With an unexpected snowfall blanketing much of the East Coast for New Years, someone—either a traffic worker with a sense of humor or an average Joe with a sense of civic duty—reprogrammed this New England traffic sign.

This time last year we posted a quick bit on how weirdly easy it was to hack road signs. Before that post led to the rash of hacks, usually featuring some permutation of zombies, Nazis, and the Apocalypse, Mark mused:

You should never hack a road sign as part of a prank. But what if you know that there really are Zombies ahead? What then??

Well, it seems like some New Englander found that the roads were, in fact, wicked slippery and thought it prudent to warn his fellow drivers such. A further message to my driving bros: winter driving is hella dangerous as it is, save the texting for when you reach your destination.

Send an email to Kyle VanHemert, the author of this post, at .

What happens to our immune system as we grow older? Do we get fewer infections because we have had so many in the past? Or does it get less efficient, so we have more infections? Please settle this for us.
I wish I could! The short answer is, both are true. We have fewer colds because we preserve our antibody-producing reaction to them – the more colds we have had in the past, the fewer we will have in the future. But that doesn't work for all the infections and illnesses to which we are prone. As we grow older, our thymus glands (in our chest) shrink, and so can't produce as many T-cells (which kill invading infecting organisms) as they used to. Also, our white blood cells – the frontline defence against infections – don't work as efficiently as when we were young. Exercise boosts our responses to vaccines, although how it does so isn't fully understood. Basically, if we walk to the surgery for flu and pneumonia jabs, we should be better protected against them than if we drive. So if you want to boost your immunity, the easiest way to do it is to exercise regularly.

A genetic cancer specialist has told me I have a 30% chance of getting breast cancer and that I should have an annual mammogram – I am 41. But my sister, who has had mammograms every three years since she was 35, was told annual screening would expose her to more radiation. Is it safe for me when we have the same genetic risk?
My understanding is that an annual x-ray delivers a tiny dose of radiation, equivalent to what you'd receive in a medium-haul flight or two weeks in a high-granite area such as Cornwall or Aberdeen, which don't have higher breast cancer rates than the rest of the country. On the other hand, waiting three years rather than one for a repeat mammogram triples the time that you might have an undetected early breast cancer. How to balance these two risks is still a matter of argument. Talk to your specialist about the different attitudes of your clinic and that of your sister, and ask your sister to do the same. You may then get reasons for the difference, though they may not be based on convincing and solid statistical evidence.

• Got a question for Dr Tom Smith? Email doctordoctor@guardian.co.uk

As we all know Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009, which appealed to a large public, and there are many people just enjoyed the fresh experience of the good PC performance with Windows 7 installed on. Currently, the issue of Windows PC with Craplets caused a poor boot up to 2 minutes time has called public attention again. Yesterday, I read this news form an online magazine which is the authority of this area. Now, let me show you the detailed information.

According to the report that there is a series of tests showed that even the new, called quick-start Windows 7 PC in the pre-loaded with a lot of unnecessary software, which run significantly slower than Macs. Moreover, PC Pro recently was fully test of notebooks versus clean models of several plants and found that Acer, and Sony systems need up to two minutes to startup because of there are too many built-in third-party applications and factory utilities. Furthermore, they also consume or so 1 GB of RAM and 2.4 GB hard drive in Acer's case.

Compare with the above, other Windows PC manufacturers are slightly better. Hewlett-Packard system costs 1 minute 35 seconds to startup, and takes up 1.06 GB of RAM and 2.18 GB of disk space. Dell needs 54 seconds to boot, and occupied 1.18 GB of RAM and a large 3 GB of disk space. The other brands of computers, such as ASUS, Lenovo, Samsung and Toshiba have relatively installed less garbage software, but they are still consume several hundred megabytes of active memory and hard disk space by many unknown reasons.

In contrast, according to the professional test that you just need 49 seconds for a 13-inch MacBook Prot to complete the startup. However, it also has the lowest active memory footprint (289 MB for any system).

Nowadays, Garbage software is known as a value-added way for PC manufacturers, which was often used to subsidize the cost of PC. But in this way it impairs the performance and slows down the speed of the processor and operating system. So as one of users who are harmed by Windows PC for so long time, you will begin a long-time struggle on how to optimize the speed of your PC boot up. Now, have you prepared to get a best registry optimizer to speed up your PC startup? Here is a cool tutorial which teaches you how to speed up your PC boot.

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But he was re-confirmed in his role until 2012, despite the public
disagreement between him and N Srinivasan, the Indian board secretary and
owner of the Chennai Super Kings.

That Modi survived was much less of a shock than the base price for the two
new teams. It is double what the most expensive franchise was sold for when
the league was founded in 2008, Bangalore then the topped price list at
$111.6 million, and is further sign of Indian cricket's fascination, both at
board level and among supporters, with Twenty20 cricket.

Modi had been keen for all players to be re-auctioned in a bid to attract as
many potential franchisen buyers as possible. Now teams will almost
certainly begin to renegotiate deals with their existing star names, all of
whom are out of contract at the end of next year's IPL.

Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen are the two most expensive players, but
will be under pressure to perform in 2010 if they want to keep hold of, or
even improve on, their $1.55 million deals. “The current franchises
would be allowed to keep a certain number of players, the modalities are
being worked out,” Modi said.

The decision to rubber-stamp proposals for two more teams will see the IPL
fixture list jump from 59 to 94 matches. With no official window for the IPL
in the new international calendar, set to be introduced in 2012, the battle
for players between country and franchise will only heat up.

The player auction in 2011 will be held after the Twenty20 Champions League in
September of that year.

I had high hopes for Newt, and he really has let me down numerous times. BUT, Man oh man, if he would just keep making these speeches, every time he gets in front of a few or many. THIS is what gets people’s conservative, founding virtue motors running!

I honestly don’t think he aspires to run anymore. I think he aspires to do what we all aspire to – use whatever power, skill, ability and sway to influence and motivate people to grasp and appreciate the position we are in, and fight for our Nation. If he sticks to that – it’ll be good for us all.

I don’t care about his past romantic problems. Because he wasn’t president at the time or trying to be. He didn’t lie about it or make ridiculous ’soul mate’ speeches. He’s over that stage of his life. History is full of people who were public successes, private failures.

P.S. Did YOU HEAR the crowd at the impeach portion? Sounded like they got to their feet. They were definitely “feelin’ it!

Minorcan Maven on December 22, 2009 at 11:41 PM

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Canning green beans from your garden is enjoyable and easy. By canning your own green beans you will achieve a far greater product than the conventionally canned beans you find at the grocery store. The jars of green beans will be packed full of nutrients for you and your entire family to enjoy months after the green bean season has passed. When harvest time comes in your garden, try the following method of canning your green beans!

First you need to gather all your supplies. You will need to use a pressure canner for preserving green beans. A boiling water canner will not reach a high enough temperature to properly preserve the green beans. You will also need to gather your jars and lids, pots and pans, and the beans of course!

To prepare for your canner, wash it with hot soapy water, and rinse very well. Then fill the canner with 2-3 inches of water and bring the water to a simmer. Raise the rack so that you are all ready to place the prepared jars onto it.

Wash all the canning materials in warm soapy water and rinse them thoroughly. You can then place the jars and the lids in separate pots of water. Bring the pot with the jars in it to a gentle simmer, and just warm the water the lids are in. It is very important to not boil the lids. Leave the jars and lids in the hot water while you are preparing your beans for preserving.

