Alan Greenspan is now saying that he "didn't get it." Somehow, the man in charge of our Federal Reserve for 16 years did not understand that the boom in the sub-prime mortgage market, coupled with the easy availability of credit due to his constant lowering of insterest rates, would inevitably lead to a credit crisis like we are seeing now.
So lemme get this straight: A huge proliferation in sub-prime mortgages (lending money, usually at a higher-than-average interest rate, to consumers who don't qualify for the best market insurance rates), coupled with low Federal interest rates and a high availability of credit for these consumer banks has created a problem? Was it really that hard to "get"? How unforseeable is it that these consumers, who already don't qualify for market interest rates, would default on these loans? Especially when sub-prime mortgages are tied in with low fixed interest rates for a short period, and then revert to high variable rates thereafter?
Of course there is a place for sub-prime lending, especially in the mortgage field, in a healthy economy. Providing consumers with less than stellar credit histories an opportunity to secure a loan is not only humane, but also good for business. If some of these people turn it around and pay off that mortgage, the banks have widened their customer base. But from 2004-2006, 21% of all mortgage originations were sub-prime (up from 9% from 1996-2004). That is more than one fifth of all mortgage lending. Of course, with the Fed constantly lowering interest rates from '01-'04, giving the banks an incentive to hand out these sub-prime loans (since they can charge a higher interest rate and make more money), it is easy to see why the banks would increase the number of these loans they hand out.
The rash of foreclosures, and ensuing economic downturn, seems to logically follow, doesn't it? What would you expect when you combine: (a) people with huge amounts of debt, or a history of not paying credit bills on time; and (b) loans with higher-than-average interest rates?
Friday, September 14, 2007
Alan Greenspan Lacks Foresight
The Best Part of This Story is That the "Guardian UK" Article on This Story Refers to Him As an "Actor"
Do you remember the late '80s when "O.J. Simpson" was synonymous with "that friendly black guy in the Hertz commercials and the 'Naked Gun' movies who won a Heisman?" My, that was a long time ago.
Now, in addition to "wife-beater" turned "suspected murderer" turned "author of a purely fictional book" turned "generally batshit human being," we can add "suspected robber."
Police questioned Simpson in reference to a robbery at a casino last night.
Maybe he was going to use the money to fund his search for the real killers? Just a thought.
Nigerian Government Bans Hot Women...
...in Banking. Dealbreaker, you local friendly Wall Street blog, recently posted a story about how Nigerian banks often use attractive women to "provide incentives" for customers to open accounts: http://www.dealbreaker.com/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/11562. The Nigerian government is trying to ban the practice.
Check out the full article.
Want $25 Million?
All we need to do is land a rocket on the moon, have it roll 500 yards and send back high resolution video. The NY Times has the article.
And it's already been asked, but it is worth asking again: How long until private ventures wrest space flight away from NASA and the other government agencies?
And if you're going into space, make sure you do it from here.
Just Don't Let Sean Connery Get Ahold of it
In another installment of "Russia Scares the Shit Out of the West", plans for Russia's top-secret new submarine, project 20120, were accidently put online by the local government in the top-secret "closed" city where the sub is being built.
In other news, the entire town seems to have disappeared, and the Russian Ministry of Truth is saying that it never existed in the first place.
I Love the Smell of Wasted Tax Dollars in the Morning
Average income/cost of a bailiff? $32,270 annually or $130 daily
Average cost of a court reporter? $47,122 annually, $189 daily
Average cost of appellate judge? $171,800 annually, $687 daily
Finally settling the ever-important question of whether Janet Jackson's nip slip was accidental or constituted indecency by CBS?
Priceless.
The best part about this story is the fact that this is the SECOND time this case has gone before a Federal Appellate Court.
Thank you, FCC. I can sleep now.
I know what his birth certificate says, but. . .
. . . he's got the knees of a 40-year-old, too! (not just the face) 
So, I'm a day or two late on this news, but I think it's worth mentioning that ESPN's two-year-and-change (if not more) hype of Greg Oden is going to have to continue even longer, as he's out for the season after knee surgery yesterday; it's always enjoyable to see those overzealous bastards squirm.
