Due to the volume of people trying to access TalkLeft during live events like debates, our server has had "issues" to say the least. The site slows down and often becomes inaccessible. One reason is there are controls on how many people can try to access it at once so the server doesn't crash. TalkLeft is on its own server and it's a big and powerful one, but it's just not enough to handle the intense traffic bursts that these events bring. Also, the average time visitors spend on TalkLeft is huge compared to other sites...almost 5 minutes.

In anticipation of Tuesday's election night, we're adding another server today to share the load. Colin at Scoophost, our webmaster, is also tweaking some other things.

Normally we'd do this at night, so that if the site goes down during the process, fewer readers will notice. But, we're doing it now.

Should the site go down today, that's why and it will be back up as soon as any kinks get ironed out.

Thanks for your patience and your readership. And yes, site donations are always appreciated.

You can use this as another open thread if you'd like.

Via Attorney D.D. in MO:

The George W. Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages. Surely, you'll want to be the first to make a contribution to this great man's legacy.

The library will include:

• The Hurricane Katrina Room , which is still under construction.

• The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you can't remember anything.

• The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't have to even show up.

• The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.

[More...]

By Big Tent Democrat

More thread.

By Big Tent Democrat

An Open Thread to continue ongoing debates or commence new ones. Go Gators! Beat the Bulldogs!

NOTE - This thread is at 215. Now closed. New thread above.

By Big Tent Democrat

Kevin Drum writes:

I'd say that some of the worst posts I've written (this one, for example) have come when I noticed that a lot of other people were writing about something and I felt like that meant I had to weigh in too. But, really, it's just the opposite: if everybody else is already writing about something, what's the marginal value of one more opinion? Unless I have something genuinely new to say, pretty small.

(Emphasis supplied.) I think that the part of Kevin's statement that I emphasize is true for most of us bloggers. I think some of the clearinghouse blogs really can't ignore big viral stories, but the rest of us can avoid "me tooism." That said, lots of times it is important to blog about a much blogged story when you believe, as I very often do these days, that most of the Left blogs are wrong and wrongheaded.

Heck, I think that is the bigger problem, a real hesitance to state disagreement with the prevailing Left blog wisdom.

I've got some things to attend to this morning, so here's an open thread where you can pick the topics, politics-related or not while I'm attending to them.

Our server maxed out last night from the number of people trying to access the site. We're adding another one, but it won't be fully set up for a day or two.

If you are having problems accessing the site or commenting, please know we're working on it.

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only.

In an earlier post, I misattributed a line that was written by Obama blogger Sam Graham Felsen to the very fine writer for the New Yorker, Hendrik Hertzberg. What Hertzberg actually wrote in the New Yorker, and was quoted by the Obama blogger was:

"Going negative" has been a bust. It could never be anything but a bust, because there is no audience for it in the Democratic Party... Barack Obama is a phenomenon that comes along once in a lifetime. Unfortunately for Hillary, it's her lifetime; fortunately for the rest of us, it's ours.

The line from the Obama blogger was "Let's let Hillary know that the American people are sick and tired of negative attacks and want something new."

I regret the error.

By Big Tent Democrat

Many of you are chomping at the bit to write about subjects not covered in the posts. Here is your chance. Keep your comments in other posts on topic please. This is an Open Thread.

And Go Gators! Beat the Bulldogs!

Time for an open thread, you pick the topics.

Here's a few things I haven't gotten around to writing about:

• Nevada County Dems are picking state delegates today. The delegates picked at their county caucuses aren't bound by their pledge and today's tally may or may not match the caucus results. More here.

• Tavis Smiley is receiving threats from Obama supporters over his criticism of Obama for not attending his State of the Black Union event. Hillary is attending the Louisiana event and will be speaking there.

• Check out the new film, Taxi to the Dark Side, about the politics of torture. It tells the story of Dilawar, whom we've frequently written about.

  In December 2002 a young Afghan named Dilawar, proud of his new taxi, picked up three fares. Shortly afterwards he and his passengers were detained as Taliban sympathizers by American forces, and Dilawar – almost certainly an innocent bystander – was flown to the Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. He died after a few days in detention there. Medical examiners reported that his legs, at the time of death, looked like they had been run over by a bus.

• California prison officials are re-examining its policy on strip-searching prisoners.

• The LA Times reports that restrictive sex offender laws may increase crime. (Via Sentencing Law and Policy.)

What are you reading about today?

By Big Tent Democrat

The floor is yours. This is an Open Thread.

(Comments now closed, new thread is here.)

Via No Quarter:

We're having server issues due to traffic spikes or something like that. While Colin, our webmaster works on it, here's a new thread to discuss the debate and other topics.

I also have to finish deleting the insults and personal sniping from the first debate threads.

Please, keep it civil. We are almost at the end of this interminably long primary process, with just a few weeks to go. There are two remaining candidates. State your opinions without rancor.

Update: Debate transcript is here.

By Big Tent Democrat

This Open Thread comes with an admonition, please stick to the topic discussed in posts. I for one have been writing very tight and focused posts to avoid acrimony today. You must respect my choices in my posts please. Jeralyn has the same policy for her posts.

Of course all the other rules regarding civility apply and and no personal attacks on the candidates or each other please.

This is an Open Thread. All topics welcome.