I'm still at work, but here's the latest news:

• Sen. Dick Durbin goes to bat for former Ill. Gov. George Ryan, asking President Bush to pardon Ryan. I hope Bush listens. His efforts towards a moratorium on the death penalty and his emptying the state's death row due to the large number of wrongfully convicted inmates warrant a pardon.

• PA Gov. Ed Rendell has dropped the moratorium on parole for violent felons. The ban was imposed in September.

  [A] review found the state's evaluation and supervision of parolees were largely effective.

• An autopsy confirms the WalMart worker who died on Black Friday was trampled to death.

• Giants receiver Plaxico Burress appeared in state court on charges of criminal possession of a handgun. Bail in $100k. He has a top notch lawyer, Ben Brafman, who has also represented Sean Combs, among others. Facts below:

TChris is in trial, I'm off to the jail and BTD is swamped at work. Here's an open thread for you.

For those of you wanting to know more about Eric Holder, here are excerpts from his 1997 Deputy Attorney General confirmation hearing.

I'm shopped out, but in case you are still going, CyberMonday starts today. Prices will fluctuate throughout the day at most sites, but here's a few that will stay the same until Dec. 7:

• As far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many of these Western Digital My Passport 320 GB USB hard drives. At $90 instead of the usual $170, it's too good to pass up. Shipping is only $2.95 and there's no sales tax.

• If you've been wanting a big screen monitor for your computer, here's a steal: Samsung 22" Widescreen LCD Monitor for $189 with free shipping. List price is $380.

• How about a Panisonic 32" LCD HD TV that for $499? It's a 720 as opposed to 1080p (and I don't buy their "retail price" of $2500., but 720 probably all you need in a 32".

If you found any great deals, let us know (not the link, unless you can put it in html format, but the store and the item.)

Share your thoughts.

It's shop till you drop day. The same deals are available online, so why go out? If you bought anything fun, or found a great deal and wished you could, let us know.

If there's one thing I wish I could get today, it's this, to replace the one that was stolen in my home invasion two weeks ago.

If you've got anything else to discuss, from politics to your thanksgiving dinner and all other topics, here's a place for you.

I just turned on KBCO in Boulder. Like many great radio stations around the country, they are playing collectibles with fewer commercials today.

Playing now: The Rolling Stones, You Can't Always Get What You Want.

Which of your favorite songs did you hear on the radio today? (I'll get some great late night suggestions from them.)

What I'm thankful for right now: The thieves left my stereo (probably because it dates to 1978 and the amp weighs about 80 pounds.) As you look around today, what are you happy you resisted the urge to trade in or give away?

It's a great Thanksgiving tradition. Radio stations around the country today will play the 18 minute version of Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant, recorded in 1967.

Should you miss it on your local radio station and yearn for the original version, you can listen here (and read the lyrics too.) [Update: that link doesn't seem to be working yet today, try here.]

If you're wondering where Alice is, she's here.
Does anyone besides me still have a hardcover edition of her 1969 Alice's Restaurant cookbook in their kitchen? (Photo here.) It's filled with tasty recipes and very easy instructions.

This is an open thread.

According to Cahiers du Cinema compilation. (Via Ann Althouse.)

Everyone has their own list of course, but it is hard for me to imagine that nothing from Roman Polanski made the list ("Chinatown" is my favorite film, but "Repulsion" should satisfy the art house insistent.) Plus, "Touch of Evil" makes the list? The other thing is "Once Upon A Time In America" over "Once Upon a Time In the West?" Not buying that one.

This is an Open Thread.

Probably because I've been pre-occupied with replacing what was stolen in my "home invasion" two weeks ago, I've spent untold hours lately checking out the latest electronics and prices at a wide array of online retailers and stores.

I have my favorites. {More...]

For your commenting pleasure.

This is an Open Thread.

There's a law post just below this one.

Go Gators!

This is an Open Thread.

Corrente hosted a representative of Health Care NOW to discuss, shockingly, health care reform. Not knowing anything about the subject, I merely point you to the discussion.

This is an Open Thread.