Something exciting's happening these days. Can't you just smell it in the air? It smells sort of gasoline-y, with some sulfur-ish overtones. And definitely some unwashed stale perspiration.

Yeah, that right! According to the Missouri Information Analysis Center, it's militia-joining time!

"Due to the current economical and political situation, a lush environment for militia activity has been created," the Feb. 20 report reads. "Unemployment rates are high, as well as costs of living expenses. Additionally, President Elect Barrack [sic] Obama is seen as tight on gun control and many extremists fear that he will enact firearms confiscations."

MIAC is one of 58 so-called "fusion centers" nationwide that were created by the Department of Homeland Security, in part, to collect local intelligence that authorities can use to combat terrorism and related criminal activities.

You don't have to pitch to me anymore of your silly fearful plan to spy on U.S. citizens. 'Cause I'm sold! I'm joinin' up one of them there militias you speak of.

Let's see… I've already got the unkempt beard and festering misanthropy. What are some of the other requirements?

People who supported former third-party presidential candidates like Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin and former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr are cited in the report, in addition to anti-abortion activists and conspiracy theorists who believe the United States, Mexico and Canada will someday form a North American Union.

"Militia members most commonly associate with 3rd party political groups," the report reads. "It is not uncommon for militia members to display Constitutional Party, Campaign for Liberty or Libertarian material."

Oh, bummer. I was hoping to join a group of disaffected guerrilla soldiers living in the woods, arming myself against imaginary threats and gleefully defecating into freshly-dug holes in the ground.

I didn't know I'd have to hang out with crazy people.

As it's the end of the year, and it seems as though we're all supposed to look back fondly on stuff or something like that, we thought it appropriate to make a nice little list of some of our favorite of each others' posts from 2008.

Considering that this post will be the 4,556th one we've published, you can probably imagine how difficult a task this was for us. But these are some of the ones that stuck out in our minds…

Gonzalo Cordova
MoveOn.org Needs to MoveOn.org Already

Dennis DiClaudio
Booing John McCain: A Short Play

Karen Lurie
John McCain's Guide to Training Women in the Workplace

Eric March
This Fall, John McCain Dies for Our Sins. Forever. Again.

Mary Phillips-Sandy
Gutsy Half-Hour Revolt Earns One Reporter Thirty Inane Seconds with Sarah Palin

G. Xavier Robillard
Expatriate Clinton Donor Expatriates Herself to John McCain

Dylan Ris
The Following 5 Democrats and 8 Republicans Called Sarah Palin a Pig and Hate Women in General

Ethan Ris
Scofflaw Homeless People Flagrantly Vote in Ohio

Matthew Tobey
Dennis Miller Is the Tigris and Euphrates of Outrage-Incitement

David Waters
Proven Winner Ralph Nader Gives Obama Golden Political Advice

And we'd be remiss if we didn't also take note of our very early April endorsement of Alan Keyes for president.

See you all in 2009.

The Baltimore sun did a little research into the amount of press given to Barack Obama and John McCain compared to that given to third party candidates Ralph Nader, Bob Barr, Cynthia McKinney and that other guy whatever his name is.

And their findings are quite interesting.

But, first, here's a cat on a Roomba…

Hahahahaha. That's so awesome. Go, cat, go!

Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh yeah…

Cats are funny.

One of the things I really like about the Daily Kos website is how thoughtful and even-handed the people in its community are. For example, take this refreshingly erudite critique on Ralph Nader's campaign left on the website over the weekend…

Anyone who sails with the Nader crowd deserves nothing more than ridicule.

Fuck Ralph Nader, and fuck his supporters. If the past eight years hasn't smacked any sense into their addled brains, then nothing will. This site caters to the reality-based community. No one else need apply.

Alright, I know what you're thinking. It's unfair of me to pick out a random comment and post it as though it represents the site as a whole or the site's founder, Markos Moulitsas. And you're right.

That's why I didn't do that. That was Markos Moulitsas.

That guy's gonna be some lucky president's chief of staff one day.

Ralph Nader has a lot of good ideas. I wish that Ralph Nader was tall, handsome and, most importantly, not a crazy old douchebag.

With polls still open in half the country, Ralph Nader has already conceded the presidential race.

He's going to have egg on his face when he ends up winning California, Texas, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Hawaii, Montana, Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Alaska, Missouri and Florida.