THEY'RE NO LONGER BURGLARIZING HOMES; they're stealing them.

THERE WAS A TIME when Americans suffered from smog. Now they suffer from smug (and contempt). Here are some examples:

TRUMP IS A SYMPTOM; our political class is the disease.

JUST A LITTLE EVENING DUMPING on conservative Catholics.

THE “MEDIA ELITE” is disproportionately made up of people who are addicted to smugness.

And you wonder why Trump is so popular with real people?

AUTUMN LEAVES, 15 October 2016:

Here are today's pictures, taken later in the day than last week, but in the same order as before. Here's the front of the house, taken from the lower driveway.

The reverse image, taken from the house, looking back down the driveway

The back of the house, taken from the upper driveway

Across the driveway, looking into our 'back 40'.

And finally, the pond, looking out from the back deck.

The leaves are beginning to fall with some regularity, but not much color change as yet. There are a few nice reds here and about; maybe on tomorrow's walk....

RAND SIMBERG: To restore Article II of the Constitution, elect Donald Trump.

COMEY LIED and the email scandal died.

BINGO! "Conservatives in Washington are as corrupt as liberals. They just work cheaper." Is that because Conservatives are against raising the minimum wage?

Though I still like Krauthammer.

POWERLINE'S Week in Pictures has posted. The wine cartoons are especially good, but this one is still my favorite:

Enjoy them all.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL 'PROTECTION' AGENCY CAN DO NO WRONG: Obama's Justice Department decides to pass on prosecuting EPA officials over Gold King spill.

Surprise, surprise....

POWERLINE'S 'GREEN WEENIE' AWARD this week goes to another incompetent environmentalist.

LOCKHEED MARTIN looks to diversify. Color me skeptical; they tried once before and almost lost everything. The problem is that defense manufacturers work in a highly regulated, technology-risky, cost-plus-fee business environment; commercial manufacturing does not. It's possible to transition from one environment to the other, but much harder than one might think.

DONALD TRUMP IS AN ASSHOLE.

Thankfully, that doesn't matter in a president. We've all had bosses or friends or family members that are assholes. And guess what, they all managed to do whatever job they're doing. It's of no consequence. There are plenty of assholes in the world. I'm one of them, I should know. You might be one also. I'm not going to have a beer with Trump. He's not coming over for Thanksgiving dinner. I don't care. People have written literally dozens of books on the Clintons. Guess what? They're assholes too.

He hurt some people's feelings. In contrast, the Clintons have blood on their hands and have left a trail of dead bodies in their wake a mile long. And look what happens when you choose a president that is hip and cool. You get 8 years of Barack Obama hanging out with Jay-Z and Beyonce.

Donald Trump didn't pay taxes.

So what. Apple doesn't pay taxes and you keep buying their shit. Lots of rich people don't pay taxes. There's a whole cottage industry called "wealth management" that finds creative ways to hedge the rich from taxes. I file deductions every year-- as many as my poor ass can manage. I hope you do the same. Is it fair? Probably not. But you know why those loopholes are in place? Because of career politicians like Hillary Clinton. She's been at this game for decades. What good has she done for this country? Our tax code is a joke and it's because of crooked politicians like the Clintons. The Clinton Foundation doesn't pay taxes. It's nothing more than a giant money laundering scheme for their cronies.

Obama weaponized the IRS and other areas of the government attacking our Constitutional rights.

Operation Chokepoint targeted firearms-related businesses. That's why my bank of 15 years just dropped me as a client two weeks ago. Imagine the outrage if banks discriminated against the LGBT community, blacks, or Muslims. You wouldn't hear the end of it. But because liberals hate the Second Amendment, it's okay. No media coverage. No outrage. This policy literally threatens my way of life-- and my ability to provide for my family.

Are you better off after 8 years of Obama?

Do you want 8 years of bullshit under Hillary Clinton?

It is impossible for Donald Trump to do a worse job than Obama or Hillary. Impossible.

Our country cannot take much more. Obama preaches about low unemployment and the recovery of the economy. That's laughable. Most of my customers cannot afford to buy a $200 knife from me-- let alone a $2000 rifle. It was different a few years ago. Things are worse now. Your dollar doesn't buy much. The entire financial system is on the brink of collapse. There is much uncertainty in the market. The failed policies of this administration have cost many folks their livelihoods-- their homes and cars, their marriages. Can you afford 8 more years of this? I cannot.

Our great grandchildren are going to grow up in an America that is unrecognizable. The good old days are long gone. "Hope and Change" failed miserably. We need a major course correction and Trump is the asshole to do it. That's my rant for today. I'm going to mow my yard and kick something in anger. Have a good weekend and God bless you and yours. God bless America. We need it.

From my email -- and thanks for sharing.

THE SCOREKEEPER isn't happy with Paul Ryan and the Republican establishment. Neither am I. I received the same email and responded to Ryan almost as politely.

INSIDER CLAIM: FBI and DOJ roiled by Comey, Lynch decision to let Clinton slide by on emails. The key question is whether they will go public. I hope so, but I have my doubts.

HEH: Bill Clinton is a social climber. But I don't think the 'rednecks' will have him....