Sunday, May 31, 2009

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Sheldon Filger: Paul Krugman Is Wrong on Inflation Top
In an Alice in Wonderland column published in the New York Times on May 29, economist Paul Krugman launched an attack on those such as myself who have expressed concern that the profligate budget deficits being enacted by the Obama administration are laying the foundation for high inflation. In my piece published in the Huffington Post, " U.S. Economy Risks Dire Prospect of Hyperinflation ," I made specific reference to the possibility that the Obama economic team may be pursuing an inflationary course as a strategy to reduce the real value of the exploding national debt. It seems that this point in particular caught the ire of Professor Krugman. There is one point in Krugman's piece that I concur with; we are enduring an unprecedented economic crisis. This calls for thoughtful debate and deliberative argumentation. Unfortunately, even as distinguished an economist as Paul Krugman can at times slip into a mode of petty banalities. As such, his New York Times polemic adds nothing consequential to the discourse on critical issues such as the risks as well as benefits of massive fiscal and monetary intervention on the part of the Obama administration and Federal Reserve. There are, however, a number of points raised by Krugman that warrant a response. One point promulgated by Professor Krugman is that the unprecedented level of quantitative easing by the Fed is not inflationary, and that those such as myself who have raised this concern are "just wrong." This is what Krugman had to say on this matter, Now, it's true that the Fed has taken unprecedented actions lately. More specifically, it has been buying lots of debt both from the government and from the private sector, and paying for these purchases by crediting banks with extra reserves. And in ordinary times, this would be highly inflationary: banks, flush with reserves, would increase loans, which would drive up demand, which would push up prices. But these aren't ordinary times. Banks aren't lending out their extra reserves. They're just sitting on them. So, Krugman agrees that quantitative easing in ordinary times is "highly inflationary" but in our present predicament those rules are suspended. What is left out of Paul Krugman's rationalization is that banks are sitting on the infusion of liquidity they have received from the Fed because of their chronic need to shore up their balance sheets, which are saturated with toxic assets. However, it is the intention of the Fed to facilitate credit easing on the part of financial institutions through its quantitative easing, which leads to the possibility of future inflation, unless the Federal Reserve is a model of perfection in tightening up on the money supply when the credit crunch abates. Based on the overall performance of the Federal Reserve since the initial stages of the subprime mortgage meltdown, I would not be sanguine about their ability to inhibit the expansion of the money supply when inflationary pressures return. Professor Krugman also adds that the primary concern currently is deflation, which I agree with in my Huffington Post piece, however, I disagree when he claims that there are currently no inflationary pressures. Due in large part to the falling value of the U.S. dollar, we have recently witnessed a substantial increase in the price of oil, despite weak demand due to the ongoing synchronized global recession. What appears to be an anomaly is actually a harbinger of future trends, in my view. Excessive deficit spending is contributing to the weakening of the dollar, which has price consequences for an economy as dependent on imported goods and commodities as is the case with the United States. A major point made by others and me is that a high ratio of national debt to GDP creates a substantially elevated risk of inflation. Furthermore, I suggest that this may lead to a conclusion by decision-makers that the only policy response that can reduce this dangerous ratio of public indebtedness is to allow high levels of inflation, which in turn "grows" the nominal GDP not through higher output of goods and services, but through reduction of the constant value of the currency. Professor Krugman is dismissive of this point, making reference to the United States having a level of public debt that exceeded the GDP right after World War II, without severe consequences. Let us look at the facts. The United States ended World War II with a labor force, including a substantial military, which was fully employed but had been restricted in the opportunities to spend disposable income. This was due to rationing on basic commodities such as foodstuffs, and the termination of production of major consumer durables such as automobiles owing to industrial mobilization in support of the war effort. After VJ day the pent-up consumer demand exploded, while consumer goods remained in short supply in the immediate post-war period. The result was a combination of real growth and high inflation, both dynamics contributing to the attenuation of the public debt to GDP ratio. Thus in 1946, the national debt ratio reached its highest level, 121%. By 1948, that ratio had declined significantly, at 93.7%. Now, let us observe the inflation rate during this period: 8.3% in 1946, a staggering 14.4% in 1947 and 8.1% in 1948. These figures clearly demonstrate that having a level of public debt exceeding 100% of the GDP does have inflationary consequences, and suggests that inflation in turn reduces the real value of the nominal public debt as a proportion of national GDP. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Paul Krugman's piece, beyond superficial and trivializing dismissal of those he disagrees with on the question of high levels of deficit spending, is his marginalization of those he disputes by resorting to rhetorical generalizations. Thus, he issues this inexplicable diagnosis of those who hold economic views that are contrary to his own: "But it's hard to escape the sense that the current inflation fear-mongering is partly political, coming largely from economists who had no problem with deficits caused by tax cuts but suddenly became fiscal scolds when the government started spending money to rescue the economy. And their goal seems to be to bully the Obama administration into abandoning those rescue efforts." One of the inflation fear mongers is a supporter of President Obama's stimulus spending program, NYU economics professor Nouriel Roubini. This is what he had to say at a recent symposium on the economic crisis, which Professor Krugman also participated in: ...we have to worry about the long run. If we're going to finance budget deficits by printing money, we may have high inflation, even risk of hyperinflation in some countries. That's what happened in Germany in the 1920s during the Weimar Republic. We are having large budget deficits and increasing the public debt, we don't know whether it's going to be $5 trillion or $10 trillion of more debt. But there are only a few ways of resolving that debt problem: either you default on it as countries like Argentina did; or you use the inflation tax to wipe out the real value of the debt; or you have to raise taxes and cut government spending. And given the size of the deficits, over time that's going to be a painful political choice to make. So we need the stimulus in the short run, but we need to restore medium-term fiscal sustainability. Another supporter of President Obama's economic policies, who also opposed George W. Bush's deficit-financed tax cuts, is billionaire investor Warren Buffet. This is what the oracle of Omaha had to say about the linkage between high public debt to GDP ratios and the risk of inflation: "A country that continuously expands its debt as a percentage of GDP and raises much of the money abroad to finance that, at some point, it's going to inflate its way out of the burden of that debt." In writing off those observers who are concerned about the inflationary dangers emerging from the exploding national debt, Paul Krugman resorts to paraphrasing Franklin Roosevelt, claiming that the only thing we have to fear about inflation is the fear of inflation itself. It seems, however, that there is one authority that is of like mind with Professor Krugman. In December 2002, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, about to be fired for opposing the Bush tax cuts, had a meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney. In response to O'Neill's warning of the long-term implications for the nation's economic health of escalating federal deficits, Cheney told the soon-to-be but prescient ex-Treasury Secretary, "You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don't matter." I never thought I would witness the day when Paul Krugman and Dick Cheney agree on economic policy. More on Global Financial Crisis
 
Deer Jumps Cop Car: Amazing Video Top
CNN posted a local news story about a cop who had a near miss with a deer in Indianola, Iowa. Check out the video below. Embedded video from CNN Video
 
Mary Mapes: No Mercy Top
I felt just sick today when I saw the bulletin about the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Sicker still when I saw the "sympathy" letter issued by officials at Operation Rescue, the virulent anti-abortion organization that dogged this poor man for the past two decades. The statement said, "We pray for Mr. Tiller's family." They had better say a few prayers for their own souls. They had better pray for forgiveness for relentlessly working to make this man a target. Operation Rescue's Web site said the organization was "shocked" by the murder. Well, I'm not. This has been a long time coming, and no one has played a greater part in the run-up to the doctor's death than Operation Rescue. Their leaders -- and all of the group's enablers -- should be cowering in shame today. I was in Wichita, Kansas in 1991 covering Operation Rescue's cruelly misnamed "Summer of Mercy," a six-week ordeal when thousands of anti-abortion protesters descended on Dr. George Tiller. These "rescuers" -- sweaty mobs of zombie-like true believers -- swarmed across the street in front of the clinic like angry ants. They crawled over the hot asphalt toward his office on their hands and knees. They collapsed onto the stairs, chained themselves to the fence, shrieked prayers and threats and bellowed the Biblical equivalent of evil spells at anyone who approached the place. They fell lifelessly to the ground, some of them swooning and crashing spectacularly to earth. When I went to Wichita to cover this, I thought I would be assigned there for a day or two. But this became more than a single protest. It turned out to be the birthplace of heartland civil disobedience against abortion and it went on and on and on. Like the protesters, news people at the siege had a regular daily schedule. Every day we rose early and raced to the clinic, set up our cameras in the hot Midwestern sun and waited for the anti-abortion performance art to begin. Like clockwork, Operation Rescue's fleet of air-conditioned buses would pull up an hour before the office opened. Out would pour hundreds and hundreds of protesters eager to lay their lives and their bodies on the line for the "babies." Wichita police were overpowered and overworked. The protesters were over-excited and overweight. Day after day, weary local cops had to pick up and drag away protesters by the ton, literally. By the end, all the officers were wearing wide leather lifting belts in an attempt to protect their backs as they struggled to hoist and carry off so much dead weight. Police complained to us bitterly about colleagues who had seriously damaged their backs. I remember one cop telling me he was praying the protests would stop before he ruined his back and his career. Every night in the hotel that Operation Rescue designated as its home base, the organization