Terrorist Casualties Up In Pakistan
— DrewM

Let's double up on the good news, shall we?

U.S. deaths in Iraq fell in October to their lowest monthly level of the war, matching the record low of 13 fatalities suffered in July. Iraqi deaths fell to their lowest monthly levels of the year. Eight of the 13 Americans died in combat, most of them in northern Iraq where al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgent groups remain active. The U.S. military suffered 25 deaths in September and 23 in August.

In Afghanistan, meanwhile, 15 U.S. military deaths were reported for October. The monthly toll in that combat theater had been in the 20s since June, when 28 Americans were killed - the worst one-month total since that war began in late 2001.

It's pretty amazing to think that non-combat deaths out numbered combat ones in Iraq. While that's 'good' news, it's also a reminder that no matter where they are, US servicemen and women are doing very important and dangerous work on our behalf.

Meanwhile, the hits keep on coming in Pakistan.

An Egyptian Al-Qaeda operative -- described by the United States as the terror network's propaganda chief -- was killed in a missile strike in Pakistan, security officials said on Saturday.

Abu Jihad al-Masri was among several rebels killed when two missiles fired by a suspected US spy drone hit a truck in the North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan on Friday night, they said.

The United States has offered a one-million-dollar bounty for the death or capture of al-Masri, who has appeared in an anti-Western video introduced by Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's number two.

"The strike was aimed at a vehicle carrying Abu Jihad and two others. The target was successfully hit and all three people were killed," a senior Pakistani security official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

And as a bonus...US troops killed 19 terrorists in Afghanistan.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:32 AM | Comments (65)
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U.S. Border Agents Detain Mexican Troops (genghis)
— Open Blog

HereÂ’s the story from CNN:

”(CNN) -- Seven members of the Mexican military were found inside the United States on Friday, telling border agents they had become disoriented while on patrol and accidentally crossed into the country, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said.”

Shit happens, I suppose. And perhaps it was just an honest mistake. In defense of the Mexican troops:

”According to the CBP (Customs and Border Patrol), the soldiers were assigned to the 23rd Regiment Motorized Cavalry of the Mexican Army. The soldiers said they believed they were still in Mexico because they remained on the south side of a newly constructed border fence.”

A fence, you say? Well, like Mom used to tell me: “Good fences make good neighbors. As do watchtowers spaced at 200 yard intervals with turret-mounted miniguns.” Mom was always about good relations with the neighbors. We had several emplacements in our back yard when I was a kid, at key points along the stockade fence.

Tom Tancredo joins in the fray:

”"This is not an uncommon occurrence," Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, told CNN. "Often times, it is the result of the Mexican military providing cover essentially for drug transportation across into our country, and/or creating a diversion so it will draw our people away from the place where the drugs are coming across."

“In August, the Border Patrol said Mexican troops had crossed the border illegally 42 times since October 2007.”

“Tancredo said the U.S. State Department lodged a complaint with the Mexican government for the first time over the military incursions a few weeks ago. Attempts by CNN to contact the State Department and the Mexican government Friday were unsuccessful”

I call bullshit on TancredoÂ’s argument that these incursions are drug-trafficking related. No, what this paranoid right-wing crackaÂ’ fails to realize is that our dear friends from the south come here seeking one thing, and one thing only:

The Enchirito.

Sadly, this most perfect of food items cannot be had anywhere outside of America, so for them, this is the promised land. The land of milk and enchiritos, but mostly enchiritos. Think about it: ItÂ’s a fusion of an enchilada AND a burrito. Sublime. ItÂ’s no wonder they both love and hate us at the same time.

Eat me

Posted by: Open Blog at 05:15 AM | Comments (53)
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