Dunkin Donuts House Blend is one of the best coffee blends ever. I can do without the rinky-dink decor, and the donuts for that matter, but that shouldn't blind (if that is the right word) even a left coast elitist to the taste. Starbucks also has a house blend and DD's is much better, not to mention more affordable. And as for the "customer experience" I personally can do without Starbuck's corporate "hip" decor, corporate "hip" music CDs, stale fake gourmet pastry and all the other items that drive up their price. I just want a good cup of coffee.

Also, you have just jeopardized your entire New England readership!

I have my doubts about those 100 Angel wins. 54 of them were against the Rangers, A's and Mariners. Tampa Bay and Boston had much tougher schedules. But we'll see

And was deeply moved. I had missed not having your blog to read since the election, wondered what the family matter could be that was keeping you away, had read that John Leonard had died, and never made the connection. I know you miss him terribly. I got to the end of "My father's vote" and I cried too, old as I am. But very very selfishly, I am glad to have you back, writing again.

Perhaps letting Lieberman keep his chairmanship of the Homeland Security Committee is a holding tactic. There are still three senate races to be decided. He keeps his chair, Democrats keep an eye on him. They see what kinds of consensus votes they can develop with the few remaining moderate Republicans, wait for the final Senate count, and then the less they need him, the shorter his leash. He can be removed at anytime, but this plays well right now to the (admittedly) mythological need for more bipartisanship that the press (and the Republicans, when they are losers) are always harping about. It looks like the usual Democratic party spinelessness, but maybe not.

I've only been reading HTWW for about a year. However, I was hooked, in a WTF! fashion, from that first read. I live in farm country and your ongoing coverage of issues related to fertilizer - including the fabulous "When Guano Imperialists Ruled the Earth" - has had me reading ever since. You are the Mozart of bloggers - writing minor masterpieces by the age of three. Congrats!

"old media" is dying for many reasons, but one of the major ones is that there doesn't appear to be a lot of people invested in it who can THINK. the good minds have no interest in the establishment and have found other ways to be in this world.

Nice to see your posts on iTunes and archaeology. I keep trying to tell people that there other subjects of interest besides our current economic crisis. Please continue to back me up on this.

:-)

to notice this trend. An intro course in cultural anthropology or social geography will do - or just life experience and common sense. There is always a tendency in many people to want to revert to earlier social structures - something tribal, run by the big-man or chieftain. The ambitious, impatient and greedy scramble to play this role, and those people who are constitutionally less able to bear anxiety (hence less willing to think), who want quick, emotional answers to life's problems, want big-men to follow. Republicans aren't conservative in any meaningful sense of the word, they simply worship established, centralized, SIMPLE authority. Democracy is difficult. It's why it's always endangered.