It's really a shame for Oden, though, because he's a great player and a good kid with a seemingly jovial character (always refreshing in professional sports, with people always acting like they're at war or something). I wish him the best, and hopefully for very few reporters beating down his door while he recovers.
If At First, You Don't Succeed, Try Getting a Better Hair Weave
No matter what you think of her "music," you kind of have to admire Britney Spears. Rarely in our society have we seen such dedicated train-wrecks. Fresh off the heels of her VMA performance, she's now actively considering appearing at the Emmys on Sunday, as an "apology" for the three and half minutes of cringeworthiness that was the VMAs:
Check out US magazine's take here.
Now, I will wholly reserve judgment on whether this is a solid plan. My only question is to/about her handlers: from her choreographer to her lawyer. Clearly, they are either collectively brain-dead, if they think they have been helping her career over the past few months, or they are absolute geniuses: getting paid like they're helping her out with none of the responsibility of actually working.
Hence, I say to you, Britney's handlers, can you hook a sista up with a job? Please? This is an awesome racket, and I too am totally qualified to consistently steer a pathetic person in the wrong direction.
Dane Cook Has Feelings
Unintentionally hilarious feelings, that is.
And don't miss the comments at the bottom of the page.
Why "Deliverance" May Be a Documentary
For the record, I'm no fan of the fluke assault story. Generally, I'm of the opinion that hearing about cases like Elizabeth Smart and Kelsey Smith, tragic as they may be, distract us from more common, widespread issues that we should be discussing: the war, the rising cost of health insurance and growing rates of uninsured employed persons, why Kanye is going to kick 50's ass. So for me to post the link below is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence:
Read the full article here.
The story itself is upsetting enough: a 20 year-old imprisoned, raped, and tortured by an organized group of psychopaths. But what upsets me most is that the link for this story was at the bottom of the NYTimes webpage, the bottom of the CNN webpage, and wasn't even on the FoxNews site at the time that this was written. I'd be willing to bet that my life savings on the fact that had this been a 20 year-old white woman tortured by two black men and two black women, it would be THE news story of the month. We'd get constant updates on network news. Presidential candidates would reference the story in speeches, and Nancy Grace would be all over it like white on race--I mean, rice. And they sure as hell wouldn't have a bail set at $100,000.
Even MORE from the confusion on Separation of Church and State
Oh, those crazy Americans and their lack of knowing what's in the Constitution. This blogger has put together a great list of stats on what Americans know about religious freedom (of course, surveys and polls are always a bit sketchy, because who knows who was interviewed?). Regardless, some of this is pretty shocking.
The most confusing stat to me was this: "Only just over half - 56% (down from 72% in 2000) - believe 'the freedom to worship as one chooses...applies to all religious groups' and was 'never meant to apply to religious groups that most people would consider extreme or fringe.'"
The fact that only 56% of people believe that is not terribly surprising, but why is it down from 72% in 2000? (Well, I think I know why, but seriously??)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Sad State Of Baseball In Miami
That right there is an actual picture taken during a 12 inning game between the Nationals and the Marlins at Dolphin's Stadium in Miami. Several questions here: (1) Why do the Marlins insist on playing in 60,000+ seat stadium? (2) Why would you ever play a mid-week day game there, when attendance is sure to be light? (3) When do the Marlins finally make the move to Las Vegas?
If for some reason you care about late season non-pennant race baseball, you can catch the recap of the game here.
Rolling Stone Tries To Prove It Is Still Relevant; Snooty Blogger Proves Otherwise
In this week's installment of 'Rock-Critically Correct', Idolator has a rundown on Rolling Stone's coverage of the 50 v. Kanye showdown.
On a side note, I haven't listened to the new album from 50, but I wasn't blown away by Kanye's outing. Although, Pitchfork would apparently disagree with my assessment.
