NYT: Illinois Woman Accused in Hit - And - Run Death

Krystle McGlothlin fled, but returned minutes later to take something from her ex-husband's pocket as he lay bleeding, authorities said. Police said she smelled of alcohol but declined to release her blood-alcohol content.

In Ancient Rome, penalties for crimes were doubled if the crime was committed while the perpetrator was drunk.  Considering how often the alcoholism defense is used by by politicians and public figures these days maybe that would be good idea for modern day America.

Breitbart: Clinton Outlines Legislative Priorities

She also said Democrats would focus on improving the quality and affordability of health care _ a touchy matter for the former first lady, who in 1993 led her husband's calamitous attempt to overhaul the nation's health care system. The failure of that effort helped Republicans win control of both the Senate and House the following year.

"Health care is coming back," Clinton warned, adding, "It may be a bad dream for some."

Not a good first step as the 2008 race begins.  This will remind many voters of everything they don't like about Hillary.  Her husband's Administration, wanting to control folks' lives, overreaching on certain issues, being "the smartest women in the world."

Although it could help with Democratic primary voters. She may be taking Nixon's maxim to heart.  Nixon said:  "Run Right (or Left for Democrats) in the primaries, then run toward the center for the general."

But this is tougher for Hillary because she is so well known.  If she runs too hard to the Left during the primaries, the Democrats may fear she cannot win the general and look for a less polarizing figure.  

NYT: Music Review: Osborne Does Country Combo

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: November 13, 2006

Filed at 12:30 p.m. ET

Joan Osborne, ''Pretty Little Stranger'' (Vanguard)

The adjectives used to describe Joan Osborne's voice -- robust, earthy, sultry, bluesy, Joplin-esque -- have never included the word ''twangy.'' But the Kentucky native went country on her first album of original material in six years, and the result is a gem.

Most folks will remember Joan from her hit "What if God Were One Of Us?"

I've seen Joan with the remnants of the Grateful Dead and with Willie Nelson on the same bill. Great voice and tremendous stage presence.  This album sounds like a winner.

I’m a big South Carolina Gamecocks fan.  Although I went to a small I-AA school (think 10,000 seat red brick stadium, student ID gets you in on game day) I have bled Garnet and Black since I was a small child. Of the eight in my generation, six attended South Carolina...I went to William and Mary, and the last in the generation went to Clemson.  (We love her anyway.)

This weekend we experienced another round of Gamecock luck.  Playing the Florida Gators, the number five team in the country, at their place, we hung in there all game.   We survived a blocked field goal, a blocked extra point (that would of course become critical,) and a miracle catch by the Gators that gave them a late first half touchdown.

After surrendering a long drive late in the second half that gave the Gators a 14-13 lead (there’s that extra point) we stormed down the field and had a chance at a game winning field goal.  For the first time in years, we have a great kicker. 

The kick was hit well and looked straight, but was blocked by the same guy that blocked the extra point....watching the replay I thought "he had to have jumped off the back of one of his own guys” (which is illegal.)  But no, this guy has a 40 inch vertical leap and the ball just hits his hand.  Four or five inches either way or we have our first victory ever at Florida, and the biggest upset of the day. 

But that’s what it's like to be a Gamecock...it’s just heartbreaking, over and over. 

We do hold one significant record.  For years, South Carolina has been number one in the nation in attendance versus won-loss record.  We may not win a lot, but we sell out every game at 89,000 plus seat Williams-Brice stadium.

In the big picture we now are moving toward the game of the year…Ohio State-Michigan.  And the BCS championship will undoubtedly have one team with one loss, which means there will debate about which team it should be. I’ve always been in favor of a college football playoff, but this season I've changed my mind. 

One of the great things (among many) about college football is that every game is critical.  One loss usually removes you from the championship picture. This makes every game tense, and gives teams that are not so great or having a poor season, the chance to ruin that chance for one of their hated rivals.  We almost did it to Florida and the Georgia Bulldogs did it to Auburn this weekend.  Let’s hope we never get the playoff.  College football is the stuff of great rivalries and stunning upsets that matter.  Let’s hope it stays that way.

Wash Post: Pelosi Endorses Murtha as Next Majority Leader

House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) yesterday as the next House majority leader, thereby stepping into a contentious intraparty fight between Murtha and her current deputy, Maryland's Steny H. Hoyer.

The unexpected move signaled the sizable value Pelosi gives to personal loyalty and personality preferences. Hoyer competed with her in 2001 for the post of House minority whip, while Murtha managed her winning campaign. Pelosi has also all but decided she will not name the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) to chair that panel next year, a decision pregnant with personal animus.

This is bad for the Republic as John Murtha seems to have no understanding that an immediate withdrawal from Iraq will cause serious damage to U. S. credibility with allies and enemies during the War on Islamofacism (WOI.) A measured withdrawal, under the right circumstances, could preserve some of this credibility. Even the New York Times has called for more troops to be sent to Iraq to stabilize the situation before an eventual withdrawal.

Jane Harmon has been a responsible voice on intelligence matters, and should have had clear sailing to the chairmanship.  That she will not be named to the chair the panel because of a personal conflict with House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi indicates that Pelosi does not take national security seriously.  If Pelosi hands the Intelligence Chairmanship to disgraced former federal judge Representative Alcee Hasting, who was convicted of bribery and is a political hack, the safety of the Republic will be endangered.

This will help the Republicans politically, but at a great cost, and is not worth the gain.