|link| Posted 2:47 PM by Brian Linse

Totten on Iraq and the Surge

Go read Michael Totten on the subject of the end of the Surge.

|link| Posted 2:26 PM by Brian Linse

More Reality, Less Drama

NBC has announced that Jay Leno will take the 10p slot M-F, relieving actors of a weekly 5 hours of primetime work opportunities. One of my favorite Entertainment Industry writers, David Poland, seems to be one of the few who noticed the significance. Meanwhile, the Screen Actors Guild continues to fight their doomed battle. A little dip in a pool of Sun Tsu might help the SAG leaders - they are fighting the right battle at the wrong time, and it is hurting a lot of innocent people.

|link| Posted 11:30 AM by Brian Linse

Are You Experienced?

The last surviving member of The Jimi Hendrix Experience is dead. Mitch Mitchell has passed away at the age of 62.

|link| Posted 7:13 PM by Brian Linse

Where's My Waitress?

One of the original Mothers is dead. Jimmy Carl Black has died at the age of 70.

Jimmy's Official Website.

|link| Posted 3:40 PM by Brian Linse

Seven Years of Blog

ANBD is 7 years old today. I never would have imagined where the political blogosphere would be seven years from November of 2001. In some ways, I really miss the old "amateur" bloggies of old. In those early months it was just a motley assortment of people with a little extra time, strong opinions, and a lot of attitude. It was great fun and very low stress.

With so many full-time bloggers working the keys, and with the bar being set so high by the many talented professional journos in the mix, it has become very difficult for part-time blowhards like me to contribute anything. So, I'll be looking to find a way to expand the scope of this blog beyond politics. Not sure what this thing will look like, but I'm gonna stick around and try to find some of that old fun again.

To those of you who still stop by here, I thank you for your time.

|link| Posted 2:31 PM by Brian Linse

Andy and Jim

As I read through the post-election reactions from my favorite bloggers I find myself sadly missing the insights of two old friends. Andrew Olmsted and Jim Capozzola both left us before Tuesday's historic election. Andy died last January while serving in Iraq, and Jim passed away from medical complications in July of '07.

Many of us are babbling variations of the same ideas and obvious reactions to the election. These two old friends would have had unique and valuable insights. I miss them.

|link| Posted 1:52 PM by Brian Linse

Circle Up

I have to admit that this stuff is going to be a lot of fun to watch for awhile. After years of being inside the circular firing squad, it's refreshing to be outside of it for the moment. Palin 2012? Operation Leper? Sweet Jesus... fucking hysterical.

Seriously, though, I genuinely hope it doesn't take too long for the Repubs to realize that their party is in shambles, that they've become a deep South party of fundamentalists and last-gasp racists, and that if they don't re-imagine and rebuild, they risk political irrelevance for the foreseeable future.

Why would this be bad? Because if anyone thinks that an unopposed, unchallenged, and all-powerful Dem Washington will not run quickly out of control please revisit your history books.

I wish there was a viable third party, but it's still Red and Blue - that's a count of two, and if one of the two is broken the long term health of the system is at risk.

But, yeah, I'll enjoy the show for awhile.

[via Atrios]

|link| Posted 10:37 PM by Brian Linse

OK, I Cried

I'm not the first to say it, but it has to be said: I never thought I'd live to see the day. I remain cynical and suspicious in general, but tonight I am extremely proud of my country.

Coming from Chicago, I know what it means for president-elect Obama to have risen up through the Machine. He'll cut you if you give him no choice, and he'll soon show that he is not someone to fuck with. All good. He will need all the toughness and political savvy that Chicago has instilled in him in order to face the challenges ahead.

Hope, which is abundant tonight, is not a plan. Obama must turn that hope into political power, then into executable plans that will restore a nation. I think he can do it. I hope he can do it. And if some of you reading this are believers, please pray that he can do it.

|link| Posted 3:35 PM by Brian Linse

California Election Day

Here are the Baddude recommendations for California voters:

Prop 1A: NO (High Speed Rail)

The projections for both future costs and use of this theoretically good idea are complete nonsense. If you want me to vote to give you 10 Billion please don't bullshit me.