Artist Plans To Put Giant Banana Into Space
Public artist Cesar Saez plans to put a 300m long banana into geostationary orbit about 30 - 50 km above the state of Texas. The banana is expected to launch in August 2008, and will only be visible from Texas and surrounding areas. If all goes as planned, the helium-filled structure will appear to be 20% the size of the moon, will be visible day and night, and will remain in the sky for 1 month. Visit the project's website here for an explanation of the project, and some pretty hilarious pictures.
UGA Ranks 46th In Sexual Health Poll
Church & Dwight, the makers of Trojan condoms, have released their second annual study on sexual health at each US university that competes in NCAA Division I athletics. I'm not totally sure why they decided to make that particular distinction; they are leaving out some of the nation's largest schools in the process (ahem, NYU and its 40,000+ students). Anyways, the study was conducted like this:
"Researchers polled student health centers and reviewed their websites to assign a grade point average (GPA) for sexual health resources across 11 separate categories:
-- Sexual health awareness programs
-- Condom & contraception availability
-- HIV testing
-- Other Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing
-- Student health center hours of operation
-- Drop-in vs. appointment-based service
-- Navigability and usability of Web-based sexual health information
-- Anonymous advice / newspaper columns
-- Lecture outreach programs
-- Student peer groups
-- Sexual assault programs"
You'll notice that the poll doesn't address how well students apply the resources that are available to them, so, um, the students of Athens shouldn't get too cocky about that #46 ranking.
The whole press release and rankings can be seen here.
The Changing Sexual Dynamic
Recently, we reviewed "Tell Me You Love Me", a new show on HBO.
As a part of that review, we looked at the sexual dynamic as expressed in that show, and particularly it's very strong feminine voice. And, lo and behold, New York Magazine has a piece on working women and their house-husbands. With more women than men graduating from high school, attending and graduating from college, and attending graduate school, is this an inevitable development? How will our ideas of child-rearing, maternality and femininity change as women overtake men for dominance in the working world? What effect will this have on the social and sexual relationships between men and women going forward?
Belgium Inches Closer To Disintegration
I spent this past summer working and taking classes in Brussels. While there, I learned about the deep political divide that exists between the Northern, Dutch-speaking portion of the country (Flanders) and the Southern, French-speaking portion of the country (Wallonia). Brussels (the capital of the Belgium and the EU), is located within the territory of Flanders, but is autonomous from that region. Find out more about the political structure of Belgium here.
The country itself is a creation of modern political convenience, and it is really amazing to see the number of compromises necessary to keep it together. Well, it appears that things are beginning to unravel.
If any of our Belgian readers are still around, please send us an email about the situation there. Thanks.
Update: The news arm of the EU has a story on the political crisis here.
A New Way to Dispel Dissent
Outlaw speech entirely.
The rationalization used by these folks for disallowing any flag t-shirts on the 6th anniversary of 9/11 is one that has gained significant public and judicial acceptance in the last few years. In order to avoid a problem with "content-specific" regulations governing speech (which are subject to strict scrutiny, the highest standard in constitutional jurisprudence), schools and other government organizations are outlawing all speech on specific points. These "content-neutral" restrictions on speech are much easier to defend in the event that someone brings a lawsuit.
But does this modern jurisprudential theme comport with the ideas that the 1st Amendment was designed to protect?
This humble editor would posit that, NO, it does not. While the idea that content-specific restrictions on speech are subjected to strict scrutiny (the highest standard in constitutional jurisprudence) has merit, it's apparent syllogistic off-shoot (that content-neutral restrictions on speech are subjected to a lower standard) does not. In operation, this allows the government to restrict entire fields of speech; in the example above, these high school students were prevented from making any kind of statement about the 6-year anniversary of a national tragedy in order to avoid a possible 1st Amendment issue (as would have arisen if teachers had asked a student to remove a t-shirt with an Iranian flag, or a picture of Osama bin Laden). So, in it's attempt to protect minority speech, the current state of 1st Amendment jurisprudence has allowed for the silencing of all speech on particular issues.
