Welcome to The Now

Personally, this is one holiday that I don't mind not celebrating on a consistent basis. I've always felt that if you lived the year doing and being your best there shouldn't be any regrets, much less a race to end the year and begin a new one. Or maybe it's because that this holiday has little to do with any particular person. There's no patron saint, religious convergence or major world event to reconcile with the coming on the new year. Nevertheless, for those looking for a clean slate or to start anew: I hope this next year presents you all with the opportunities to do so.

The Villain is neither over-the-top nor disturbingly malicious : Shere Khan is " powerful, deadly, and sophisticated ." The Wolf Pack tries to kick Mowgli out before he even arrives in the movie . Kaa, the biggest snake in the movie universe before Anaconda (and also a villain), didn't want anything to do with him. He's like a cross between Razorclaw , Lex Luthor and Severus Snape . And that's a good thing. The songs : Most Disney songs are memorable and singable (A Whole New World rocks, BTW), but how many make you want to dance? When Baloo burst through that door and broke it down with King Louie, I'll admit it: I was dancing with them. The TMI quota of this post has been honored. It set the tone : Trust me, Aladdin, Tarzan and Lion King wouldn't have been half as awesome without this movie as it's template. Whether you're talking characters, storyline, animations or music, you can see elements of TJB in these classics. The different dynamics :

When holidays, life and destructive impulses combine : COVINA, Calif. – A man dressed as Santa Claus opened fire at a Christmas Eve party in a suburban Los Angeles home that subsequently caught fire, leaving three people dead, police said. The man arrived at the party in Covina late Wednesday and immediately opened fire with a handgun, police Lt. Pat Buchanan said. Buchanan says three bodies were found after the fire was put out. He could not say how the fire started or how the three people died. Buchanan says three other people were injured. A woman in her 20s and an 8-year-old girl had gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening, and a third person had a broken ankle. Police are seeking a man they are calling a person of interest, 45-year-old Bruce Jeffrey Pardo. Buchanan said Pardo is the estranged husband of a person who may have been at the party. Regardless of this tragedy: Merry Christmas , Happy Holidays and Peace on Earth/Godwill towards Men (and Women) .

When the GOP was struggling to find a message, a candidate and a reason for people to vote for them (despite eight years of Bush-led dumbfuckery), Karl Rove's brilliant idea was for Republicans to start talking about all the things they could do for America. Remember: this was the guy who had a job at the White House while Bush was dreaming about invading Mars. Fortunately for us, America realized two things: Republicans were already pretty much in charge already, and Karl Rove is a liar. Fast forward past the disturbingly entertaining Hillary "I Don't Wanna Quit the Primaries" Clinton, the debacle that was John McCain/Sarah Palin, and the joke know as "the mainstream media." We know have a president-elect who, by all appearance, plans to invoke a level of pragmatism into the White House that's sorely needed. This includes ideas...ideas, like, salvaging our crumbling infrastructure. This great country of ours has pipes, buildings and facilities that, whi

In light of Obama's team investigating themselves and finding nothing shady , we now have Politico's theory on how the Obama will handle any future scandals . Remember: he hasn't been sworn in yet. I shudder to think how the media will react when Barack Obama actually starts doing things that will have a direct impact on American lives; because everything now (the vacant Senate seat, the choice of speakers/preachers at his inauguration, his vacation attire) has been at best an extension of his supposed campaign flaws: associations with questionable people, a desire to be ultra-inclusive and his rock-star popularity. And people thought the next four years would be boring.

Canadian singer Keshia Chante will play the late entertainer . Certainly looks like she has enough in the music department to pass as Aaliyah, but that doesn't mean that the movie will be any good. But here's hoping.

If you can't beat 'em, recruit 'em . Gotta love Bush-driven military logic. Ashley Tisdale (the nobody from "Zack and Cody" who became a somebody on High School Musical) shares her fitness tips ...which is apparently more than " be 23 years old ." Rich guy who invested in another rich guy (who was really a rich crook) kills himself . Bostocalypse . Green-collar jobs need some love too . Yankees yank power player from Boston.