Choose only healthy, young beans from your garden for canning. You will want to take the sting off the bean and snap them into smaller pieces. You can also cut them with a knife for faster preparation. Wash them thoroughly by rinsing them several times in clean water.

You will then need to boil the beans for about 5 minutes. This is just enough time to boil the microorganisms that may be contained within the beans. Your beans are now ready to be canned.

Take each jar out of the canner one by one just as you are ready to fill it. Fill the jar with ½ teaspoon of salt for each pint jar and 1 teaspoon for a quart size jar. Then place the boiled green beans into the jar filling it with about 2 inches left on the top. Then ladle boiling water over the beans to fill the jar with about 1 inch of space on the top.

Once the jar is filled, you will want to use a small rubber spatula to press the beans together and loosed any bubbles that are trapped between them. Press until all the bubbles are released. Then you can place the lid on and twist the band on just till it is tight. Do not over tighten the band.

Once the jar is filled you can place it on the raised canning rack. After you have filled each jar, lower the full rack into the bottom of the canner. Check the water level to be sure that there is 2-3 inches of boiling water over the top of the jars. If you need more, add boiling water to reach the desired water level.

Once all the jars are in, and the water is at least 2 inches above the lids, you are ready to preserve! Lock the lid in place and allow the water to reach a boiling point in which it steams from the vent for 10 minutes. Then place the weight on the vent, or close the vent and allow the pressure to build. For green beans you will want the pressure at 10 pounds. Once the pressure level is attained, keep it there for 20 minutes if you are using pint jars, and 25 minutes if you are using quart jars.

Once the time is complete, turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to diminish and the water to cool. Open the vent, and then take the lid off. Allow for 10 minutes of cooling time, and then you may remove the jars and place them on a towel. Remove them gently and do not disturb the lid and band. Cool the jars for at least 12 hours to allow for proper sealing of the lids.

You are then completely finished with your preserving of green beans! You can enjoy your garden beans throughout the year when the garden is long done producing beans! Stock your pantry because you will be sure to love these delicious beans!

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Tiger Woods' Wife: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Posted Dec 21st 2009 12:15AM by TMZ Staff

Tiger Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, is conflicted over what to do with her marriage, sources tell TMZ.

We're told Elin is not going to file for divorce immediately, but there are two issues she just can't get past — that Tiger allegedly had a 3-year relationship with one of the women, and another alleged affair occurred while Elin was pregnant.

We know Elin has confided in friends that she could have fairly easily forgiven Tiger had it been only one woman. But the sheer number, along with a long-term relationship and the pregnancy fling, has Elin doubting whether she can ever trust Tiger Woods again. Trust is her issue.

Clearly not a shock, but that's what is in her head. But still … Elin hasn't pulled the trigger — yet.

Hughes was cooked at the outset. He was brought in by Thaksin Shinawatra, who
was gone within a month of Hughes's appointment. The Abu Dhabi regime merely
allowed Hughes to 'fail', if losing just two games can be described as such.

You can forget the quaint notion that Hughes was impaled by the defeat to
Tottenham Hotspur. As my colleague, Jason Burt, discloses, first-choice
candidate Guus Hiddink was approached before that loss.

Hughes is an able manager. He will walk into the first vacancy that takes his
fancy. Sir Alex Ferguson could do worse than give him a call.

He would be 10 times more convincing than his former team-mate at Old
Trafford, Mike Phelan, who with every passing defeat is morphing into Phil
'Brave Decision Boss' Neal, the hapless No 2 to former England manager
Graham Taylor.

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When the holidays come around, we want our house to reflect that time of year. So we decorate every nook, cranny, and corner with Christmas cheer. For Christmas table decorations though, how do you know which one's will look the best? There are different things to consider when choosing the Christmas table decorations for your home. For instance, the size of your table, the budget you are working with, and what feeling you want the display to give.

Whether you want an elegant Christmas table, or a whimsical more relaxed setting, you can find the best Christmas table decorations to fit your style for the holiday season. As long as it reflects what you want it to, be it penguins dancing on a frozen pond, or Christmas candles in cut crystal holders, you will be satisfied with it.

There are other things that you could use to decorate your Christmas table besides just a centerpiece. You could purchase a Christmas runner for your table, with candles set in the center, or you could make the runner yourself if you can do needlepoint. There are kits that you can purchase from the craft store that comes with a runner, pre-printed with the design and the instructions on what colors of needlepoint floss you will need.

Instead of a holiday-themed runner and candles, you could get a Christmas tablecloth with matching placemats and napkins. You can also use charger plates to accent the colors of your tablecloth.

If you wanted a more complete-looking Christmas table, you can even purchase slip covers to go over just the top of the dining room chair-backs. If you want to make them yourself, you can find the pattern at your local sewing center.

For whimsical Christmas table decorations, there are numerous options. You can purchase Christmas tree ornaments, such as Christmas elves; snip of the hanger and arrange them on a fake snow covered plate. Make sure before you buy them that they will stand up on their own.

You could, as previously mentioned, buy some small penguins (you can find these in the ornaments sections too) and arrange them on an aluminum foil covered piece of cardboard, or on a mirrored plate candle holder to represent a frozen pond.

If you were wanting a more elegant Christmas table display you can use anything from a large centerpiece to single taper candles in cut crystal candleholders set up in a straight line down the length of your table. You can enhance the line of candles by laying a garland of cut crystal beads snaked around the base of the candleholders.

For Christmas table decorations, you can find the best one to use as long as you keep in mind the size of your table, you do not want the decorations to take up a lot of your dining space; your budget, if you can make it yourself for a lot less money give it a try; and the feeling that you want the display to give, whether whimsical or classy.

If you keep all of these things in mind, you will have a beautiful Christmas table to show off to friends and family when they come into your home for the holidays. You can re-use the Christmas table decorations year after year.

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Thanks to the modern miracle of free Wi-Fi on Virgin American, I am high above the Midwest on a red-eye flight from Los Angeles — where it is unusually cool — to New York, where it's apparently full-on freezing. I'm flying commercial tonight because it is the right thing to do. Also I can't afford to fly private.

Still, I really do believe in the threat of global warming, and here's my playlist to prove it.

Okay, so what hot tunes would you add to this playlist to keep things totally cool in Copenhagen?

