Always fun: Logos by Saul Bass. "Most people know Saul Bass by his unique movie posters and opening movie credit design. He forged a new way of thinking about the design and elements relating to film and forever changed the designers role in the industry. However, Bass also worked as an identity designer creating some of the strongest and most important brands, most of which are still in use today."
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
What Your Global Neighbors Are Buying
The New York Times has a fun interactive graphic What Your Global Neighbors Are Buying "How people spend their discretionary income – the cash that goes to clothing, electronics, recreation, household goods, alcohol"
Obama v. McCain on Healthcare
Bob Herbert in the New York TImes writes about
McCain’s Radical Agenda. "A study coming out Tuesday from scholars at Columbia, Harvard, Purdue and Michigan projects that 20 million Americans who have employment-based health insurance would lose it under the McCain plan."
McCain's plan is to get people out of employer sponsored health care plans. He'll do this by taxing what your employer pays for your coverage as income to you. To offset this tax increase he'll give a tax credit of $2,500 for an individual and $5,000 for a family. These will not cover everything. The idea is that you'll leave your employer plan and find a cheaper one in the free market. The problem is they probably won't be cheaper and the healthy people will leave the employee plans, making them more expensive. But the free market will solve all (just like with mortgages).
"This entire McCain health insurance transformation is right out of the right-wing Republicans’ ideological playbook: fewer regulations; let the market decide; and send unsophisticated consumers into the crucible alone."
David M. Cutler, J. Bradford DeLong and Ann Marie Marciarille write in the Wall Street Journal, Why Obama's Health Plan Is Better. DeLong sums it up as follows: "By contrast, Barack Obama's health-care reform plan lifts the health-care cost burden from the backs of America's high-value businesses in five ways: Learning how to eliminate the one-third of costs for services at best ineffective and at worst harmful. Rewarding doctors and hospitals for providing health rather than performing procedures. Pooling individuals and small firms to give them bargaining power vis-a-vis health insurers. Preventing illness through making it profitable to provide regular screenings and healthy lifestyle information, the most cost-effective medical services around. Covering more people and removing the hidden shifted costs of the uninsured by lowering premiums by $2,500 for the typical family, allowing millions previously priced out of the market to afford insurance."
"Given the current inefficiencies in our system, the impact of the Obama plan will be profound. Besides the $2,500 savings in medical costs for the typical family, according to our research annual business-sector costs will fall by about $140 billion. Our figures suggest that decreasing employer costs by this amount will result in the expansion of employer-provided health insurance to 10 million previously uninsured people."
McCain’s Radical Agenda. "A study coming out Tuesday from scholars at Columbia, Harvard, Purdue and Michigan projects that 20 million Americans who have employment-based health insurance would lose it under the McCain plan."
McCain's plan is to get people out of employer sponsored health care plans. He'll do this by taxing what your employer pays for your coverage as income to you. To offset this tax increase he'll give a tax credit of $2,500 for an individual and $5,000 for a family. These will not cover everything. The idea is that you'll leave your employer plan and find a cheaper one in the free market. The problem is they probably won't be cheaper and the healthy people will leave the employee plans, making them more expensive. But the free market will solve all (just like with mortgages).
"This entire McCain health insurance transformation is right out of the right-wing Republicans’ ideological playbook: fewer regulations; let the market decide; and send unsophisticated consumers into the crucible alone."
David M. Cutler, J. Bradford DeLong and Ann Marie Marciarille write in the Wall Street Journal, Why Obama's Health Plan Is Better. DeLong sums it up as follows: "By contrast, Barack Obama's health-care reform plan lifts the health-care cost burden from the backs of America's high-value businesses in five ways: Learning how to eliminate the one-third of costs for services at best ineffective and at worst harmful. Rewarding doctors and hospitals for providing health rather than performing procedures. Pooling individuals and small firms to give them bargaining power vis-a-vis health insurers. Preventing illness through making it profitable to provide regular screenings and healthy lifestyle information, the most cost-effective medical services around. Covering more people and removing the hidden shifted costs of the uninsured by lowering premiums by $2,500 for the typical family, allowing millions previously priced out of the market to afford insurance."
