In holiday and family mode much of today. Mom to doctor. Smoked turkey to pick up. Groceries to purchase. Cousins to entertain.

Meantime, some recommendations:

Politico has a pretty good annual review of media political coverage here.

Was reading E. J. Dionne this morning. It turns out that, on the subject of Barack Obama, you needn’t read both mine and his. We’re seeing education issues and the Rick Warren issue (which I’ve written for the weekend) similarly if not identically. He always was a “new Democrat.” I always fancied myself one.

Best columnist in Arkansas: Not the guy listed first under columnists over at the Times Record of Fort Smith. It’s the woman listed second. And she’s the best editor I’ve ever had.

This local alternative-thinking blog interests me, except for the short story currently being downloaded. It might be a great story; I’m simply not ready to consume short stories by blogged installments. One guy presumes over on the second or third page to get inside my head and doesn’t seem to much admire what he thinks he finds.

And here’s a dude down at the Pine Bluff Commercial who holds forth on the big debate between “uncomfortable” me and “cute-as-a-button” what’s-her-name.