TOO DARN HOT - Ella Fitzgerald
A QUESTION OF TEMPERATURE - The Balloon Farm
HARD SUN - Eddie Vedder
RED HOT - Billy Lee Riley
THE WARMTH OF THE SUN - The Beach Boys
SUMMER BREEZE - The Isley Brothers
KEEP IT WARM - Flo & Eddie
HOT STUFF - The Rolling Stones
WAS A SUNNY DAY - Paul Simon
HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME - Sly & The Family Stone
COLD TURKEY - The Plastic Ono Band
DISTANT SUN - Crowded House
SOMETHING WARM - Rick Derringer
STARING AT THE SUN - U2
MELT AWAY - Brian Wilson
CAPTAIN SUNSHINE - Neil Diamond
DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT - Snoop Dogg & Pharrell Williams
HOT STUFF - Donna Summer
KEEP ON THE SUNNY SIDE - Brad Paisley
HOT N COLD - Katy Perry
HERE COMES THE SUN - The Beatles
COOL IT NOW - New Edition
HOT YOU'RE COOL - General Public
THOSE LAZY, CRAZY, HAZY DAYS OF SUMMER - Nat King Cole
HOT CHILD IN THE CITY - Nick Gilder
GREAT BALLS OF FIRE - Jerry Lee Lewis
HOT FOR TEACHER - Van Halen
POWER - John Hall
BODY HEAT - Quincy Jones
SUNNY - Bobby Hebb

The Children's Mutual, set up to look after the funds of our offspring, could
not be in safer hands. The new chairman of its investment sub-committee is
none other than Keith Percy, who ran the asset management arm of Morgan
Grenfell where fund manager Peter Young ran riot with investors' money in
unlisted companies – one of the most notorious financial scandals of the
1990s. As a result of the actions of Mr Young and others, Morgan Grenfell's
owner Deutsche Bank had to pay out £400m to bail out 180,000 of its clients.
Mr Young and three other managers were charged by the Serious Fraud Office
with conspiracy to defraud and offences under the 1986 Financial Services
Act 1986. Morgan Grenfell was also fined £2m by IMRO. As it all occurred on
his watch, Mr Percy was reprimanded by IMRO and forced to pay investigation
costs of £84,220. With all that behind him, Mr Percy is ready for anything.

Third World scenario spooks the City

Slick spy drama Spooks has left City folk scratching heads after the
latest tale of MI5's derring-do.

The episode saw spy chief Harry being told by the Home Secretary that the UK
was temporarily bankrupt because of a financial phenomena called the “Henshaw
Principle” – in which the UK becomes a Third World country overnight.
One suspects the Henshaw Principle could soon become more than just a
figment of the imagination.

The party's finally over for bankers

The Christmas party season is upon us, but for the army of workers in our big
banks 'tis the season of misery. In a bid to prove corporate excess at our
biggest financial institutions is well and truly over, Barclays, HSBC,
Lloyds and RBS have been outscrooging each other when it comes to throwing
parties for the rank and file. HSBC said it will dole out £20 per employee
while RBS said it was prepared to chuck a tenner into the Christmas kitty
with its staff having to scrape together to cover the shortfall. But spare a
thought for Barclays employees. A spokesman for the group said: “I
haven't heard any talk of parties. I think BarCap used to have an annual
bash a couple of years ago but that's been scrapped.” Lloyds has also
canned any frivolity. “All parties have been banned,” said an
insider. Last Christmas HBOS, which was acquired by Lloyds soon afterwards,
lavished £300k on 1,500 of its staff – a night unlikely to be repeated. The
party is well and truly over, methinks!

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The notion of self interest is altered if we think that the biggest human motivation is gathering more personal power rather than struggling towards constant repetition of joyful moments. Current popular understanding of self-interest goes hand in hand with the classically liberal notion of the right to “pursue happiness”. That's the idea libertarians use to justify their maximum allowance of freedom of action for individuals. The pursuit towards something psychically warm and cuddly such as happiness seems so right and wholesome for a human being to undertake that denying it seems cruel and out of the question.

Let's look deeper into the supposed utopia proposed with increasing frequency by ideologues like Ron Paul and youthful college educated people around the world who view themselves as having what it takes to become successful capitalists themselves (regardless of the fact that social mobility is constrained in United States as well as in most countries by a small number of oligarch families gaming the system). I don't have any country in mind in this discussion and will use clean abstract concepts ( haha “clean abstract”) for simplicity.

For a moment let's forget all the various assumptions and constructs that are needed for libertarian theoretical defense to work at all such as:

1) free will or what's left of it after a century of Freud, Nietzsche, Marx and now brain scanning experiments

2) rationality or some common thought process pretending to be rationality in a diverse population with individuals of vastly differing educational backgrounds and consciousness levels

3) equality before the law as well as rule of law itself for a contractual society to function (laughable fictions in most societies on the planet right now since the most powerful individuals constantly evolve and change the concept of the rule of law through force and brilliant law technologists)

4) reality. This is a big one in that applying a “perfect” libertarian construct to say, United States is like applying “perfect” proportional representation democratic construct to Afghanistan. Of course the ideologues insist it can work if the whole world united in this purpose and gradually moved towards this workers paradise

Any one of these by themselves are enough to discredit an ideology that relies on everybody being a utility calculating rational computer. Any one of them is enough to cause people in 20 years to say familiar statements such as, “well libertarianism sounds good on paper but you know, human nature and the inherent contradictions of the system make rapid application of the concept disastrous” (in terms of creating inefficiencies, inequalities, exploitation, suffering, and stagnation).

My focus however is on self-interest as the driving mechanism in a libertarian society. There is still lack of consensus on what is true human motivation but it increasingly looks that it is a mixture of power seeking as well as pleasure seeking with power being a better explanatory human goal. Many of us have seen the famous quote by Adam Smith,

“It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest”

At this point many automatically think that being self interested is just wanting to be more happy and that the most important thing to aid our self interest is money. Since desire to make more money is accepted, pursuit of self interest is thus seen as harmless and even sturdy enough to build a radically different socioeconomic system. As mentioned above, there are other takes on what life is all about besides just seeking money fueled happiness. Let's take Nietzsche for example,

“Life itself is essentially appropriation, injury, overpowering of the strange and weaker, suppression, severity, imposition of one's own forms . . “

The mere fact that growing and living may involve more than just joy seeking poses a critical and fundamental problem for free market ideologues. Let's follow them on the road towards a more capitalist society while keeping in mind that it may be more important for people to keep getting stronger as well as trying to be “happy”…

Since happiness can undertake many forms, the individual thus has a strong case to argue for the right to personally negotiate governance with others and reduce as many regulations on modes/fruits of pursuit as possible. Libertarian ideology then seems the most attractive as individuals become their own utility calculating contractual lawmakers. The result is that the legislative branch in a libertarian society finds itself with little to do. By definition, making laws is creation of uniform regulation on human behavior. This type of government sponsored uniformity becomes redundant (since each citizen is now consenting to enter into contractual regulation of his or her own choice) at best and “coercive oppression” (or any number of silly names given at the GOP protests in recent months) at worst. The libertarian society would then rightfully prevent uniformity from arising and applying to all (unless perhaps dealing with matters that cause grievous harm to others and corporate externalities).

However, if we think of real human motivation as pursuit of influence over their environment (and other human beings within it), allowing humans the maximum playing room begins to take on a more sinister dimension.

The familiar actor of legislative branch and the area covered by it is mostly displaced by a great multitude of smaller actors making contractual agreements with one another and creating a great patchwork of powers and networks throughout society. Without the counterbalancing small actors of local government (assuming libertarian society is libertarian top to bottom), an endless multitude of free market actors would be responsible with creation of regulation for all (for example: road company figures out with local land owner how many tolls to have, dimensions of certain infrastructure, fine limits for jaywalkers on private roads, etc).

This thriving overlapping regulatory complexity with greatly decentralized nodules of influence (assuming the invisible hand goes against all history and human nature so far and prevents monopoly formation) is a double edged sword. Free market is relatively efficient at distribution of capital (at least on sub-national local level when legal conditions are favorable) and the regulatory contractual patchwork is often better able to adapt to pressures of time and social flux. One thing the invisible hand is less good at is redistribution of justice (giving people what they think they deserve).