"Given the current inefficiencies in our system, the impact of the Obama plan will be profound. Besides the $2,500 savings in medical costs for the typical family, according to our research annual business-sector costs will fall by about $140 billion. Our figures suggest that decreasing employer costs by this amount will result in the expansion of employer-provided health insurance to 10 million previously uninsured people."
Monday, September 15, 2008
Tracking campaign finance
The BBC has some interesting graphs Tracking campaign finance of Obama and McCain. Obama has raised and spent a lot more than McCain.
Of particular interest is the breakdown by industry. While a lot are pretty even there are a few industries where one candidate has gotten close to all of the donations. For Obama these are healthcare, education, civil servants, TV/movies/music, computers/internet, and he has a significant leads in lawyers and business services. The only blow out for McCain is oil & gas and he has a lead with the retired, which is by far the most generous "industry".
Of particular interest is the breakdown by industry. While a lot are pretty even there are a few industries where one candidate has gotten close to all of the donations. For Obama these are healthcare, education, civil servants, TV/movies/music, computers/internet, and he has a significant leads in lawyers and business services. The only blow out for McCain is oil & gas and he has a lead with the retired, which is by far the most generous "industry".
Drawing the V.P. Candidates
The New York Times has a fun blog post about
Drawing the V.P. Candidates.
"Political cartoonists and caricaturists have their jobs cut out for them this presidential election. John McCain and Barack Obama have such distinctive physical traits that they are almost caricatures themselves. Indeed, the challenge for these illustrators is not capturing the top of the tickets but rather the bottom. Although Joseph Biden and Sarah Palin are easily picked out in a crowd, their satiric soft spots have not really been identified — or targeted."
It goes on to describe the various attempts to find distinguishing features and includes a lot of drawings.
Drawing the V.P. Candidates.
"Political cartoonists and caricaturists have their jobs cut out for them this presidential election. John McCain and Barack Obama have such distinctive physical traits that they are almost caricatures themselves. Indeed, the challenge for these illustrators is not capturing the top of the tickets but rather the bottom. Although Joseph Biden and Sarah Palin are easily picked out in a crowd, their satiric soft spots have not really been identified — or targeted."
It goes on to describe the various attempts to find distinguishing features and includes a lot of drawings.
Movie Review: Burn After Reading
Burn After Reading is the latest Coen brothers movie. In parts it's convoluted crime story, a bit like Fargo; and in other parts it's absurdist comedy though not as far out there as The Big Lebowski. Part of fun is seeing how this shaggy dog story plays out and there are some genuine surprises so I won't spoil the plot, but I will give the simplest summary.
John Malkovich is a CIA analyst who leaves his job. His wife, Tilda Swinton is having an affair with George Clooney. Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt work at a gym and are not the brightest bulbs. They try to blackmail Malkovich. It wasn't completely obvious to me at first, but all these characters are idiots, Pitt wonderfully so. Oddly it's the managers who offer something a bit more. J.K. Simmons is a CIA manager who has most of the funniest scenes. Richard Jenkins is the gym manager and is the most sympathetic character.
The connections and their actions become more and more screwball. As it goes on they skip over a few actions and fill it in with exposition. It wasn't nearly as confusing as in No Country For Old Men, in fact, I was never lost at all. There's some very effective storytelling going on.
I went in expecting a comedy. Throughout most of the beginning I was surprised to see a political thriller, but by the time we left the theater I could only remember it as a comedy. I don't think there's any message to it, it's just pure fun; and it works.
Update: Two things I forgot to write. First, This is kinda a cross between Breach and The Big Lebowski, except it starts off as Breach and turns into Lebowski. As I left the theater, it was solidly a comedy in my mind but I remember in the beginning thinking it was a political thriller. Second, Malkovich's performance reminded me of him in Rounders, except without the bad Russian accent. I think some of the lines and the way he cursed were identical.
John Malkovich is a CIA analyst who leaves his job. His wife, Tilda Swinton is having an affair with George Clooney. Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt work at a gym and are not the brightest bulbs. They try to blackmail Malkovich. It wasn't completely obvious to me at first, but all these characters are idiots, Pitt wonderfully so. Oddly it's the managers who offer something a bit more. J.K. Simmons is a CIA manager who has most of the funniest scenes. Richard Jenkins is the gym manager and is the most sympathetic character.
