tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35428352025-11-11T00:30:46.627-08:00<a href="http://hawk.fab2.albany.edu/sidebar/sidebar.htm">Ancient Chinese curse</a>: may you live in interesting times. This web site is my attempt to document, from my perspective, these "interesting times".Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.comBlogger3609125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-7736748641204925812011-09-11T11:53:00.000-07:002011-09-11T11:54:08.550-07:00

I've been trying for some time to understand why it is it bothers me so much when I hear Democrats characterize Obama as "weak", "indecisive", "caving" and so forth. I've come to two conclusions: 1. A black man who rises in America from a position of state senator to President in six short years while defeating two of the most powerful political institutions in the country (the Clinton machine

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-84159298356879515892011-05-25T08:58:00.000-07:002011-05-25T08:58:21.535-07:00

Krugthulu: So what I suspect is that Ryan and his colleagues expected to float through on a cloud of pundit love, which would allow them to bypass the public’s fundamental dislike of everything they were proposing.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-9413214459098249262011-05-21T10:54:00.000-07:002011-05-21T10:54:09.095-07:00

Circa 2011: Maybe we can survive a default on our debt obligations if it is strategic and limited to a couple of days. Circa 1980: Maybe we can survive a nuclear war if it is strategic and limited to a couple of cities.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-4122797283978881972011-05-21T10:39:00.001-07:002011-05-21T10:40:02.492-07:00

Amazingly, the "unthinkable" is now becoming thinkable. Some Republicans are starting to say openly that defaulting on the debt, even for just a couple of days, is no big deal. And this shocking development is, understandably, disturbing a lot of people who never thought they would see the day. One of the typical lines we are hearing from this "no-big-dealers" is that even if the debt limit is

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-63012431923446518022011-05-19T15:55:00.001-07:002011-05-19T15:55:42.474-07:00

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-81295582820373077292011-05-17T10:51:00.000-07:002011-05-17T10:51:28.903-07:00

Ta-Nehisi Coates: Was there something more Obama should have done to get a public option? Should he not have traded the Bush tax cuts for extending unemployment benefits? Did Obama settle too quickly on a small stimulus package?&nbsp;Was he wrong to allow the GOP to shut down planned parenthood in DC? Is the strategy of increased drone attacks in Pakistan inhumane? Was the financial reform bill

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-77556705538906563182011-05-16T10:22:00.000-07:002011-05-16T10:24:42.921-07:00

David Frum: Some Republicans suggest that there’s no special need to worry about hitting the debt ceiling: after all the Treasury will still collect much more in revenue than it spends on interest payments. The Treasury can continue to pay bondholders while ceasing to pay other bills. Do these Republicans understand that even assuming this idea were legally and technically feasible (

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-60753275145133320332011-05-16T10:05:00.000-07:002011-05-16T10:05:51.220-07:00

Paul Krugman is right. There is absolutely nothing misleading about the new DCCC slogan. In fact, to say otherwise should be the very definition of misleading. I've been saying for weeks that Democrats need to stop hedging on this matter. I cringe every time I see one of them soften the point by saying that the Republicans voted to "change Medicare as we know it". No, they did not. They voted to

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-39270170222152396292011-05-16T08:36:00.000-07:002011-05-16T08:36:13.652-07:00

But much of the criticism of Obama is rarely smart. By smart I mean that it is stated in a way that is meant to affect change in Obama's policies and politics. Not smart is when you just criticize and expect the mere act of criticism to bring about change (and then get mightily offended when it doesn't). A lot of critics like to point to the "make me do it" story as their model. But what they

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-66526825176258640622011-05-15T14:48:00.000-07:002011-05-15T14:48:46.391-07:00

The volume of information available on the internet is so large that no one can realistically consume it without some kind of gatekeeper. We need filters that allow us to consume a good cross-section of material without being overwhelmed by the volume. In this TED Talk, Eli Pariser implicitly acknowledges this in the process of warning of the danger that comes when human gatekeepers (editors

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-57129643221628438442011-05-13T17:25:00.000-07:002011-05-13T17:25:01.980-07:00

First shot of Ian McKellan as Gandalf on the set of The Hobbit

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-13976450234068235122011-05-12T11:19:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:28:14.916-07:00

I heard Ed Schulz devoting a considerable portion of his show yesterday to the nontroversy over the rapper Common's appearance at a White House poetry reading. All I could think while listening to the show was, "Why are you spending any time on this Ed?" FOX wants nothing more than to get people to stop talking about the good things Obama is doing (like killing Osama). Why give them an assist? "

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-7589494435680631682011-05-12T10:54:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:28:15.018-07:00

When I first saw this video I thought it was one of those pulled focus deals where they make real images look like toys. Then I watched further and realized it really was a toy airport. Amazing stuff.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-44649271851541245242011-05-12T09:41:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:28:14.755-07:00

I try to keep that in mind when discussing racism. The idea that electing a black man to the Presidency would somehow usher in a new era of racial harmony was a naive proposition at best. Is it really that surprising that people in a position of privilege would just shrug their shoulders and say, "Ok" when they perceive that they are losing that position? But I am not discouraged by the

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-73918387724171049362010-03-23T17:28:00.001-07:002010-03-23T17:28:27.231-07:00

Russel King gives us what is, by far, the more comprehensive list I have ever seen of the hypocrisy, hyperbole and hate of the conservative movement. I gave up after the first few links but there were literally hundreds more to follow.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-9241264269463045092010-03-23T10:23:00.001-07:002010-03-23T10:23:39.991-07:00

TPM highlights this appearance by former GE CEO Jack Welch on the morning Squawk Box and points especially to his comment that the Republicans may be shocked by how well they WON'T do in the Fall. Welch's comments obviously surprised the hosts of the show, but his case is compelling. He makes the point that jobs are what the election will be about, but it isn't simply the question of whether

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-86250236718969364812010-02-16T09:07:00.000-08:002010-02-16T09:08:08.904-08:00

Upside down celebrities!

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-12817954786841937322010-02-16T08:58:00.001-08:002010-02-16T08:58:47.572-08:00

Once again Joe Lieberman proves that nothing he ever does is his fault. It's always someone else to blame for his actions.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-38767176394237665132010-02-16T08:56:00.001-08:002010-02-16T08:56:19.337-08:00

A group of Palestinian protesters dressed up as Na'vi from the film Avatar.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-91503178049064499172010-01-08T09:41:00.000-08:002010-01-08T09:42:11.829-08:00

Just on a hunch, I did a little research. The following comes from AirSafe.com. It is a list of fatal or near fatal significant events involving major passenger airlines since 1996. The list is limited to flights that either landed in or took off from the United States. It excludes flights that involved smaller passenger planes (e.g., &lt;100 seats).11 May 1996; ValuJet Airlines DC9-32; Near

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-17999783674975844072009-11-04T09:05:00.001-08:002009-11-04T09:05:30.047-08:00

Maine's gay marriage law was repealed last night.It is little consolation I know but at times like this I try to keep a historical perspective. The fact that almost 50% of Mainers would support marriage equality is something to be proud of. Ignorance is a powerful force. It is a mountain that appears insurmountable. But all mountains eventually are worn down by the water. Be the water.

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-24874240344674610432009-10-29T17:26:00.000-07:002009-10-29T17:27:15.374-07:00

(I'm going to tempt fate by doing some speculating about what will happen once Obama signs the HCR bill into law. May the gods forgive me.)While there are still details to be worked out, the final form of Health Care Reform has come into focus. The public option is almost certainly going to be an opt-out, trigger-free, negotiated rates system that will be available realistically only to those who

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-68253170328274217312009-10-29T10:24:00.000-07:002009-10-29T10:25:01.741-07:00

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-78927754031391617912009-10-28T11:03:00.001-07:002009-10-28T11:03:49.300-07:00

I try to keep two things in mind: (1) Political attention is a precious resource, when you get it, use it wisely. That means you should ask yourself, before saying anything or taking any action, "What am I trying to accomplish by doing this and is it worth the trouble to accomplish it?" Venting feels good, but does it actually help? If not, then do the venting with your close friends and family,

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3542835.post-34246344292660326862009-10-20T09:54:00.001-07:002009-10-20T09:54:36.644-07:00

Chris Andersenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18139817527808942227noreply@blogger.com0