EDIT: The rule has been repealed. Apparently, the rule was instituted after the school received "information from law enforcement of gangs wearing foreign flags as gang symbols." Nothing says "street" like the French flag on a t-shirt. "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite, BITCH."
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
The iPhone Has Solid Sales Numbers
Apple has announced that more than 1 million iPhones have been sold in the past 3 months. I'm interested to see what effect the new iPod Touch will have on iPhone sales. Is it worth the extra $100 plus service charges for mobile phone functionality and EVDO access?
Russia's 'Operation: Scare The $#!@ Out Of The West' Hits Its Stride
I really hate linking to the Daily Mail, but I can't help it this time. The British rag (thats right, I said it) reports that the Russians have successfully tested the world's largest non-nuclear bomb, wrestling that title from the US's 'Mother of all Bombs.'
From the article: "Last night a source close to the US National Security Council said it was a "matter of concern" that Moscow would develop such a huge weapon at a time when there was no obvious need. He added that the US would ask for an explanation. He said there was "no chance" that America would become involved in a new arms race with the Russians and that the US had no use for bombs larger than the ones already in its arsenal."
Phew. I think we can all sleep better at night knowing that some anonymous source swears that the US isn't gonna play Cold War II on this one.
From the land of ice and snow. . .
. . . comes a Led Zeppelin reunion! It's the first time the three surviving members of the band will have played together in 19 years. I don't think 125 pounds is too ridiculous, to be honest, especially when people pay thousands to see U2 (shuddering uncontrollably).
Though my Led Zeppelin phase is about 8 or 9 years past, it still would be a phenomenal opportunity to see these guys, even despite their decrepit visages.
Sports Marketing (still) out of control
Sweet dear Lord, what are we getting ourselves into? You know those really ugly "fathead" wall-posters they advertise during sporting events? Well, apparently they have extended the business to include ESPN Radio personalities.
Really, who wants a lifesize sticker of your favorite team/player's helmet/jersey/face on your wall? Sure, these may be aimed at kids, but I don't think I (or they) would want this staring at them when they wake up: 
What Did Israel Hit In That Airstrike Last Week?
Last Thursday, reports surfaced that Israeli jets had intruded upon Syrian airspace. At the time, there was little actual information about the strike, other than claims from the Syrians that they had used their air defense system against the aircraft.
Now, there is speculation that the strike might have been a pretty big deal. The New York Times reports today that the airstrike might have been targeting nuclear or chemical weapons facilities in Syria. Read the article here.
Believe It Or Not: Atlanta Traffic Getting Worse
From the AJC: "New census estimates released Wednesday tell the sorry transportation tale. The year 2006 added 6,864 metro Atlantans who spend 90 minutes or more on their average commute, one way. That's a total of 88,023 "extreme commuters." The number of those who spend between an hour and an hour-and-a-half one-way rose to 225,964."
Read the whole article here.
It seems pretty clear that Atlanta is in a tough position here, there simply isn't enough population density in most parts of the city to necesitate greater coverage by MARTA (even if there was, there certainly isn't enough money floating around to pay for something like that). In my mind, it appears that Atlanta's traffic woes will only get worse in the near future as the local real estate market adjusts to the increased costs associated with long-distance commutes.
So THAT's how they won all those championships
Interestingly enough, I found this news via a religion blog, which contains many funny elements in itself (i.e. the first thing I do in the morning is go to religion blogs, religion blogs are writing about sports and judging moral character based on team allegiance, etc.), but apparently the New England Patriots have been videotaping the signals of other teams.
So, I'd imagine this is a problem - here's The Worldwide Leader's take. Maybe if Tom Brady wasn't so busy knocking people up, he'd have time to watch more film.
I don't know how much this is going on otherwise (if at all, but it seems that it wouldn't be a BAD idea to help win games), but the Pats apparently have been doing this for a little while. Kind of calls into question their impressive run at the top of the NFL, and Belichick's staus as Coach-God, right?
Hmmm. . . this conversation sounds really familiar.
More from the epic battle between Church and State
So, as we twentysomethings sit here in relative suspension, old enough to vote and to ponder fixing major political issues — but too young to have ANY control over what happens in our government — we wait with bated breath for the day when our generation takes over the reigns in the United States, with the hope that we might change the system to something that doesn't operate on values established by the white elite in the 1950s (and sometimes earlier).
Via Howard Friedman's blog, a consistently concise source for Religion in the News, I discovered today that the young, 30-year-old president of the Chechnya region in Russia is requiring all women who work for the state to wear headscarves.
A man or woman standing up for his or her religious beliefs and trying honestly to invoke them is not a problem. Of course, requiring these beliefs of others IS always an issue, especially when "Kadyrov said women were the root of all crime committed in Chechnya because they were inviting men to have sex with them." So yeah, there's that.
Read the whole Reuters story here.
Porn Industry Takes on BitTorrent
As we have mentioned previously, The Pasty Quail is an advocate of using Bittorrent for all your internet media needs (though I myself am lazy and don't like to wait for downloads, and as someone would appropriately say, I am in the dark ages because I still like to buy CDs).
Well, if Porn is your download of choice, better get it now while it lasts.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
EXCLUSIVE: Review and Clips of HBO's "Tell Me You Love Me"
Recently, The Pasty Quail was contacted by a marketing firm that is doing some work on HBO's new show, "Tell Me You Love Me". The firm, RocketXL, provided us (and possibly anyone else with a Blogger account) with a few clips from the show and some brief information on the characters and their relationships with one another. Once we discovered that the first 2 episodes are now available On Demand, we figured we would give it a look. To start off, here is a clip from episode 1:
Follow the jump for our full review and some clips from the first 4 episodes: -->
Despite what you may have heard, this is not a show about sex. Don't get us wrong, though. There is sex. Lots of sex. Lots of very graphic sex, including but not limited to: male masturbation, balls, a woman jerking off her husband (with cock clearly exposed), numerous oral sex scenes, and even a (presumably staged) money shot.
Even with all of this sex, HBO delivers a thoughtful, well-shot drama about the role of intimacy in the lives of four couples. First, we have David (Tim DeKay) & Katie (Ally Walker), 40-ish and married, but worried over the lack of physical intimacy in their relationship since the birth of their two kids. Second comes Jamie (Michelle Borth) & Hugo (Luke Farrell Kirby), two 20-somethings who are headed down the road towards marriage. Following them are Palek (Adam Scott) & Carolyn (Sonya Walger), a couple in their thirties who are trying depserately to conceive a child. Finally, we have May (Jane Alexander) and Arthur (David Selby), an elderly couple who seem to have a healthy, loving relationship. These couples are achetypal; you have seen these couples and issues before in many of your favorite tv shows and movies. The difference is the way these relationships are presented and how the camera treats the characters as they interact together.
The show is shot (by Alan Caso, cinematographer) in a very intimate format. The shots are often very tight, especially when the characters are sharing intimate physical or emotional moments; this format gives the viewer the sense that they are in the room with the characters. In fact, there were moments when we were fighting against making a response to a particularly biting comment or intense argument. This also augments the fact that the show strives to be authentic; as any of us would, the characters often stumble and stammer through weighty discussions about life in a monogamous relationship.
To further heighten the sense of realism, the changes between scenes are simple, clean and quick. The use of voyeuristic shots (through open windows, or sliding glass doors) further heightens this impression. The sets are unobtrusive, and for all intents and purposes could be an interchangeable series of middle-class urban and suburban dwellings; this serves to retain focus on the characters and their intimacy issues.
The central cog of the show can be found in the couple's therapy sessions with May Foster, who sees at least some of the members of the two married couples in the first two espisodes. Undoubtedly, all of the characters will at some point find themselves on May's couch before the season is out. These scenes allow for the characters to benefit from some psychological exposition; it also serves as a point of contention between these married people. It sometimes leaves you wondering what good this kind of therapy can accomplish, but judging from the tone of the first two episodes it appears that the sessions will ultimately result in some kind of breakthrough for each of the couples.
