An important week for most teams. For instance, if the Giants lose for the 5th straight time this week, you really can't see them in the playoffs. They play the Falcons today at the Meadowlands. They are 7 point favorites. I think Atlanta (+7) keeps it close.

The J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS! have a funny man as coach in Rex Ryan. But the league has been laughing at them now for a month. The Patriots are still discussing Belicheck-4th Down Gate. The Jets have the urgency. I'll take the Jets (+10.5). More . . .

I'm totally into watching AMC's remake of The Prisoner. If you get Comcast On Demand, all six episodes are available for free, to watch any time. I watched four hours last night. Skippy has this review. AMC will air it again starting Sunday if you don't have On Demand.

The other thing I'm following today: The new arrests in Italy in the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the October, 2009 Chicago arrests of David Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana,for involvement in the planned attack on Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper that published the cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005. The New York Times today has a long feature article on David Headley (formerly known as Daood Gilani). [More...]

While the Big 3 (Florida, Alabama, Texas) won't be tested today, there are plenty of interesting games on the slate. Let's start with the Oregon Ducks traveling to Arizona. Both Oregon and Zona can win the Pac 10 by winning out. If neither win out, it becomes a free for all. Oregon is a 6 point favorite. I like Zona (+6).

In the Big Ten, Rose bowl bound Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor to face Michigan. Michigan spit the bit on this season a month ago. For all the talk about Rodriguez not having talent (which is true), the indictment I would make against him is his team quit on him. I think they quit for good. I like the Buckeyes (-12.5). More . . .

Bob Dylan singing Santa? Levjoy says on Twitter it sounds like a Yiddish folk song, and he's got a point.

Here's Digby on Luke Russert's reporting on health care. Firedoglake has today's highlights.

Fernando Bermudez left Sing Sing prison today, after serving 17 years for a murder he didn't commit. More here.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Another busy day ahead.

This is an Open Thread.

So, in my fantasy football league, I lost Ronnie Brown for the season and have nothing good at running back. What do I do? I offered up my best player, Peyton Manning, for the best deal I could get. The result? I got Tony Romo, LaDainian Tomlinson and Roy Williams for Manning (plus two throw ins.) What do you think?

In other fantasy news, Maurice Jones-Drew's non-TD had a big effect in FFL World:

I was one of at least two dozen non-Jaguars fans who screamed at the screens when Maurice Jones-Drew took a knee at the Jets’ one-yard-line instead of easily scoring. I can assure you we weren’t lamenting that play’s impact on the betting line. But you have to give MJD credit. In his post-game interview, he actually apologized to his fantasy owners for the play, saying he was instructed not to score so the team could run down the clock, and he had to do what was right for the Jaguars. How cool is that?

Actually it is kind of sick. Grown men and women - all of us - doing this? It's nuts.

This is an Open Thread.

America's Next Top Model has its tv finale tonight. The winner: Colorado's Nicole Fox, an 18 year old C.U. sophomore from Louisville, Colorado.

Congrats, Nicole. (She became my favorite weeks ago.) More on her here.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The story of the Palin family wardrobe.

This is an Open Thread.

Details here. People is recidivist in its objectification of Depp. He previously was named most sexy in 2003.

Good thing he lives in France, cuz this type of thing has been keeping men down for years and years in the United States.

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Two potential topics of conversation - First, Alabama and Florida meet for the SEC Championship on December 5. Who do you like?

Second, Levi Johnston will be posing for Playgirl. Sarah Palin calls this participating in pornography. Do you agree?

This is an Open Thread.

Kudos to Media Matters, Atrios and Digby for recognizing the putrid sexism displayed by the Media in its coverage of Sarah Palin.

Too often, "progressives" have excused the blatant sexism directed at Sarah Palin (as they did when it was directed at Hillary Clinton, their enemy during the 2008 primaries), I guess because she is a political opponent.

That is a bad approach. Sexism is wrong whomever it is directed at.

See also the stalwarts Shakes and echidne. Also see Brad Delong.

Speaking for me only of course.

This is an Open Thread.

We've been busy today and I'm not quite up to speed on the news.

It's also time for V and DWTS, and my Saigon soft-shell crab dinner just arrived.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome, whether about news, tv, food or anything else that's on your mind.