The connections and their actions become more and more screwball. As it goes on they skip over a few actions and fill it in with exposition. It wasn't nearly as confusing as in No Country For Old Men, in fact, I was never lost at all. There's some very effective storytelling going on.
I went in expecting a comedy. Throughout most of the beginning I was surprised to see a political thriller, but by the time we left the theater I could only remember it as a comedy. I don't think there's any message to it, it's just pure fun; and it works.
Update: Two things I forgot to write. First, This is kinda a cross between Breach and The Big Lebowski, except it starts off as Breach and turns into Lebowski. As I left the theater, it was solidly a comedy in my mind but I remember in the beginning thinking it was a political thriller. Second, Malkovich's performance reminded me of him in Rounders, except without the bad Russian accent. I think some of the lines and the way he cursed were identical.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Energy Expert Sarah Palin, Not So Much
Think Progress writes So-Called Energy Expert Sarah Palin Doesn’t Know How Much Energy Her State Produces.
During her interview with Charlie Gibson she said "Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that’s with the energy independence that I’ve been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy, that I worked on as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, overseeing the oil and gas development in our state to produce more for the United States." Her energy expertise was her national security experience and John McCain said "She knows more about energy than probably anyone else in the United States of America."
But Think Progress points to FactCheck.org who says "not true. Not even close." Alaska produced 14% of all the oil the US produced, but that's only 3.5% of the energy we produced (via coal, hydro-electric, nuclear, etc.). And if you look at just the oil we consumed, Alaska supplied just 4.8%. That's why just more drilling won't solve our problems.
You'd think someone who knows so much about energy could get the numbers right or use the terms precisely.
During her interview with Charlie Gibson she said "Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that’s with the energy independence that I’ve been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy, that I worked on as chairman of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, overseeing the oil and gas development in our state to produce more for the United States." Her energy expertise was her national security experience and John McCain said "She knows more about energy than probably anyone else in the United States of America."
But Think Progress points to FactCheck.org who says "not true. Not even close." Alaska produced 14% of all the oil the US produced, but that's only 3.5% of the energy we produced (via coal, hydro-electric, nuclear, etc.). And if you look at just the oil we consumed, Alaska supplied just 4.8%. That's why just more drilling won't solve our problems.
You'd think someone who knows so much about energy could get the numbers right or use the terms precisely.
Andrew Sullivan Says McCain Worse than Clinton
It must be pretty bad for Andrew Sullivan to say "It's actually quite rare to see a politician reveal themselves as solely, solely about the pursuit of power as McCain has this past month. Bill Clinton was more honorable and honest."
Steve Benen writes When Dishonesty Is The Story:
"I started reading up last night on some of the campaign styles of presidential candidates of the television era (every race since Kennedy-Nixon), and it led me to conclude that John McCain is running the most fundamentally dishonest campaign of the last half-century. Every candidate from both parties has spun, accentuated, and exaggerated. They've all taken cheap shots and made promises they almost certainly knew at the time they couldn't keep.
But there's just something breathtaking about John McCain's 2008 campaign, and it's not just because he's running in part on his reputation for candor and integrity. We're talking about a candidate who's been lying about everything -- his record, his running mate, his opponent, his agenda, his past, and his policies. He'll lie, get caught, and then repeat the same lie. He'll lie, get caught, and then lie about lying. He'll lie about some things in which the truth was just as good, but lying came more naturally. And he seems to be lying more as the race unfolds."
Steve Benen writes When Dishonesty Is The Story:
"I started reading up last night on some of the campaign styles of presidential candidates of the television era (every race since Kennedy-Nixon), and it led me to conclude that John McCain is running the most fundamentally dishonest campaign of the last half-century. Every candidate from both parties has spun, accentuated, and exaggerated. They've all taken cheap shots and made promises they almost certainly knew at the time they couldn't keep.
But there's just something breathtaking about John McCain's 2008 campaign, and it's not just because he's running in part on his reputation for candor and integrity. We're talking about a candidate who's been lying about everything -- his record, his running mate, his opponent, his agenda, his past, and his policies. He'll lie, get caught, and then repeat the same lie. He'll lie, get caught, and then lie about lying. He'll lie about some things in which the truth was just as good, but lying came more naturally. And he seems to be lying more as the race unfolds."
