The Washington Post has bought the venerable (at least in internet years) Slate.com. Fingers crossed, hoping for the best.
12/11/2004
The #1 team in America has another Heisman. "Tailback-U" generates another QB who wins college football's most coveted individual award. Fight on! Matt Leinart.
12/07/2004
I'm mostly sitting this round of the steroid "issue" out. Most of you long-time readers know where I stand. However, I did want to point you over to Andrew Sullivan's take, which I believe overlaps well with mine. It's nice to see reason starting to reveal itself on this issue.
12/06/2004
There are conflicts of interest.
And then there's the Bowl Championship Series.
The BCS is to college football what Tony Soprano is to waste hauling in New Jersey -- a monopoly turning a tidy profit by cleaning up messes without dithering over who gets hurt along the way.
This season's victims were Auburn and California. Last season's was Southern California. In past seasons, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas State, Miami and a few other schools got the back of the BCS hand. All got sympathy notes, too, and promises the beatings would stop. But the only thing that's changed since the BCS hijacked the postseason in 1998 is the name of the victims.
The holidays are upon us and that can only mean one thing, it's time for college football fana to continue the annual rite of BCS-bashing. For the first time ever the preseason #1 and #2 teams went through the season undefeated and will meet for the national championship. But we don't have to go too far down the poll to find some hacked-off programs. Shut out is Auburn, who at 12-0 felt they deserved a chance to compete for the national title. Perhaps even more stupefying is what happened to the 10-1 Cal Bears. Ranked #4 going into this weekend's final game they were seemingly headed to the prestigious (and lucrative) Rose Bowl for the first time since 1959. Many Cal fans worried they'd have to beat Southern Mississippi by an impressive margin to hold off a charging Texas team. Cal won in a close road game (even taking a knee in the final plays rather than running up the score to impress voters) and the results were all that was feared. Cal got bumped in the polls and Texas will be going to the Rose Bowl and the Cal Bears, whose only loss came to the #1 team in America, fell out of the BCS and into the Holiday Bowl.
So folks, who got screwed the most? Cal or Auburn? Is this really another example of the horrific East Coast bias? Is a playoff system even possible, let alone feasible?
And then there's the Bowl Championship Series.
The BCS is to college football what Tony Soprano is to waste hauling in New Jersey -- a monopoly turning a tidy profit by cleaning up messes without dithering over who gets hurt along the way.
This season's victims were Auburn and California. Last season's was Southern California. In past seasons, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas State, Miami and a few other schools got the back of the BCS hand. All got sympathy notes, too, and promises the beatings would stop. But the only thing that's changed since the BCS hijacked the postseason in 1998 is the name of the victims.
The holidays are upon us and that can only mean one thing, it's time for college football fana to continue the annual rite of BCS-bashing. For the first time ever the preseason #1 and #2 teams went through the season undefeated and will meet for the national championship. But we don't have to go too far down the poll to find some hacked-off programs. Shut out is Auburn, who at 12-0 felt they deserved a chance to compete for the national title. Perhaps even more stupefying is what happened to the 10-1 Cal Bears. Ranked #4 going into this weekend's final game they were seemingly headed to the prestigious (and lucrative) Rose Bowl for the first time since 1959. Many Cal fans worried they'd have to beat Southern Mississippi by an impressive margin to hold off a charging Texas team. Cal won in a close road game (even taking a knee in the final plays rather than running up the score to impress voters) and the results were all that was feared. Cal got bumped in the polls and Texas will be going to the Rose Bowl and the Cal Bears, whose only loss came to the #1 team in America, fell out of the BCS and into the Holiday Bowl.
So folks, who got screwed the most? Cal or Auburn? Is this really another example of the horrific East Coast bias? Is a playoff system even possible, let alone feasible?
12/03/2004
11/30/2004
Dahlia Lithwick, who for my money is journalist who best covers the Supreme Court, with a dispatch about the current medical pot case. It doesn't look promising for us fans of federalism and individual autonomy.
