Sunday reading

Some of the reading material that caught my attention during the last week ...

Sports...
a Once the Star, Now the Stand-In
a Five Cuts: The Phillies followed the modern era success formula ... I especially like/agree with Reason No. 2.
a Santo's act made for TV move ... Whaaaaaaa? Though it may not happen now after the Brewers announced this week Bob Brenly wasn't their man.
a After a Steep Fall, Leyritz Tries to Rebuild Life
a Pierce now belongs with the greatest

Entertainment ...
a Banks swings into stardom with 'W.,' 'Zack and Miri' ... I really like watching Elizabeth Banks
a King of the Slackers: It's a Full-Time Job ... A good read about Banks' "Zack and Miri"co-star, Seth Rogan. Man I wish I had extra time -- and money -- to see a movie in the theater ...
a Late-night laughs capture the online vote
a For Tracy Morgan, Every Day Is a Show
a David Archuleta's liner notes break the word count bank

Media & the Internet ...
a Christian Science Monitor: A paper without paper is still a paper ... It was the click made in newsrooms around the world this week when we learned CSM is going paperless.
a Meet Russert’s Replacement? Not Yet

Politics ...
a The next new chant: 'No we can't' ... A ha-larious, satirical scene that could play out in January. This one had me laughing out loud.
a Obama uses his TV time well
a Obama Is Up, and Fans Fear That Jinxes It
a Windy City whirlwind?
a Who’s the Question Mark? ... "Ever since Steve Schmidt became Mr. McCain’s campaign manager, the candidate has become a question mark."
a Paul Simon planted seeds of Obama surge
a Al Franken may face his toughest crowd in race for U.S. Senate
a What I Will Miss About President Bush ... Six writers reflect on what they have most admired about him.
a Northern Star Rising ... Sarah Palin's not going away.
a Palin's prank call from fake French president

Life & other stuff ...
a Mattel is now worth more than GM. Got an old Beach Bomb VW model in the attic? You're rich!

Al Franken is a smart man

It's always fun and fascinating to watch Al Franken on late night TV. Man, he could do some serious good for Minnesota and the country in a Senate seat ...

Some of outtakes from his appearance on Letterman last night …

... “Republicans run for office saying that the government doesn't work. Then they get elected and they prove it.”

... “One of the dumbest things that this President has said -- and that is a high bar -- is that if we abided by the Kyoto agreement, it would be ruinous to our economy. The opposite is true.”

... “Some people say that Minnesota is a windy state because the Dakotas blow and Wisconsin sucks.”