Conflict Over Spying Led White House to Brink
Conflict Over Spying Led White House to Brink. "This is the first of two stories adapted from "Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency," to be published Tuesday". Read this, it's utterly chilling.
"Addington's behavior with the NSA auditors was 'a wake-up call for me,' Goldsmith said. Cheney and Addington, he came to believe, were gaming the system, using secrecy and intimidation to prevent potential dissenters from conducting an independent review. 'They were geniuses at this,' Goldsmith said. 'They could divide up all these problems in the bureaucracy, ask different people to decide things in their lanes, control the facts they gave them, and then put the answers together to get the result they want.'"
"Addington's behavior with the NSA auditors was 'a wake-up call for me,' Goldsmith said. Cheney and Addington, he came to believe, were gaming the system, using secrecy and intimidation to prevent potential dissenters from conducting an independent review. 'They were geniuses at this,' Goldsmith said. 'They could divide up all these problems in the bureaucracy, ask different people to decide things in their lanes, control the facts they gave them, and then put the answers together to get the result they want.'"
Biden, Palin May Loom Large in Judge Picks
Here's an interesting article on how Biden, Palin May Loom Large in Judge Picks.
"Biden's credentials as a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee seem to give him more clout in this area, while Palin -- seen as the conservative weight on the Republican ticket -- is thought to be an assurance that Sen. John McCain will make good on his promise to nominate more judges in the mold of Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel Alito Jr."
"Palin brings less of a record in this regard, but she already has had more impact on the Alaska judiciary than her predecessor. Since taking office in December 2006, Palin has seated more than a dozen judges, including a state Supreme Court justice and a state court of appeals judge, the first appellate appointments in the state in more than a decade."
There's a lot more info and it could be a lot worse.
"Biden's credentials as a former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee seem to give him more clout in this area, while Palin -- seen as the conservative weight on the Republican ticket -- is thought to be an assurance that Sen. John McCain will make good on his promise to nominate more judges in the mold of Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel Alito Jr."
"Palin brings less of a record in this regard, but she already has had more impact on the Alaska judiciary than her predecessor. Since taking office in December 2006, Palin has seated more than a dozen judges, including a state Supreme Court justice and a state court of appeals judge, the first appellate appointments in the state in more than a decade."
There's a lot more info and it could be a lot worse.
Reining in the Venom
There's been a lot written about Palin and I've read an awful lot of it and blogged about a fair amount of it but not all. I've avoided some things I've read about her since I didn't believe them, but the venom has been overwhelming. Here are a few posts today that I think set the record straight on some of them...
In describing what a community organizer does I linked to a Joe Klein article and included a quote from him that ended " (as opposed to the war in Iraq, which Palin described as a 'task from God.')". In another post I showed video of her saying this without any commentary. The Volokh Conspiracy writes in Did Palin Actually Say That Iraq is "a Task . . . from God"? writes there is a "difference between praying for something you hope is true and stating that it is true". This is what she said:
"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do also what is right for this country – that our leaders, our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure we are praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan.”
Here's another post that rips into the Washington Post article titled Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home.
"You have to read the article carefully to figure this out, but what the story ultimately reveals is that Palin (a) billed the state for most expenses allowed by law, including per diem when she stayed in her own home (her "duty station" was the state capitol of Juneau) in Wasilla; (b) didn't bill the state for other expenses, when she could have done so lawfully, such as per diems for her children; and (c) spent a lot less money on expenses than did her predecessor, especially on travel and by ridding herself of the state's personal chef. [FWIW, she apparently maintained two residences, the governor's mansion in Juneau, which by state law is her official work "base" and where assumedly she didn't get a per diem [update: confirmed here] (but where her predecessor had a personal chef whom she let go), and Wasilla, from where she commuted to Anchorage for work when the legislature wasn't in session. Saintly to take the per diem she was legally entitled to when in the second residence? No. Worthy of the lead headline on Washingtonpost.com? Please! Not illegal, not unethical, and not a scandal.]"
