Beltmann

The local record shop had one copy. My initial reaction to the album was one of relief: James still sounds like James. I'm diggin' it. Also, yesterday I bought tickets to catch them in Milwaukee next Friday. Side story: Earlier in the week I was playing some older James records, and later that afternoon I overheard my four-year-old daughter singing quietly to herself, "What I need... what I need.... what I need... what I need... is you."

I agree, but I don't understand why there is distrust in the first place. If God does indeed exist, then science is not His enemy; all science will ever do is help illuminate God's creation and workings. Perhaps a distrust of science is a manifestation of insecurity about their faith?

After 9/11, our state passed legislation requiring students to regularly recite the pledge. (At our high school, that means every morning.) A few teachers came down hard on those students who chose to remain silent; those teachers had to be reminded that one of the great things about America is that we have the right to not pledge allegiance upon command.

FYI: Kings of Leon will appear on SNL this Saturday, September 20.

I thought about going to this game with my brother-in-law, who is a Cubs fanatic, but chose instead to be lazy. Perhaps my one chance at seeing one in person... I'll be kicking myself for a long time.

The Counterfeiters / Stefan Ruzowitzky / Germany / 2007 Based on a true story, this Holocaust drama tells of a Jewish counterfeiter sent to the camps and given special treatment in exchange for designing world-class forgeries of the British pound and American dollar. It's a unique and sophisticated story, concerned less with atrocity than with the peculiar, ambiguous morality of this man's circumstances and decisions.

I loved the last album but I'm uncertain about this new one, mostly because I prefer their old CA pop over their new '80s vibe. Still, I can't get "Got It Bad" out of my head... it's been spinning in my brain all week.

It's fair to say that Nader's presence in 2000 gave an assist to Bush, but I think it's unfair to say that his supporters should be held responsible for that. Truth is, if the Democrats had wanted those votes, they should have fielded a candidate who spoke to those voters; no party is entitled to anyone's vote.

Not voting is cynical; voting third-party is optimistic. Let me recycle some things I've said before: The two major parties are mostly interested in maintaining power, and the nefarious part is that, with the media as their accomplice, they have designed and perpetuated a system that essentially ensures there can be no serious challenge to their power. I very much favor a dismantling of that system. Still, I don't get the "let's not vote" movement. I understand the idea of making a statement, but how will that message actually be received? Since it won

I swear, if the Brewers continue to choke and miss the playoffs, I am going to wait behind a bush at Miller Park and, at first opportunity, attack Ned Yost with nunchucks. Later I will decapitate Eric Gagne, but only for sport.

I wouldn't call myself a fan, but I have enjoyed their previous albums, especially Aha Shake Heartbreak.

This is tough to argue against.

It's a funny image, but not for a second do I believe McCain was checking out Palin.

I was teaching sophomore English that day, and we halted all plans and just spent each class talking about what happened and what it meant to us. It was pointless trying to pretend everything was normal.

Perhaps, but all that means is that she was the best choice for campaigner, not necessarily the best choice for president.

Apart from the convention, the Obama campaign has seemed lost and off-message for weeks now, and I think they are paying the price in the daily tracking polls.

That's how I feel. At this point, it's fair to suggest that the GOP is a religious organization.

I loan CDs to students all the time. I almost always have music playing in the classroom, and teenagers will always ask about something that appeals to their ears. Just this last week I've had great conversations about Wilco, Voxtrot, and Beulah. Perhaps the coolest thing is when, years after students graduate, I run into them at concerts by artists that they first discovered in my room. That's happened with Wilco, M. Ward, Andrew Bird, My Morning Jacket, The National, Jenny Lewis... I could go on and on.

Well, my reaction is always on a case-by-case basis. Usually the reasons for a return to an old property are cynical--as Lou said, it's typically about money, about cashing in on nostalgia--but sometimes the return is worthwhile or welcome. I guess I'm always hopeful that things will turn out well; occasionally a movie proves to be an exception to the crap rule.

Ramis, Murray, Aykroyd, and Hudson are rumored to be attached, along with new additions Seth Rogen, Steve Carell, and Paul Rudd. But who knows? There isn't even a script yet. These kind of announcements tend to come and go. The original Ghostbusters was one of the first movies I ever saw on the big screen. (It was also the first movie my dad took me to after my parents got divorced.)

I just wanted to say that whole post was great. I'm a teacher. My family has great health coverage (not as awesome as it was, but I still can't complain). I definitely worry about the costs of nationalized care, how we will pay for it, and the quality of overall care under such a system. Still, as a prosperous nation, I think we have a moral imperative to figure out a way. To steal a line from Dreamin' Judy, I would consider it a privilege to sacrifice in order to help out the millions of fellow Americans who are systematically excluded from the care that I enjoy. The question is, how

That kind of thing plays wonderfully for the converted--the folks over at National Review think it was a home run--but I wonder how it plays for the average undecided voter... especially when most of the country already feels plenty of that "how dare they" anger about her party's actions over the last eight years. I guess we'll see.

Yesterday felt different, better. Tonight, the speakers have focused on a litany of trivial zingers--many funny, I admit--but those should be window dressing, not the whole message. Overall, it just doesn't seem like much serious thought is being presented to voters. Say what you will about Obama's pretensions, at least he appeared statesmanlike. Perhaps McCain will aim for a similar seriousness of purpose tomorrow.

I keep waiting for her to promise the student body that, once elected, she is going to get snack machines for the cafeteria!

I'm really trying to give Palin a fair shake, but so far I'm underwhelmed. Actually, I'm bored. And she just lied about the bridge to nowhere. Again. Don't Republicans know about Google?