In my last post I attempted to list the things I found especially resonant last year in media, entertainment, art and journalism. I say “attempted” […] Read More
Category: politics
The latest highly-publicized, hotly-ridiculed move by my adopted city of San Francisco was to ban the Happy Meal. And so once again we have lobbed […] Read More
The House recently passed a major financial reform bill, and the Senate will vote on it as soon as there’s enough Republican support to push […] Read More
Things are ugly right now. After the healthcare bill passed, we all heard how a few so-called tea baggers hurled racial slurs and other insults […] Read More
Americans, it’s well known, aren’t interested in soccer. Americans prefer the other football. We don’t like hockey either, which isn’t surprising, since it’s a lot […] Read More
Yes old friend, I’m talking to you. You with the high-paying office job, the fine house in the suburbs, the lovely wife and the precocious […] Read More
If Sarah Palin falls in the forest and the media ignores her, does it make a sound? I shouldn’t have to wish for Sarah Palin […] Read More
It’s been a while since I posted here, and I’m introducing a new category: Elimination Dance. Instructions: An elimination dance begins with a crowded dance […] Read More
In the tradition of The Giant Pool of Money, its spinoff Planet Money and this fine piece of writing by Henry Blodget in the Atlantic […] Read More
There are a lot of people lining up for stimulus dollars, a lot of ambitious and long-dormant projects being dusted off by governors and mayors […] Read More
As I wandered through the crowded mall in Washington D.C. on Inauguration Day, chatting with people and overhearing many other conversations, a theme emerged. Or […] Read More
Who killed the economy? Hint: call your lawyer. The witch hunt to expose the people responsible for the current financial crisis has been underway for […] Read More
The other day on my bus into downtown SF, a down-and-out looking guy stepped on and asked if anyone could give him the dollar he […] Read More
Yesterday, NPR’s On The Media aired an interesting segment about Bush and language. It wasn’t another jab at his butchering of English; it was a […] Read More
Re-distributing the wealth? Turning the other cheek? Someone has to stop this guy…
When the folks in “real America” want to make a point of distinguishing themselves from the rest of us, they often spit words like French, […] Read More
In a word: compromise. Now, compromise is often a good thing. I’m all for bi-partisanship. I want a candidate and a president who’s truly willing […] Read More
It’s not often I agree with Bill Kristol (like… never), but I can’t argue with his op-ed piece in today’s New York Times. Obama gave […] Read More
“Hillary can’t win, and Obama can’t beat her.” This seems to be the bottom line in the endless slog toward choosing the Democrat who will […] Read More
(to the editors at the New York Times) Dear Sir: An editorial in the Times, April 5, observes that “a decade of fierce polemics has […] Read More
I want to like, Hillary Clinton. I really do. She’s an accomplished and well-regarded senator, and she’s the only First Lady in my lifetime who […] Read More
I’ve just been reading some Jeff Jarvis’ recent posts about Senator Obama (like this one), and it’s a clear reminder that even a lot of […] Read More
I didn’t see Obama’s landmark speech today, but I read the transcript. I admit I was moved by it, and although there was certainly a […] Read More
“Dear Citizens of America, In view of your failure to elect a competent President and thus to govern yourselves, we hereby give notice of the […] Read More
A couple of years ago, I worked on a project that had me flying to LA on a weekly basis. I flew Southwest Airlines, and […] Read More
As I mentioned recently, I attended my 20-year high school reunion last month, and I enjoyed myself. I haven’t been very good about keeping in […] Read More
The Republican party is a shambles, and a Democrat will win the presidency in 2008. So say the pundits. In fact, they don’t even say […] Read More
Doesn’t it seem a bit strange that the places in this country most likely to be attacked by terrorists – New York, San Francisco, Los […] Read More
William Drenttel posted his support for a Gore ticket at Design Observer today. I like Al Gore. I think he’d make a great president. I […] Read More
Someone named Taylor Donahue, vice president of production at Timely Studios, wrote this memo to his boss. It’s pretty funny, but not nearly as funny […] Read More
Remember when you were a kid and you’d overhear grownups talking about insurance and taxes, IRAs, mortgages and interest rates? Remember thinking to yourself, do […] Read More
I’m intrigued by the names the U.S. attaches to its military operations (most recently “Enduring Freedom” nee “Infinite Justice”). I just discovered several good lists […] Read More