First of the Season

While walking the dog after dinner tonight, I spotted the first house in our neighborhood to be decorated for Christmas:


I'm one of those people who would have the tree up already, if my wife would let me. But even for me, this is a bit too much a bit too early...

It's Official, Part II

After a much-needed break, blogging on In My Copious Free Time resumes later tonight.

Sometimes, you just need to get away from something for a while before you can start enjoying it again.

It's Official

I have blogger burn-out.

"Vision"

Surprised and Humbled

President Obama reacts to winning the Nobel Peace Prize:



I honestly don't recall him ever looking so uncomfortable.

"Potential"

Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize!

Think that headline is a joke? I did. At least until I clicked the link and read the actual article:

OSLO – President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to build momentum behind his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.

I try to keep this a PG-rated (okay, PG13-rated) blog, but I just have to say it.

The world has gone completely f***king insane.

Remember when you actually had to have, I don't know, accomplished something to win a Nobel Peace Prize? Now, apparently, just saying you hope to do accomplish something is good enough.

Well then, I'm going to write a great novel. I haven't actually written it yet, but I'm going to. Really. I will. I can make this happen. You watch.

Now, where's my Nobel Prize in Literature?

"I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize," Obama said.

For one of the few times since you've taken office, Mr. President, I completely agree with you.

UPDATE: Reaction quote of the day:

WASHINGTON - Former vice president and Nobel [Peace Prize for his global warming work] Laureate Al Gore is calling President Barack Obama's Nobel Peace Prize win extremely well deserved and an honor for the country.

There are no words...

UPDATE II: I'm honestly not sure who to hold in lower regard right now. The Nobel Peace Prize Committee, for throwing away what last remaining shred of credibility they might have still had? Or President Obama, for acknowledging that he doesn't deserve this award but, apparently, still planning to accept it anyway.

Then again, I think we've all learned never to get between Barack Obama and a chance to make yet another speech...

Blog Headline of the Day

"Afghanistan: Obama Signals He Will Steer Middle Course Between Buffoon and Knowledgeable General"

The Obligatory Roman Polanski Post

I don't have a Roman Polanski story from my own Hollywood days. In fact, I don't even remember anyone ever mentioning Roman Polanski, unless it was to mock his thoroughly out-of-it director's commentary ("I liked this shot, so I put it in my movie.") on the DVD for The Ninth Gate.

I won't rehash the details of what Polanski did back in 1977. If anyone still doesn't know at this point, go read Steve Lopez.

I won't rehash all the offensively bizarre defenses of Polanski from various Hollywood and cinema icons, either. Except to say I've never been more grateful to be out of that world, whose moral compass apparently includes no magnet to find north. Because making distinctions like north/south, or child-raping-bad/not-child-raping-good, really just plays into the hands of those censorious Christofascist theocrats and chills real artists from speaking truth to power.

I will give Jack Webb the last word. If only because I was also lucky enough to meet some people in Hollywood who I'm sure feel the same way I do.

And Jack Webb can say it, even if they can't...

Pop Quiz: Celebrity Health Reform PSA Edition

Which of the following sarcastic health reform PSAs has more common sense, better facts, and fewer calls to class warfare by wealthy people on its side?

A) "Protect Insurance Companies"



B) "Listen to Overpaid Celebrities"



(Hint: Anyone who accepts at face value a poll claiming that 80% of Americans -- and 61% of Republicans! -- support the Public Option will clearly believe anything. And who knew Michael Jackson was actually a health insurance CEO?)

Your September Stimulus Update

That's right -- 9.8% unemployment for September, and all for the bargain price of just another trillion-or-so in new national debt.

Was this the change you hoped for?

(Graph credit: Innocent Bystanders)

"Smart Diplomacy" Quote of the Day

From Charles Krauthammer:

When France chides you for appeasement, you know you’re scraping bottom.

Best. Vanity Plate. Ever.

Alan Grayson Makes Nancy Pelosi Cry

Do you think when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said this --



-- that she had Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) in mind?



I don't think so, either.

Then again, maybe Speaker Pelosi was thinking about his "apology" for going so far over the top in the speech embedded above --



Somehow, I don't think so, either.

Clearly, Alan Grayson wants those "Holocaust"-denying Republicans (or really just anyone with any sense of civility and decorum) to die before he'll apologize.

Stay classy, Alan. And keep reaching for that higher ground.

(H/T: GayPatriot)

RELATED: "Ed Schultz Makes Nancy Pelosi Cry"

UPDATE: From the Associated Press:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says anyone using harsh rhetoric to raise fears about health care reform should apologize and get on with writing policy, but said there's no reason to single out a Florida Democrat who said Republicans want sick Americans to "die quickly."

"If anybody's going to apologize, everybody should apologize," she said when asked Thursday about Rep. Alan Grayson's comments on the House floor earlier this week.

Apparently, Speaker Pelosi has finally run out of tears.

Or she thinks it's more helpful not to focus of an actual person's actual words. After all, that would just muddy up the public's impression of what was actually said, and by whom, and about what.

