Beltmann

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?

My father is going to pull the lever for McCain, but only while holding his nose--McCain is way, way too "liberal" for my dad. Stacy and I are, quite literally, the only progressives in the entire family. It's not unusual, at family gatherings, to hear my family go on about how Obama is a "Manchurian candidate" and all that other nonsense. It's a gas.

I thought Romney and Huckabee gave decent speeches, but Guiliani is coming off as nothing but a superficial, mean bastard--and the crowd keeps egging him on, as if being a mean bastard is the epitome of Republicanism.

Sarah Palin Facts

FWIW, I cut ties with all my friends who liked Titanic.

Their debate will be seen exclusively on Cinemax.

It's pretty obvious Moore was joking. Still, in my opinion, it was an unfunny joke in very poor taste. In context of impending large-scale disaster, such light-hearted comments just come across as inappropriate and callous. (Plus, the forum counts for something--what might be funny when said privately among friends isn't always funny when said on national television.)

"The wires are showing" Former GWB speechwriter David Frum says Palin is the irresponsible choice More from Frum over at the National Review

I'm with ya on that, at least. I've spent all day reading political stuff online, and it's amazing how quickly, and inevitably, discussions about Palin arrive at objectification--often at the same sites that are supposed to be interested in gender equality.