11/27/2004
11/26/2004
11/25/2004
Iran with nukes, the war in Iraq absorbing resources, and an "Economic Armageddon" predicted by Stephen Roach, chief economist at Morgan Stanley. Definitely be thankful today, because tomorrow isn't certain.
On a lighter note, I was surprised to see Frank Chu (for those of you outside of the Bay Area, Frank is a bit of a local landmark. He walks around holding a sign talking bout 12 galaxies, rants and raves about Clinton, Lincoln, et.al and has the amazing ability to seem to be absolutely everywhere) standing outside of the meal line at the SF Unitarian Church's Thanksgiving feed. He wasn't in the line, but actually facing the diners spreading his message. The world may be going to shit, but as long as Frank is out there, we all have a chance.
On a lighter note, I was surprised to see Frank Chu (for those of you outside of the Bay Area, Frank is a bit of a local landmark. He walks around holding a sign talking bout 12 galaxies, rants and raves about Clinton, Lincoln, et.al and has the amazing ability to seem to be absolutely everywhere) standing outside of the meal line at the SF Unitarian Church's Thanksgiving feed. He wasn't in the line, but actually facing the diners spreading his message. The world may be going to shit, but as long as Frank is out there, we all have a chance.
11/22/2004
In light of the impending Thanksgiving holiday, an absolutely riveting account of the battle for Fallujah from a Marine.
11/21/2004
11/19/2004
NBA Basketball took another black eye tonight. The Indiana Pacers were playing the defending champion Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills, Michigan. With less than a minute to go in the game Ben Wallace took offense at a hard foul and shoved Ron Artest. A series of scuffles between the teams undulated before the scorer’s table. A moment of seeming calm as Artest lay out upon the scorer’s table. Then a blue cup flew through the sky, tossed from the stands and hit Artest as he lay resting.
Then the explosion occurred. Artest charged into the stands and fought a fan. Other fans and players joined and the seeds of a riot began to bloom. The melee quickly escalated with fans charging the floor, players hopping through the stands. A cacophony of bodies and objects filled the stadium as mayhem took hold. As they attempted to shepard players out of the stadiums fans tossed chairs, beer, bottles, clothing, and food. The police threatened to mace players, a Pacer came from the locker-room brandishing a dustpan and swung towards the stands, and a sense of permanent change enclosed the NBA.
The soul-searching and legal maneuvering has already begun. The pundits are debating, yet again, the, at times, unhealthy relationship between fans and the players they in equal parts idolize and despise. Announcer and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton called it the lowest moment in his 30 year affiliation with the league.
Then the explosion occurred. Artest charged into the stands and fought a fan. Other fans and players joined and the seeds of a riot began to bloom. The melee quickly escalated with fans charging the floor, players hopping through the stands. A cacophony of bodies and objects filled the stadium as mayhem took hold. As they attempted to shepard players out of the stadiums fans tossed chairs, beer, bottles, clothing, and food. The police threatened to mace players, a Pacer came from the locker-room brandishing a dustpan and swung towards the stands, and a sense of permanent change enclosed the NBA.
The soul-searching and legal maneuvering has already begun. The pundits are debating, yet again, the, at times, unhealthy relationship between fans and the players they in equal parts idolize and despise. Announcer and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton called it the lowest moment in his 30 year affiliation with the league.
11/17/2004
The recently announced merger between Sears and Kmart may have surprised casual observers, but what the world is seeing today is the latest in a string of increasingly aggressive maneuvers by Eddie Lampert. Lampert, 42, runs ESL Investments Inc, a $9billion investment firm.
His investment philosophy is largely modeled after his hero, Warren Buffett. Like Buffet Lampert looks for undervalued companies he can easily understand, takes large stakes in them, and then runs them as a de-facto arm of management. Unlike Buffett he looks for companies that have been poorly managed which he believes offers him greater opportunity for returns. In the early 1960’s Warrren Buffett took a stake in a struggling textile company called Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Buffett filed regulatory papers that would allow him to invest excess cash from the company in a variety of ventures. Berkshire Hathaway is now one of the largest investment companies on the planet and the actions of its chairman can sway entire markets. Likewise Lampert took a 53% stake in Kmart, a company that had recently come out of bankruptcy and was decidedly mismanaged. In August of this year the Kmart’s board gave Lampert authority to invest "surplus cash" and his Berkshire Hathaway was in place.