Along the same lines I don't think I've mentioned McCain saying he wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years (he didn't really). Also I don't think he flip-flopped on torture. I said his vote early this year was because "he didn't want the CIA limited to using the techniques of the Army Field Manual".
In describing what a community organizer does I linked to a Joe Klein article and included a quote from him that ended " (as opposed to the war in Iraq, which Palin described as a 'task from God.')". In another post I showed video of her saying this without any commentary. The Volokh Conspiracy writes in Did Palin Actually Say That Iraq is "a Task . . . from God"? writes there is a "difference between praying for something you hope is true and stating that it is true". This is what she said:
"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do also what is right for this country – that our leaders, our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure we are praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God’s plan.”
Here's another post that rips into the Washington Post article titled Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home.
"You have to read the article carefully to figure this out, but what the story ultimately reveals is that Palin (a) billed the state for most expenses allowed by law, including per diem when she stayed in her own home (her "duty station" was the state capitol of Juneau) in Wasilla; (b) didn't bill the state for other expenses, when she could have done so lawfully, such as per diems for her children; and (c) spent a lot less money on expenses than did her predecessor, especially on travel and by ridding herself of the state's personal chef. [FWIW, she apparently maintained two residences, the governor's mansion in Juneau, which by state law is her official work "base" and where assumedly she didn't get a per diem [update: confirmed here] (but where her predecessor had a personal chef whom she let go), and Wasilla, from where she commuted to Anchorage for work when the legislature wasn't in session. Saintly to take the per diem she was legally entitled to when in the second residence? No. Worthy of the lead headline on Washingtonpost.com? Please! Not illegal, not unethical, and not a scandal.]"
Along the same lines I don't think I've mentioned McCain saying he wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years (he didn't really). Also I don't think he flip-flopped on torture. I said his vote early this year was because "he didn't want the CIA limited to using the techniques of the Army Field Manual".
State Department Denying U.S. Citizens Passports
Here's an interesting question. How do you do prove where you were born? The ACLU Blog reports The State Department is Denying U.S. Citizens Passports, specifically "U.S. citizens of Mexican descent who live along the border and whose births were attended by midwives or took place at a local clinic."
"If you’re unfortunate enough to fit into these two categories, when you apply for a passport, the DOS will likely question your U.S. citizenship, and tell you to submit a litany of other documents—including school records, a local newspaper’s birth announcement, your mother’s pre-natal care records, baptismal certificates, immunization records—all documentation that isn’t required of any other U.S. citizen applying for a passport, to prove your citizenship. After forking over as many of these documents as you can find, and often paying more fees—DOS will respond by abandoning your application and classifying it as "filed without action." Passport denied."
I can see that they might be statistical reasons to questions such applications, but I
thought a birth certificate was proof of where you were born. All passport applications require one of those. If you submit one and it's legit, what's the problem?
"If you’re unfortunate enough to fit into these two categories, when you apply for a passport, the DOS will likely question your U.S. citizenship, and tell you to submit a litany of other documents—including school records, a local newspaper’s birth announcement, your mother’s pre-natal care records, baptismal certificates, immunization records—all documentation that isn’t required of any other U.S. citizen applying for a passport, to prove your citizenship. After forking over as many of these documents as you can find, and often paying more fees—DOS will respond by abandoning your application and classifying it as "filed without action." Passport denied."
I can see that they might be statistical reasons to questions such applications, but I
thought a birth certificate was proof of where you were born. All passport applications require one of those. If you submit one and it's legit, what's the problem?
The most powerful octogenarians in America
Slate's 80 over 80: The most powerful octogenarians in America.
Drugs Traces Found in Tap Water
I missed this first time around. The AP did some studies and found Drugs affect more drinking water.
"Testing prompted by an Associated Press story that revealed trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water supplies has shown that more Americans are affected by the problem than previously thought — at least 46 million."
"Positive tests were reported in 17 cases, including Reno, Nev., Savannah, Ga., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Huntsville, Ala. Results are pending in three others...The overwhelming majority of U.S. cities have not tested drinking water while eight cities — including Boston, Phoenix and Seattle — were relieved that tests showed no detections."
"Chicago, for example, found a cholesterol medication and a nicotine derivative. Many cities found the anti-convulsant carbamazepine. Officials in one of those communities, Colorado Springs, say they detected five pharmaceuticals in all, including a tranquilizer and a hormone."