With 3 of the 4 writers being women, as well as 6 of 8 producers, it comes as no surprise that the show is more favorable towards the female characters (at least in the first two episodes). The men seem to be generally passive; never does a strong male character come in and take charge of any of these relationships. The men often come across as wimpy and dimwitted; Hugo appears to be especially prone to resorting cheesy lines to quell Jaime's interrogations. Perhaps this is an accurate portrayal of modern relationships and the modern sexual dynamic, but to the all-male audience here it seemed a bit unbalanced.
And another thing: the show is slow. The emotional intensity goes a long way to bridge the gap between plot occurences, but there are times when the show seems to drag a bit. While a heavy drama can certainly have entertainment value, especially as a fantasy or escape (see The Sporanos), the realistic elements of this show feel much closer to home. As a result, it is hard to say that one would be entertained by a single episode of this show. It's value lays more in the long-term development of these characters, and it may be a lot to ask from viewers HBO expects to tune in for an hour every week.
All told, The Pasty Quail gives "Tell Me You Love Me" a solid, if not ringing endorsement. We'll be watching next week to see what happens. We suggest you check it out, and let us know what you think. But be forewarned: This is not light viewing, and contains seriously graphic and mature sex scenes.
The second episode of Tell Me You Love Me will air Sunday, September 16 at 9pm, and will reair regularly throughout the week. Also, the first two episodes can now be seen On Demand.
From Episode 1 (Dave and Katie):
From Episode 2 (Palek and Caroline):
From Episode 3 (Palek and Caroline):
From Episode 4 (Jamie and the Therapist, May):
An Exciting Development in Alternative Fuels
A man in Erie, PA has developed a way to burn salt water. The AP has picked this up too.
Now, don't go trying this at home, but apparently, exposing salt water to an RF energy field and supplying a flame will yield a constant burn at temperatures exceeding 3,000 degress Farenheit. That's a lot of energy, if it can be efficiently harvested.
If this turns out to be true, it could mark a huge advance in alternative fuel technology. Salt water, unlike liquid hydrogen, ethanol, or biodiesel, is a relatively inert substance, and is easy to transport from place to place. Also unlike the other fuels mentioned, it requires almost no energy to harvest, since 2/3 of the planet's surface is covered in it. The only costs involved would be collection and shipping the stuff inland. Finally, using salt water as a fuel would generate almost no pollution at all, since the reaction involved is simply burning hydrogen and oxygen.
Was The Media Unfair To Britney?
Yesterday the media, both new and old, roundly savaged Britney's performance at VMAs on Sunday. In my opinion, they were right to do so; she showed none of the charisma and confidence that made her earlier performances seem at least professional.
However, there seems to have been a nastier thread to the discussion yesterday. Much of the media attention was focused on Britney's physique, and it has some people questioning whether this is fair.
There are all sorts of issues here, not the least of which is the media's treatment of women in the spotlight (see all of the rehab-bound teen idols in LA, Hillary and Nancy Pelosi's fashion sense, etc.), and I would like to hear some comments from you the faithful reader on the subject.
My take: Although she looked great by most standards, as an MTV pop-princess performing on the VMAs in a bikini isn't it part of her job description to have a perfect body?
Most Random Cameo EVER
The sports bloggers at PopJocks have dubbed Ronaldo's appearance on The Simpsons as the the most random cameo ever.
Fair enough, but I'm not so sure. Anyone got anything else?
The GPhone: Two Letters More Advanced than the iPhone
Web 1979 has an interesting editorial piece about the GPhone. BusinessWeek has also speculated about what Google is planning to do. This article from Top Lead Generators even includes a picture.
I must be forthright: The thought of a cheap, mobile platform for accessing the internet gets me all hot and bothered. The rumors flying around have placed the price of this thing anywhere from $100 to free, and the rumors about the cost-of-service have been similarly wide-ranging. My favorite part of the rumor involves using Gchat to provide free wireless telephony (think Skype) while your GPhone is connected to a WiFi network.