Much of Lampert’s drive is illustrated by the kidnapping that occurred in 2002 while in the middle of negotiations for Kmart. A couple of hapless criminals grabbed him and held him hostage. He literally negotiated his way out of it, promising future payments to the kidnappers. Two days later he was working on closing the deal for Kmart.
Sears’s stock has been moving up sharply in recent weeks, largely because of the perceived value and the shareholders who had taken stakes. Today’s announcement of the combined companies is considered by most watchers to be an indication that Lampert’s new company, Sears Holdings Corp, has its sights set on another target, Wal-Mart. This time not as a takeover candidate but as a retail rival.
His investment philosophy is largely modeled after his hero, Warren Buffett. Like Buffet Lampert looks for undervalued companies he can easily understand, takes large stakes in them, and then runs them as a de-facto arm of management. Unlike Buffett he looks for companies that have been poorly managed which he believes offers him greater opportunity for returns. In the early 1960’s Warrren Buffett took a stake in a struggling textile company called Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Buffett filed regulatory papers that would allow him to invest excess cash from the company in a variety of ventures. Berkshire Hathaway is now one of the largest investment companies on the planet and the actions of its chairman can sway entire markets. Likewise Lampert took a 53% stake in Kmart, a company that had recently come out of bankruptcy and was decidedly mismanaged. In August of this year the Kmart’s board gave Lampert authority to invest "surplus cash" and his Berkshire Hathaway was in place.
Much of Lampert’s drive is illustrated by the kidnapping that occurred in 2002 while in the middle of negotiations for Kmart. A couple of hapless criminals grabbed him and held him hostage. He literally negotiated his way out of it, promising future payments to the kidnappers. Two days later he was working on closing the deal for Kmart.
Sears’s stock has been moving up sharply in recent weeks, largely because of the perceived value and the shareholders who had taken stakes. Today’s announcement of the combined companies is considered by most watchers to be an indication that Lampert’s new company, Sears Holdings Corp, has its sights set on another target, Wal-Mart. This time not as a takeover candidate but as a retail rival.
11/10/2004
Nothing says Christmas like mayhem and murder. With St. Nick peeking his fat ass around the corner we know it’s time for a new slew of anticipated video games to make their debut.
First came Rockstar Game’s uber-violent Grand Theft Auto sequel San Andreas which smashed video games sales records. The game follows a gang-banger as he commits acts of vehicular homicide, random gun violence, and the sort of senseless rage the early GTA’s were so known for.
Next came Microsoft’s much-anticipated follow up to Halo. The first day’s sales exceeded $125 million. Halo 2 took a while to hit the market but Microsoft wanted to make sure the game came out right. Early reviews are positive.
Earlier this year EA Sport’s Madden Football 2005 also exceed the $100 million mark leading many to believe that this holiday season will turn out to the biggest in history for the gaming industry. Industry watchers are waiting for a big holiday season. What’s driving this gaming phenomenon? The maturation of the industry? The decriminalization of pot? The general crappiness of movies? Is it simply a matter of demographics? Whatever it is, the economics of industry is staggering.
First came Rockstar Game’s uber-violent Grand Theft Auto sequel San Andreas which smashed video games sales records. The game follows a gang-banger as he commits acts of vehicular homicide, random gun violence, and the sort of senseless rage the early GTA’s were so known for.
Next came Microsoft’s much-anticipated follow up to Halo. The first day’s sales exceeded $125 million. Halo 2 took a while to hit the market but Microsoft wanted to make sure the game came out right. Early reviews are positive.
Earlier this year EA Sport’s Madden Football 2005 also exceed the $100 million mark leading many to believe that this holiday season will turn out to the biggest in history for the gaming industry. Industry watchers are waiting for a big holiday season. What’s driving this gaming phenomenon? The maturation of the industry? The decriminalization of pot? The general crappiness of movies? Is it simply a matter of demographics? Whatever it is, the economics of industry is staggering.