...with the pics of a shirtless president-elect on vacation making its way around the internets , Barack Obama has officially become a sex symbol. Fortunately, the movie Twilight has made sure that things stay somewhat normal. The fact that I have to compliment Twilight in any fashion (seriously, we go from 30 Days of Night to this?) speaks for itself.

HRC flexes her muscles . Ever wonder where "Law & Order" get their plots from ? Yeesh. Celebrities who were adopted give back. It's things like this that make people hesitant to back Caroline Kennedy for Senate. Show us the money! Dallas rush-hour massacre . To me, this is proof that students (or their parents) would rather spend more money to get the same basic education (two years in college) as long as they can afford to do it. Europe to become a detainee halfway house for Gitmo prisoners. For a minute there I thought this story was about Michelle Wie (look, I don't know that many golf players, OK?)

Newsflash: being fat and lazy can kill you . Seriously: someone actually wrote a article on this? And during the busiest eating season of them all (next to Thanksgiving)?

I can't believe I missed this one:

What the Hell? Toyota isn't part of the Big Three . For the longest time, American viewed flight attendants as the bar waitress of the airline industry. But for Arab women, the occupation is a window to bigger opportunities . Detroit Lions go for the record . A mysterious plane crash with an unexpected amount of survivors ? Someone should do a show about that, but put it on an island with polar bears, smoke monsters and lots of weird science. If he can change the political climate in Iran , then much luck to Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf. One thing about the 'Skins: when nothings on the line, you can count on them to pull out a win .

If you dare ...

Bikini. Zombie. Slayers. It's exactly what it sounds like .

Thom Hartmann, Alexander Hamilton and Barack Obama . Memo to Hollywood: you don't need rappers in every movie you make . The "So What?" President . Fred Kaplan, William W. Kaufman and Barack Obama .

Damn, damn, damn . ORLANDO, Fla. - Pieces of a tiny skeleton found in swampy woods can tell authorities one thing: Missing 3-year-old Caylee Anthony was killed. What they can't help explain, authorities said Friday, is how or when she died. Authorities said at a news conference that DNA tests conducted on remains found by a utility worker last week less than a half-mile from where the child lived matched Caylee's genetic profile. But the only clue they give about her death is that her bones didn't suffer trauma, said Orange County medical examiner Dr. Jan Garavaglia. "Bottom line is, folks, no child should have to go through this," said Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary. Amen, Beary; amen. Damn.

Sometimes the best way to get a good perspective on a subject is from a source that doesn't typically cover the subject at hand. With that, I give you the Root's ( via Martin Johnson ) take on the Wizard's coaching change (among others): [Eddie] Jordan is paying for the sins of his GM, Ernie Grunfeld. By tying up so much money in Gilbert Arenas' ever-frail physique, he cemented the Wizards as a mediocre team. As Wizards fans are learning, it's a far shorter distance from mediocre to miserable than it is from there to the elite. With Arenas and Brendan Haywood hurt, and the rest of the conference on the upswing, a Wizards team that figured to decline went into freefall. It's easier to change coaches than change rosters, and that applies big time to the Wizards. Sounds like someone else believes that this was about Grunfeld "justifying his job security."

I'll just say these points and leave it be: Read Obama's books and his website for his views on gay rights. It's there; it been there . To act like this is some sudden shift plays into the hands of people who said, "We don't know anything about him! He can't be trusted!" Obama's philosophy on this is simply, " You can disagree without being disagreeable ." To me, that's light years from, "You're either with us or against us." I find it interesting that I've seen this negative reaction from two-thirds of JP's Triumvirate , especially since one of them had (not too long ago) implied that people make shit up during campaigns ; you know, in order to win them. Question: who really thinks that Warren's sermon/speech will actually make pro-gay rights people say, "Hey, I was all for my friend/relative/neighbor getting married and having health benefits, but now, they can burn in Hell?" Did Obama's election

I want a camera like that:

Can't say he believes in going away quietly, can we ? Reporting from Washington -- The Bush administration announced its "conscience protection" rule for the healthcare industry Thursday, giving doctors, hospitals, and even receptionists and volunteers in medical experiments the right to refuse to participate in medical care they find morally objectionable. "This rule protects the right of medical providers to care for their patients in accord with their conscience," said outgoing Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt. The right-to-refuse rule includes abortion and other aspects of healthcare where moral concerns could arise, Leavitt's office said, such as birth control, emergency contraception, in vitro fertilization, stem cell research and assisted suicide. The rule, to be published today in the Federal Register, takes effect the day before President Bush leaves office. Operation: Fuck Up Obama's First Year in Office is in full swing.

Either give Will Smith 7 pounds or say "yes" to Jim Carrey . Don't sleep on the Colts . Obama to make science cool again . R.I.P to Mark Felt and "Mad Dog" Bell . President Bush " to the rescue ." Ye gods.

Leave it to Oliver find the cool pics , but I gotta say that having the kid from " 3rd Rock From the Sun " as the main antagonist is kinda unsettling. At least until you see the rest of the cast . Then I saw who's directing . Sure, Van Helsing was a little cheesy but the Mummy Movies kicked ass. But why does everyone have to wear black ? Where is it written that "wearing black" makes movies characters who are based on comic books or cartoons "cooler" or "more realistic?" Part of the appeal of the series (other than Larry Hama's awesome writing) was the outfits. Nevertheless: judgement reserved. P.S.: If the comics are a template, expect a Transformers/G.I. Joe crossover in the next 5-6 years.

Yikes . COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A pediatric neurosurgeon says a tumor he removed from the brain of a Colorado Springs infant contained a tiny foot and other partially formed body parts. Dr. Paul Grabb said he operated on Sam Esquibel at Memorial Hospital for Children after an MRI showed a microscopic tumor on the newborn's brain. Sam was 3 days old and otherwise healthy. Grabb said that while removing the growth, he discovered it contained a nearly perfect foot and the formation of another foot, a hand and a thigh. [snip] The growth may also have been a case of "fetus in fetu " — in which a fetal twin begins to form within another — but such cases very rarely occur in the brain, Grabb said. Yeah; it's Greek to me too . Also: his name is Dr. Grabb . Heh - heh .

Suddenly, with interim coach Ed Tapscott running the show and a new face like James starting and playing crunch-time minutes, the Wizards more resemble a group of strangers thrown together for a recreational league tournament than an NBA squad that had a full training camp, preseason and opening two months of the season to work things out. -- Washington Post Department of Obvious . Really? Firing a coach who was good with offense (yet terrible with defense) and replacing him with a front office guy with little coaching experience has made the team worse offensively and borderline selfish ? Honestly? You think so, doctor? And what's with this "suddenly?" James basically replaced Antonio Daniels, who wasn't really part of this fiasco. And I don't believe that James is the reason Nick Young, McGee, and Pech aren't on the court.

Like Obama needed something else to deal with : WASHINGTON - The Russian government is likely to "test the mettle" of Barack Obama and his administration by taking a tougher stance against U.S. missile defenses, a senior State Department official said Wednesday. John Rood, the department's top arms control official, told reporters he believes the Russians are waiting to size up the Obama administration before Moscow advances its position on disputed arms issues. In discussing the state of Russian opposition to U.S. missile defense bases in Poland and the Czech Republic, Rood said it appears that Moscow has "paused" in anticipation of a new national security approach in Washington. Personally, I think they're upset that they're no longer the focus of James Bond and Indiana Jones movies.

16 in a row for Boston . Meet Mary Schapiro . The shoe-thrower will have some company in jail . Only on Wall Street can lying about your profit margin and swindling your customers earn you fat bonuses . First U.S. face transplant (that didn't involve Nicholas Cage and John Travolta). R.I.P., Sammy Baugh . Freddie Prinze Jr. is still making movies ?

I’ve abandoned free market principles to save the free market system . -- President George W. Bush, Champion of the Free Market. Read that sentence again . It's like killing doctors to prevent abortions. Like starting an unnecessary war in order to keep people safe. Like illegally wiretapping Americans in order to listen in on calls from terrorists. Nothing this guy says or does makes sense until you ask the question: " Is there money to be made from this, and by whom ?" Here's the kicker: this attitude doesn't go away with Bush's "retirement" from the White House ( it didn't start with him either ). That fact that people like him are willing to break the rules and ignore their belief structure just so they can keep touting their belief structure speaks volumes.

If you say you weren't skiing the slopes, then you weren't . And even if you did and you're hiding it because you don't want it to ruin your choice of future roles, I understand. And I forgive you. But I don't forgive Ghost Rider . That was crap. Utter crap.

An interim Coach Typically means that the Team Is also in Flux. (In other words, lets stop the "we're just having a bad year but things will right themselves." Expect more roster changes.)

Tara Reid checks her big head, bad acting and f'd up stomach into rehab . Changes to the "Thank God for a New President!" Party. Britain makes a timetable for withdrawal . More Fed cuts . People still tip ?

This one is on a timer, and actually uses a picture of the actual event. Grade: A-. This one has decent artwork, but the setting is wrong and it comes across as one of those stupid "Win Something!" games you see when you log out of Facebook or MySpace. Grade: D+. This one is really a shoe-smacking game . And it uses the generic "I'm an jerk and the President" pic of Bush. Grade: C. This one has Bush dodging shoes...and bullets . I think you're supposed to shoot the shoes so they won't hit Bush. If so...huh? Kinda disturbing. Grade: D-. Can anyone find anymore, that are humorous yet tasteful?

The press appears ready to make up for letting Bush get away with 95 months of criminality by holding Obama accountable for any crime committed within a 400 mile radius. Source . That's all you need to know about how the next four years will go. Seriously. Right there. Repeat it twice a day; once in the morning and once in the evening.

The Iraqi reporter who tossed his shoes at President Bush was beaten while being detained , while on the outside : In Saudi Arabia, a newspaper reported that a man had offered $10 million to buy just one of what has almost certainly become the world’s most famous pair of black dress shoes. A daughter of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi , the Libyan leader, reportedly awarded the shoe thrower, Muntader al-Zaidi, a 29-year-old journalist, a medal of courage. In the Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, people calling for an immediate American withdrawal removed their footwear and placed the shoes and sandals at the end of long poles, waving them high in the air. And in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, people threw their shoes at a passing American convoy. America: takes notes.

Outgoing VP Cheney likes the Obama National Defense Team.

A kidnapping expert gets kidnapped in Mexico .

Boston is 23-2 . 23-and-friggin'-2 , people. American Idol to undergo changes . This is probably the only time I'll mention American Idol. Heavy snorers burn more calories . Yes; this was actually researched. SAG versus...the members of SAG ? I might have waited until DumbAssGovernor-Gate was over before I made this pick , but then again, I'm not Barack Obama. Another NBA coach bites the dust . I think after Eddie Jordan lost his job, every coach with a bad or mediocre record (regardless of how they did in the recent past) became vulnerable.

I love people, but I hate shopping. That is all.

Superman kills old guy for kicks ...and Batman hates Santa . Finally: the truth about Barack Obama . Surprise, surprise: conservatives love Fitzgerald again . Word to ya' mutha . Bush achievements that they don't talk about . Sean Hannity is really grasping for straws . And, the TDI paint theme:

Of course it centers around T.O .

The Senate says, " With Bush and Rumsfeld ." A bipartisan Senate report released today says that former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and other top Bush administration officials are directly responsible for abuses of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and charges that decisions by those officials led to serious offenses against prisoners in Iraq and elsewhere. The Senate Armed Services Committee report accuses Rumsfeld and his deputies of being the principal architects of the plan to use harsh interrogation techniques on captured fighters and terrorism suspects, rejecting the Bush administration's contention that the policies originated lower down the command chain. "The abuse of detainees in U.S. custody cannot simply be attributed to the actions of 'a few bad apples' acting on their own," the panel concludes. "The fact is that senior officials in the United States government solicited information on how to use aggressive techniques, redefin

I knew if I kept looking I'd find something from Rosen on the Eddie Jordan firing . I know it's late, but considering his predictions for certain personnel, it still seems relevant. We've all seen this movie before: A general manager stocks his roster with a dysfunctional mixture of players, but since he's the one who procured the players he thinks they're better than they really are. Eventually the team loses, and the coach is canned — because it's easier to fire the coach than to fire the players, and because the GM is certainly not going to fire himself. This is approximately what happened to Eddie Jordan in Washington. Ernie Grunfeld's team had no reliable big men as well as too many gunners with similar talents. Rosen goes on to say that without a low-post producing, double-team commanding big man or a consistent slasher, the Wizards were left with little options. Couple that with injuries, and you have a recipe for one fired coach. Plus, Grunfeld had

Senate Republicans to set up a roadblock . Please; not while we're eating . More and more people are turning to alternative medicine . Meet the Obama Environmental Team . If you think your dog is jealous, maybe he is . Gates (still) wants more troops in Afghanistan . What does sugar and crack have in common ? Keep hope alive...and uncorrupted . Perfect; by the end of the next four seasons , they can re-name the show "Golden Girls: The Next Generation." That's a "yes" to both questions : "Is Jennifer Aniston looking good at 40?" and "Is she still pissed that Angelina Jolie stole her husband?"

In case people wanted something more definitive : President-elect Barack Obama believes that Gov. Rod Blagojevich should resign, his advisers said on Wednesday. "The President-elect agrees with Lt. Gov. Quinn and many others that under the current circumstances it is difficult for the governor to effectively do his job and serve the people of Illinois," Robert Gibbs, the incoming White House press secretary, said.

Yay . Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired guards Javaris Crittenton from Memphis and Mike James from New Orleans in a three-team trade. As part of the deal, Washington sends Antonio Daniels to New Orleans and sends back a conditional first round draft pick to Memphis (that was initially acquired from Memphis in exchange for the draft rights to Juan Carlos Navarro on August 16, 2007), while New Orleans also receives a conditional second round pick from Memphis. In addition, the Wizards have waived guard Dee Brown. “This trade strengthens and energizes our backcourt by giving us a veteran guard in Mike James who can help us immediately with his stability and scoring ability and a young guard in Javaris Crittenton who can help us now and in the future with his athleticism,” said Grunfeld. “We’re excited to welcome both players to Washington, but we’re also appreciative of what Antonio did for this team during his three-plus years here and we wish hi

Would be like this, only with him going up against the likes of Mitch McConnell and Barbara Boxer: Get the latest news satire and funny videos at 236.com . Personally, I think he'd be more comfortable in the House (the loud and and crazy flourish there).

Can't say I'm surprised : NEW YORK (Reuters) – American International Group (AIG.N), once the world's largest insurer, owes around $10 billion to other financial services firms for trades that have gone sour, the Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition on Tuesday. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, says the trades have not been explicitly disclosed before, and are not covered by terms of a current $150 billion U.S. government rescue package. I don't get this; the bailout was supposed to free up money for all the banks and make currency flow again...right? Right ? In the market equivalent of shoveling cash under the mattress, hordes of buyers were so eager on Tuesday to park money in the world’s safest investment, United States government debt, that they agreed to accept a zero percent rate of return. The news sent a sobering signal: in these troubled economic times, when people have lost vast amounts on stocks, bonds and real estate, making a

I really don't pay much attention to celebrities, even the very attractive ones, once they get married. I mean...they're married. Plus I have other reasons . But given the circumstances here , I just have to comment. Seriously: why photoshop Jessica Alba? Can I get an expert on the subject to chime in here?

Apparently Dallas isn't the only team with running back conflicts. So far be it for me to be hypocritical . I know she's a Kennedy, but c'mon people : that should not be a prerequisite for office, anymore than being a Bush. Personally, I find the idea of a " car czar " silly; why is every solution rooted on the premise that one guy can oversee everything and make it all better? How Death Proof : The #1 killer of kids is cars . Sister Mary Francis . Sick bastards. Look, people: if this story shows anything , it's that the jerk governor from Illinois was engaging in the type of politics (you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours) that Obama's trying to change. And the Democrats in the Illinois Congress is trying to kick him out. So before people start with this "Oh no! How will this affect Barack?" nonsense, might I suggest some meditation? On the other hand, this is something Obama should be paying attention to. American children are improving

Lee Iacocca says that the Big Three Execs should not be fired as part of any loan/bailout deal : "Having been there, I do not agree with the sentiment now coming out of Congress that the management should be changed as a condition of granting loans to the Detroit automakers," Iacocca said. "You don't change coaches in the middle of a game, especially when things are so volatile." He added that the auto industry has been hit by an unpredictable series of events beyond its control. "The companies may not be perfect but the guys who are running them now are the only ones with the experience and the in-depth knowledge and understanding of how the car business really works," he said. "They're by far the best shot we have for success." While that sounds like the argument for voting Republican since 2006, Iacocca has a point. How about a compromise: the execs leave the company, but become "consultants" to this crisis. They get paid for

I have a question for those who believe that Church and State should be merged: how much would you contribute to the various bailouts that have been going on and proposed lately? America is in an economic downward spiral. Our housing industry, Wall Street and the auto industry is/has been in shambles. People and businesses alike are going bankrupt or at the very least filing. Corporate America has come to Congress (aka, the State) for financial help. For the most part, they've all gotten something. So it's not far fetched to think that if Church and State were one, that the various religious factions would be asked to fork over some dough as well. So: how much of the Tithes and Offerings would be acceptable to help Corporate America get back on its feet? What about the Building Fund? I'm not just talking about money to help one person who lost their job because of this mess, or even a small community, I'm talking about AIG and Ford Motors. So again, to the proponents of

Don't read this is you're a Cowboy fan. Otherwise: HAHAHAHAHA ! New York, New York: it's a helluva town . The Democrats want a $15 billion tuneup . Remember the 9/11 attacks? Well, here's an update . Now I finally have my answer to the question, " Who would win between a pirate and a panther ?" When The Today's Show Matt Lauer has to ask the New York Times about Jay Leno's TV future on NBC ...let's just say you know that NBC is bumblefuckin' around. Because while they're certainly ideological, the Supreme Court isn't full of idiots, that's why . I'm sorry, Ma'am; you're going to have to check that monkey of yours with your luggage .

Like me , Tom Tomorrow knows something's going on .

Teddy bears that can kill you . Coldplay stole music ? The hell you say! More revelations on the Mumbai attacks . Ray Allen is the Celtics hero this time . Bush likes his judges WASP-y . Is Obama puffing cancer sticks or not ? And...who cares?

Micahel Moore's case for helping the Big 3 . Oh, God: Ring-Gate ? Is this the best they can do? Bob Novak is a dick . Five Key Traits of a Great Girlfriend . From the people who brought you Ring-Gate: Citizen-Gate . OK, ok: ball movement was also key in the Wizard's win over New Jersey. And you thought your family was bad .

"Nintendo's for kids," people always tell me. "It's the Playskool of video games." Yet the system that brought us Super Mario Bros. and the Legend of Zelda continues to kick ass . Just as interesting as how Nintendo has changed the gaming world, however, has been its business approach. Nintendo sells games along the time-honored razor-razor blade model, namely pushing out the console and then enticing users to buy more games. "More casual players aren't as likely to be attracted by hardware features, so it's all about delivering a fun, easy-to-use and addicting game experience," says Anita Frazier, toy and video game analyst at NPD Group. Another factor in enticing those casual users is keeping its console cheap. "The key thing about Nintendo is they want their things to be at price points that anyone can respond to," says Hiroshi Kamide, director of research at KBC Securities Japan. Nintendo's strategy is to buy inexpensive

Yes, you better believe it. Daily Kos diarist dday has the details . Bottom line: ideological, GOP-loving lawyer refuses to leave during the very normal transitioning period when the New Administration cleans out the old people in favor for their people. President Obama will be forced to fire said lawyer, and the GOP/conservative base/Fox News will go Coo-Coo for Coco Puffs. Basically, the Bizarro Version of the US Attorney Firing Scandal .

Whether you thought O.J. Simpson should have been arrested after the first domestic violence call, the surreal trial that distracted a nation or the subsequent public "Fuck y'all! I'm free!" events that became the norm, today was justice . And in true Death Proof fashion, the man many had (unsuccessfully, mind you) tried to paint as some ruthless, vicious killer turned into a pile of mush: Shortly before the sentence, Mr. Simpson, wearing a blue prison jumpsuit, his arms handcuffed in front of him, made a surprise statement in which he told Judge Jackie Glass of Clark County District Court: “I didn’t want to hurt anybody. I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong.”“I stand before you somewhat confused,” Mr. Simpson, his voice breaking, said in the rambling statement in which he uttered the word “sorry” at least four times. Judge Glass seemed unimpressed, “The evidence was overwhelming,” she said before pronouncing sentence first on one of Mr. Simpson’s five accomplices

Well, we could all use some good news I guess : Happiness ripples well beyond a person's inner circle of friends and family, lifting the mood of an extended network of social contacts who might even be strangers, according to a provocative study published today. Psychologists have long known that feelings can be contagious over short time frames or that people reflexively return smiles. But the new social network analysis showed that that contagious effect extends three "degrees" - as far as a friend of a friend of a friend - and drops off with time and distance. The effects can last a year, researchers said in British Medical Journal. "Your happiness is not just about your own choices and actions and behaviors and thoughts," said Dr. Nicholas Christakis, a coauthor of the study and a professor of medical sociology at Harvard Medical School. "It's like there are emotional stampedes that ripple across this infinite fabric of humanity." Scientists h

I guess now that we're "officially" in a recession , it's OK to let other cats out of the bag . U.S. employers shed more than half a million jobs in November, accelerating a steady decline in the labor market with the worst monthly showing in 34 years. The report from the Labor Department is likely to raise fresh concerns about the depth and length of an ongoing recession, and could figure into hearings on Capitol Hill today about a proposed bailout of the Big Three Detroit automakers. The unemployment rate rose from 6.5 percent to 6.7 percent, the highest rate since the recession of the early 1990s. The figure was tempered by the fact that 422,000 workers left the labor market, likely discouraged by their inability to find a job. The unemployment rate only includes people actively looking for work. "Context is everything," Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said as hearings on the auto bailout began. A failure of

Quite simply the ballsiest thing Condoleezza Rice has said as Sec. of State. Mars launch delayed . Seeing that the roots of this economic nightmare come from people not being able to pay off loans and such, it's not surprising that people clutched their credit cards during the beginning of shopping season . Congress still doesn't trust the Big 3 . Really, what have they done to garner trust from anyone? If you take The Runaway Jury and that Texas Cheerleader mom story , you get this .

Jeepers : MEXICO CITY -- The death squads of the drug cartels are killing in spectacularly gruesome ways, using the violence as a language to deliver a message to society. Increasingly, bodies show unmistakable signs of torture. Videos of executions are posted on the Internet, as taunts, as warnings. Corpses are dumped on playgrounds, with neatly printed notes beside them. And very often, the heads have been removed. When someone rolled five heads onto the dance floor in a cantina in Michoacan state two years ago, even the most hardened Mexicans were shocked. Now ritual mutilations are routine. In the border city of Tijuana, 37 people were slain over the weekend, including four children. Nine of the adults were decapitated, including three police officers whose badges were stuffed in their mouths. "There is a new and different violence in this war," said Victor Clark Alfaro, the founder of the Binational Center for Human Rights, who moves around Tijuana accompanied by bodygua

Lord knows I'm skeptical. The Bush Years has, no doubt, made us all a little shy. Our government has basically been beating us with a spiked bat and now we're being asked to trust it again. And that's kinda hard to do with so many familiar faces surrounding a person who used the word "change" like Phil Jackson used the Triangle Offense in Chicago. But then again, I have some faith and this nagging tendency to actually see an Administration in action before I start calling for resignations. For those who feel differently, I suggest you consider signing up . That way you can at least claim that you tried to contribute to "Teh Change." Otherwise: enjoy the court-side seats!

Let's go over the checklist , shall we? Three players scoring 20 points or more ? Jamison had 22; the next person closest to 20 was Butler with 16. Blatche and Young both scored 11. So nope . Low turnovers ? They matched Portland with 12, so this is a wash . No easy baskets ? Going by the play of Roy, Blake and Fernandez, I'd say quite the opposite . High percentage shots taken ? 50.7% from the field, 33.3% from the Three. Not far off from their averages. But if there was any example of a good shot versus a bad one, it was the last two shots Songaila took at the end of the game: a set shot and a running, off-balance jumper. Despite that, they did what they needed to do here .