"Testing prompted by an Associated Press story that revealed trace amounts of pharmaceuticals in drinking water supplies has shown that more Americans are affected by the problem than previously thought — at least 46 million."
"Positive tests were reported in 17 cases, including Reno, Nev., Savannah, Ga., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Huntsville, Ala. Results are pending in three others...The overwhelming majority of U.S. cities have not tested drinking water while eight cities — including Boston, Phoenix and Seattle — were relieved that tests showed no detections."
"Chicago, for example, found a cholesterol medication and a nicotine derivative. Many cities found the anti-convulsant carbamazepine. Officials in one of those communities, Colorado Springs, say they detected five pharmaceuticals in all, including a tranquilizer and a hormone."
McCain and GOP Votes Consistently Against Veterans
Stuart Steinberg writes McCain Consistently Works Against Veterans' Best Interests:
"John McCain does not support veterans. Like most Republicans, he regularly votes against legislation that would increase the VA budget for veterans' programs dealing with the problems facing our men and women returning from war. "
"That's a total of eight Republicans--out of 284--that supported veterans' issues more than 50% of the time. That's a whopping 2.8% of all the Republicans in the Congress. 200 Republican got 0 ratings!! Thus, 70.4% of the Republican members of Congress got zero ratings from the DAV [Disabled American Veterans] when it came to truly supporting America's veterans."
"Thus, the average Democrat on the House Committee was rated at 92; the average Republican was rated at 1.66. In the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, the average score of the eight Republicans on the Committee in 2005 was a lowly 40.7, while the five Democrats' and the one Independent's average was 92."
" John McCain's score for 2005 was 25 out of 100. In 2006, it was worse: he got a 20. "
"In 2005, Barack Obama was rated at 92. In 2006, Obama was an 80"
"John McCain does not support veterans. Like most Republicans, he regularly votes against legislation that would increase the VA budget for veterans' programs dealing with the problems facing our men and women returning from war. "
"That's a total of eight Republicans--out of 284--that supported veterans' issues more than 50% of the time. That's a whopping 2.8% of all the Republicans in the Congress. 200 Republican got 0 ratings!! Thus, 70.4% of the Republican members of Congress got zero ratings from the DAV [Disabled American Veterans] when it came to truly supporting America's veterans."
"Thus, the average Democrat on the House Committee was rated at 92; the average Republican was rated at 1.66. In the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, the average score of the eight Republicans on the Committee in 2005 was a lowly 40.7, while the five Democrats' and the one Independent's average was 92."
" John McCain's score for 2005 was 25 out of 100. In 2006, it was worse: he got a 20. "
"In 2005, Barack Obama was rated at 92. In 2006, Obama was an 80"
Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes
The New York Times writes what I'm sure is the Sarah Palin story of the day Once Elected, Palin Hired Friends and Lashed Foes:
"Interviews show that Ms. Palin runs an administration that puts a premium on loyalty and secrecy. The governor and her top officials sometimes use personal e-mail accounts for state business; dozens of e-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that her staff members studied whether that could allow them to circumvent subpoenas seeking public records.
Rick Steiner, a University of Alaska professor, sought the e-mail messages of state scientists who had examined the effect of global warming on polar bears. (Ms. Palin said the scientists had found no ill effects, and she has sued the federal government to block the listing of the bears as endangered.) An administration official told Mr. Steiner that his request would cost $468,784 to process.
When Mr. Steiner finally obtained the e-mail messages — through a federal records request — he discovered that state scientists had in fact agreed that the bears were in danger, records show."
"But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book “Daddy’s Roommate” on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Ms. Chase and Mr. Stein. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it. “Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,” Ms. Chase said. “It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it.” “I’m still proud of Sarah,” she added, “but she scares the bejeebers out of me.”"
"Interviews show that Ms. Palin runs an administration that puts a premium on loyalty and secrecy. The governor and her top officials sometimes use personal e-mail accounts for state business; dozens of e-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that her staff members studied whether that could allow them to circumvent subpoenas seeking public records.
