Don't think local government can affect your life in ways great and small? Guess again...

I've grown squeamish about the death penalty over the years, mostly as a result of DNA testing that revealed more than a few death row inmates were innocent (at least of the crimes they were on death row for). Roger Simon explains why, in last night's application of the death penalty, it was not just appropriate but necessary. I wholeheartedly agree.

Pajamas Media is staying on top of what will likely be a huge year end story -- updating frequently and hanging on every unfolding development.

James Lileks has a forward-future year-end review. Or a look back from 2008. Or whatever. It's Lileks, so it's must read...

Sure, it's Christmas break, but I find out last night that the Not My Fault daughter has a couple of milestones for her science fair project due next week. Luckily for her, there's a brand new Carnival of the Students! The gifts just keep on coming...

And if that's not enough, there are also new Carnival of Homeschooling and Carnival of Education out this week. Vacation, shmacation...

If you feel a case of post-Christmas blahs coming on, just head over to the Carnival of Happiness. It's not quite a trip to Disney World, but it'll do in a pinch.

What holidays and parties at my brothers house end up looking like:

It's a Carnival of Christmas Insanities. (Is there enough time in the day...?)

Sure, it's Christmas break, but what does that mean to the homeschoolers? Not a lot, I'm guessing; one of the side benefits of homeschooling is that you can establish your own schedule. So here's the Carnival of Homeschooling.

And here's a Christmas edition of the Carnival of the Cooks. For those still looking for something to whip together for Christmas dinner, I'm sure you'll find something you can use.

It's the second ever Carnival of Christmas! Good to see Adam kept this going. And yes, that is a picture of Half Dome at the top of his page. That's the view from Glacier Point, and I have a few photos from the same perspective. The serious climbers scale the face of the dome, but there's a back trail that goes to the top. I attempted it with some friends several years ago, but we started too late in the day and we were ill-equipped for the climb. At about 5 in the afternoon we realized we'd be in a dire predicament if we didn't get off the mountain quick, and even still the last couple of miles back was pitch black and I'm guessing some bears were keeping an eye on us. Considerable relief when we made it back to the car.

What was I saying? Oh yes, The Carnival of Christmas!

Jackie remembers Monica...

Audra & the Antidote have an all-purpose Holiday greeting guaranteed to not offend anyone, and I do mean not anyone...

Austin Bay, writing at TCS Daily, offers a Christmas gift suggestion.

Me? Why, I'm Scroogeywhiner Rottenshorts.

How about you?

Pajamas Media leads us, unfortunately, to The. Worst. Christmas. Song. Ever. Recorded. You - have to - have to - have to - listen to the whole thing. An absolute howler.

It seems I've finally received long overdue acknowledgement of my greatness.

The Pajamas Team is underwhelmed.

Jeff Jarvis throws a bucket of water on the whole thing.

And Glenn Reynolds was way ahead of everybody on this.

Reader Tom Sheridan emailed the LA Times article by exiled-via-Holland-now-I'm-hiding-underground-because-of-this-inconvenient-little-fatwa Ayaan Hirsi Ali about holocaust denial.

Advise Goddess offers a terse assessment...

I was watching this Firefly rerun from a few years ago with the Not My Fault daughter, and the scene came on where River warns Jayne to lay off, because "I can kill you with my brain." My daughter started laughing and said that was so cool.

So I got her one of these for her stocking...

Yep, it's 10:15 Saturday night, during Christmas season, and I stumble onto this. What's more, I find it avidly and seriously discussed here.

My take? Of course it's not right...

Red & Denton are understandably very much looking forward to April...

Wait -- who?

A post from Ramadi that's as brief as it is revealing.

The best television series since maybe Twin Peaks, which resulted in one of the best movies I've seen this decade (except for maybe this one), is being reborn as an online multiverse.

"No power in the 'verse can stop me..."

Jackie gets her man, but probably not in the way he thought.

Treacher gets the final word...

Twenty six years? Seems yesterday. I had a clock radio at the time set to a local rock station, and when it went off that morning it was playing classical music. Before I even opened my eyes I knew something tragic had happened.

"I am very normal...I go to work...it's all very normal."

Before 9/11 there was another profound Day of Infamy.

And for fans of alternative history, don't miss this post about "unanswered questions..."

I totally called this before the World Cup was even over -- I have email exchanges with Winners Only Nick to prove it!

UPDATE: Oops...not so fast.

The Flying (faking) Imams update: Just a bizarre publicity stunt? Yeah, maybe...I could see that.

In an unrelated incident, an aircraft earlier today was forced to make an, er, emergency landing.

The irrepressible Jackie Danicki has just posted an update on her attackers.

I suspect she's going to win the war...

I attended the annual Celtic Christmas party a couple of days ago, and I got to catch up with several good friends. I ended up in a conversation with Hank, who said he'd like to visit Amsterdam sometime in the next year or two. I strongly advised him not to put the trip off, because Amsterdam is changing in ways great and small, and has been for several years now.

If you want a glimpse into the future of cities like Amsterdam check out recent posts and debates at Pajamas Media, especially this one, which was cleverly riposted here.

My advise on visiting Holland? Go ahead and visit Amsterdam for a day or two; it really is a pretty city. Then move on to places like Delft and Enkhuizen, where you'll get a real feel for Holland and Dutchness, whatever that means anymore...

The yellow stock wouldn't be my choice of colors for such a rifle, but that scope looks pretty fine...

About a week ago 6 imams were taken off a US Air flight for, ah, behaving bizarrely. The PC crowd quickly weighed in with the usual and all too predictable histrionics, and muslims threatened to boycott US Air. The story simmered for a few days, then disappeared.

Pajamas Media, however, has stayed with the story, and now offers a startling report.

Jackie Danicki, one of the smartest and funniest bloggers around (and a very snappy dish) was assaulted in London recently. Not a very smart move by her assailants, as she's very much on the case. Her earlier post can be seen here, and her original report just after being assaulted can be seen here. Like all good citizen journalists, she was composed enough during the assault to take photographic evidence...

Saturday Night Live- Matt Foley

"living in a van down by the river"