sponsored a "worship service" that featured singing, prayer, sermonizing and a whole lotta snake oil. Operation Rescue leader Randall Terry, an egotistical, self-aggrandizing super-nerd, commanded the room like a rock star. Women fainted and lay trembling on the ground when he entered to thundering applause and the screams of people who love Jesus so much they act like they're crazy. The chemistry in the room was unlike anything I've been around, before or since. In just a few weeks in Wichita, Operation Rescue forged an unholy alliance of sexually repressed super Christians, men who hate women and women who hate themselves and turned them into a supercharged army of bullies for Jesus. And they were bullies. In 1991 and until his murder, Dr. Tiller was one of the few doctors in this country who performed late-term abortions. Despite what Operation Rescue claimed, none of his clients were ending pregnancies on a whim. None of them wanted to be there. Each case was a tragedy -- a much anticipated child discovered to have only a partially formed head, a baby that was dying in the womb and had to be delivered, a child with medical problems so profound as to be unimaginable, a diagnosis that meant a child's life outside its mother's body would be both brief and brutal. Tiller's clients often included couples who had been hoping to become parents but had their hearts broken late in pregnancy when they received horrifying medical news about their much-wanted babies. These people got no mercy from Operation Rescue. They were hounded and harassed, shoved and shouted at on the most heart-breaking day of their lives. In order for patients to make it to their appointments, clinic supporters had to coordinate each woman's arrival with walkie-talkies. They shielded the patient by forming a flying wedge of bodies that rushed through the crowd to escort her into the building. I watched one woman sobbing as she and her husband were helped into the clinic. Her tears went unnoticed by the hundreds of protestors surrounding her who shrieked and wailed and tried to trip the people escorting her to the door. It was horrible. And now, finally, after all the heavy breathing about heaven and God, evil and innocence, Operation Rescue by all appearances has goaded someone into killing George Tiller. He was shot to death as he worked as an usher at his longtime church. His wife was close by in her regular place in the choir. The circumstances of his murder highlight precisely how hypocritical and grotesque this brand of "morality" is. The zealots are already feigning shock that something like this could happen. Their partners in crime will soon be doing the same. I can already envision the backpedaling and rationalizing that we'll hear from longtime Tiller critic Bill O'Reilly. Dr. James Dobson, who hosted the triumphant closing "Summer of Mercy" event that summer in Wichita, will undoubtedly declare himself deeply saddened. I keep going back to Operation Rescue's catchy slogan for the "Summer of Mercy." They yelled it at everyone within earshot. "If you believe abortion is murder, act like it's murder." Maybe they have a point. After this country's seemingly endless assaults and murders of clinic doctors and staff, the explosions and fire bombings, the vandalism and harassment, it's clear that this violent behavior is not a natural outgrowth of religious belief or moral concerns. This is not part of a disagreement over when life begins. This is terrorism. And if we believe this is terrorism, we need to act like it's terrorism. No mercy.
 
Recent Cases Of Abortion-Related Violence Top
A look at recent cases of abortion-related violence: _ May 31, 2009: Prominent late-term abortion provider George Tiller is shot and killed in a Wichita church where he was serving as an usher. The gunman fled but a city official said a suspect is in custody. _ April 2007: Authorities say Paul Ross Evans placed a homemade bomb in the parking lot of the Austin Women's Health Center in Texas. A bomb squad disposes of the device, which contained two pounds of nails. There are no injuries. _ Oct. 23, 1998: Dr. Barnett Slepian is fatally shot in his home in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y. Militant abortion opponent James Kopp is convicted of the murder in 2003 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. _ Jan. 29, 1998: A bomb explodes just outside a Birmingham, Ala., abortion clinic, killing a police officer and wounding several others. Eric Rudolph later pleads guilty to that incident and the deadly bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He justifies the Alabama bombing in an essay from prison, writing that Jesus would condone "militant action in defense of the innocent." _ Jan. 16, 1997: Two bomb blasts an hour apart rock an Atlanta building containing an abortion clinic. Seven people are injured. Rudolph is charged by federal authorities in October 1998. _ Dec. 30, 1994: John Salvi opens fire with a rifle inside two Boston-area abortion clinics, killing two receptionists and wounding five others. Sentenced to life without parole, he kills himself in prison in 1996. _ Nov. 8, 1994: Dr. Garson Romalis, who performs abortions in Vancouver, Canada, is shot in the leg while eating breakfast at home. _ July 29, 1994: Dr. John Bayard Britton and his volunteer escort, James H. Barrett, are slain outside a Pensacola, Fla., abortion clinic. Barrett's wife, June, is wounded in the attack. Paul J. Hill, 40, a former minister and anti-abortion activist, is later convicted of murder and sentenced to death. _ Aug. 19, 1993: Dr. George Tiller is shot in the arms as he drives out of parking lot at his Wichita, Kan., clinic. Rachelle "Shelley" Shannon is later convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison. _ March 10, 1993: Dr. David Gunn is shot to death outside Pensacola, Fla., clinic, becoming the first U.S. doctor killed during an anti-abortion demonstration. Michael Griffin is convicted and serving a life sentence.
