-- I must admit I have nothing to say about the Pats other than it has felt a lot like 2005 (seems like a good team, until we play better teams).

-- In the Senate race, it's more evident than ever that Massachusetts has calcified into government cheerleaders who will always vote a Dem, and harried (mostly) suburbanites who don't like Dem policies and practices but are too busy working to get to the polling places, never mind mount a campaign. Not unlike the rest of America in 2009, maybe the dynamics will change in the New Year.

-- Since it's the most wonderful time of the year, I will refrain from taking issue with your point that "Republicans could have made this bill much better." I think it's more likely they would have made the bill much worse (e.g. more exceptions/extensions/credits/loopholes, a la the offers to Senator Nelson), absent (a) the veto-proof minority, (b) a coherent and popular alternative view (though not popular now, these views are certainly coherent.

-- With the Celts back in stride, three recommended books about basketball for the holidays:

1. For the stat-heads, Pro Basketball Prospectus 2009-2010. Hoop version of the Bill James revolution.

2. For the 21-54 male demographic, Bill Simmons's The Book of Basketball .Unfortunately, too many offcolor/"adult" references for younger readers but a truly comprehensive, hilarious and serious history of the NBA. And yes, it slants towards the Celtics, speaking of which...

3. For the '80s nostalgics among us, Jackie McMullen's When the Game Was Ours, a recap of the Larry/Magic rivalry over 20+ years.