http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=17992860

Highlights…

“So long, Crawford, Texas.

Even before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January, effectively crowning Chicago as the site of the western White House, the city is basking in a moment of triumph that is spilling well beyond the confines of politics.

For the first time in U.S. history, an American president will call this city home. And as he moves to Washington, a dose of the Chicago mood is sure to follow.

“We’re not Little Rock, and we’re not Texas,” said Rick Bayless, a friend of the Obama family who owns Frontera Grill and is one of the local celebrity chefs. “It’s easy to put on your cowboy boots and eat all that barbecue. You can’t do that from Chicago. We’ve got a lot of muscle, and it’s far too complex of a place for that.”

The complexity of Chicago, a city that is multiplying in its new diversity even as it clings to a segregated past, is rooted in the 200 neighborhoods that make up the third-largest U.S. city. America and much of the world may well know Oprah Winfrey, who became a billion-dollar name through her rise to fame here, but the city holds a far broader identity.

One sign that the Obama brand is replacing the Oprah brand? The talk show tycoon is not mentioned in the city’s new tourism campaign, which invites visitors to “Experience the city the Obamas enjoy.” Winfrey’s studio is not mentioned along the list of stops, which range from Bayless’s restaurants to a bookstore in the Obamas’ Hyde Park neighborhood to Promontory Point along Lake Michigan. And souvenirs are on sale across town, with Obama shirts, hats and knickknacks arriving just in time for Christmas  shopping.

“It seems like there are eight million people walking around here congratulating each other,” said Scott Turow, a best-selling novelist who was born in the city. “Chicagoans are unbelievably proud of Barack and feel of course that he’s ours, because he is.”

Catching himself, he added: “I guess I should get out of the habit of calling him Barack.””

akenobarbus ounce

Is that code for an ounce of something I’m supposed to bring to the Lil Wayne show? Regardless, I somehow got the CAPTCHA entry correct…

I somehow did not order the tickets…

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1998/weekly/980504/insidelook.html

Lowlights…

“According to Sports Illustrated, Larry Johnson of the Knicks is supporting five children by four women, including two he has with his wife, and Shawn Kemp of the Cavaliers, who is not married, has fathered seven children. Other NBA players who have been the subject of paternity-related lawsuits include Patrick Ewing, Juwan Howard, Scottie Pippen, Jason Kidd, Stephon Marbury, Hakeem Olajuwon and Gary Payton, as well as Larry Bird, who is now the coach of the Pacers, and current NBC game analyst Isiah Thomas.

In other sports, baseball’s Gary Sheffield and Juan Gonzalez, along with former greats Jim Palmer, Steve Garvey and Pete Rose, have been hit with paternity suits. The NFL names include Andre Rison and Alonzo Spellman; hockey, Mark Messier; boxing, Oscar de la Hoya; and tennis, Roscoe Tanner.”

As seen right off the bat in this highly played clip, Christopher Hitchens doesn’t like the thought of Hillary Clinton being selected for Secretary of State…

But, think of all the opportunity.  Hillary would be better suited for a Secretary of State position compared to landing a gig on the Supreme Court.  Also, who knows – maybe Bill could follow the path of John Quincy Adams and fill Hillary’s vacant Congressional seat?  Lastly, the acting Secretary of State probably wouldn’t challenge the acting President in 2012, right?

There have definitely been worse Secretaries of State – “Keep your friends closer and your enemies even closer.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/us/politics/16blackberry.html

Huh, I’m not sure – stupid title.  Yes, the pundits have covered this one thoroughly enough.  I understand the need for george to remain offline and/or have emails disappear, but, I assume Obama won’t mind his emails being made public, right?  I’m not sure if any of the aforementioned pundits have mentioned this yet.

It’s anyone’s guess but I would think Obama will be keeping his more highly secured Blackberry nearby so that he can both send/receive email effective January 20th.

These clips are old (and long) but I’m not talking about content…

No, Bobby Jindal will not end up being the GOP’s savior.

Congrats to Toby and Katie!

P.S. I just got sort of forcefully informed that cellphones are supposed to be turned off in Jesus’ house. Woops.

UPDATE 1: The bride is in this picture somewhere…as is andy’s waving/blocking hand. Bastard.

UPDATE 2: A cellphone just went off one pew over. Love it.

Oh, how funny are shocker (link SFW) pictures?

Dubya (in the event that you automatically skip over his face in any given picture) is front and center.  Poor guy can’t do anything right.

66 more days…

Digg, thank you.

P.S.  You can’t forget about this one…

That’s it..

Update: This posting was conceived in a cab after listening to some NPR on the way home from Lemmings after a few Gumballheads.

Below is the video of palin’s awkward republican governors association press conference.

1:45, 2:14, and 2:52 marks are the best/worst…

Story seen here…

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/13/awkward-press-conference-for-palin/

P.S.  I like the new hairdo – errrrrr. Where’s that overpaid hairstylist when you need them?

http://drx.typepad.com/psychotherapyblog/2008/10/palins-hairstylist-paid-10000-for-the-first-two-weeks-of-october.html

As originally seen on BccList.com here, I don’t get the LowerMyBills.com banner advertisements.

But, I definitely don’t get the one below for CleanseRX – I guess it’s better to not ask questions…

Erin, I hope you don’t see this link…

http://www.athlists.com/?p=127

#6, #5, #4, and #1 are great.  Here’s #4 – keep your head upfield, son!

Digg, thank you.