No real thinking this week (probably a good thing). I may add some night games later ( all games 2 units):

Kentucky +220, Louisville -16, Missouri +17½, Michigan -10½, Cincinnati -5, Texas A&M -7, TCU +4 , Penn State -3½, Nebraska -1, Pittsburgh +17, Mississippi +14,

Big game picks - USC (+280), Alabama (-8).

Open Thread.

Too funny: In Montrose, Colorado today:

Today, four days before the election, Paul Ryan told a crowd assembled on an airport tarmac that he could "smell success." And the crowd roared.

The smell, in fact, was that of cow manure, or something that smelled an awful lot like it. The tarmac is nestled in the mountains here, and as it became more and more overpowering, and as Ryan was more and more intently describing his running mate's business credentials, the VP contender paused, took a deep whiff and said, "I can smell success right now.

"That's the smell of success isn't it? That's the smell of progress. I love that smell, it makes me feel at home," Ryan said.

Gov. Christie has ordered gas rationing in 12 counties. Will it affect voter turnout in the state? The WSJ reports on voting hurdles in the tri-state area affected by Sandy.

I got home just in time for the repeat of NBC's Hurricane Sandy concert. Can't wait to see Bon Jovi.

Matt Lauer hosts a star-studded Red Cross telethon to benefit Hurricane Sandy victims, featuring Christina Aguilera, Jon Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Whoopi Goldberg, Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart and more!

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This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Busy day.

Open Thread.

The return of the 11 Show, starring me, today at, um, 11. (Shoutcast link seem weird. Use the non flash link instead. In fact, I'm pulling the shoutcast stuff.))

How to Listen

Your options to listen LIVE:

Colorado's Amendment 64, the ballot initiative that will decriminalize personal adult use of marijuana and regulate marijuana sales in Colorado, will benefit the entire state, not just marijuana users.

The Colorado Center on Law and Policy report on Amendment 64, concludes that Amendment 64 is likely to produce $60 million in new revenue and savings to Colorado. In addition to creating new jobs, particularly in construction, it will generate $24 million a year in state revenue for schools, specifically the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) capital construction program.

As opponents of the measure launch their final ad blitz this week, take a look at who supports Amendment 64.

• More than 300 Physicians
• two dozen clergy
• Colorado's largest labor union
• More than 130 members of the Academic Community [More...]

TalkLeft has been off-line intermittently all day, probably a residual effect of Storm Sandy, as the servers are near LaGuardia. If it looks different tonight, it's because we've stripped it of ads and deleted some graphics and embedded videos, in case the third-party sites hosting them are also experiencing Sandy-related problems. The site's loading normally for me now, hopefully it will stay this way.

Did Mitt Romney lose ground today? Here's the latest electoral map, where you can click and change the colors to make your own. Can Romney get to 270 without winning PA, Ohio and Florida? [More...]

Jose Baez is angry over the state prosecutor's statement during last week's arguments on the state's second motion for a gag order that he believed Casey Anthony's defense attorney was reprimanded for inappropriate media comments. Never happened, according to this letter from Baez, posted today on the Court's Zimmerman case website.

It has come to my attention that some misrepresentations were made in your court on Friday, October 26,2012. As an officer of the court I feel obligated to bring them to your attention immediately. During oral arguments in the case of State of Florida vs. George Zimmerman, Assistant State attorney Bernie de la Rionda stated that he believed that I had been held in contempt by Judge Perry in the State of Florida vs. Casey Anthony, presumably for violating some rule or order relating to violating the rules of professional conduct involving statements to the media.

[More....]

Update: Transcript of argument in Florida v. Jardines is here, and Florida v. Harris here. Washington Post recap here.

Will the Supreme Court keep the 4th Amendment from going to the dogs?

The Supreme Court held two hours of oral argument today on the constitutionality of using drug-sniffing dogs at private homes, and the reliability of the dogs. Background here and at Scotus Blog here. Wired reports here, and the LA Times here.

No, I don't sleep with the fishes, because of Sandy or any other events last Saturday. I actually got out of Dodge (New York) Sunday morning because I had a hearing in Puerto Rico on Tuesday. (Still here today because my flight was cancelled last night. Hopefully back in the States by tonight.)

Here's something funny - Jeff Goldberg's (I think tongue in cheek) theory for why New Jersey Governor Chris Christie undermined Mitt Romney on Hurricane Sandy:

Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen. (This story, by yours truly, explains why.) Bruce Springsteen loves Barack Obama. Bruce Springsteen does not love Chris Christie. Being overtly supportive of Barack Obama might get Chris Christie his holy grail: The approval of Springsteen, even a meeting with him. Believe me -- he'd rather meet with Springsteen than with Obama, or anyone else.

Ha! Open Thread.

“Five hundred and thirty seven. The number of votes that changed the course of American history … If you’re thinking that your vote doesn’t count, that it won’t matter. Well, back then, there were probably at least 537 people who felt the same way.”

We get the Government we elect. Don't forget to vote. [More...]

Former President Bill Clinton is in town, campaigning for President Obama. At 5:30 pm, he held a campaign rally in Adams County, near Denver. At 7:30 pm, he will be at Denver's Manual High School.

On Thursday, President Obama will campaign in Boulder.

Sounds like a "Get Out the Vote" effort, since Denver, Boulder and Adams County are largely Democratic.

In Mitt Romney news, I just muted the TV. The same ad has come on twice in 15 minutes: an elderly woman talking about how Mitt gave the eulogy at her 14 year old son's funeral -- more than 30 years ago. That qualifies him to be President? It's sickening to see those making his campaign ads (in this case Crossroads) use this elderly woman and exploit her son's death. Is there anything Mitt Romney won't try and capitalize on? Mitt Romney: Capitalize and Privatize.