At the end of the day in the modern world, justice (in all its current forms) is mostly in the monopolistic hands of the legislative branch. The legislative branch makes it uniform and standard for a time. In this branch, all individual free market actors ( the people) have a say about what uniform sort of justice is right for a particular society. There is of course, indirect influence from larger clusters of power and bigger free market actors (ranging from small businesses to billionaires to churches to transnational corporations) that cannot totally be avoided.Their influence is generally somewhat counterbalanced through sheer numbers of lesser powered individuals and their allies in the powerful agent of the legislative.

Since free market libertarian justice is inseparable from wealth (arising from selling one's labor via the most cold blooded meritocracy that doesn't recognize inequality of origin), only the individuals with sufficient wealth form nodules of power necessary to create various relatively wide ranging regulatory norms in society. With wealth comes increased bargaining power and better contractual positioning. Considering the goal of human motivation is personal expansion of influence, the sheer size of some of the power nodules in society is cause for concern as their contractual arrangements affect the lives of millions of less powerful individuals. An ideologically libertarian oriented society would reduce the influence of the biggest guardian of less powerful individuals (legislative branch) by transfering regulation of society to a multitude of powerful players with their own spheres of influence.

A new form of feudalism arises. Whatever people “deserve” in this society is whatever they can wrestle from others through raw financial power (acquired by individuals with personal physiologies that thrive in free market conditions or those who were born into wealth or both). The new creators of standards and norms are thus illegitimate (nobody voted for them unless it is stock owners voting for new company leadership) and they are constrained by nobody but market conditions. Even market conditions can be shaped with strong enough players and enough money. In a legal legislative vacuum, even informed consumers and workers have little bargaining power against the abuses of various cartels, guilds, and land barons (whatever new name they would go under informally or formally). Less powerful individuals would strategically be forced to dedicate substantial amounts of time to collective bargaining. Emergence of powerful unions for service industry is difficult to speculate on but without government protection new forms of protection will have to be devised and vigilantly implemented ( 1> this in turn creates inefficiencies/other abuses as union leaders are as interested in power as CEOs and use up substantial amounts of productive resources on court battles and organization 2> union power receded in part due to rise in service industry and in part because the legislative addressed their concerns through legal regulation)

In an interconnected world where wealth and influence from powerful players is transferred without regard to borders and the needs of localities, complete deregulation is dangerous.We need rigorous functioning legislative branch not just out of fear about re-emergence of old abuses (ex. blacklisting workers) and rise of new ones. We need a strong legislative branch because the powerful there counterbalance the powerful in the private sector. In libertarian world the powerful (masters of wealth acquisition with wide ranging powers derived from it), would be free to collude or battle each other with stifling consequences for the weak. Denying them some freedom of movement is not a cruel practice of denying somebody their shot at happiness but tempering raw power and reduction of private tyranny at home. Powerful entities providing services to us at our own choosing does not eliminate our reliance on them. Hand that helps for money is hand that controls. We can't imagine the police or the courts being privately owned due to fear of corruption and abuse and it is no less horrifying to think that private individuals will take over from the legislative in a libertarian world.

Sidenote:

This discussion had a medium sized country in mind. If a libertarian country is smaller, one can easily see the whole of society dominated by one or two international corporate actors with the wealth flowing out of the country. A dystopian cyberpunk future in the mold of William Gibson is essentially a libertarian one. The unhealthy corporate influence in America and its corrosive effect on government is due precisely because the strong in the legislative are splintered against each other while the strong in the private sector are gaining through attrition. Having a poorly functioning legislative battling the executive does not stop excesses of power. It just creates dysfunctional weak government. The excesses continue in the private world that permeates the public. Parliamentary government with proportional representation (with constitutional protection) is thus a much better guarantor of decentralization of power within society.

The 21st century cannot afford a disjointed slow self cannibalizing government concocted by 18th century aristocrat intellectuals. Something so out of date is in no position to face a fast paced world or promote freer development of vast majority of individuals against the designs of domestic and foreign elites. It does us disservice to think of power as just residing in government that we should be free from. Better separation of powers would be the strong in private and public spheres balancing each other in a healthy dialogue with the weak being the middlemen between the two.

So emerges perhaps the biggest argument against libertarian designs, that:

1) in a free market world there is insufficient separation of powers and mechanisms to keep them separated

2) this is dangerous in that human motivation is not just about getting happy through making more money (and making trickle down economics work in deranged minds of some propagandists)

3) only democracy through some sort of proportional representation creates enough of a split and balance between power elites by creating a strong legislative branch that can check the feudalistic desires of many oligarchs

The biggest dangers affecting many “civilized” and “developed” nations are thus not too much government but a government that is too weak to stand up against private financial interests. Proportional representation democracy is not perfect of course but it seems like a step forward than backward at the moment for most of the population of any given country.

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Jay's new “show” is the most God awful thing to come to TV ever. It's existence has killed NBC ratings that had already taken a beating during the last decade. the show is a cherry on top of the deathblow to what was once a network leader.

As for the content of the show itself: it's as if they cobbled the best of BBC TV ( Top Gear and The Graham Norton Show, to name two of many) and made a ugly unfunny monster that kills the ratings ( not in a good way).

Jay you killed NBC and are a pain to wait through to get to Conan, who has been suffering because you wont go away.

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ — Verance Corporation (http://www.verance.com), a developer of solutions that track, manage and enhance the use of media content, was honored with the prestigious CONNECT 2009 Most Innovative New Product (MIP) Award in the Software category for Verance's content protection technology, Cinavia(TM).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091214/LA25687LOGO)

CONNECT's MIP Awards recognize locally-developed, cutting-edge products covering a wide range of industries and have served as a benchmark for predicting San Diego's most successful emerging technologies. Award finalists were selected from approximately 100 entries representing a broad range of companies and Cinavia was chosen from four finalists in the Software category.

“We are honored to have Cinavia recognized as one of the most innovative products of the year by CONNECT,” said Nil Shah, chief executive of Verance Corporation. “We are thankful to CONNECT for spotlighting the pioneering technologies that are being developed in our region. And we congratulate the other MIP finalists for their inspiring work to create technologies that solve critical problems and positively impact people's lives around the globe.”

Cinavia employs Verance's proprietary audio watermarking technology to protect film and video content against unauthorized use. Cinavia has been adopted as a mandatory component for the Blu-ray Disc(TM) content protection architecture and has been licensed by Universal Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros. Entertainment and Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.

CONNECT MIP award recipients were selected through a rigorous screening process, including review by a committee of industry experts and a panel of judges made up of San Diego's business, civic and academic leaders.

Cinavia and other MIP Award winners were announced Friday, December 11th at the MIP Awards Luncheon, held at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, to an audience of more than 800 of San Diego's top executives, entrepreneurs, service providers and academics.

About Verance Corporation

Verance is a developer and licensor of technologies and solutions that track, manage and enhance the use of media content. Verance holds an extensive portfolio of proven audio watermarking technologies that have been deployed globally in a variety of business and consumer application areas. These applications include Cinavia(TM), the worldwide industry-standard watermark for protection of premium entertainment content.

About CONNECT

CONNECT is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and sustaining the growth of innovative technology and life science businesses in San Diego. Since 1985, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of over 1,000 companies and is widely regarded as the nation's most successful regional program linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for success.

