Republicans are stupid. They shut the Government down. The public will be unforgiving.

Boehner refused to yield. He instead won approval, in a 1 a.m. largely party-line roll call, requesting a special House-Senate committee to meet in the coming days to resolve differences between the two parties, leaving in limbo the fate of millions of federal workers and the services they provide.

[More...]

The countdown begins. Will Republicans let the country fall apart? We've been down to wire several times in recent years but the media isn't holding out much hope for a compromise. From the NY Times:[More...]

This may be everyone elses Monday, but mine, metaphorically speaking, not literally, feels like this.

After a week buried in Craig's List, Zillow and Trulia, I see only one option for a place to live. I will probably sign the lease today. Then the real fun begins: Going through 3,000 sq ft of stuff to pare it down to what will fit in 1700 sq ft, get mover and storage estimates, and then start making rooms filled with stuff going to each one, as well as good will and other charities. [More....]

Stop reading now if you haven't seen the finale.

What a great finale. No loose ends. [More...]

Tonight is the final night of an unprecedentedly great final season of Breaking Bad, the best final season ever imo.

I started watching Breaking Bad on Jeralyn's recommendation, and I liked it immediately. But the final season has been sublime.

I hope the finale sustains that level. In any event, Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn and all the rest have left a body of work to be proud of.

Open Thread.

Update (TL): Best finale ever.

John Amato of Crooks and Liars and me talking NFL Week 5 and Mariano Rivera, Yankee greats, plus some other things:

Our picks (disagreements in BOLD): STEELERS (-3) over Vikings, RAVENS(-3) over Bills, BENGALS (-4) over Browns (BTD BEST BET 4 units), COLTS (-9) over Jags, TEXANS (+3) (BTD), SEAHAWKS (-3) (Amato), CARDINALS (+3) over Bucs, LIONS (-3) over Bears, GIANTS (+4 1/2) (BTD), CHIEFS (-4 1/2) (Amato), JETS (+3 1/2) (BTD), TITANS (-3 1/2) (Amato), CHARGERS (+2) over Cowboys, RAIDERS (+3 1/2) (Armando), REDSKINS (=3 1/2) (Amato), BRONCOS (-11) over Eagles, FALCONS (+2) over Pats, DOLPHINS (+7) (BTD), SAINTS (-7) (Amato).

Open Thread.

The picks: (All picks 2 units unless otherwise indicated): Washington State +9 Competitor: Stanford Northern Illinois -3 Competitor: Purdue, Western Kentucky +3 Competitor: Navy, Minnesota +2, Competitor: Iowa, South Florida +20, Competitor: Miami (Florida), Oklahoma -3½ (4 units) Competitor: Notre Dame, South Carolina -7, Competitor: Central Florida, USC +4 (3 units), Competitor: Arizona State, Texas A&M -15, Competitor: Arkansas, Alabama -14 (3 units), Competitor: Mississippi, Florida State -23½, Competitor: Boston College, Ohio State -7 (3 units), Competitor: Wisconsin, Florida Atlantic +14, Competitor: Rice, Tennessee -18½, Competitor: South Alabama, Georgia -3, Competitor: LSU, TCU -19, Competitor: SMU.

After a slow start, I've been hot the last 2 weeks, 20-5-2. For the season: 30-24-2 (55.5%), +20 units.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

The Senate passed a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. The Senate bill did not strike "Obamacare." It now goes back to the House.

I just got an email from the federal court in Nebraska with their shut-down plan if a funding bill does not pass. You can read it here. I haven't received one yet for Colorado. Here's the memo the federal courts administrative office issued on Sept. 25.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

This past week has been the longest hiatus from blogging I've taken in 11 years. But, sometimes real life intervenes and puts blogging in its place, forcing us to remember that blogging is a hobby, not a business, and it's not the top priority. For me, this is one of those times.

Usually I can easily blog despite work commitments -- I just trade off watching TV at night. But this week (and next) my time is being consumed by matters I had no reason to anticipate and I have no time for blogging or TV. I just found out I have to move from my home -- in two weeks. [More...]

Like Jeralyn, I'm really busy.

More thread.

I'll be busy at work most of this week. I'll put up open threads, and check in a few times a day or night, but I will have little, if any, time for blogging or even reading the news.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The second to last Breaking Bad is tonight. If you are setting your DVR, add 15 minutes, it will run over.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.