jakoblodwick:

peterberkman:

America is over.

This is bleak, folks.

jakoblodwick:

peterberkman:

America is over.

This is bleak, folks.

(via peterberkman)

Evidence of what is really going on will continue to trickle through. I’m not going to wait around to be told we’re being duped. 

modfetish:

The Week IN HISS: A NEW Landscape | The Imagist

While its understandable that banks want to lend in good times and call in debts in bad times, such actions only exacerbate economic cycles. But neither domestic nor international regulation does much to curb such behavior; Lenders don't need to raise capital levels until problems have already occurred. It's time regulators considered the admittedly tricky principle of requiring banks to increase their capital during booms so they are better placed to cope with a downswing. The problem is that such rules would only work if adopted internationally, and they'd also likely mean lower profits for banks. It's an intriguing editorial that appears to be a departure from the publication's traditional laissez-faire attitude.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23331/Joseph-and-the-Amazing-Technicalities Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:33:25 -0400 Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 25 Apr 2008

That's Marx as in Groucho, not Karl -- and specifically his quip about not joining a club that would have him as a member. The European Union's equivalent is the way so many countries unsuitable for membership want to join, seemingly thinking joining the club will solve their problems. In reality, reform programs stall after membership because the EU no longer has the promise of entry as a motivational tool. Ironically the EU's strongest influence seems to be on potential new members, such as Croatia or Macedonia, rather than the countries its institutions officially govern. As with most good political reporting, this is a straightforward argument backed with detailed examples.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23393/Charlemagne:-Europe's-Marxist-dilemma Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:38:45 -0400 Source: The New York Times | Author: Paul Krugman | Date: 25 Apr 2008

The Obama glow seems to be gone, as his rhetoric of hope and change falls on deaf ears among the working class -- who then vote for Hillary Clinton in state after crucial state like Ohio and Pennsylvania. Clinton's no-nonsense, wonkish approach resonates "with many voters in a way that Mr. Obama's eloquence does not." What's a party to do when abstract messages of hope just aren't cutting it? Easy: Run on Democrats' historical strengths of prosperity and economic security. Krugman, a pro-Clinton columnist, details the party's identity problems and proposes solutions with witty, concise style -- he seems to know just the right moment to compare Bush to Herbert Hoover.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23386/Self-Inflicted-Confusion Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:35:14 -0400 Source: The Onion | Author: The Onion | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Yesterday Ron Meyer embarked on the perilous, eminently frustrating quest to procure a rubber band from office coworkers. The goal: to roll up a 22-inch-by-28-inch piece of white poster board. The need: a rubber band of suitable circumference and stretchiness. To no avail, a massive company-wide mailing frustrated Ron's efforts by stripping the office of the necessary tools. At press time, Meyer was considering using a coworker's hairband. The Onion masterfully crafts comedy out of mundane office tasks, intertwining the history of the rubber band with Ron's harrowing tale.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23219/Rubber-Band-Needed Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:37:07 -0400 Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 25 Apr 2008

The Democratic campaign stalemate is worsened by the Electoral College set-up: With two relatively evenly balanced national parties, the presidency is virtually guaranteed to go to whomever wins two out of Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania. But while Obama leads nationally in both votes cast and delegates won, this week's primary reinforces the belief that he's far less likely to carry the swing states than Clinton. Whatever the outcome, if the party can't make a firm decision (for example, by demanding that superdelegates declare their choice as soon as the final primary ends), they risk appearing unfit to govern. It's a highly opinionated piece, but still a useful summary for non-US readers.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23332/Swinging-In-The-Wind Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:36:26 -0400 Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Gordon Brown's current woes appear to stem from specific policy points. Despite numerous changes that have reduced poverty, his abolishing the lowest band of income tax has hurt the least well-off. And he's facing a parliamentary defeat over plans to extend the maximum period a suspect can be held without charge from 28 to 42 days. But the real problem is more generalized: After 11 years of any government, voters are increasingly likely to feel disenchanted (to the point of forgetting genuine improvements), while Brown's parliamentary colleagues are becoming more and more comfortable with dissent and even rebellion. The writer concentrates on the bigger picture, making for a thought-provoking argument.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23394/Bagehot:-Methuselah's-Lament Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:39:49 -0400 Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Vietnam is shaking off the "boat people" tag thanks to a strong economy averaging 7.5 percent growth in the past decade. Embracing free trade has made it a local economic power and even helped it achieve a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council. But the ruling Communist party's grip on power is a barrier to further economic success; if nothing else, it's easier to sell tough fiscal policies in a democracy where voters feel they have a say. The success of South Korea and Taiwan should be an inspiration to Vietnamese leaders considering extending political freedoms. This interesting piece has raised some particularly thought-provoking reader responses.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23328/Asia's-Other-Miracle Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:44:46 -0400 Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 25 Apr 2008