Kind of like how actually reading a 1,000-plus-page bill just muddies up a legislator's impression of what that bill is actually going to do...

The Evil Editing Marathon...

...is finally over, but at the moment, sleep is much more appealing than blogging.

Goodnight, folks. See you when I wake up.

Meanwhile, Back in the Real World...

"Gentleman, I may be short, but that apparently means I'm the only one on this stage who doesn't have his head stuck in the clouds. Imagine, the President of France asking the British Prime Minister and the American President to come join him back in the real world. Did anyone hope for that change?... "

No Sooner Do I...

...think I can get back to regular blogging than my editing deadlines shift. Again. And I find myself in a four-day editorial marathon.

I plan to spend Thursday and Friday detoxing from all the caffeine currently in my system. And mourning all the long, detailed blog posts I didn't write.

Typo of the Day

"The patient was admitted to the insensitive care unit."

Ed Schultz Makes Nancy Pelosi Cry

Do you think when Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said this --



-- that she had "progressives" like Ed Schultz in mind?



I don't think so, either.

Stay classy, MSNBC. It makes your case against Ed's counterparts on Fox News so much more compelling...

(H/T: Patterico)

A Long and Quiet Week

The blog has been silent since Sunday, I know. Chalk it up to a combination of work deadlines, getting back to work on a "real" writing project of my own, some celebratory downtime at becoming debt-free for the first time in I've forgotten how long, and a recurring case of political burn-out/depression that decided to, well, recur.

For better or worse, I'm feeling recharged again now, finally. New posts will start appearing again shortly.

A Handy Guide to Racist Political Thought in Post-Racial America

(H/T: Dana Loesch)

A Democrat Who Doesn't Get It

A "Great Moment in the English Language" from Creigh Deeds, Democratic candidate for the governorship in Virginia:



Somebody should promote these reporters to the White House Press Corps. Seriously.

(H/T: Power Line)

A Democrat Who Gets It

A "Quote of the Day," from Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN):

[L]ong-term progressive government can't be built on a foundation of debt and deficits. We cannot indefinitely share with the less-fortunate resources we do not possess.

It's always good to know that at least some members of my former party still get it, even if those members seem fewer and farther between than ever before.

Then again, maybe those other members just like the color red...

"ACORN: The Audacity of Hos"

When ACORN loses even Jon Stewart and The Daily Show, I think we're fast approaching "game over"...

(Warning: Strong language ahead. This is Jon Stewart.)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Audacity of Hos
http://www.thedailyshow.com/
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

White House Phone Logs: President Obama Calls ACORN

"Hello? Is this ACORN?... It is?... Excellent! ACORN, this is President Barack Obama. I just wanted to call and say that you still have my unflagging support for all the good work that you do. Now, I know those two pesky little conservative undercover film-makers have your employees on videotape promoting tax fraud, giving advice about how to run a brothel filled with underage Salvadoran girls brought into this country illegally, and suggesting how to launder money from turning tricks so the funds can be used as political campaign contributions, but that doesn't mean... No, I saw the video from Baltimore... You mean there's more than one?... ACORN employees did the same thing on videotape without batting an eyelash in the Washington, D.C., and New York offices, too? I see... And in the San Bernardino office? Really?... And the employee at the San Bernardino office talked about threatening someone's life to make sure they don't talk? Are you kidding me?... Well, yes, I would say this is a pretty serious problem for you... Well, I'm sorry, but it is. So what's your plan for damage control?... You're going to say the tapes are doctored and edited, blame Glenn Beck and Fox News and racism for a smear campaign, but fire the ACORN employees who are shown on the tapes?... Frankly, no, I don't see the wisdom of that approach... Because your denying the charges at the same time your actions are admitting them. Even my silver tongue can't pull off something this outrageous... Now, don't go bringing my polls numbers into the conversation. That's just gratuitous... Because we're talking about 13-year-old girls from another country being forced into a life of prostitution, that's why... Because we're supposed to be working against that sort of thing... No, no. No, you're right. I called to pep you up. So where as I?... *ahem*... Now, I know the U.S. Census Bureau has dropped your participation in the 2010 count, and the Senate just voted 83-7 to block any further ACORN funding, but that doesn't mean... No, I didn't know even Barbara Boxer voted to block your funding... Yes, when you've lost Barbara Boxer, you really are in quite the... No. No, don't cry... Really. Don't cry... It's not that bad. Almost all of the major media outlets are still ignoring this whole story, right?... Silver lining, yes... Accentuate the positive, yes... And if the major media outlets do start reporting on this, I promise I'll give a major speech saying that I could no more disown ACORN than I could my own grandmother, just like the one I did for my pastor of 20 years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright... Well, yes, I suppose I did disown Rev. Wright just a few weeks later. What's your point?... Hello?... ACORN?... Hello?..."

Quote of the Day

From James Lileks:

God knows I love irony, but it’s the condom the culture puts on when it doesn’t want to enjoy something completely for reasons it will regret in the morning.