 
Sandy Kaczmarski: Unwigged and Unplugged: Spinal Tap Unwiped Top
In this world of reality TV and the self-absorbed, it was a wonderful respite to journey into the unreality and self-absorption of the Spinal Tap world on May 30 at the historic Chicago Theatre before the fictitious group headed to Milwaukee for the final stop. The tour, which began April 14 in Vancouver and wound its way across America through 19 states and two Canadian provinces, actually had minimal publicity; but what was publicized was strategically targeted to reach the band's followers on the Internet. Spinal Tap, the alter egos of Michael McKean , Christopher Guest , and Harry Shearer , walked on stage to a sell-out crowd, giving a hand-clapping, feet stomping, mouth, uh, shouting performance with the help of their alter-alter egos, The Folksmen. Dave Itzkoff on nytimes.com writes that in 2001 at a Spinal Tap performance at the Beacon Theater "some fans vocally objected to an unannounced appearance by the Folksmen," apparently not getting the joke. Chicago fans get the joke. Despite the trio getting a little long-in-the-tooth (McKean and Guest are 61 and Shearer is 65), the lobby was jammed with fans lined up to buy t-shirts imprinted with a torso (like the one Nigel Tufnels wears in the film), Unwigged and Unplugged tour shirts, and one with the Folksmen on the front and the sign "Ea_ A_ _oe's from their "hit" on the back. Also on sale was a do-it-yourself Stonehenge kit, paying homage to the hilarious 18" tall stage prop bit. The crowd went wild as these three remarkably talented musicians moved through their roles in " This is Spinal Tap ," and " The Mighty Wind ." When the first strains of "Penny For Your Thoughts" began and Guest took on the persona of Corky St. Clair from the group's 1996 venture, " Waiting for Guffman ," it was clear McKean, Guest, and Shearer were playing to a crowd of worshippers. The set, which lasted for more than two uninterrupted hours, included favorites such as "Clam Caravan," "Hell Hole," "Cups and Cakes," "A Mighty Wind," "Sex Farm," and "Stonehenge." A slower arrangement of "Big Bottom" knocked the house on its ass. The Folksmen got everybody toe-tapping with "Corn Wine," "Blood on the Coal" and "Never Did No Wanderin'," among others and didn't disappoint with a rendition of "Start Me Up," which is described on Wikipedia as an acoustic song that describes how people can relate to cars. You know. A sweet touch was McKean and his wife, actress Annette O'Toole, singing their Academy-award nominated song "A Kiss At The End of the Rainbow," Mitch and Mickey's signature song from "A Mighty Wind." Shearer's wife, singer/songwriter Judith Owen, also performed and Guest's wife, actress Jamie Lee Curtis, appeared in the Stonehenge video holding the troll dolls. Yes, I'm a Spinal Tap fan and think "A Mighty Wind" is one of the funniest movies ever made. I will be one of the first in line to get Spinal Tap's new release " Back From The Dead " due out on June 16. When I did a search on HuffPo for "spinal tap unwigged," it asked me "did you mean spinal tap unwiped?" I had found the title for this piece. Yes. Spinal Tap Unwigged, Unplugged and Unwiped. That's the way it is. I just want to thank Michael, Christopher, and Harry for a wonderful and unforgettable night in Chicago. Hope it was good for you, too. Mock on.
