Monthly Archives: December 2009

A year reporters are happy to see the end of

Posted on December 31, 2009 by

If 2009 was an ugly year for people reading the news, it was even uglier for many writing it. The best thing that can be said is that after paring staffs and cutting pay, far fewer newspapers and magazines folded … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

As dismal decade ends, maybe zero is too high a grade

Posted on December 30, 2009 by

In his New York Times column earlier this week, Paul Krugman suggested that the decade ending at midnight tomorrow should be dubbed “The Big Zero.” Perhaps he’s being too kind. The nameless 2000-znds, he points out, served up 10 years … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, lifestyle, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hope and a resolution for the decade ahead

Posted on December 26, 2009 by

The purple tricycle from Target arrived in a box so battered that it looked as though an elephant had sat on it. Inside, the rim and spokes on one of the back wheels were bent beyond the point where we … Continue reading →

Posted in lifestyle, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Decade of the big con careens toward an end

Posted on December 20, 2009 by

On some Sundays, I buy The New York Times almost exclusively to read Frank Rich. At its best, his commentary captures not only the state of American politics, but also of American culture.  So as sick as I am of … Continue reading →

Posted in lifestyle, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sometimes it takes more than once to get things right

Posted on December 15, 2009 by

When I walk through the kitchen door at night, Murphy wiggles and sometimes turns in circles four or five times.  When Devon walks through the kitchen door weekend mornings, she heads straight to the bottom of the stairs and yells … Continue reading →

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For some, war can certainly be lucrative

Posted on December 11, 2009 by

A friend who works for a high-end technology firm pointed out the other day that waging war and creating jobs in these United States are not mutually exclusive.  He noted that Raytheon, a company based in my hometown that specializes … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, American wars, economics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Can't understand a word? It's probably Golden Bull

Posted on December 8, 2009 by

The Plain English Campaign reached a milestone of sorts today, celebrating its 20th annual Golden Bull awards, given out for English incoherence at its best — or, perhaps, worst. As I wrote in October, the organization was started by Chrissie … Continue reading →

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And here we thought she was a nice Alaskan mom

Posted on December 7, 2009 by

I don’t think Christopher Hitchens cares too much for Sarah Palin.  Here’s what he has to say in today’s Slate. Some condescending right-wing intellectuals are calling her style “populist” and comparing it with Andrew Jackson and William Jennings Bryan. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

How the president might disburse his Nobel purse

Posted on December 7, 2009 by

He could build a roof-top solarium and hot tub on the West Wing, invest in an ocean-ready cabin cruiser or buy a modest stake in his favorite basketball team.  But when President Obama is awarded roughly $1.5 million along with … Continue reading →

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Psst: Tiger has a pre-nup … Who cares about jobs and war?

Posted on December 3, 2009 by

It was a busy day in Washington today. Defense Secretary Robert Gates testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the administration wasn’t really that serious about the July 2011 drawdown date for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. If you’ll recall, … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, economics, Media, media coverage | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments