Christmas is approaching and I'm apt to be off the blogs until 26/27-12-08, so I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday. Merry / Happy / Joyeaux, all; and may FSM and Ceiling Cat grant you a grand solstice!

In the Washington Post, Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac put forth this suggestion: Read more…

Disgrace: 45 million left out

Why does America's system cost twice as much, yet result in poorer health? This situation is outrageous. The cheapest, best, national insurance format is a Canada-style "single-payer" operation run by the government. We hope that President Obama and the new Democrat-dominated Congress move America swiftly toward that goal.

This is HUGE! If you live in West Virginia, please send this to your Senators and Representative.

So, be Shrill! It was the liberals wot done it:

The opposition to Mr. Brennan had been largely confined to liberal blogs, and there was not an expectation he would face a particularly difficult confirmation process.

That was the Times. AP:

His potential appointment has raised a firestorm in liberal blogs...

And, Bless Their Hearts, MSNBC: Read more…

THIS SUNDAY at 5 PM Katie Robbins of HealthCare Now! will be live blogging at CorrenteWire to answer all your questions about the current battle for single payer. She has many interesting announcements to make, so save up all your questions. For those you of not familiar with HealthCare-Now!:

The Single-Payer Legislative Battle Begins! Read more…

MAJOR NEWS! I just got off the phone with Katie Robbins of HealthCare-Now!. She has graciously agreed to do a live blog here at CorrenteWire in the very near future. We are still working out the details and will post as soon as everything is arranged.

Things are moving very fast, and she has a lot of great news to announce. They are in the process of organizing events. There are weekly strategy sessions that she will be describing to you. Please think of any questions you have about the fight for single payer and be ready.

More when all the details are worked out.

So, if you got a free trip to London, all expenses paid, and you'd never been there before, what would you do? Seven days and nights, no strings attached, enough money to have a good time high and low. Cause, that's me, next month. Suggestions for this inexperienced, ignorant Flatlander? Obviously, those of you who are gaii and done The City, I beg you to pipe up.

...at least I don't have to learn a new language.

Sunday night is football night.

Despite playing with a heavily-wrapped (recently broken) fourth finger on his right hand -- and in spite of pitching a couple of first-half interceptions, both intended for Terrell Owens -- Tony Romo led the Dallas Cowboys back into the "win" column.

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In a heavy skillet cook 1/2 pound bacon until crisp. Remove meat and keep warm; reserve 1 Tbsp drippings.

Whisk 1/3 cup flour, 1 tsp black pepper, dash each cayenne and garlic into remaining drippings and stir over medium heat until lightly browned. Beat in 2/3 cup cold milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth.

Make dark toast.

Dish up gravy; wipe out pan with paper towel and in reserved bacon drippings saute 2 medium eggs until done.

Put toast on plate. Top toast with eggs and gravy. Top gravy with bacon. Serve with milk.

People who have skills set out to share them, teach them, pass them down?
People who know ways of doing things simply and cheaply chose to hand along that knowledge?
People decided it was better to repair what they already had than buy new?
People figured out that reduce, reuse, recycle is a strategy for getting ahead financially?

Via Open Left we learn the latest developments in House Leadership shifts:

But Emanuel is being replaced by current Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman John Larson (Conn.), who, while well-liked and generally respected within the caucus, is regarded as far more liberal than Emanuel.

And Larson’s replacement as vice chairman is expected to be Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), a former Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairman who leans even further to the left than Larson. Read more…

A consummation devoutly to be wished: reports that Obama will end the Global Gag Rule which, by suppressing information about and access to condoms, condemns people to die.

Graham Harrell threw for more than 400 yards again tonight, and six touchdowns. Michael Crabtree caught three of those.
They're making their case as contenders for the Heisman -- and national sports pundits suggest Harrell has a good one.
This is neither of them, but that's okay: Ladies and gentlemen, meet Eric Morris, of Shallowater, Texas!
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Jared Polis in Colorado

Chellie Pingree in Maine

Senator elect Tom Udall is a cosponsor of HR 676. Sherrod Brown was a cosponsor when he was in the House. Sen. Bernie Sanders is a supporter, so we have three Senators.

Eric Massa is leading, but locked in a recount fight.

With 93 incumbents and 3 new Representatives we have 96 supporters in the House of Representatives and 3 Senators. We are on our way.

"Sarah Palin's final, sad Tina Fey wave"

That's a good start. But I'm really looking forward to Bush's final, sad Will Ferrell wave.

For your Sunday morning entertainment, do treat yourself to Ben Affleck's brilliant impersonation of KO last night on Saturday Night Live. Delicious.

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as reported by the Austin American-Statesman newspaper, "fills her with joy."

photo by Larry Kolvoord, Austin American Statesman

Please give Ms. Jones a moment's respect.

This lady's vote says something important about voting, about Texas, and about freedom. That she can vote, this year, for a black man for President -- and have a chance to win! -- is a world-shattering thought, isn't it? In the USA, it's possible that a black man could be elected President this year. The wall behind her says something important too -- something we often forget, or deny -- look at the photos. There's a story there -- there's history there, in a very personal setting. Read more…

Didn't vote the straight ticket after all.

Given that it is now fashionable to write things like "It is time to replace those faded and equivocal calls of yesteryear, for equality based on mutual respect and equanimity between the genders.", I figured we could examine some examples of our iFeminist future, where we unshackle ourselves from foolish excesses and old battles from the 60's. Read more…

So, Sunday morning before going to the 2nd day of Expo, we went to this place (photo courtesy TPWD):

which is a stone's throw from the recreation hall the CCC built at Lockhart State Park (Lockhart, by the by, is famous as the Barbecue Capital of Texas).

That rec hall overlook opens onto an area with more than a dozen cast-concrete picnic tables in the shade of Spanish-moss draped trees. It's an amazingly peaceful place. Read more…

Single-payer plan passes Calif. Assembly

The Gropinator still has to sign it, but this is an important victory.

Three down -- at Lambeau Field, of all places -- where Dallas never won before, and Tony Romo only went twice before,

and against Green Bay's new starting qb, Aaron Rodgers.

Now, granted, it was bound to come along sometime --
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Everyone should check out Sarah Haskins' "Target: Women" on Current. Last week's clip:

Here's another great clip: Read more…

Angry for a Reason Read more…

Two down.

Philly fans have a new anti-hero: DeSean Jackson turned an apparent 61-yard TD into a 60-yard catch because he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.

Texas Stadium will host no more NFL Monday Night Football games.
At least the last one ended well.
Felix Jones, by the way, had a 98-yard touchdown run.