While the iPhone is certainly a watershed device in the world of mobile communication, Apple should be on their toes lest Google come in and steal their thunder. As Mat from Web 1979 said, keep those geeky little eyes peeled at Christmastime...
Subway finds another way to jack you
As a proud former member of the Subway team (a 3-year stint during college), I must say that I still eat there more than any other restaurant (probably twice a month or so). Yet, even though I find their food much more preferable than other fast food joints, it's still overpriced and average at best. 
Here's an intriguing post about the corporation's attempts to sell more cheese. Eat Fresh!!
Fear & Love
I don't want to dog this woman's particular sensibilities, because I don't think she's incorrect, but it does raise the question of strange and arbitrary dichotomies, as our friend Jim Cunningham (pictured here) once showed us. Granted, he's a film character, but the point is that I've never really understood why oftentimes fear is pitted as the opposite of love.
A couple confusions, with regards to Christianity in general, and then to the blog's subject:
1.) Christians are supposed to fear God, but love him as well (the fear of God was one thing I could never understand); if fear is opposed to love, how can we love someone whom we are supposed to fear?
2.) It is true that fear can lead to hate, which is the opposite of love (I would think); as well, a healthy love for something can help to overcome fear. However, in this particular case, i.e. dealing with the World Trade Center attacks six years ago, is love the answer to surmounting fear of future encounters such as this?
I really am seeking honest clarification on some of these points. I think that ignoring problems such as the deep-seeded religious and economic conflicts that have caused a lot of the current global tension simply exacerbates them. Just loving "those crazy radicals" probably won't change a lot.
The Fine Line on Presidential Authority
With the 2008 Election rapidly approaching (for some too soon, and for many not soon enough), the U.S. is in for at least some sort of change at the top of its political ladder. Newsweek recently interviewed former Justice Department lawyer Jack Goldsmith regarding his role in questioning the current administration on its authority to use any means necessary in the war on terror.
A brief excerpt: When Goldsmith was asked about his role, he said, "This is not about whistle blowing. It’s about trying to explain to the public the enormous pressures and tensions inside the executive branch to keep Americans safe and about how that pressure bumps into the wall, and about the difficulties that everyone in the administration has and the pressure to do everything possible to keep Americans safe, and the intense pressure to comply with the law."
I think that this is a fact commonly overlooked by the general public, i.e. that the Presidency is a really, REALLY difficult job. Next time you are trying to appease your significant other in a no-win situation, think about appeasing 200 million-some-odd voters (or at least the 100,000,001 you need for the majority).
With this in mind, I'd like to relay a quick poll based on a topic posed in one of Greg's classes the other day, which laid out four possible options that a President could, or should have:
- Model 1 – No inherent power. President can act only with express constitutional or statutory authority.
- Model 2 – President may act without constitutional or statutory authority unless he usurps the powers of another branch of government.
- Model 3 – President may act unless he violates a constitutional or statutory provision. If Constitution and Congress are silent, President may act unless Congress tells him to stop.
- Model 4 – President may act unless he violates an explicit constitutional provision.
This is the question posed to you, dear reader: What strikes the perfect balance of power in Washington? Which of these (if any) can work within our current political climate?
Morphine Becoming Increasingly Scarce in Developing World
The New York Times has an article on the banning of Morphine in many of the world's poorest nations for fear of drug abuse amongst the general population. From the article:
"Doctors in developing countries...often have beliefs about narcotics that prevailed in Western medical schools decades ago — that they are inevitably addictive, carry high risks of killing patients and must be used sparingly, even if patients suffer."
Read the whole article here.
Larry Craig Has Been Creepy For At Least 8 Years Now
Here's video of the famed foot-tapping Senator from Idaho on 'Meet the Press' in 1999 calling Bill Clinton a 'nasty, bad, naughty boy.' Yikes.
