GD it, these bastards sure know how to leave an unresolved ending. I just caught up on the last few episodes, and the next isn't for a month with a pretty solid "to be continued" close.

Overall I dig the mystical developments more than the romantic. Not that there's anything wrong with romance, but they way they're playing this just sheds negative light on all parties. It's not very much fun, and it makes me not like some of my favorite characters as much.

Also, I finished up season four of The Wire, which is really just an incredible piece of artwork. If you have not checked it out, do yourself a favor and Netflix, on-demand, bittorrent or blockbuster that shit. They ended that one without much conclusion too, and apparently will wrap it all up in one last season next year. Sigh.

I'm off on the road to Oregon. Gonna see my mom and grandma and maybe some more extensive family for the Xmas time. Strange how my perception of this season has evolved. I still dig the spirit, but the importance of that one day has pretty much evaporated, probably will stay that way until I have my own kids to bedazzle.

I'll be riding with Mark and Zya, who are going to Eugene, then Portland, then Texas for the holiday. Texas being an escape from all family and a chance to get a little lone-star adventure.

Me, I'm trying to make it back to NYC for New Years. We'll see how that goes.

Probably light posting for the next week or two, although maybe a redesign will happen.

67% oppose the war in Iraq and 70% disapprove of Bush's handling, but nobody is talking about taking a hard stance against the Bush/McCain/Lieberman tactic of escalation.

Likewise, everyone knows the health care system doesn't work and understands that the only entity which has a shot at fixing it is the federal government, but we've yet to hear anyone step up and catch that 70% of public opinion in their sails.

Finally, clear majorities want to invest in efficiency and alternative energy sources, and yet our leaders are stuck dicking around with ANWAR and a few underfunded pilot/mostly-for-show projects.

My point is, the Public is actually not that fucking stupid. Our leadership is just timid and out of touch -- if not outrightly corrupt -- and our organs for articulating Public Opinion have fallen so far from the Jefferson/Franklin ideals that they're closer to the state propaganda machines in the USSR than a legitimate Free Press.

People in this country are a little out of shape and kind of materialistic, but "big dumb America" actually has much a better grasp of what the fuck is going on than the elite leadership.

We're going to see some serious realignment over the next decade, with either a major shift in "national prorities" from the power-elite, or the rise of localism as cities, counties, states and regions begin to abandon the ossified and ineffective federal system in favor of their own problem-solving.

Hopefully we get both. ;)

I think my favorite individual blogger right now is Atrios. His politics -- the stuff he recommends via links and the stuff he writes -- are very good, especially on his subject specialties of the war and economics. I also like his writing voice, and the fact that he's not afraid to be cultural. He posts videos and stuff about music all the time, and he's not afraid to come out and write a post about Sci-Fi and say that Liberals believe in guilt-free sex.

This is what the right fears more than anything else.