Prop 2: YES (Farm animal Treatment)

The Factory Farming Industry is against this, so that means I'm for it.

Prop 3: NO (Hospital Bond Act)

The State is broke. Sounds like a good cause, but it is something for which we really shouldn't need to go outside the state budget.

Prop 4: NO (Parental Notification of Abortion for Minors)

This is a constitutional amendment that is transparently about eroding the abortion rights of women. Don't be fooled.

Prop 5: NO (Nonviolent Drug Sentencing)

This should not be enshrined as an initiative. There is no reason for this issue to be outside of regular legislative activity.

Prop 6: NO (Prison Funding)

Again, this is an attempt to circumvent the legislature and should be dealt with inside the State budget.

Prop 7: NO (Renewable Energy)

This is opposed by most environmental interests. That must mean something.

Prop 8: NO (Same Sex Marriage)

Gay people have the right to be married and miserable just like everyone else. People 25 years from now will look back and wonder what was wrong with us that this was even on the ballot.

Prop 9: NO (Victim's Rights)

Shouldn't be handled as an amendment. Lobby your lawmakers if you think we need more of this "get tough" shit that has never made a difference in the past.

Prop 10: NO (Alternative Fuel Initiative)

If T. Boone Pickens feels so bad about the zillions he made off of oil then let him pay for it. The fucker can afford it.

Prop 11: NO (Redistricting)

I don't like the vague "commission" idea. The current system sucks, but let's wait for something better defined.

Prop 12: YES (Veteran's Bond Act)

Not a lot of money, and a very good cause.

Prop R: NO (LA county only - Traffic Relief)

As hard as it is to believe that someone who lives in LA proper wouldn't vote yes on this, I just can't get past the idea that I shouldn't have to pay extra sales tax to synchronize traffic lights. If they can't get the lights right with the money they have I don't want to give them more to waste.

|link| Posted 5:16 PM by Brian Linse

Super Tuesday (sigh) Again

It's going to be an easy but painful day at the polls for me this Tuesday. "No" on all ballot props (the easy part), and a vote for either Clinton or Obama (the painful part).

I had been hoping to sail through with a primary vote for Edwards. Silly me. I forgot for a moment that I am a Democrat, and that by definition we are required to put up candidates with little chance of winning the White House. Mondale, Dukakis, Bill Clinton (that's right, without Ross Perot the Big Dog would have lost, too), AL Gore (who managed to lose it even though he won it), and, sweet baby jesus, fucking John Kerry.

So here we go again. After the most disastrous presidency of the modern age, after Iraq, Katrina, and all of the horrors of Bush's Imperial Presidency, we Dems have narrowed it down to Clinton and Obama. Well of course we have.

Joe Donnelly goes into it in a piece in the LA Weekly, though he leaves out the part about how expecting millions of voters outside of New York, LA, and Chicago to vote for a woman or a black man for president might just be a bit too optimistic, even for the dawn of the 21st century.

I guess I'll have to find a way to feel good about the fact that we have made enough progress as a nation to even have a woman and a black man in the running. I'd be happier if they were a different woman and black man, but it is pretty awesome in and of itself.

What will not be pretty awesome is four years of President McCain. I'm really hoping I am wrong about this one...

|link| Posted 6:44 PM by Brian Linse

John Cole, D-West Virginia

Please give a warm welcome to the newest little Democrat in the Blogosphere, Mr. John Cole.

John's been turning tables over and breaking shit in the Republican tent for awhile now. Here's hoping his manners haven't improved and he will do the same in our tent - jeebus knows we need to redecorate.

|link| Posted 11:24 AM by Brian Linse

Before The Devil Knows You're Dead

Here's the US theatrical trailer for my new film:


The film opens in NY on October 26th, and will be in theaters nationwide within three weeks.

UPDATE: Opening in LA, Chicago, Hartford & New Haven, NY Metro, Philly, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC this weekend, November 2. For Theaters check here.