The Merc is running this AP story: NBC dog show is football alternative

Thanksgiving is all about family, turkey and football on TV. Don’t let Fido get his paws on the remote, however.

After two years of surprising success, NBC will present its coverage of the National Dog Show at noon today (Chs. 8, 11), after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. John O’Hurley (J. Peterman in “Seinfeld”) is back behind the microphone.

“The first time, it was a novelty,” said Jon Miller, NBC senior vice president. “The third time makes it a tradition.”

We’re watching it right now (East coast) so I guess it will be on in a couple of hours on the West coast.

Blah, blah, another stolen election, blah blah blah. We know already. It appears that Sen. Kerry is no longer interested–if he ever was–in pursuing victory. So, another four years of illegitimacy. What else is new?

I’ve paid off and closed another account. Hooray for me! As usual with “payoff quotes”, the balance they quoted was not quite accurate. Usually in these cases, it’s the customer who ends up owing the creditor a couple of dollars to make up for interest somewhere. In this case, I received a refund check for… eight cents.

It cost them $.37 to mail the envelope, probably a penny or two for processing, and two minutes of call center rep time when I called to confirm that the account was really paid off and they owed me eight cents.

I wonder what my bank will say when they receive a deposit of eight cents?

The Moderate Independent’s bimonthly update, Inside The Election Fraud Battle, notes that

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC, who has been about the only mainstream journalist to actually follow up on the many serious problems with regard to the integrity of the election, has pointed out, a concession speech, in effect, means nothing. It is not legally binding.

So, if you were thinking like a Bush goon, you would expect that either Kerry would stand up to the mischief that went on, not conceding in the meantime, and so your booby trap would work perfectly, or that he would just give up and let it go, as wimpy Democrats are prone to do.

But John Kerry chose a smarter course. Ask yourself the question, what if John Kerry were to do both, concede publicly but, at the same time, look into every instance of mischief, and see if in fact the election was fair or fixed.

This would be a no lose situation for him. The booby trap set up for him would become irrelevant, as he would have done the right thing for the nation, not putting it into turmoil while its troops are in battle.

But at the same time, he is still just as free to look into any voting irregularities as he would have been had he not conceded. Even better, he could do it without the press going insane and the nation being kept on tension-creating edge. All of the lawyers he could have sent to look into things still could be sent to look into things, and if the election is truly called into question, he could then, with ample justification so as to make it legitimate, come out publicly and retract his concession. It is the prosecutor, also one of Kerry’s previous jobs, who knows well enough to thoroughly prepare and investigate his case be leveling charges. You may have a real hunch that someone is responsible for a murder, but until you believe you can win that case in court, you do not make the allegation.

The rest of the article is well worth reading. It’s hard to get up much enthusiasm–from my seat here in solidly blue California–but I would like to believe there’s still a chance.

Warning: This page contains strong language and stronger opinion.

I’m no longer thinking of moving to Canada–at least not right now–but I love the idea of the “liberal elite” states (you know, the tax base) seceding to Form a More Perfect Union.