So we had a massive economic breakdown last year, and we're still suffering for it. And it was primarily due to banks trading toxic assets, which was something they could do because there was no financial regulation to stop them. The big boys of Wall Street played with matches; the economy burned. So naturally, we don't want this to happen … Read More
The GOP Divide
There's a lot of information to be gleaned from this Washington Poll. Most of it isn't terribly surprising — for example, Republicans really really really don't like Obama. In this sense, the Republicans are united. In fact, Republicans appear to be very united in what they don't like, including their dissatisfaction with their own party (In 2005, 76% of Republicans … Read More
The Cutest Video Ever?
God knows the Internet is full of cute, so I tend to ignore it all, at the risk of serious cute overload. Still, this is probably the cutest thing out there:
More Bad Symbolism: Biting The Hand That Heals Them
I reported on some "bad symbolism" to emerge in the anti-health care rally in D.C. yesterday. Dana Milbank reports another incident: More ominously, a man standing just beyond the TV cameras apparently suffered a heart attack 20 minutes after event began. Medical personnel from the Capitol physician's office — an entity that could, quite accurately, be labeled government-run health care … Read More
Jobless Rate Worse Than At Any Time Since 1983
AP: The Labor Department said Friday that jobless rate rose to 10.2 percent, the highest since April 1983, from 9.8 percent in September. The economy shed a net total of 190,000 jobs in October, less than the downwardly revised 219,000 lost in September, but more than economists expected. Well, we knew that it would hit 10% for nearly a year … Read More
About The Nobel Prize Thing
Look. Everyone knows that Obama got awarded the Peace Prize this morning not for his past achievements, but for his outlook and approach to future achievements. Obama himself understands this. Even the spokesperson for the Nobel Committee said as much. So big deal. It's their committee, their prize, their criteria. Nobody else's. One thing though — it's not unprecedented. The … Read More
A New Widget For My Left Hand Column
My blog is worth $5,645.40.How much is your blog worth? More than I thought, to be honest.
FTC Establishes Rule Governing Bloggers
I don't think bloggers should (or necessarily can) be regulated, but this strikes me as a good idea: The Federal Trade Commission will require bloggers to clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products. It is the first time since 1980 that the commission has revised its guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, and the … Read More
This Has To Be My Favorite Album Cover Of All-Time
NOTE TO SELF: If I were to ever rename this blog, this should serve as the title ("Happy Occasions in High Fidelity") and the logo. (H/T World O' Crap)
The Czar “Controversy”
You know, I see these thing bubbling and I think, "Well, this is just another mindless rightwing rant that can't be taken seriously". And then it does get taken seriously. When will I learn? The latest Beck-inspired frenzy to have gone mainstream is this whole "czar" business — specifically, that Obama has in his administration a bunch of "czars" who … Read More
Things I Have To Shake Before The Final Two Shows
(1) The fact that hardly anybody is coming to see a play about Little League baseball. Fortunately, the small audiences have been very reactive, but damn, I wish there were more. (2) The performance where I took a scene from Act Two and put it into Act One, thereby making a reference to the other character's dead wife before it was … Read More
Canadian Health Care
Commentor Steve H writes: My parents, who are in their 80s, are adamant Republicans and as such disagree on "principle" with anything Obama, or the Democrats, try to do. They're really in an uproar about the health-care thing. Mom says "Government health care is terrible, look at all the problems they have in Canada." She went on in this vein … Read More
Mobile Me
You can get a mobile version of this blog by accessing http://seventhsense.mofuse.mobi/ on your mobile phone. I'll put this info on the left sidebar as well.
The New Typepad
Typepad has got some nice little tweaks (blockquotes for commentors, for example), plus a totally revamped backend. I like it so far.