Pisco Sours: As Easy as Falling Off a Bike the Wagon
Earlier in the week, the blogosphere buzzed over this photo of Bush drinking Peru's national drink, a Pisco Sour. There was a lot of discussion about whether Bush had falled off the wagon or not--but the discussions of what a pisco sour is fell short, I felt, of what my good friend Jeff had taught me in grad school (Jeff, who is Peruvian, whined for a year straight that he couldn't get proper Peruvian, as opposed to Chilean, pisco in Ann Arbor).
Trash Talk - Thanksgiving Stuff Yer Face Edition
It's Turkey Day!!! Time to get fat and happy people. And then, when you cannot have one more round of food, you simply must have one more wafer thin mint! Hey, is anybody out there having the John Madden specialty of Turducken instead of turkey? Okay, this is a short trash talk for the Thursday Thanksgiving Day games only.
In Defense of Turkey
Why are Big Media Matt and the Great Orange Vegetarian Satan attacking turkey, when they apparently don't even know about heritage birds?
Obama and the Guvs
In an exceedingly well-timed meeting, Obama will get together with the nation's governors to get their support for his massive stimulus program.
The Hatfill Search
Aside from the fact that Stephen Hatfill's girlfriend kept her own bottle of Cipro hidden inside a Mason Jar full of coffee, the most interesting part of the searches conducted on Stephen Hatfill in 2002 is his Florida storage locker. It appears to be a collection of Hatfill's toys left over from his days in Zimbabwe and elsewhere.Soldier of Fortune magazineFlight computerA confidentially marked document titled "Presentation Exercise Urban Guerilla Warfare"
GM the "Failed Business Model" Pays Its Retiree Pensions; Exxon Doesn't
You know how Richard Shelby thinks GM has a failed business model? Well, apparently it's way ahead of corporate giant Exxon in honoring its obligation to retirees.
SCOTUS A Go Go
Time waits for no one, and it won't wait for President-Elect Barack Obama. Poor man doesn't even have his cabinet fleshed out and people are already musing over who his Supreme Court nominees might be. You think maybe some of the robed ones might be saying "But I'm not dead yet!"? No matter; speculate we must on who they might be.
Pragmatism v. Ideology: International Relations
Glenn Greenwald and Daniel De Groot caricature pragmatism in foreign policy. Here's my attempt to sort out what it means in Obama's case.
Uncle Toobz? Are You Obstructing Oversight of TARP?
Some Republican Senator is trying to prevent anyone from conducting oversight of TARP funds.
About that Hillary as Secretary of State Thing
Everyone is wondering about why Obama would put Hillary in such a powerful position as Secretary of State. But few are wondering whether she'll have all that much power after all.
Breaking the Consumption Addiction
Economics Professor Atrios notices that the housing industry is--predictably--asking for its share of the bailout and points out that it's probably not a good idea to try to reinflate the housing bubble.
Department Of Really Bad Ideas
While I've been more than a little skeptical about Treasury and Fed shotgunning trillions to their rich friends, there are at least germs of arguments here and there for
Saving Citi But Not GM
I don't know which is more insulting to Detroit, as Congress makes the automakers grovel for a bailout. That in one night, with no oversight from Congress, Treasury just risked $300 billion of support for Citigroup. Or that, on top of that, Citi got $20 billion in funds from TARP--more for just one company than any one of the Big Two and a Half had requested?
Richard Shelby Wants To Place US Government In Bankruptcy And Eliminate Military Pensions And Benefits
Seriously. He must be saying that, right?Let me draw an analogy that will drive people nuts. What about military pensions and benefits after retirement? Well, come on what about it blowhards that are so quick to call for trashing the pensions and benefits of the auto workers, are you also arguing to trash and burn the same for those in the military???Because, there is a lot of yammering about how the
Forty Five Years
Where were you forty five years ago today? If you were old enough to remember at all, then you undoubtedly remember where you were on Friday November 22, 1963 at 12:30 pm central standard time.
Trash Talk - Clash Of The Titans Edition
It's trash talk time again. And this week as a great slate of games, so let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Oh, and happy trails to Annika Sorenstam, who has played her last round of competitive golf.
Homework Assignment for the Big Two and a Half: Solve Retirement and Health Care
Nancy and Harry just gave the Big Two and a Half a big homework assignment for the next ten days: solve retirement and health care.
A Gas Tax Instead of CAFE
CAFE standards don't work. Sure, they force manufacturers to build cheap, efficient cars. But they don't expand the market for energy efficiency. I think a gas tax could do that.
Prepackaged Bankruptcy: Be Careful of What You Wish For
It sounds like Obama is considering pre-packaged bankruptcy for the Big Two and a Half. I think he should be careful of what he wishes for.
Well, This Should Make the President-Elect More Anxious to Overturn Domestic Spying
Some Verizon employees hacked into Barack Obama's cell phone records. And the CEO of Verizon isn't telling whether these employees were authorized or not.
The Difference between GM and Toyota: The Health Care
China Hand argues that the biggest difference between GM and Toyota is the health care.