back as a guest columnist over at NYT. Cheers! The only problem is that audio of her great voice isn't available to hear her say things like this personally:

I’m convinced that the immediate mass flip-out over the Palin nomination can’t be entirely explained by sexism, elitism or partisan animosity. It was a symptom of just how much the presidential future is a suspense movie scored by Bernard Herrmann. It’s enough of a nail-biter to throw in with a two-person ticket for four years. So if newscasters don’t even know how to pronounce the vice presidential pick’s name upon announcement, the violins of apprehension start to screech “Psycho” shower-scene loud.

Can't she please replace Maureen Dowd? Please?! Meanwhile, Slate/NYT union alert, Dahlia Lithwick does a review of a book about the history of marriage.

-j

Democrats and their isms are why they are not beating the GOP which isn't going to relate. They see it as collectivism and shrug it off while you guys disect it. Waste of time.

Sarah Vowell is not only precious in so many ways (that voice!) but she is also a very astute political historian and commentator.

She wouldn't work well in a Sunday political gabfest though....she would spend all her time correcting everyone elses bad memory of politics!

I could have sworn the election season thus far has swirled around identity politics and to the extent there were any nail biters, they were black, females, or vets.

Being none of the above, I've found it more amusing than suspenseful, although I have to say Hitchcock's masterpiece ~ well, at least the title~ does come to mind.

I'm not black, female or a vet either, but I know and care personally about some of them ... but my nails are more victim of the sports season.

-j

but retirement brought my office pool days to an end. So now my wife and are down to our respective alma mater(s?). Both lose we do the dishes together, both win we go out.

(Latin plurals were always Greek to me.)

Mater - Mother, Matres - Mothers.

Not to be confused with Materis, which is the genetive form - of mother.

Mother in greek is Mitera

almae matres