After being largely off grid for the last several days on an unrelated job, and a harrowing late-night flight back from Portland on Alaska Air (I blame Palin), I'm finally getting back to work today. Lots to catch up on over next several days.

Feel free to let me know in comments here if there's anything you believe may need my attention, or that you think I may not know about but may want to...

P.S. We ticked up over 1,000 followers on Twitter at some point over the last day or two. Congrats to @bcctmv who seems to be the 1,000th! If you're not following @TheBradBlog there yet, what's the hold up? You're missing lots of fun stuff that doesn't make it over here to the blog!

Also, our Facebook page (started much later) is now nearing 700 fans. If you want to spread the good word over there, it's much appreciated! Please jump in if you're a FB user!

I sure hope Cindy's there tonight to help make things lively! Ah, memories. Otherwise, here's your annual SOTU open thread. We'll be watching along with you...

Prepared text of speech now here...

UPDATE 1/28/10, 1:10pm PT: "Mandation Nation". Just flagging, for posterity, the three most noteworthy sideshow moments, as I had noted eacj in comments last night as they happened, since we now have the video of each, courtesy of Shannyn Moore's compilation (and AKMuckraker's "Mandation Nation"). Palin on Obama's "mandation for health care"; Matthews' racial forgetfullness; and Republican Justice Alito as the new Joe Wilson. All three videos now follow below...

Was on the road all day Friday...Here was the view from Holbrook, New Mexico...

We're watching the speech tonight with you...

TPM: Prepared text of Obama's speech
RAW STORY: Obama orders 30k troops to Afghanistan, plans 2011 withdrawal
AP: Obama: Afghanistan not lost, remains challenge
NYTimes: Obama Vows to Fight Al Qaeda ‘Cancer’

Your thoughts, as always, are welcome in comments...

[Hat-tip Sibel Edmonds, for whom we are always thankful.]

And while things are decidedly imperfect this year, we remain thankful nonetheless that, unlike last year, these are not the photos we are forced to see on our Thanksgiving open thread this year.

Mostly, we are ever thankful for those of you who share your time, generosity, goodwill, feedback, tips, thoughts and well wishes with us here at The BRAD BLOG, even as you continue to spread the word and keep fighting the good fight however, whenever and wherever you can.

And what do you find yourselves thankful for this year?...

I went to an event last night out here in Los Angeles where I got a lot of fun video --- way more than I can use. So please pardon the light posting today as I've been buried in the "editing room" culling through it all in hopes of putting something together that you may enjoy. Consider this an open thread --- or a guessing game as to what event that might have been --- until I'm able to come up for air...

I've been offline for much of yesterday and today while re-installing everything in the world, and restoring gigs o' data on a new notebook we can't afford, after one of ours nearly met its maker (DELL) over the past week while I was pressing hard on a deadline for an article elsewhere. (And yes, the article had run-on sentences as well!)

But looks like I'm lucky and haven't missed much. Or have I, and you all just haven't told me yet? I'll hope it's the former. My brain needs rest.

A commenter here recently complained that we don't have many open threads around here these days. True 'dat. So, as I've been waste deep working on a detailed story all day today, hopefully to run here on Tuesday, here's your momentary opportunity for an open thread. Make it quick and worth our while, or it may be another year or so before we have another...

For the last time this year, in theory, a Presidential Debate open thread. Share your thoughts during and after in comments below.

I'll be on WBAI/Pacifica (99.5FM in NYC, streaming here) right after the debate, for post-game analysis. Listen in, if ya like. Will try to follow comments here even while on air...

POST-DEBATE UPDATE: ACORN issues a fairly scathing press release in response to McCain's comments about them group during tonight's debate. Their statement follows below...