Tonight! Drama!

I'll speak about something I know something about - New Mexico has the best film industry incentives in the United States. They have two programs - one a loan program and one that gives you back 25% of any money you've spent in New Mexico. Bill Richardson was a big force behind them.

Here's why they are great for New Mexico - it's caused an influx of smart, creative film industry types into the state and has created thousands of good paying jobs for the people already there. (The philosophical underpinnings of the program are from the ideas of author Richard Florida's work on 'the creative class'.) The program has made money for the state. It's well run and widely respected. It's been out-of-the-box thinking that has taken advantage of New Mexico's human and natural resources.

So, knowing what I know -- Richardson for Commerce sounds good to me.

But I'm sure we'll find something weird to gripe about.

UPDATE: The Dow is up almost 500 points on this news.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rallied late on Friday after multiple news reports that New York Federal Reserve President Timothy Geithner will be nominated as President-elect Barack Obama's Treasury secretary.

The "Obama Recession" in action!

When I see people like my old pal Markos on MSNBC and elsewhere talking about Obama needing to remember who brung him to the dance or David Sirota's column about The Team Of Rivals (h/t Travis), I see the new old progressive movement jockeying for position.

My take, however, is that Obama is beholden not to traditional progressives but to the massive amount of new voters that Obama himself brought to the party. That's scary to a lot of people in the Democratic establishment. But those fresh faced Obamacrats aren't holding their breath at each appointment, they are ready to let the guy they supported go to work.

I think it's also hard for people to wrap their head about the 'rivals' idea because they seem to want rivals they agree with. Those aren't rivals, though, really.

Democratic and national security sources say that former National Counterrorism Center head John Brennan remains the favorite to be nominated director of the Central Intelligence Agency even as his pending appointment raises the hackles of some Obama advisers because of his ties to George Tenet and controversial programs.

Brennan is a conservative Cheney disciple who endorsed torture and renditions, and pushed the Bush doctrine during the run-up to the Iraq invasion and occupation. No sir. I don't like it.

The CIA needs less crazy -- not more crazy.

For now, it's impossible to sign in and comment using IE. But Firefox appears to work. Hopefully TypePad will get their act together. If not, I might have to do a fundraiser so I can pay my IT guy to install a new system.

I had nothing to do with this. But I dig it.

Just in time for a media narrative about how the Clintons are plotting to cancel Christmas and replace it with DRAMA!

– MITT ROMNEY: Well, government did [cause a lot of this]. There’s no question but that the CAFE standards have put an unusual burden on the domestic automobile manufacturers. And our energy policies as a country continue to put burdens on domestic manufacturers. That’s just — that’s reality. [11/19/08]

– SEAN HANNITY: They [the government] — you know, between the unions, between trade policy, safety standards, CAFE standards, you know, economy, fuel economy standards, they’re forcing these auto companies to be in a position where they’re not as competitive. [11/14/08]

Safety standards? Hannity clearly wants a return to steel dashboards that crush skulls, and lap-belts that sever people in half at the waist. Oh and look! Bill Kristol, who has been wrong about literally everything agrees:

– WILLIAM KRISTOL: Well, one problem with the auto industry is we have been telling them how to operate an awful lot, you know, in terms of CAFE standards and other things, probably which should not have been most — may have been the most — not the most intelligent way to help that industry. [11/16/08]

Yeah, you know, because the Toyota and Honda got their asses kicked by making safe, fuel-efficient cars.

Is it any wonder why the Republicans have 1) screwed us, and 2) screwed themselves?

Put another way: do you have your eight month emergency fund yet?!

Do you?! DO YOU??!!!

Ernie Kovacs - Miklos Molnar prepares "Chicken Molnar"

He would've had a blast with YouTube.

From what I've heard so far, 'Shackler's Revenge' is pretty great.

Whah?

Why?

I'm going to be sick.

UPDATE: Here. She apparently agreed to be interviewed knowing that they'd be geeking turkeys in the background.