The sequel to Shantaram is finally coming. Gregory David Robert's Mountain Shadow, will be available Oct. 13. You can read the first five chapters here.

Shantaram introduced millions of readers to a cast of unforgettable characters in the hidden heart of Bombay through Lin, an Australian fugitive, working as a passport forger for a branch of the Bombay mafia. In The Mountain Shadow, the long awaited sequel, Lin must find his way in a Bombay run by a different generation of mafia dons, playing by a different set of rules.

On TV tonight: Blood and Oil (with Don Johnson) and Quantico, The Great Food Truck Race, and on Unimas, Nino Santo, which is a very strange drama that pits young doctors against a religious cult figure in the jungle, where the doctors end up questioning whether science is more powerful than faith. It's based on the real legend of Niño Fidencio, a 1920's faith healer who never made it to sainthood, but is considered one by many anyway. It just started last week, and only airs on Sunday nights. It has subtitles.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Was about even last week- a little under .500 and breakeven for the year. This week's picks:

UCLA @ Arizona +4 (3 units), Missouri @ Kentucky -2 (3 units), Mississippi State +3 (3 units) @ Auburn, Texas A&m -7 (3 units) @ Arkansas, San Diego State +16 (3 units) @ Penn State, Virginia Tech @ East Carolina +10, Western Michigan @ Ohio State -32 (3 units), Massachusetts +30 @ Notre Dame, @ Florida, Ohio +11 @ Minnesota, Maryland @ West Virginia -17 (4 units), Northern Illinois @ Boston College -4 (3 units), Indiana @ Wake Forest +3, Bowling Green -3 @ Purdue, Navy -6 @ Connecticut, Georgia Tech -7 (3 units) @ Duke, Southern Mississippi +22 @ Nebraska, LSU -24 (5 units) @ Syracuse, Central Michigan +28 @ Michigan State, Kansas +15 @ Rutgers, Central Florida +15 @ South Carolina, BYU +7 (3 units) @ Michigan.

Go Gators!

Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

I've got jail visits in the mountains today. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Here's a new open thread, all topics welcome.

0-2 last night. I'm on fire! Reverse the following picks:

Mississippi +7 (3 units) @ Alabama; @ Kentucky +3 1/2 over Florida; Stanford @ USC; Rutgers +9 @ Penn State; South Carolina +17 @ Georgia; BYU +18 (4 units) @ UCLA; Northern Illinois @ Ohio State -35); East Carolina +4 1/2 @ Navy; Georgia Tech -2 @ Notre Dame; Auburn -7 @ LSU; Nebraska @ Miami Florida -3; Northwestern @ Duke -3; Nevada +35 @ Texas A&m; South Florida +7 1/2 @ Maryland; Wake Forest @ Army +7; Illinois @ North Carolina -7; Connecticut +22 @ Missouri.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

It's Friday! Just 2 more working days until Monday!

My CFB sneak peek with games tonight:

New Mexico v @ Arizona State -27

Florida State v. @ Boston College +8 1/2

Open Thread.

Our last open thread is just about full. I put up a thread for tonight's Republican debate. Here's a thread for all other topics, your choice.

For those of you who "forgot" our comment rules in my absence last week, it's time to remember them. I banned one person today for name-calling and insulting character attacks on another commenter, and I won't hesitate to do the same to anyone else who engages in such conduct here. It just needs to be called to my attention.

Thanks to everyone for their positive comments about my moving disaster. They were very heartfelt and comforting.

Not in a million years could I have anticipated what happened during my move last Thursday. To make a long story short, one of the movers set my new home on fire during the move-in.

This was no little fire. It was more like a big bonfire. It started in the second bedroom and spread to the living room, and burned through the hardwood floors down to the core. The entire place was covered in ash. The smell got into everything -- couch, bed, rugs, and more.

The place is now uninhabitable and the fire restoration experts say it will take a month to repair. [More...]

One of these days, I'll dive in to the politics thing again, as opposed to just eGhazi. But today is not that day.

Open thread.

Also too, I ranted about Iowa/NH going first on Daily Kos Radio. I start at about the 47 minute mark.

Daily Kos Radio's KITM podcast (AUDIO): Kagro in the Morning, Tuesday, September 15, 2015 http://t.co/7OAMkHFt2J via @dailykos

— Armando (@armandodkos) September 15, 2015

Tough first week - I stand at 7-9 (-5 units) ATS. Today I turn it around. The picks (in bold):

Wake Forest vs. @ Syracuse -4; Army +7 vs @ Connecticut; Houston vs @ Louisville -13; Temple +7 vs @ Cincinnati; Fresno State vs @ Mississippi -30(3 units);East Carolina +21 vs @ Florida; LSU -4 (5 units) vs @ Mississippi State; Hawaii vs @ Ohio State -41 (3 units); South Florida +29 vs @ Florida State; UCLA vs @ UNLV +30; Oregon vs @ Michigan State -4 (3 units); Boise State vs @ BYU +3; Kentucky vs @ South Carolina -7 (3 units) ; Toledo vs @ Arkansas -23 (3 units); Notre Dame vs @ Virginia -13; Minnesota vs @ Colorado State +5 (3 units); Georgia -21 (4 units) vs @ Vanderbilt;Miami Ohio +31 vs @ Wisconsin; Buffalo + 17 vs @ Penn State; Bowling Green +8 vs @ Maryland; Oregon State +15 vs @ Michigan

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

Tough first week - I stand at 7-9 (-5 units) ATS. Today I turn it around. The picks (in bold):

Wake Forest vs. @ Syracuse -4; Army +7 vs @ Connecticut; Houston vs @ Louisville -13; Temple +7 vs @ Cincinnati; Fresno State vs @ Mississippi -30(3 units);East Carolina +21 vs @ Florida; LSU -4 (5 units) vs @ Mississippi State; Hawaii vs @ Ohio State -41 (3 units); South Florida +29 vs @ Florida State; UCLA vs @ UNLV +30; Oregon vs @ Michigan State -4 (3 units); Boise State vs @ BYU +3; Kentucky vs @ South Carolina -7 (3 units) ; Toledo vs @ Arkansas -23 (3 units); Notre Dame vs @ Virginia -13; Minnesota vs @ Colorado State +5 (3 units); Georgia -21 (4 units) vs @ Vanderbilt;Miami Ohio +31 vs @ Wisconsin; Buffalo + 17 vs @ Penn State; Bowling Green +8 vs @ Maryland; Oregon State +15 vs @ Michigan

Go Gators!

Open Thread.