The Onion Takes On Pitchfork
I have to admit, I get a majority of my music news from Pitchfork these days. In fact, most of the music I have listed in the 'Upcoming Shows' section was first introduced to me on the site. If you are unfamiliar, Pitchfork is a Chicago-based music criticism site that focuses mostly on indie music, but has ventured into underground hip-hop and some radio pop in recent years. Yes, the writers are pretentious as hell, but nobody else seems to cover the ground that they do. Also, they are usually dead on in their assessment of new albums.
That being said, I always enjoy a good critique of Pitchfork, and the Onion has done a fine job this week.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Ask for WolfMan
Aint It Cool News has posted a first look at Benicio del Toro in Mark Romanek's The Wolfman. They have also reported that Rick Baker, one of the best and most respected makeup artists in Hollywood will be doing the make-up work on this remake of the 1941 classic starring Lon Chaney and Bela Legosi.
The scary thing about this picture (besides The WolfMan): Del Toro is not wearing any make-up. That's right; this is just his natural mug. This picture was taken before Rick Baker was on the team, and shooting won't even begin until December.
Why aren't YOU famous?
Here's a list of reasons why most people aren't famous. I'd like to think I'm not because I haven't caught a break, although when I check into reality it's both that and the fact that I'm extremely lazy. Plus I'm at least partially sane, a quality which many famous people simply do not possess. 
Enjoy!
Is the U.S. on the downslide?
This question can be highly debated from myriad angles, obviously. But this LA Times editorial, though providing no real evidence for or against its topic, presents a thought-provoking piece on the inevitable downfall of world superpowers.
A discussion of this topic is contingent on a million different things, and there may be no real answer to the question; in fact, discussing it might not even make a difference. Politicians and citizens of the U.S. alike often declare that our country has and always will be the greatest thing ever to happen to the human race.
Maybe this is true — I'm certainly lucky to be in my own position. Yet, at the same time, isn't it important to examine our situation at least to know where we stand? The end will come much sooner than we expect if we're not cognizant that it might.
Jihad=Global Warming??
Though I fundamentally disagree with the dichotomy between "conservative" and "liberal" (I think most people are not exclusively one or the other, but a little of both, or possibly neither), I am intrigued by this religion blogger's post discussing how the American Left views jihad in a similar light as the American Right views Global Warming.
Basically, his point is that in addressing the issue of radical Islam head-on, the Left would be "[buying] into an absurd and dangerous right-wing plot to institutionalize bigotry, build the national security state, and wage permanent war," in their own terminology, just as if the Right were to discover scientific realities in Global Warming, it "would require them to alter their fundamental views in a way they find objectionable."
Not terribly sure how these two things actually relate, but I think it provides a good example of bipartisan politics, showing how both sides of the coin act very similarly for their "causes," no matter the issue.
An Inconvenient Tooth?
Local neighborhood wackos PETA are mad at eventual Democratic hopeful Al Gore. As it turns out, animal agriculture is bad for the planet. Even worse, in fact, than jumping on your own lear-jet to fly from Nashville to San Francisco to Camarillo.
This article is less than even-handed, but at least they did the hard part (watching Hannity's America last night) so that this editor didn't have to.
A new discussion. . .
A few months ago, Brad Greenberg over at The God Blog posted this story about a Methodist minister in the Baltimore area who recently had undergone a sex change.
Updating the story, here's the inevitable fallout.
iPhone vs. Blackberry
Yes, more from Slate. Yes, more on the new Apple technology. Really, though, it's just a great excuse to post this picture depicting the article's subject, how the Blackberry is a more useful tool for business. I really hope that new commercials are released with these characters; it's much better than that bastard Mac kid vs. the PC guy. Although, I wouldn't mind seeing them fight to the death. . .
In conjunction, more reasons why you shouldn't buy new gadgets on the first run.
Britney Returns To The VMAs
The song isn't revolutionary, but it isn't terrible either. However, Ms. Spears has clearly lost her touch on stage. Check out the bewildered looks from Puffy and Fifty about half way through. Maybe it wasn't quite time for this comeback after all.
Update: Maybe Fifty was just pondering how ridiculous he looked when he flubbed his BET awards appearance earlier this year.
Update: Here is a rundown on the media's reaction to the performance.
