November 2008
32 posts
Civic Literacy Quiz →
An interesting (right-leaning) quiz about basic civics.
Coming in with a Bang
From ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper:
“Democratic sources tell ABC News that President-elect Obama’s transition team is working with lawmakers on Capitol Hill so that on Obama’s first day in office, Jan. 20, 2009, an economic stimulus package has passed both houses of Congress and is awaiting his signature.”
A Headline for the Age
“As a new bout of fear gripped the financial markets, stocks fell sharply again, and the credit markets seized up as confidence in the nation’s financial system ebbed.” New York Times, 11/21/08
"Score Another One for Putin" →
An exceptionally good article in the Times’ Play Magazine (now suddenly, sadly defunct) about the rise of major pro sports in Russia, a movement driven by Vladimir Putin.
Garrison Keillor, America the cool | Salon →
Via native son Garrison Keillor, Salon throws some love toward the good ol’ Midwest. Not only is one of our own going to occupy the White House in 60-some days, but we kept well clear of that Prop 8 nonsense.
My Family, My Bank Holding Company →
A great jokey post about reorganizing one’s family as a bank holding company to get some of that sweet, sweet federal bailout money.
Bathroom Art →
A fascinating illustrated lolk at the process followed by the artist Christoph Niemann as he tries to decorate his bathroom.
“There was a sensed of emotion that I could see in people’s faces and — and in my...”
– “Obama Mixes the Personal and Political on ‘60 Minutes” on The Caucus Blog at NYTimes.com
“I think age is a very high price to pay for maturity.”
– Tom Stoppard
NASDAQ: 2008 = 1997
From James Surowiecki’s blog in the New Yorker:
“Here’s a fairly amazing market statistic for you: right now, the Nasdaq is below where it was on July 15, 1997. Eleven and a half years of incredibly volatile stagnation.”
J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets - Giving the Packers a good... →
Hell Yeah: "Obama Transition Announces Rules for... →
Good ideas.
"For South, a Waning Hold on National Politics" →
Good news: the South’s hold over national politics has faded, and is changing from the rurally-driven conservatism that’s prevailed since the Dixiecrats to a more American suburban centrism that is well aligned with Democratic values.
Surviving Veterans of World War I →
Just… wow.
“Will Democrats become instead a regional party, confined to the northeast, the...”
– Great snarkiness from Michael Bérubé at American Airspace.
“Barack Obama’s election is a milestone in more than his pigmentation. The second...”
– Good stuff from Nicholas Kristof in the Times.
“On Aug. 20 the Obama campaign got its briefing from the FBI. The Obama team was...”
– Terrifying stuff in the huge Newsweek article on the Presidential campaign.
"Tears to Remember" - Judith Warner →
If this column and its photo don’t get you choked up, you’re dead inside.
“Obama markedly overperformed Kerry among parents. In a sense, it was those...”
– “Obama Outperforms Kerry Among Virtually All Demographics” on FiveThirtyEight.com
The History of the Obama Campaign
If journalism is the rough draft of history, this is a pinnacle of rough-draft history.
“People went to the polls and elected Barack Obama because they believed the fact...”
– Robert Gibbs, a senior adviser to Obama, quoted in “Obama Aides Tamp Down Expectations” in the Times
“In this election, Obama proudly stood up for progressive values and the...”
– “Mandate” by Paul Krugman on his New York Times blog
“It’s worth noting that the American people really did show great judgment...”
– “Report: Threats To Obama Rose As Palin’s Crowds Grew More Frenzied” from TPM Election Central | Talking Points Memo
“Now that Alaska seems on its way of reelecting its convicted felon senator and...”
– Talking Points Memo | Back to Non-Thematic Blogging
NPR: "Elation, Skepticism As World Reacts To Obama... →
A great story from NPR on how the other 95.5% of the world perceives Obama’s win.
“Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie is predicting 80 percent of the...”
– “No, really: Minnesota is the votingest – let’s do it again” by Nick Coleman in the Star Tribune.
“1,994,990 people voted early in Georgia. 3,301,875 total voted in...”
– “On the Road: Atlanta, Georgia” in FiveThirtyEight.com
“There are some states that truly do appear to be “must-wins” for...”
– What A McCain Win Looks Like…” on FiveThirtyEight.com: Electoral Projections Done Right
“Let’s look back at how the vast majority in the modern era have left the White...”
– “The Nation: The Mindset in the Middle of the Storm,” NY Times