The president keeps saying he's going to focus on the economy like a laser.  In this task, he's been unrelentless.

"I thought you were the nice Scot."

I'll put  a vote in for Breaker Morant's .303 Enfield rifle.  "I'll tell you what rule we shot them under, sir.  We shot them under Rule 303!"

Uncle Billy said all that needs to be said on this subject:

"War is cruelty.  There is no use trying to reform it.  The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." -- William Tecumseh Sherman

Official Campaign Song: Yoo Do Something To Me.

Oh, do do that voodoo that Yoo do so well . . .

Fire Birds, which is a ripoff of Top Gun but with Apache helicopters instead of Navy jets.  Bad acting backed up by a truly awful script.  Here's what qualifies for humor: Nicholas Cage's character tells Tommy Lee Jone's character (Brad Little), "Well, that's very big of you, Little."  But it's one of those movies that's so bad that you can enjoy the unintentional laughter it generates.    

Problem is, the GOP hierarchy has way too many McLellans and far too few Shermans and Grants.   

Was it ever reasonable to think that a "Republican" from Massachusetts was going to win the presidency?  You're not off to a strong start when you know your nominee is incapable of winning his home state.  And RomneyCare diluted the effectiveness of attacks on the Affordable Care Act.   

I'll second 1967mustangman's endorsement of Carlo D'Este's work. His book, Patton: A Genius For War, was terrific.  

Robert Coram has written some great bios, too.  Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed The Art Of War was brilliant.  Reading American Patroit: The Life and Wars Of Colonel Bud Day made my life's accomplishments seem very small, indeed.  I'm about to start another Coram bio  -- Brute: The Life Of Victor Krulak, U.S. Marine -- and I'm confident it won't disappoint.

Another vote for High Plains Drifter.  As RightinChicago wrote, it is a classic morality tale.  Not only does good defeat evil, but the cowardly townfolk remind us that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.    

Honorable mention goes to Hang'em High

Before I am deluged with corrections by baseball fans, I meant to say that I thought the Yankees would crush the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS.

It depends on what you mean by a landslide.  A solid victory is possible, but it's hard to see how it will be a landslide when it is likely that Obama will win states -- California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois -- with substantial numbers of electoral votes.  Then again, I thought the Yankees would crush the Red Sox in the 2004 World Series.

William H. Pryor, age 50, of the 11th Circuit.   Also Janice Rogers Brown of the DC Circuit and Edith Jones of the 5th Circuit, though both are on the older side at 63. 

A respectful thumbs down on the Lightning Round.  I'd rather hear the Dynamic Duo expound on a subject than get cut off arbitrarily.   Especially when Richard is just getting into the nitty-gritty of Roman riparian rights. 

I joined for the Steyn, re-upped for the Epstein and Yoo. Not that I don't enjoy the rest of the site, but Steyn and Law Talk convinced me to release the funds imprisoned in my wallet.   Any chance Mark will make a triumphant return?

Another vote for Breaker Morant.  Edward Woodward was brilliant in the title role, and the tale of soldiers fighting an unconventional war against an insurgent enemy that doesn't play by the rules is particularly relevant today.