The last, and arguably the most memorable, of Walt Disney's elite animators has died at age 95. Unlike his colleagues, Ollie Johnson concentrated on the emotions behind his characters' movements, producing memorable moments such as Sneezy the dwarf's sneeze or Baloo the bear's dancing. Something of a perfectionist, he remained disappointed with well-loved works such as Alice In Wonderland and Bambi. Interestingly, he drew with a mirror beside him so he could see how a thought could affect the facial features. It's a wonderfully uplifting tribute to a man whose name was known by few but whose work is loved by many.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23395/Ollie-Johnson Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:46:35 -0400 Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Peggy Noonan | Date: 25 Apr 2008

What does airport security screening have to do with the 2008 presidential campaign? Noonan ties the two together by describing the resentment and resignation of Americans shuffling through an airport line, wondering where common sense has gone. Her take is that they doubt that the politicians who make the rules will ever have to live by them. The gap between the candidates and the America they say they want to represent leaves voters weary and disillusioned, wondering what difference it makes who they vote for. Noonan's journal-like, reflective prose successfully breaks out of the typical column mold, but it also diffuses any focused conclusion she tries to reach.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23384/The-View-From-Gate-14 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:58:51 -0400 Source: The Washington Post | Author: Eugene Robinson | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Robinson is clearly frustrated with a Democratic selection process he describes as "our long national nightmare"; it's mind-boggling that a candidate winning a major state by ten points at this stage still has no realistic prospect of overall victory. The protracted battle realistically isn't going to send the loser's backers into John McCain's arms (not once do they examine his policies, anyway), but both candidates are losing their shine among independent voters. This well-written piece concludes that it's time the superdelegates warned Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama that the sniping must stop.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23378/The-Race-That-Wouldn't-Die Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:56:37 -0400 Source: The Economist | Author: The Economist | Date: 25 Apr 2008

American exceptionalism -- the idea that America stands apart from the world qualitatively -- might seem to be waning, Lexington writes. Americans are unhappy with the Bush administration, "the most exceptional administration in years," and the Democratic presidential candidates promise a shift in direction. Yet all candidates retain a bit of a "peculiarly American" patriotism, as seen, for example, in their willingness to use force. We might actually be seeing the end of America's post-Cold War triumphalism. Lexington makes many trenchant points, but occasionally seems to rely merely on America's differences with the world -- like a long election cycle -- rather than its supposed superiorities.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23392/Lexington:-Only-in-America Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:48:45 -0400 Source: The Wall Street Journal | Author: Darren Everson | Date: 25 Apr 2008

A number of MLB managers have tried the unconventional this season -- pitchers playing the outfield, infield shifts, catchers batting ninth -- thereby exposing themselves to critical fans and reporters. Everson intelligently posits that experimentation would be even more common if these discriminating voices would accept it. However, one must wonder if managers are over-thinking outside the box when they have starters pitch at the end of games, during "higher-leverage innings." Are the last innings truly more crucial than the first? Everson leaves such deeper analysis to the dedicated sports media.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23382/Baseball-Dares-to-Be-Different Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:47:43 -0400 Source: Time | Author: Michael Eric Dyson | Date: 25 Apr 2008

Sorting through the words of black leaders -- including Martin Luther King, Jr., Frederick Douglass, and W.E.B. Dubois -- Dyson explores the distinction between what he deems "black patriotism" and nationalism. Nationalism, he argues, is blind loyalty that compels its followers to complacently stand by their country, regardless of the circumstance. Patriotism, on the other hand, "is the affirmation of one's country in light of its best values, including the attempt to correct it when it's in error." Though it sounds like something that could be summed up on a bumper sticker, Dyson expertly uses this lens to analyze the critical black political voice.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23406/Understanding-Black-Patriotism Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:07:43 -0400 Source: Time | Author: Justin Fox | Date: 25 Apr 2008

When asked about the current economic woes of the country, the administration has firmly touted a "strong dollar policy." However, with the dollar constantly weakening relative to its currency competition and with the constant practices of running a trade deficit, Fox mockingly shows that, obviously, the "dollar hasn't been paying much attention" to the policy. But instead of simply pointing to the holes in the rhetoric surrounding the dollar, Fox delves into the intricacies of managing a currency and notes that a delicately declining dollar might be the solution -- even if that's a solution no one wants to voice.

Permalink ]]> http://www.brijit.com/abstract/23414/The-Strong-Dollar-Bench-Presses-the-Party-Line Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:17:10 -0400