Author's posts

Dec 07 2010

Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Twin suicide attack kills 40 in Pakistan

by Lehaz Ali, AFP

Mon Dec 6, 11:28 am ET

GHALANAI, Pakistan (AFP) – Twin suicide bombers in police uniform killed 40 people in Pakistan’s tribal district on Monday, attacking an anti-Taliban militia and pro-government elders near the Afghan border.

The bombers badly damaged an administration compound in Ghalanai, the main town in the district of Mohmand, about 175 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of Islamabad and which has been hard hit by Islamist violence.

A purported Pakistani Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the attack, threatening death to anyone who forms militias against the Islamists.

Dec 06 2010

YAB: Yet Another Betrayal

Monday Business Edition

While most commentators are focusing on Obama’s sell-out on Tax Cuts for Billionaires, in the background he’s also sold out on his campaign promise to Rust Belt Independents for no more NAFTAs.

Firedog Lake is practically the only site providing coverage-

Update:

Trade Does Not Equal Jobs

Paul Krugman, The New York Times

December 6, 2010, 9:43 am

One thing I’m hearing, now that all hope of useful fiscal policy is gone, is the idea that trade can be a driver of recovery – that stuff like the South Korea trade agreement can serve as a form of macro policy.

Um, no.

Our macro problem is insufficient spending on U.S.-produced goods and services; this spending is defined by

Y = C + I + G + X – M

where C is consumer spending, I investment spending, G government purchases of goods and services, X is exports, and M is imports. Trade agreements raise X – but they also lead to higher M. On average, they’re a wash.

This, by the way, is why claims that the Smoot-Hawley tariff caused the Great Depression are nonsense. Yes, protectionism reduced world exports; it also reduced world imports, by the same amount.

There is a case for freer trade – it may make the world economy more efficient. But it does nothing to increase demand.

Business News below.

Dec 06 2010

Prime Time

Zap2it hates me again, large chunks of their schedule are blank so the research is harder than normal.  For instance The Amazing Race is missing, which I note out of deference to my canine rescuing friend who loves to travel and thinks it’s the best show ever.  I pretty sure it’s a premier.

The Simpsons, The Cleveland Show, and American Dad all have Holiday specials.  The Cleveland Show one is an hour long.  There is also Throwball, Steelers @ Ravens.  Non-broadcast-

Take what you can.  Give nothing back.

Season Finale of Boardwalk Empire.

Later-

In addition to Tim & Eric’s Crimbus Special (don’t much care for them actually, stupid comedy), Adult Swim is also premiering Christmas in December II (no idea what that is about).

Ladies, will you please shut it! Listen to me.

Yes, I lied to you.

No, I don’t love you.

Of course it makes you look fat.

I’ve never been to Brussels.

It is pronounced egregious.

By the way, no. I’ve never actually met Pizarro, but I love his pies.

And all of this pales to utter insignificance in light of the fact that my ship is once again gone. Savvy?

Zap2it TV Listings, Yahoo TV Listings

Dec 06 2010

Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Rivals declare new I.Coast government as war fears mount

by David Youant, AFP

1 hr 21 mins ago

ABIDJAN (AFP) – Rivals challenging Laurent Gbagbo’s claim to the presidency of Ivory Coast declared they had formed a new government Sunday, as international mediators tried to settle the standoff amid fears of civil war.

Former South African president Mbeki stepped in to try to head off violence after both the incumbent Gbagbo and his old rival Alassane Ouattara swore themselves in as president following a disputed runoff vote on November 28 in the divided country.

But after Mbeki held emergency talks with the two rivals, Ouattara upped the ante, pressing the mediator to demand Gbagbo quit as his own allies declared they had formed a new government.

Dec 06 2010

Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 Rivals declare new I.Coast government as war fears mount

by David Youant, AFP

1 hr 21 mins ago

ABIDJAN (AFP) – Rivals challenging Laurent Gbagbo’s claim to the presidency of Ivory Coast declared they had formed a new government Sunday, as international mediators tried to settle the standoff amid fears of civil war.

Former South African president Mbeki stepped in to try to head off violence after both the incumbent Gbagbo and his old rival Alassane Ouattara swore themselves in as president following a disputed runoff vote on November 28 in the divided country.

But after Mbeki held emergency talks with the two rivals, Ouattara upped the ante, pressing the mediator to demand Gbagbo quit as his own allies declared they had formed a new government.

Dec 05 2010

The Week In Review 11/28 – 12/4

297 Stories served.  42 per day.

This is actually the hardest diary to execute, and yet perhaps the most valuable because it lets you track story trends over time.  It should be a Sunday morning feature.

Dec 05 2010

Prime Time

College Throwball, Big 12 Championship: Nebraska v. Oklahoma.

Prepare every vessel that floats.  At dawn we are at war

Later-

SNL– Host Robert De Niro, Diddy-Dirty Money.

GitS SAC: 2nd Gig– Fake Food, Ambivalence (Episodes 8 & 9).

What? You’ve seen it all, done it all. Survived. That’s the trick isn’t it? To survive?

It’s not just about living forever, Jackie. The trick is still living with yourself forever.

Zap2it TV Listings, Yahoo TV Listings

Dec 05 2010

Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 WikiLeaks faces donations blow as it fights for survival

by Roland Jackson, AFP

1 hr 46 mins ago

LONDON (AFP) – WikiLeaks faced a fresh threat to its survival on Saturday as the online payment service PayPal cut off the account used for donations to the whistle-blowing website.

WikiLeaks is already fighting to stay on the Internet. It had to switch its domain to Switzerland because its original web address was shut down by a US provider, as it continues to release tens of thousands of classified US diplomatic cables.

At the same time Sweden has issued an amended international arrest warrant for WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange, who is believed to be in Britain, and The Times newspaper, citing police sources, reported he could be arrested next week.

Dec 04 2010

Prime Time

I’m tired of even pretending to care about broadcast.  You usual Friday night switchover to Prison Porn on MSNBC.  At least we’re spared O’Donnell.  Other items of interest-

Later-

Dave in repeats (11/11).

“Forget about it” is like if you agree with someone, you know, like Raquel Welch is one great piece of ass, forget about it. But then, if you disagree, like A Lincoln is better than a Cadillac? Forget about it! you know? But then, it’s also like if something’s the greatest thing in the world, like mingia those peppers, forget about it. But it’s also like saying Go to hell! too. Like, you know, like “Hey Paulie, you got a one inch pecker?” and Paulie says “Forget about it!” Sometimes it just means forget about it.

Zap2it TV Listings, Yahoo TV Listings

Dec 04 2010

Evening Edition

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

From Yahoo News Top Stories

1 WikiLeaks arrest looms as site fights to stay online

by Danny Kemp, AFP

1 hr 16 mins ago

LONDON (AFP) – WikiLeaks faced growing pressure Friday as its founder Julian Assange dealt with a new arrest warrant and death threats, while the website hopped around the globe trying to evade efforts to shut it down.

As the fallout grew from its release of secret US diplomatic cables, the whistleblower site found new domain names in a string of European countries after its original wikileaks.org address was shut down by an American provider.

The elusive Assange, who is believed to be in hiding in Britain, faced fresh trouble as Swedish prosecutors sent out a new international arrest warrant for the 39-year-old Australian over sex assault allegations.

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