Democrats and Republicans promises.

This summer I had the unique experience of managing a congressional primary campaign in a solidly Democratic district. My candidate was a sincere progressive, challenging a 12-term representative in a furiously anti-incumbent season. It was a long shot, but with projected low turnouts and the possibility that our opponent could be indicted at any time, it seemed worth trying.

We are often advised not to resist armed criminals because our lives are less replaceable than money. Statistically, that is sound advice, but nothing is 100% certain.

I didn't want to make the announcement too early. I didn't want everyone at DAG, and across the Universe to start celebrating to long before the weekend. But it is Thursday, so here I am, spilling the news.

Damn you, Red Planet!  I almost forgot to read Friedman this morning.  I was having such a happy day but now I've read this.  Actually, the all-knowing mustache makes a pretty good point that we should seek to compete with China and other economies by encouraging America's well-educated, creative and driven individuals to follow their bliss in new and hopefully lucrative directions.

What else can I say? Except this:

Tom Friedman got something right today. Wait! Wait! Stifle that nausea response. He didn't get much else right in today's NYT Op-Ed, but he said that the country is looking for a leader "...with the ability to lead in the face of uncertainty and not simply whine about how tough things are..."

Mr. Obama. That's why we elected you. We thought.

This entire narrative is taken from my own vague memories. I cannot access archives of the Minneapolis Tribune partly because it costs money and partly because the archives available only go back to 1986.

When I first moved up here to Pelham, NY I discovered a radio station called “CD 101.9”. Their moniker was “Smooth Jazz”. They played some really great modern jazz songs, a lot of it instrumental, some of it mellow, some of it funky. I played it in the car all the time because it just seems that jazz is really good for driving.

The bigger they come the harder they fall. The United States has a systemic problem: America's loss of power is the major story of our era. What is happening, what has happened, what will happen? Don't look at me, your guess is as good as mine.

I think I first saw George Carlin when I was about 10 on the Ed Sullivan show.  It was before he grew the long hair and showed the audience who he was and what he believed in.  I can't think of many people in our celebrity culture who had the staying power he had.  Nor can I think of many who had such a loyal and grateful following.