11/08/2004
Americans aren’t the most inventive people on the planet, but they are the most innovative. Sir Harold Evans makes this claim in his new book on American innovation They Made America that this innovation is what has propelled the upstart nation to its position as world leader. "Invention without innovation is mere pastime" he says, and a PBS series of the same name demonstrates the impact of individuals who harness discovery.
Among the innovators Evans profiles:
• Ida Rosenthal, who popularized the bra and helped liberate working women from the corset.
• Juan Trippe, creator of the first commercial air service.
• Ruth Handler, the woman behind the Barbie doll and Mattel.
• CNN's Ted Turner, who helped usher in a new information age.
• Lewis Tappan, who built America's credit-rating system and spurred economic growth.
• Amadeo Giannini, who, as the first banker to open his doors to the working class, helped boost their fortunes.
Evans first noticed the American innovation dynamic as reporter in England. Many British inventions were turned into flourishing American industries. He wanted to undstand how and why the Americans were so succesful.
"There is a genuine populist impetus here," Evans said. "If you look at the innovators, you have a fruit seller, a clerk, a seamstress, a trucker, a beach taxi pilot, a couple of bicycle mechanics in Dayton. None of them come from the aristocratic classes, and some come from poverty."
While many have attempted to replicate the American ethos of innovation, few have approached her achievement. What lessons can we take forward as we look back?
Among the innovators Evans profiles:
• Ida Rosenthal, who popularized the bra and helped liberate working women from the corset.
• Juan Trippe, creator of the first commercial air service.
• Ruth Handler, the woman behind the Barbie doll and Mattel.
• CNN's Ted Turner, who helped usher in a new information age.
• Lewis Tappan, who built America's credit-rating system and spurred economic growth.
• Amadeo Giannini, who, as the first banker to open his doors to the working class, helped boost their fortunes.
Evans first noticed the American innovation dynamic as reporter in England. Many British inventions were turned into flourishing American industries. He wanted to undstand how and why the Americans were so succesful.
"There is a genuine populist impetus here," Evans said. "If you look at the innovators, you have a fruit seller, a clerk, a seamstress, a trucker, a beach taxi pilot, a couple of bicycle mechanics in Dayton. None of them come from the aristocratic classes, and some come from poverty."
While many have attempted to replicate the American ethos of innovation, few have approached her achievement. What lessons can we take forward as we look back?
What now? Since the election many people have asked that question. Some ask out of anticipation, others from dread. What’s next for the Supreme Court? With potentially four vacancies over the next term, President Bush has the opportunity to make over the High Court to his liking.
With talk of Clarence Thomas being the next Chief Justice and the public smack down of pro-choice Republican senator Arlen Specter, and the impact of the religious right on the election, early indications are that the court might have a rightward tilt over the coming years. Is the indicative of the cyclical nature of politics and culture or is there a larger dynamic at work? If the court becomes the bastion of “conservative” politics where will the opposition go to find redress?
With talk of Clarence Thomas being the next Chief Justice and the public smack down of pro-choice Republican senator Arlen Specter, and the impact of the religious right on the election, early indications are that the court might have a rightward tilt over the coming years. Is the indicative of the cyclical nature of politics and culture or is there a larger dynamic at work? If the court becomes the bastion of “conservative” politics where will the opposition go to find redress?
10/20/2004
The first BCS poll has been released sending college football fans into a frenzy. The (yet again) reworked poll takes the two human polls more into account this year, but that hasn’t removed all controversy.
At the top of the list is perhaps the most storied, and certainly the most glamorous, college football program of all time, The Defending National Champions USC Trojans. From there things get really interesting. Breaking with the human polls the BCS places Miami over Okalahoma in the #2 spot. Other notable top contenders include teams such as the surprising Cal Bears, the Auburn Tigers rebounding nicely from last season, and an undefeated Utah team.
So let’s hear the picks folks. USC having gotten past the tough section of its schedule only has to deal with UCLA before getting into this year’s BCS championship game at the Orange Bowl, but who will meet them there? Will the UTES become the first non-BCS team to make it to a BCS bowl? Who are this season’s winners and who are its losers? And how much longer will America be subjected to the BCS before succumbing to the inevitable playoff system?
At the top of the list is perhaps the most storied, and certainly the most glamorous, college football program of all time, The Defending National Champions USC Trojans. From there things get really interesting. Breaking with the human polls the BCS places Miami over Okalahoma in the #2 spot. Other notable top contenders include teams such as the surprising Cal Bears, the Auburn Tigers rebounding nicely from last season, and an undefeated Utah team.
So let’s hear the picks folks. USC having gotten past the tough section of its schedule only has to deal with UCLA before getting into this year’s BCS championship game at the Orange Bowl, but who will meet them there? Will the UTES become the first non-BCS team to make it to a BCS bowl? Who are this season’s winners and who are its losers? And how much longer will America be subjected to the BCS before succumbing to the inevitable playoff system?
10/05/2004
Bio-medical giant Chiron has suffered another devastating attack. Last winter a hippie placed bombs at the Chiron headquarters but this latest blow comes from a staunch ally of America; The UK. British regulators have suspended the company?s Liverpool facility, which manufactures all of Chiron?s U.S. flu vaccine.
British regulators said, in effect, that the Chiron plant had failed an inspection of its general manufacturing procedures. The inspection was triggered last month by the company's disclosure in late August that up to 4 million doses of vaccine had been contaminated and had failed a sterility test.
Chiron makes roughly half of all the flu vaccines for America. The shortage is anticipated to cut Chiron's profits by half.
"This is a huge issue," says Geoffrey Porges, a biotechnology analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. "It's going to be discussed in Congress; it's going to be discussed at the highest levels in the [Centers for Disease Control]. There's a real likelihood that we will see some fundamental changes in the vaccine market and in vaccine oversight."
This is anticipated to be a particularly deadly flu season, so the shortage is especially critical. Already public health officials are imploring healthy Americans to forgo a flu-shot this year.
This impending crisis has been one that drug companies and health care professionals have grappled with for a while. Flu shots are generally purchased by the government, making the cost low, and subsequently, lowering the incentive for drug companies to manufacture the vaccine. Some have proposed deregulating even more the flu vaccine market in order to encourage other companies to manufacture the vital medicine. Others have suggested alternative solutions to the shot. Regardless of future solutions, this winter will certainly be deadly to the weakest among us.
The news is devastating to Chiron's immediate financial future. Shares were down sharply:
Heavy trading on the news wiped out $1.4 billion in market capitalization from the company within hours. Analysts said the unexpected regulatory action was not only a blow to Chiron but also a public health disaster.
British regulators said, in effect, that the Chiron plant had failed an inspection of its general manufacturing procedures. The inspection was triggered last month by the company's disclosure in late August that up to 4 million doses of vaccine had been contaminated and had failed a sterility test.
Chiron makes roughly half of all the flu vaccines for America. The shortage is anticipated to cut Chiron's profits by half.
"This is a huge issue," says Geoffrey Porges, a biotechnology analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. "It's going to be discussed in Congress; it's going to be discussed at the highest levels in the [Centers for Disease Control]. There's a real likelihood that we will see some fundamental changes in the vaccine market and in vaccine oversight."
This is anticipated to be a particularly deadly flu season, so the shortage is especially critical. Already public health officials are imploring healthy Americans to forgo a flu-shot this year.
This impending crisis has been one that drug companies and health care professionals have grappled with for a while. Flu shots are generally purchased by the government, making the cost low, and subsequently, lowering the incentive for drug companies to manufacture the vaccine. Some have proposed deregulating even more the flu vaccine market in order to encourage other companies to manufacture the vital medicine. Others have suggested alternative solutions to the shot. Regardless of future solutions, this winter will certainly be deadly to the weakest among us.
The news is devastating to Chiron's immediate financial future. Shares were down sharply:
Heavy trading on the news wiped out $1.4 billion in market capitalization from the company within hours. Analysts said the unexpected regulatory action was not only a blow to Chiron but also a public health disaster.
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