Used to live in Chicago. World of difference, there...

This recount is the most diligently conducted, transparent process I can recall in my lifetime. Now, Norman is taking it to court, and given that he's really got nothing, my guess is it will not be a well-received complaint. He'll get his hearing, and be sent home. Home, to Crocus Hill, to fume, and bluster, and snarl, and bemoan his fate.

You lost, Norman.

(Ex-Senator Coleman - that's just never going to wear on me!)

Oh, and @ Sherrie - Harry Reid can't seat Franken yet. He's not yet been certified the winner, and won't be until Norman's complaint gets tossed. And the reason Burris is going to be seated is this: Illinois requires the SoS to "certify" a governor's appointment, yes, even Gov. Spellcheck, and the statute uses the word "shall", which has a specific meaning in law. As in, there is no discretion and no option involved - the SoS is required by Illinois law to certify the gov's appointment as one of his (less-often-called-upon) official duties. He has no choice. Roland Burris is the junior Renator from Illinois as soon as he's sworn in, which will happen. My concern re: Reid is that he went for the emotional reaction rather than looking at the reality of the situation.

No matter. Norman's finished.

Turn out the lights, Norman, the party's over.

I think Sarah likes being a big fish in a little pond. In the Senate she'd be one of 100, and a marginal one at that. Once she realizes that, she'll stay put.

Besides, she can't see Putin rear his head from DC, can she?

I've seen Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Luis Aparicio, and more, and they were all greats. As some of today's players are.

The differences are in training methods, training time (many of the "old timers" had offseason jobs), equipment, mound height, and more. The questions are really (as noted by earlier posters) how well the talented players from "back then" would fare if all things re: training and gear were equal. I suspect most of them would be stars today.

And I can tell you all that high-speed video motion analysis has in fact truly been a wonder in training both hitters and pitchers - the very idea of "mechanics" was almost meaningless back then. Now, we can see a swing or pitch in clear slow motion and break down every part of the involved movements.

Oh yes, and thanks to none other than WGN and their coverage of the Cubs for the center field camera. Made TV baseball what it is today. And thanks to the 1976 Red Sox and Reds - maybe the best World Series I've ever seen.

We're never - never - going to arrive at a point where roads are unnecessary. The question is this: How do we use them?

Perhaps a subsequent question is what proportion of our people-transport do we use them for, and that raises questions about land use and travel patterns.

All forms of moving people (and objects) are necessary, and best used where they provide the best solution to getting who and what where. If we encourage people to live far from where they work, roads may be necessary, unless we provide them good enough alternatives - such as commuter rail. (Even then they'll need to get to the train stations, won't they?)

And yes, at the end of it, laying rail and building rolling stock can employ a lot of people, as can operating the rail transport system.

We need stimulus, and infrastructure, that is true. What many fail to realize is that we need to do it wisely - this may be our one chance.

And the hairshirt-greens are welcome to opt out and go try subsistence farming in the wilderness. We'll be 'round in the spring to bury the bodies.

1) Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store to the greatest extent possible - it's where the real food (produce, etc.) is found.

2) Learn the very simple basics about how to prepare what you bring home from #1, above. What goes together, how to prepare it, how to manage your kitchen time.

You'll be glad you did. I am.

So the guy bought an SUV. SFW? The fact is, we're not going to hybrid or CFL our way out of our current mess.

Ever try to take 500 pounds of production gear a couple miles down an unpaved Forest Service maintenance road? (If you are doing it in a dinky hybrid, maybe strapping it to a roof rack, please be sure to take the curves really hard, just to get a good lesson in basic applied physics.)

The sheer amount of hot air expended in self-righteous posturing here alone is worth 15 Hummers idling in city traffic.

Much as I try to be as liberal as possible, sometimes you guys are downright embarrassing.

Bad writing by overly young hipster-wannabes lacking real life experience and perspective. (There is something to the fact that shows like The Sopranos and The Wire were headed by people with actual backgrounds.)

Incredibly annoying "elevator promos" covering the bottom third of the screen at random moments during programming.

An excess of commercial interruptions. (There is a reason HBO and their brethren have their devotees.)

Just plain dumb premises for shows.

"Actors" with a Left Face, a Right Face, and no brain behind either.

Viewers who reward mediocre drivel with ongoing viewership.

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And on NBC's "daring experiment", as someone dubbed it, I give Leno three months. The real question is, when his ratings crater, as they will, what's behind him as a replacement?

As for Letterman, by light-years the better choice in that time slot, he gets more like Carson with every passing year, and this is not a bad thing, And his guests, the smart ones anyway, are in on the joke. He could possibly carry a primetime variety hour. Leno? I dread the very thought.