Archive for April, 2008

Where Al Gore Failed . . .


Posted by Contrarian on April 22nd, 2008

. . . this should succeed:
High beer prices are on tap, and global warming could be to blame.
The environmental crisis has hit suds-lovers where it hurts most — at the bar and in the wallet — as prices of grains and hops soar, activists said yesterday.
“When we’re trying to deal with young people, [...]

How Not To Remain Anonymous On Camera


Posted by Contrarian on April 22nd, 2008

If you’ve ever wondered whether television’s rudimentary identity concealing measures actually worked, here’s a story for you:
A Manhattan hooker interviewed by Diane Sawyer for an ABC special on prostitution was busted by her mom — who recognized her daughter, despite the network’s efforts to disguise her.
“I’m mentioning the interview now because last night, I [...]

Because I’m loving the 50 State Strategy this year, and because I think this encapsulates what I think of Democrats hunkering down and trying to hold their safe states and seats*:
I don’t want to get any messages saying that “we are holding our position.” We’re not holding anything. Let the Republicans do that. We are [...]

Charlie Rose


Posted by Bruno on April 21st, 2008

This video of Charlie Rose done in the style of Samuel Beckett is a work of staggering genius:

(via)

Debate


Posted by Bruno on April 18th, 2008

I recommend reading James Fallows and Josh Marshall on the ridiculousness of the ABC Democratic Debate tuesday night.
Of course, the debate was watched by some 10 million people, the most of any debate thusfar. No doubt ABC will offer this statistic as “proof” that the questions were valid, conveniently ignoring the fact that people [...]

Suicide Isn’t Painless


Posted by Bruno on April 18th, 2008

Reading the arguments against building a suicide barrier on the Aurora bridge, I’m struck by just how little people take into account the public health issues at stake. People can be very callous about the jumpers (”If we build a barrier, they’ll just go jump somewhere else!”), but they’re almost totally ignorant of the [...]

The Economy


Posted by Bruno on April 18th, 2008

I’ve been pretty amazed at the percentage of people who think the country is on the “wrong track,” which has reached 70% or more in recent polls. But maybe that’s not such an “amazing” concept at all.
Mori Dinauer at TAPPED cites this Washington Post/ABC News poll’s “astounding” finding that 90% of people [...]

Greenhouse Gases and Hot Air


Posted by Bruno on April 16th, 2008

I’m glad to see that Bush has put out a weak-ass climate change proposal. It means that the Bush, Cheney, and the polluters who bankroll them are concerned enough about the chances of real climate change legislation coming out of the Senate that they feel the need to try to pre-emptively kneecap it.

The Greatest Of All Time


Posted by Contrarian on April 16th, 2008

The Spitzer legacy just gets better and better:
Employees of a California law firm whose donations were spurned on ethical grounds and then re-solicited by the campaign of Eliot Spitzer are fuming over what they say is the former governor’s hypocrisy and his campaign’s vague answers about whether and when they might get their money back, [...]


Now Playing: Episode 361

 
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The Presidential campaign gets nasty while the banking crisis goes international.

Links Mentioned: The coveted Buckley endorsement … and the Brooks non-endorsement … the European banking bailout vs. the U.S. bailout redux … Frank Rich … GM and Chrysler get cozy.

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