SOURCE Verance Corporation

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In A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt the Common Man is seen as someone who has been pushed around and has become, by being bullied, a vice ridden creature who often uses Sir Thomas More, the epitome of moral goodness and upstanding men, for the outlet of his vice. The Common Man in the play is the culmination of all ordinary people of every age. That in different stations of the common people, vice runs through them on a daily basis and that they embrace vice so that they will not have to suffer for others. The Common Man embraces the vices of disloyalty, exploitation, and cowardice in the roles of the Steward Matthew, the Boatman, and the Jailer whilst trying to protect himself but also with a disregard for the well being of others.

The Common Man shows his disloyalty in his role as the House Steward Matthew. Matthew sells information about his Master Sir Thomas even though he says that Sir Thomas is a good Master. Matthew is also disloyal when Sir Thomas renounces his title and asks Matthew if he will stay on with a cut in pay. He declines Sir Thomas even though Sir Thomas had always been good to him and even says that he will miss him. Because Matthew is so busy looking out for himself he does not care if he is disloyal to a good employer, he is only watching out for himself even though he could subsist on a smaller wage as he is single with little expenses. He does not care about Sir Thomas because he is worried only about himself and not others. The Common Man is disloyal servants, whom like all such servants of any age, which only takes care of himself with no regard for loyalty or others around him who are affected by his disloyalty.

The Common Man shows his exploitive nature in his role as the Boatman. He tries to get more money from Sir Thomas to take him home. He thinks that because Sir Thomas is decent and rich he can get extra money from him for the same amount of work that he would normally do and get a set wage. The Boatman does not consider Sir Thomas when he asks for more money, he is only thinking about himself and that he could get more money from a good man. This plays into the Boatman as the common man of every age who tries to get more from upstanding men than what he deserves. The Boatman is an exploiter that tries to capitalize on upright men without regard for the men they try to swindle.

The Common Man shows his cowardice nature in the guise of the Jailer. He says that he would let Sir Thomas out if only he could. He knows that Sir Thomas is a good man but he is afraid of what would happen to him. He does not truly consider Sir Thomas, he only thinks of how an action would affect him. He also shows his cowardice by not letting Sir Thomas have more time with his family even though it would only be a few extra minutes and the last time Sir Thomas would see his family. When he is implored for more time he says that they should think of how letting they have more time would affect him. He says that they should think of his trouble instead of their own. The Jailer as the representation of all men with a difficult choice picks the easiest route and indulges his own cowardice.

The Common Man in the costume of the Steward, the Boatman, and the Jailer displays the vices of disloyalty, exploitation, and cowardice and even embraces them to shield him from discomfort and hide his face from the common welfare of other people.

He prominently displays disloyalty while helping himself. He also displays a manipulative exploitation but does not scrutinize who his actions affect others. Again he displays cowardice in not affording others another chance or even simple comfort while ignoring his own beliefs. The Common Man can be seen in people of every age, gripping vise as tightly as a life preserver to prevent unease while never considering others, that is why one should try to emulate Sir Thomas the upright man who though often gets imposed upon in this life will enjoy eternal happiness in the next.

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At a major event, the American Clean Skies Foundation (ACSF), the UN Foundation (UNF) and the Worldwatch Institute addressed the potential for natural gas to accelerate the world’s transition to a low-carbon economy. The Copenhagen forum, “Natural Gas, Renewables and Efficiency: Pathways to a Low-Carbon Economy” brought together energy and environmental leaders from industry, government and non-governmental organizations to explore the role natural gas can play in climate action and energy security.

Over the course of the afternoon, the audience heard from a variety of energy newsmakers and experts, including:

– Aubrey K. McClendon, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Chesapeake Energy Corporation; Chairman of the Board, American Clean Skies Foundation
– Christopher Flavin, President, Worldwatch Institute
– David Sandalow, Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy
– Ian Smale, Group Head, Strategy and Policy, BP
– U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth, President, UN Foundation
– Vello Kuuskraa, President, Advanced Resources International

“Compared with coal, natural gas allows a 50-70 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions,” said Christopher Flavin, President of the Worldwatch Institute. “It’s a good complement to the wind and solar generators that will be the backbones of a low-carbon electricity system.”

Aubrey K. McClendon, Chairman of ACSF and Chesapeake Energy, the largest explorer of natural gas in the U.S., and Vello Kuuskraa, President of Advanced Resources International, discussed the abundance of natural gas in the U.S. and other parts of the world.

“There really has never been much debate about whether natural gas is a good fuel – its carbon light molecular structure guarantees that,” commented McClendon. “The issue has always been whether there has been enough of it to begin moving our electric generation system in the United States as well as other parts of the world away from carbon-heavy coal and oil. The major natural gas shale plays in the U.S. have made it clear we have enormous reserves of natural gas to successfully address our economic, environmental and energy issues now.”

In his remarks at the forum, U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth noted, “Now that economically accessible reserves in the U.S. have grown by more than 60 percent, it is important to rethink the role of natural gas in climate and energy policy. The dramatic new discoveries and reserves are almost a gift, giving us a chance to develop a faster and smoother transition toward a low-carbon economy.”

The premise that brought forum organizers together is that the expanded availability of natural gas makes it possible to accelerate the decarbonization of energy supplies by substituting natural gas for coal and to a lesser extent oil. In addition, a new generation of flexible, efficient gas-fired generators will facilitate the introduction of larger shares of wind and solar power into the world’s power grids.

Speakers and panelists — including Flavin of Worldwatch, Gigler of KEMA, and Smale of BP — discussed strategies for maximizing the environmental and economic advantages of growing amounts of natural gas in the world’s energy system.

The event also considered the policy issues that must be addressed for gas to play its potential role — ranging from a fair and level carbon market to regulation and taxation of the gas industry and open access and fair pricing in the electricity markets.

The politics and policies from the perspective of developing countries like India were also addressed by Dr. Jyoti Parikh, Executive Director, Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe).

“North America’s New Natural Gas Resources and their Potential Impact on Energy and Climate Security,” a comprehensive working document authored jointly by Gregory C. Staple, ACSF CEO and respected climate policy expert, and Dr. Joel L. Swerdlow, author of the noted National Geographic Society Book, Nature’s Medicine, was released at the close of the forum. The working document, which builds a case for why natural gas offers an immediate opportunity for climate action and policies for promoting the constructive transition, is available online at the ACSF Web site, www.cleanskies.org.

Source: American Clean Skies Foundation; UN Foundation; Worldwatch Institute

Here’s yet another reason why the Fed should not be driving interest rates to zero: It helps out far less people inthe economy that they imagine.

From the NYT:

“Mortgage rates in the United States have dropped to their lowest levels since the 1940s, thanks to a trillion-dollar intervention by the federal government. Yet the banks that once handed out home loans freely are imposing such stringent requirements that many homeowners who might want to refinance are effectively locked out.

The scarcity of credit not only hurts homeowners but also has broad economic repercussions at a time when consumer spending and employment are showing modest signs of improvement, hinting at a recovery after two years of recession.”

Sure, refinancing could save home-owners lotsof money they could then plow back into the economy — or even avoid foreclosure. But not if bank lending standards are too tight.

That is the problem with an abdication of lending standards — as we saw from 2002 – to 2007. After the collapse, the over-reaction sends the pendulum swinging too far the other way. Lending standards become too tight.

If only we monkeys could learn anything from history . . .

