Friday random thoughts...

• Some Christmas shopping sanity: In the face of pressure to push the Yule season closer and closer to the Fourth of July, Nordstroms has stuck by its policy of not putting up any Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving.


• The memory continues: Some folks noticed that the so-called "Mike Ucci Memorial Pole" in front of West High was replaced, but testimonials are already being written on the new one. No word yet as to what's happening with the old one, but some folks had an idea earlier this year.


• Where are the strings attached? Tracy Hills wants to give Tracy $5 million for a guarantee that the development will go forward as laid out in the general plan. Isn't a guarantee standard practice? And do we really trust money changing hands between the city and developers when so many deals before have proved somewhat shady, or even downright illegal?


• Abandon all hope, if you have any left: Those who thought this presidential race might be different from the Swift Boat campaign are probably weeping silently over a bottle of gin.


• Kings of the molehill: For Tracy's youth football players, congratulations on doing something constructive and athletic with your time whether you've lost or won. For Tracy's youth football parents, read this column, and make sure your kids aren't more mature than you.

• Calvin and Hobbes quote of the week: "(Mom,) want to read my letter to Santa?" "All THAT?!" "I hope I don't forget to ask for something I want." "This is alphabetized." "Yeah, and I cross-indexed the accessory items he'll need to get. I try to help him out." "This says, 'Volume One.'" "'Atom Bomb' through 'Grenade Launcher.'" "You're going to be one sad little kid on Christmas morning."