Something tells me Disney won't be adapting this .

There is no official connection between abortion and depression . Rajon Rondo had a triple double . 'Nuff said. More bad news for Jennifer Hudson. Capital One plans on buying Chevy Chase (no; not that Chevy Chase ). Kinda like how the Puritans wanted to worship in their own way... only with more bigotry !

"We’ve won the war." -- Bill Kristol. It's been building for awhile now; this surreal whitewash of eight years of incompetance and nepotism. Of the neo-conservatives playing limp biscuit with our Constitution. Of our citizens being fired, kicked out of their houses, dying and so much more because for too long profits (both financial and political) was a higher priority than people. And now it culminates with the ultimate slap in the face ; that the one thing that has defined the Bush Administration and the current Republican Party -that they (and only they) can win the war in Iraq and so they must remain in office 4EVA- is now being flushed because the black guy from the Democratic Party won last month. All that talk about having secret plans, about needing to "fight them over there," about "staying the course" and not showing weakness and being involved in this for 50-to-100 years... forget about it . Because we've "won." And all it took

Hey; 3-12 is worlds better than 2-13. At least the team is in a joking mood again . But the formula for victory seems simple (just like for the Redskins). It's: Three players scoring 20 points or more. Low turnovers. No easy baskets. Take high-percentage shots. It's not rocket science, but with this squad's current makeup, it's not like chewing gum either. That third scorer is going to be different every night. Against the Jazz it was a Jamison, Butler and a McGee/Young combo ; Against the Warriors it was Jamison/Butler/Blatche (with McGee coming in with 14pts); last night it was Jamison/Butler/Stevenson (with Young contributing 12pts). Two things that can keep turnovers low are making baskets and having a good ball handler. Now that they've seemed to have settled on a rotation, the players should be more comfortable and won't "overthink" on the court. And without a traditional point guard, the bigs with handle are going to have to play more "po

Kanye West: hip-hop emo ? Obama's Ex-Rival Revival continues . Knick-knack, paddy-wack: give a dog a bone . One more thing Bush has ignored (for political reasons) that Obama has to deal with. Cleaning House . Roman Polanski doesn't want that "I had sex with a teenage girl" thing to hang over his head anymore.

No, it's not this guy ...or this guy . Actually , Gen. Jones is the foreign policy person the media should be talking about , instead of harping on the non-existent Obama/Clinton drama.

...on second thought, I'll let these guys do it. They're waaay funnier about it.

I don't care how good the Lakers look; they are not going to beat this Boston team in a seven-game series. Like, OMG! Obama, like, totally chose Hillary even after that big fight they had last Spring ! Keep an eye on India and Pakistan .

Too much TV and video games can turn your child into a chubby, chain-smoking sex-addict . Deal with it. Actually, if your kid is like that then they're not one of the 25% who may be Coo-Coo for CoCo Puffs . Now if you don't live in China, you don't have to worry about your child not making it out of their infancy .

If autoworkers did make $70/hr ( which they don't ), than everyone would want those jobs.

More Right-Wing flap debunked: America has been in a recession since 2007 .

From an email I received: D.C. police deployed new speed cameras at several locations.Warning citations began Monday, and live citations will begin on Dec. 26. The new cameras are at the following locations: 800 block of Eastern Avenue NE 5500 block of East Capitol Street NE 2800 block of New York Avenue NE 5500 block of East Capitol Street SE 1900 block of Southern Avenue SE Southeast Southwest Freeway at Ninth Street entrance ramp SE Southeast Southwest Freeway at Eighth Street SE 3700 block of Southern Avenue SE Suitland Parkway nw/b before Firth Sterling Ave SE 2900 block of Military Road NW 5300 block of 14th Street NW Watch the eggnog if your going to be in D.C.

More stuffing for those who haven't had enough... Familiar faces/different agenda . Home security by 2011 . Christmas comes early this year . Sarah Palin vs Ludacris . Make of it what you will. Can China do more in the fight against AIDS? The sacrifices made for being a little taller . A resignation in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks.