Archive for
Debt ceiling talks: dysfunctional political class on display
There are two economic crises roiling the markets: the Eurozone rescue and the US debt ceiling negotiations. Although ostensibly economic in nature, both are essentially political crises as well. Of the two, it is more understandable why the European nations face difficulties: the Eurozone is a monetary union, not a fiscal or political union, and there are the […]
The New York Times and Murdoch
Day by day, another shoe drops in the story from Britain concerning the phone-hacking scandal and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation. The latest news is that the head of Scotland Yard has resigned, and former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks has been arrested for questioning. It’s newsworthy, but the hyped-up outrage is all out […]
Back to posting
Sorry for the hiatus. The day job and moving house have got in the way. Service is resumed.
This week’s articles of note
“Why Europe no longer matters,” Washington Post, by Richard N. Haass “The online looking-glass,” The New York Times, by Ross Douthat [on Weiner] “Barack Obama: unity president or great divider?” Fortune, by Nina Easton “Death of the duopoly,” Wall Street Journal, by Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch “Why not Keynes?” The American Conservative, by James […]
Sympathy for the devil (LeBron)
Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks for winning the National Basketball Association finals last night. It was a riveting series, nearly every game a close one. This morning I woke to hear all the sports pundits saying that the Mavericks’ win over the Miami Heat showed the value of the collective over the individual, of the regular […]
Fortunate Son
A great anti-war song, one with balls. A great song period. This is the original version from Creedence Clearwater Revival, performed live on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1969.
This week’s articles of note
“Disaster not averted,” The New Republic, by Dean Baker “Obama’s ratings,” National Journal, by Ronald Brownstein “California’s green jihad,” Forbes, by Joel Kotkin “Evolution: Darwin’s city,” Nature, by Emma Maris “Man is not cat food,” Los Angeles Review of Books, by Barbara Ehrenreich [Review of five books on animals and animal rights] “The LeBron James […]
Weiner: what a rubbish sex scandal
The Anthony Weiner incident shows that politicians are now so lame that they don’t even do scandal well. Read my spiked article in full here.
Not the only Weiner
How to describe Anthony Weiner? Creepy, pathetic, cringe-inducing… but even those words seem too generous. For those outside the US who haven’t followed this story (or Americans who have been living in a cave), let me briefly provide some background. Anthony Weiner is a member of the House of Representatives for a district that covers parts […]
“Mediscare”: the US politics of fear
The debate over Medicare shows that both Republicans and Democrats now rely on panic over principle. Read my spiked article in full here.
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | |||||