I haven't seen one bit of news today. Hope you all can fill me in. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

It's a brief writing day for me, so here's an open thread for you. All topics welcome.

The TL Kid and I are eating pizza and watching the 2 hour American Idol where last night's 54 will be whittled down to a final 36. I'm not quite sure that 36 is a final number, I always thought it was 12 or 8, but since I usually don't start watching until the final four or so, don't go by what I say.

Here's an open thread -- all topics welcome.

Diaries from our readers: The Best Idea Yet, by Steve M., touting paying Wall Street bonuses with toxic assets.

Falling Short, by lilburro, regarding the unconvincing testimony of Leon Panetta on interrogation methods.

Mike Ditto argues that we should be celebrating some of the cuts made in the stimulus package.

Jacob Freeze takes on Ivy Leaguers like President Obama and, um, me.

You can find all the diaries by our readers at this link. This is an Open Thread.

Today is our last day of warm weather before a storm hits tomorrow. It's been around 70 degrees in Denver the past few days. Last night, the TL kid and I barbecued dinner outside...first time I've ever done that in February.

I'm sure there are things going on in the world besides the stimulus package which BTD is doing an admirable job of reporting on, but I'm immersed in reading transcripts and a ton of discovery, so here's an open thread for you.

All topics welcome.

My high dudgeon posting ends early today. I leave you in the capable hands of J, TChris and Ethan.

UPDATE - Krugman on Morning Joe:

This is an Open Thread.

After a morning spent in high dudgeon, I am out for the rest of the day. Talk to you all tonight. J, TChris and Ethan will no doubt be around.

This is an Open Thread.

In news no one but Teresa and I care about at this blog, Nu Keese Richardson, from my hometown of Pahokee, Florida, bagged his verbal commitment to play for the Gators and instead decided that Rocky Top is his new favorite song. Traitor.

This is an Open Thread.

• Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has finished serving his sentence for obstructing justice. He's on his way to Texas for a job interview with an unidentified employer. Perhaps he's applying for a brush-clearing job at George Bush's ranch. Now that Bush doesn't have to look like "regular people," he's likely to abandon that camera-friendly project.

• Norm Coleman caught a break yesterday when a three judge panel ruled that Coleman can argue that 4,800 absentee ballots should be counted in his Senate race against Al Franken. The ruling did not give Coleman the opportunity to have 11,000 rejected ballots reconsidered, as he requested, but it was significantly more favorable than the 650 ballots that Franken's team wanted to remain in play.

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For those bored by Lincoln, FDR, Obama and "change you can believe in," here is an Open Thread.

Is it my imagination or is Valentines Day a bigger deal this year than in recent years? I think it's a bigger deal. There seems more attention to it, between the ads everywhere for gifts and flowers and magazines around the country promoting their "most eligible singles" issue. My theory as to why: Barack and Michelle Obama.

We haven't had a couple in the White House that represent romance in a long time. The inauguration showcased their warm and close relationship for all to see, and it's impossible not to be moved by it.

So, is romance back? I hope so because I'll have a post up in a few hours on tonight's Bachelor show on ABC with an interview I recently did of last season's Bachelorette winner, Colorado snowboarder Jesse Csinscak, and I'm looking for any way to make it not completely off-topic for TalkLeft. I'm probably the only interviewer who asked him who he voted for in November. (Yes, he answered.)

The interview probably won't generate many comments here, so I'm putting up an open thread now for all other topics.

Your turn.

This is an Open Thread.