>

Source:
Interest Rates Are Low, but Banks Balk at Refinancing
DAVID STREITFELD
WSJ December 12, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/business/economy/13rates.html

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Nine Inch Nails (NIN) fans such as myself are fans because of the one thing Nine Inch Nails (NIN) does: They rock the house! Most folks who listen to the band know of songs that noone else could even do. Nobody comes close to the genre that NIN plays too, and that's, we old generation Xers!

As far as I can even tell, we old gen Xers are the only folks morose enough, and yet still alive enough, to enjoy watching folks who are so good at sounding down. Their music's beautifully sad too. Even in the case of ranking the number ten song as number ten, I simply can't say, which Nine Inch Nails songs I like best.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number ten: The Perfect Drug

For as long as I've been listening to these folks I can tell you that I don't really make it a habit of learning names. That's what I leave to the devotees. Fans like myself are the folks in the art gallery saying: “I don't know anything about art. But I know what I like….but nobody recognizes Trent Reznor's name around Meadville, Pennsylvania.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number nine: Eraser

Most of us fans feel as if we know this band. They've been in our radios, our heads, and our personal dramas for so long that we almost recognize them as family. Hard partying, raucous, and quarrelsome family they may be yet family they remain.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number eight: Burn

Sometimes I can remember times in my life where it was the music of Nine Inch Nails that altogether influenced me in a decision. I'm not exactly sure why I did as told…but I did. That tells me that Nine Inch Nails might have some skills in the area of getting a message across. I hope they get sponsored to the tune of millions and millions of dollars.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number seven: Gave Up

Are there too many other real good Nine Inch Nails songs than this one? Well…just a couple. But you gotta admit that this one is a fun one too. If it were up to me I'd have it in number one. Oh. It is up to me. But I'm too lazy.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number six: March of the Pigs

There is probably a party somewhere on earth being fueled in part by this very song at this very second at any given moment. How's that for a powerful statement?

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number five: Closer (Censored Version)

This song had to be in the top five for me. But the uncensored version would've ranked higher.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number four: Head Like A Hole

There's not much more that a guy could say about Head Like A Hole other than it's fun, and funny, and kinda annoyed all at once as a song. I mean…what're they saying? Are they angry or aroused? Either way. It's a great tune.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number three: Wish (Live)

They've really taken over the radio here. There's no turning back from NIN fandom now. Resistance is futile.

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number two: Down In It

Well NIN is nothing if not provocative. Didn't they just do a lovely job with this song?

Top Ten Videos from Nine Inch Nails on YouTube number one: Hurt

This song is so good, and so powerful that, after Nine Inch Nails did it, so did the legendary Johnny Cash. Both performances will steal your breath away and borrow your mind for a few moments. I'm glad you've found the Nine Inch Nails videos you were looking for because of me. You're welcome!

Source:
www.YouTube.com
Personal Fandom

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Think it’s hard winning a Nobel Prize? Try accepting one. You need to know how to chat up the king, best Olympic hockey goalies, and outdrink the Swedes. Samuel P. Jacobs on Obama’s medal challenge.

President Obama has been known to trip up around an emperor every now and again, so Thursday’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, presided over by Norway’s King Harald V, offers a chance, at last, to get it right. Does he bow to the king? Go for the notorious fist bump? Here’s some free advice: Be careful with the air kisses, Mr. President.

Last year, when receiving his Nobel Prize in chemistry, for the development of green fluorescent protein, Martin Chalfie directed an air smooch to his wife and daughter looking on in the audience. The 62-year-old Columbia University scientist spent part of that evening at a dinner in Stockholm being teased by one royal, who seemed to enjoy aping his gesture of affection.

The prize winners were forced to take shots on the hockey net against a Swedish Oympic goaltender, Leif Homlqvist, known to his fans as “Honken.”

Sweden’s Countess Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister turned to Chalfie at the Nobel banquet and told him: “You know, I’ve been to 35 of these. That’s the first time anyone blew a kiss to the audience.” At the close of the meal, Chalfie was milling around with the other guests, enjoying cigars and a last glass of wine. “Every time I would walk around and happened to pass by Countess Alice, she would look at me and start blowing kisses,” Chalfie says.

• John Milton Cooper, Jr.: Obama's Wilsonian Moment

• Katarina Andersson: Obama’s Oslo Snub It seems many Nobel laureates have a memorable interaction with a member of the Swedish royal family.

Eric S. Maskin, an economist who won the prize in 2007, recalls King Carl XVI Gustaf as being slightly aloof, while his wife, Queen Silvia, was much more approachable.

“He was on the whole kind of grumpy,” Maskin, 59, said. “His wife, the queen, was extremely charming and gracious.” (Maskin also had a nice chat with Countess Alice; be on the lookout for this one, Nobel laureates of 2009. She told the economist about her role in helping prepare Queen Silvia, a product of Germany and Brazil, for Swedish rule.)

Dudley R. Herschbach, a Harvard chemist who was honored with the Nobel Prize in 1986, recalls an exchange with the king and queen about their pet, a pink lop rabbit. Herschbach, 77, informed the royal couple that his father had been the one who had created the breed at his California rabbitry.

“Well, the king was obviously skeptical,” Herschbach says, adding that “the queen was extremely gracious. She asks questions which my dad, of course, confirms, and then she turned to the king and says, ‘You see?’ The king says something else in Swedish. Then the king shut up. It was a charming view of the royal dynamics.”

In general, Nobel week is a sober time—an important opportunity to praise academic inquiry and think about humanity’s accomplishments. And that will likely be the prevailing spirit when Obama, like all Peace Prize winners, is greeted by the Norwegians in Oslo. All other prizes are awarded in Stockholm.

The President will be feted with a five-course meal at the Norwegian capital’s Grand Hotel (where you too can dine like a Nobel Peace Prize winner for $325 a head). The menu is traditionally kept secret until the evening of Dec. 10. Obama will only be in town for two days at the most. Chances are he’ll scoot out of Oslo before the concert, held the next night, which this year is being hosted by Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. If he does beat it early, Obama will miss British pop star Natasha Bedingfeld, country singer Toby Keith, and Wyclef Jean. During his short stay in Oslo, the president will be protected by a 2,000-man police force and razzed by protesters, who object to America's wartime president receiving a medal for peace. That, and the recent memories of Obama’s much-criticized Asia trip, will no doubt make for a quiet evening.

Pity he’s not down the road in Stockholm, where the party apparently burns a little brighter. University students have been known to try to drink the prize winners under the table at endless dinners. And once in awhile, the world’s brainiest people might find themselves forced into an impromptu game of hockey.

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St. Patrick's Day in Hot Springs, Arkansas - Hot Springs, Arkansas is always a wonderful town to visit, especially now when gas prices have risen so high. Most of us in Arkansas can arrive there on less than a tank of gas. The best part is that all the luxury, fun, and themeparks of other larger farther away cities can be find in this convenient, scenic location. There are several upscale restaurants with full scale bars to go to have dinner and a drink. There are several wonderful restaurants in the downtown vicinity in walking distance of quaint downtown shops, spas, and hotels: Fugi's Japenese Steakhouse, Bohemia's German Restaurant, Brau Haus, and many more.

The spas and hotels downtown which are very elegant and many are suited for the visitor on a budget such as the comfort in and other locally owned motels. All of the spas and hotels are in walking distance of the city attractions. There are many specialty shops downtown such as a handblown glass shop, a specialty pet store, and a quaint little gift shop.

However, if you chose to visit Hot Springs on St. Patrick's Day you are in for a treat. You can visit the restaurants any day of the year, but on St. Patrick's day the city hosts a Pub Crawl that includes many of these excellent restaurants.

The pub crawl begins by signing up for your participants green t-shirt at one of the downtown hotels. You show your ID (proving your 21 or over), pay $10, then recieve your t-shirt which entitles you to visit any of the restaurants participating to receive free or reduced price drinks. This includes the infamous green beer that is traditionally served on this holiday.

Hot Springs also host the world's shortest parade on St. Patrick's day every year. Each year the parade is marshalled by a different celebrity. There are so many floats in the parade that they have trouble fitting onto the small street. The people on the floats throw candy, beads, and t-shirts.

I hope you make your way down to Hot Springs for St Patrick's Day this year. I was there last year and I will be there again this year. It was so much fun!

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CHICAGO, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ — It's common knowledge that you lose as much as 80 percent of your body heat through your head. As temperatures plummet outside, wearing a hat can be one of the best ways to keep warm. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford proper headwear to protect their head and ears during the long winter months.

In an effort to help disadvantage people keep warm, The Headwear Association will donate thousands of hats to homeless shelters and nonprofit organizations nationwide on Thursday, December 10.

“Many of us read or hear about those less fortunate than ourselves and wish there was something we could do to help,” said David Goldman, president of The Headwear Association. “We decided that our organization could do our part by providing wool, felt, knit and fleece beanies and caps to underprivileged men, women and children to help keep them warm during the brutal winter months.”

For anyone who spends time outside this winter, wearing a hat is a smart preventive measure to help avoid getting sick. If your body doesn't have to work so hard keeping warm it will have more resources to keep you healthy during the cold and flu season.

The participants of this year's Headwear for the Homeless campaign include:

• Bollman Hats to Opportunity House and Mary's Shelter in Reading, PA; Robinhood Foundation, NY and St. Vincent de Paul Center, Chicago
• Dorfman-Pacific, Stockton, CA to Women's Center of San Joaquin County, Stockton Homeless Shelter and Haven of Peace Inc.
• Grace Hats to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, NYC
• Hat Attack to MGR Foundation in Chicago
• NES Enterprises, Jay Gerish Co. and Kathy Jeanne Inc. to Eva's Village in Paterson, NJ
• Outdoor Cap, Bentonville, AR to Benton County Women's Shelter-Domestic Violence Shelter, Genesis House-Daytime Shelter, Havenwood-Transitional housing for single parents, NWA Children's Shelter-Children's Shelter, Peace At Home Family Shelter-Domestic Violence Shelter, Salvation Army-Homeless Shelter, Youth Bridge-Troubled Teens
• Outback Trading to Ridge Ave. Shelter in Philadelphia, PA
• Philadelphia Rapid Transit to The Haddonfield Friends School “Mitten Tree”
• San Diego Hat, Carlsbad, CA to Bread of Life Rescue Mission

For more information about The Headwear Association, please visit http://www.theheadwearassociation.org or contact Susan Weiss, SWPR, 312-222-1337, susan@swpr.biz

SOURCE The Headwear Association

As the temperatures continue to drop, most of you will start turning on or turning up the heat in your homes. News 4 WOAI wants to make sure you stay warm and save money at the same time.

Click here to read this story on www.woai.com

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Barack Obama's victory in the Presidential election is stunning and historic, but not really surprising. A number of factors contributed to his victory, and all were easily visible throughout the campaign. The good news is that those same factors will help Obama govern once he takes office.

The four main factors were: the nation in crisis, his personality, his political organization, and his stands on the issues. I will attempt to explain how each of those helped him win, how they will make it easier for him to govern and some of the pitfalls which nonetheless remain.

1. Nation in Crisis

There's nothing like a crisis to convince people we need a change of leadership. I think everyone will agree that crisis helped Obama win. And I'm not just talking about the financial crisis of this fall, but the ongoing crisis of eight years of Bush rule (of which the financial crisis was certainly part). Iraq, Katrina, the failure to capture Bin Laden, plus a general sense of global disaster, all convinced the public it was time to change not just the president, but leadership at all levels. The financial crisis was just the icing on the cake.

How It Helps Him Govern — Times of crisis are times of opportunity. The various crises, especially the financial meltdown, give Obama the freedom to try much more radical programs than might have been possible before. The American public is willing to try almost anything which might fix the problem. Roosevelt would never have been able to enact the New Deal without the Depression. And Reagan would never have been able to enact his agenda without the various crises, financial and international, of the late 70's. Obama may be able to do something equally dramatic. Even if Obama's plans are not as ambitious at the New Deal, the sense of crisis gives him greater leeway, to propose and try out a variety of programs, as long as he is seen to be tackling the problem(s).

The Pitfalls — Obama may be encouraged tot ry something too radical, which the public won't support, or worse, which fails and makes the situation worse. Or, if the situation does not improve, despite his best efforts, the public may well turn against him. In any of these scenarios, the crisis now becomes his fault.

2. His Personality

Likewise, Obama's personality had a lot to do with his election. There are, in fact, two sides to Obama's personality which got him elected. The first operated primarily at the start of his campaign, the second at the very end.

The first was his ability to inspire. His soaring rhetoric and calls to hope and change caught the ear, and the mood, of a large swathe of the public back in January, and moved them to vote, and even volunteer. This lead to his victory in Iowa, and got him through the primaries.

Then, in the fall campaign, a second side of his personality came to the fore. This was the cool character Obama. The one who could stare down a financial crisis and not blink. This side convinced the public that he wasn't just talk, that he could handle whatever problems the presidency held. That he might be able to lead us. It was this side, even more than the inspirational side, which actually got him elected. Especially when compared with McCain's frantic and erratic response to the crisis.

How It Helps Him Govern — Obama is going to need both sides of his personality to govern, especially if/when our various crises deepen. Again, both Roosevelt and Reagan are relevant examples. The Great Depression lasted through Roosevelt's first two terms, yet he could govern (and remain popular) because he was able to inspire and reassure the public. Likewise, Reagan remained popular through success and failure because of his optimistic nature.

There are tough times ahead. Obama is going to need to continue to both inspire and calm the country to get through them. Moreover, the longtime good of the country may well demand short term sacrifice, whether it be higher taxes, continued deficits, or a call to arms, metaphorical or real. Obama alluded to this sacrifice in his victory speech. We will almost certainly hear more about the need for sacrifice in the months and years to come. Obama, steadfast and inspirational, is just he person to successfully deliver that message.

Pitfalls — If he doesn't manage to make some progress on some major problems, he may come to be viewed (as some opponents accused him) as all talk, no ability.

3. Political Organization

It is impossible to overstate how much organization won this election. From the Iowa caucuses to the final get-out-the-vote push, Obama not only out-organized his opponents, he probably had the best organization of any presidential election ever. Not only was he organized on the ground, he was organized on the internet. He had direct, back and forth communication with millions of supporters.

How It Helps Him Govern — He still has that organization. He can call, directly, on his supporters when he needs them, whether to pressure Congress to pass legislation, or just to demonstrate that support publicly. Large public demonstrations of support will inevitably help him advance his agenda.

Pitfalls — His supporters can talk back to him. Many of those supporters are more radical than the general public, and they may push his administration in a more radical direction. And there we could have that problem I already mentioned, where he enacts a radical solution which doesn't work.

4. His Stand on the Issues

It may seem strange that I've saved his stand on the issues for last, but they may have been the least important factor in his election. People knew they wanted change, but I'm not sure how much they thought about what that change would actually entail. Yet this will be the most important aspect of how he governs, for you can't govern just by talking pretty, you have to actually do something.

This is not to say that Obama was on the wrong side of the issues, and the country is in for a nasty shock. He was on the right side of the two biggest issues — Iraq and the economy. And what is significant, and unites the two issues, is that they both don't just represent policy failures, they represent philosophical failures.

Iraq represents the failure of the neocon idea of spreading democracy by force. (It is a bit amazing how fast that philosophy failed its very first test.) The financial meltdown represents the failure of supply-side economics — giving financial and tax breaks to the richest didn't encourage them to put the money back into he economy, it just made them greedier. And massive deregulation did not, in the end, strengthen the markets, it actually made them weaker. It is this failure of supply-side economics Obama referred to when he talked about building the economy from the bottom up, rather than from the top down.

Those are the issues Obama, deservedly, won on.

How It Helps Him Govern — It should be obvious. Being a liberal president at the collapse of the conservative era has some obvious advantages. His options are wide open. The public is ready for an activist government again. Both Katrina and the financial crisis have demonstrated that government does have a role to play, that it is not always (to quote the old conservative mantra) “the problem.”

On the other hand, Iraq and many aspects of the War on Terror –Guantanamo, wiretaps and torture — provide a nice counterpoint about the continuing dangers of governmental overreach.

If Obama can use his oratorical skills to articulate this and swing the public behind him, he could successfully pull of a massive reorganization and redirection of government.

The Pitfalls — The old liberal government did have it drawbacks. That's what enabled the conservative view to dominate our politics for 30 years. Obama has to thread the needle, reintroducing a liberal, activist government, while simultaneously getting a grip on the budget deficit. That will be his supreme challenge — reinvention of liberal government to fit a new era.

But if anyone can do this, I believe it is Obama. As I have shown, he has both the talents and the tools to govern not just effectively, but dramatically. To pull off major changes in how our government operates, and how our citizens perceive it.

If Obama puts these talents to proper use, he could go down in history as one of our greatest presidents. One who not only governed well, but changed the direction of our country and our politics, changed it for the better.

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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban appeared on WWE's “Monday Night Raw” last night, and fans were treated to quite a show. Cuban, who is known for his outspoken criticism of NBA officiating, snuck in a dig at basketball refs when he told wrestler Randy Orton, “The only reason you won is because these WWE refs are worse than NBA refs.”

Another wrestler jabbed Cuban and the Mavericks, telling the Mavs owner, “You are just like your basketball team. You are all talk…. Don't you guys want to do something memorable in this arena, besides lose in the playoffs?”

The highlight of the night, however, came when the wrestler Sheamus confronted Cuban and slammed him through a table.

WATCH:

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The latest story out of Copenhagen has to do with a leaked draft agreement put together by Denmark, the U.S., and the UK. According to the Guardian's breathless coverage, the leak has climate talks in “disarray,” with developing countries at war with rich countries and the whole edifice getting ready to collapse. Disarray I tell you!

Except the story is a tempest in a teapot. And you could have predicted as much before ever reading it, for reasons I'll explain in a second.

First, on the story: The Guardian seems to have been duped. It's now become clear that the supposedly new draft is one of several old drafts that have been floating around for weeks. For the most part they are boring and practical, though the anti-World Bank crowd is pissed. Regardless, the draft is of no particular significance in and of itself; it reflects longstanding points of tension between rich and poor countries but did not cause them.

Nothing much to see here. How could you have known?

Consider: Copenhagen maxed out on journalist registrations, at 5,000. (Supposedly there were more than 10,000 waiting in line after that.) The place is choked with journalists, not to mention folks from think tanks and NGOs who are supposed to be blogging. There are thousands of people crammed in a small area, all under instructions to update frequently with fresh news, all exhausted and stressed out, all hungry for something to write about.

On the flip side, virtually nothing of significance to an international agreement will be decided before the final days, perhaps the final hours, of the talks.

What are all those journalists going to write about? They'll write about “Climategate.” They'll cover NGO events and reports. They'll write local color pieces on, say, Danish police preparation (that's a good story!). Most of all, though, they'll report the hell out of it every time any representative of any government says anything about anything. Every bit of pre-positioning gossip and bluster will be blown up to billboard size. There is, in short, immense incentive to exaggerate the significance of every piece of “news.”

Keep that in mind as you wade through the deluge of stories over the next two weeks. It's a marshmallow puff with a few nuts inside; when all's said and done, nobody will remember much of it. The only story of lasting importance is the shape of the agreement forged at the end. So stay calm, keep a level head, and most of all, keep coming to Grist for the skinny.

The Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy released a statement:

—-

Under no circumstances is this a 'Secret Danish draft' for a new climate change agreement. Such a text does not exist. In this kind of process, many different working papers are circulated amongst many different parties with their hands on the process. These papers are the basis for informal consultations that contribute with input used for testing various positions. Therefore, many papers exist. That is quite normal. The commentary from the Guardian only shows, how outspoken nervousness is at this junction.”

According to an AFP story out today, the Obama White House has dismissed as “silly” the idea that climate science is in jeopardy over the Climate Research Unit leaked emails.

“I think everybody is clear on the science,” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.

“I think scientists are clear on the science. I think many on Capitol Hill are clear on the science. I think that this notion that there is some debate … on the science is kind of silly.”

Of course it is, but it hasn't stopped Republicans, their friends in the free-market think tanks and Fox News from trying to make this minor controversy into some kind of worldwide conspiracy.

I wonder if 100 years from now, the textbooks will talk about how the 21st century equivalent of the flat-earth society that tried and failed to keep the human-race stuck on fossil fuels?

If so, here's a great photo of the Head Director of the Flat Earth Society that they could include on the cover:

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What does one do when there is nothing to do? Does he or she in fact do nothing? Can someone actually do nothing? To do means to perform and nothing means not anything. So, to do nothing, one must perform not anything. This seems almost as if it is a paradox. Does it not? By performing one is actually doing something, yet that something is nothing. Now, if the something you perform is nothing then you are not performing. So how does someone do nothing. They do not! Yes someone can not do nothing. That is a double negative which translates into everyone is doing something.

The very bodily presence of a human could be considered something. So to perform the act of being alive is not doing nothing now is it? If you are saying to your self that it is just an expression to signify that one is not doing something important or relevant, then you need to realize that everything is relevant to someone or something. If you are lying there staring at your ceiling and breathing, it is relevant. “How?” you might ask. Well what about the fact that by breathing you take oxygen out of the air and release carbon monoxide? What about the germs that escape from your mouth and the ones that get inside? What about the minute gravitational pull that you have on all the objects around you? Everything is relevant and nothing is not.

So the only thing that is not relevant is nothing. But, nothing does not exist. By definition the word “nothing” means “not anything”. So lets break this down. What is anything? You all know what anything means but it can translate into not nothing. Breathing could fit into the category of anything. So can any other verb, noun, or pronoun that you can think of. So nothing means not ______. Fill in the blank with any word you want. So next time you think that you are doing nothing or not doing anything, which means the exact same thing, think to yourself about if you are breathing. If you are….. alive!

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