Rick Steiner, a University of Alaska professor, sought the e-mail messages of state scientists who had examined the effect of global warming on polar bears. (Ms. Palin said the scientists had found no ill effects, and she has sued the federal government to block the listing of the bears as endangered.) An administration official told Mr. Steiner that his request would cost $468,784 to process.
When Mr. Steiner finally obtained the e-mail messages — through a federal records request — he discovered that state scientists had in fact agreed that the bears were in danger, records show."
"But in 1995, Ms. Palin, then a city councilwoman, told colleagues that she had noticed the book “Daddy’s Roommate” on the shelves and that it did not belong there, according to Ms. Chase and Mr. Stein. Ms. Chase read the book, which helps children understand homosexuality, and said it was inoffensive; she suggested that Ms. Palin read it. “Sarah said she didn’t need to read that stuff,” Ms. Chase said. “It was disturbing that someone would be willing to remove a book from the library and she didn’t even read it.” “I’m still proud of Sarah,” she added, “but she scares the bejeebers out of me.”"
Saturday, September 13, 2008
2007 Giants
I'm not a big sports fan, but I have been a New York Giants my whole life. Last year they improbably won the Super Bowl. NFL Films put together a video about their season and ULTIMATENYG Blog has it in 6 parts.
"Not good.. A GREAT SHOW.. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Strahan, Manning and Coughlin. 6 Parts. One great story produced by the NFL Network. And you'll hear a few more nuggets that you never heard before."
It is very good, I got completely sucked in. It doesn't hurt that it's an exceptional story of a team learning to work together, build self-confidence, and overcome adversity. Really a good video.
"Not good.. A GREAT SHOW.. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Strahan, Manning and Coughlin. 6 Parts. One great story produced by the NFL Network. And you'll hear a few more nuggets that you never heard before."
It is very good, I got completely sucked in. It doesn't hurt that it's an exceptional story of a team learning to work together, build self-confidence, and overcome adversity. Really a good video.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Libel? Slander?
So it seems obvious that McCain's campaign is lying about Obama. Their statements are demonstrably false. The media is starting to describe it in those terms and even a few, with the opportunity are asking McCain about this to his face. He just says they are not lies and goes on. Sure, politicians have always exaggerated and so many campaign promises gounfulfilled; but this goes further, just deliberate misstatement of existing facts. What is supposed to prevent this? Sure the press is supposed to call this out but McCain doesn't seem to care.
Well we have laws against libel and slander for written and spoken lies causing defamation. What if Obama sued?
Well we have laws against libel and slander for written and spoken lies causing defamation. What if Obama sued?
Matt Damon Goes Off On Sarah Palin
He's right, it is like a bad Disney movie. Hockey mom becomes president and faces down Putin with the lessons she learned at the hockey rink.
Palin Qualifications Revealed
James Fallows writes about the Palin interview.
"What Sarah Palin revealed is that she has not been interested enough in world affairs to become minimally conversant with the issues. Many people in our great land might have difficulty defining the 'Bush Doctrine' exactly. But not to recognize the name, as obviously was the case for Palin, indicates not a failure of last-minute cramming but a lack of attention to any foreign-policy discussion whatsoever in the last seven years."
The whole interview will be on 20/20 tonight at 10pm ET.
"What Sarah Palin revealed is that she has not been interested enough in world affairs to become minimally conversant with the issues. Many people in our great land might have difficulty defining the 'Bush Doctrine' exactly. But not to recognize the name, as obviously was the case for Palin, indicates not a failure of last-minute cramming but a lack of attention to any foreign-policy discussion whatsoever in the last seven years."
The whole interview will be on 20/20 tonight at 10pm ET.
Obama's Been Right on Foreign Policy
Andrew Sullivan had a good post, Obama Leads In Foreign Policy, Bush Follows . Serious, it points out going into Pakistan (I still don't know where I stand on that), shifting troops to Afghanistan, setting a Iraq withdrawal timetable, talking directly with Iran and not invading Iraq in the first place.
Josh Marshall sums it up nicely: "Obama leads on foreign policy; Bush eventually follows; and McCain is too proud to admit he was wrong."
Josh Marshall sums it up nicely: "Obama leads on foreign policy; Bush eventually follows; and McCain is too proud to admit he was wrong."
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