 
Katie Buckland: In Defense of Kate Gosselin -- A Feminist Perspective Top
Does it occur to anyone else that some of the criticism of Kate Gosselin, the mom in John and Kate plus Eight , is pure, unadulterated sexism? There is no doubt who is in charge in that household, who wears the pants if you will, and the nontraditional power relationship drives some of this public hostility. Contrast the recent coverage screaming at us from the headlines of all those colorful magazines at the checkout stand. She gave him an allowance of $5? She travels while he stays home? He is a saint for getting the kids dressed once in awhile? The Duggers, with 18 children, a made up religion that seems to advocate contempt for the rest of America, and a reality TV show on TLC, also have these same rules. But the pronouns are reversed. They stepped out of the '50's - the 1850's that is - complete with long dresses and an absolute, unflinching patriarchy. Why don't I hear screeching about their parenting? Between the homeschooling, the physical construction work on the new house, and the system of letting the children parent each other, they are much farther from the American parenting norm than the Gosselins. So go ahead and bag on her spray tan, her mullet in the making hair style, or her new boobs, but enough about her emasculating her husband. She's not the next Lorena Bobbitt, just your average $75,000 a week reality TV star with 8 kids, a sloth of a husband and a book tour. More on Reality TV
 
Adele Stan: Tiller Murder: Ann Coulter's Happy Day? Top
The killing of George Tiller will likely be attributed to some lone and deranged individual, acting on his or her own. (As I write, the suspect remains at large.) Indeed, Operation Rescue, the hold-no-prisoners anti-abortion group, issued an immediate statement from Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, decrying Tiller's shooting as "a cowardly act." In fact, the hands are many in the death of George Tiller, some more directly than others. Take Ann Coulter, for example. I watched her describe , to a church full of right-wing activists, abortion-clinic doctors and health care personnel who were murdered as either having been shot, "...or, depending on your point of view, had a procedure performed on them with a rifle." And she's still out there today, spewing the same bile with violent force. Several weeks ago, President Barack Obama's commencement address at Notre Dame University spurred controversy when anti-abortion activists pressed the Catholic university to withdraw its invitation to the pro-choice president. Coulter responded with the suggestion that for next year's ceremony, "Notre Dame have an abortionist perform an abortion live on stage? They could have a partial-birth abortion for the advanced degrees." As if that wasn't enough, Coulter added this: Being such a prestigious institution, Notre Dame could probably get famed partial-birth abortion practitioner George Tiller to do the demonstration at next year's graduation. Obama could help -- inasmuch as Tiller the abortionist is a close friend of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. George Tiller, M.D., was unlikely national figure, but to the religious right, he was Enemy Number One. Close watchers of national news may have known the name of George Tiller from the extraordinary actions of former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, who, three years ago subpoenaed from Tiller's clinic the records of hundreds of women who had undergone abortion procedures there. Kline, a frequent speaker at religious-right gatherings, claimed he needed the records for an investigation as to whether Tiller was following the law, but many in the reproductive health community saw Kline's actions as an attempt to intimidate women who were considering undergoing late-term abortions. Kline's case against Tiller was dismissed in 2006, after Kansas voters booted the AG from office. Tiller's name became part of inside-the-Beltway parlance with the nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to head the Department of Health and Human Services, when campaign contributions from Tiller and his associates became a bone of contention in her confirmation process. (She has since been confirmed, and is now HHS secretary.) Sometimes, it seems, having friends in high places only increases one's danger. So my question to Ann Coulter is: Did George Tiller have "a procedure performed on him by a rifle"? Did he simply get his just desserts? If the murderer was not a follower of Coulter's, he certainly acted from the sort of hateful sentiment she disseminates in popular and right-wing media. Consider this comment left by a reader of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune 's posting of Associated Press coverage of the Tiller murder: Although I would never do something like this, he got what was coming to him. Now he needs to answer to God for the thousands of innocent babies he has murdered. Sounds like one of Annie's kids to me. More on Barack Obama
 
Shannyn Moore: Christian Fundamentalist Terrorism Top
Christian Fundamentalist Terrorism. It's shocking to write. But it's time to start calling it what it is. When Jim D. Adkisson walked into the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church with 76 rounds and a shot-gun, he killed 2 people and was charged with murder. His motive was "he hated the liberal movement" and was upset with "liberals in general as well as gays." He should have been charged with terrorism. Today, George Tiller, the Wichita doctor was killed INSIDE the lobby of his Wichita church. Reformation Lutheran Church became a crime scene; fundamentalist terrorism. The right wing media hacks make targets of the left. The fundamentalist reverends blather their intolerance of other Americans. Their marriages are in jeopardy if the GLBT community can walk down an aisle. Their children are going to be molested if you have to rent to a same sex couple. Fear...fear...fear the queer. Bill O'Reilly's hit piece on Dr. Tiller is a training tape for Christian Fundamentalist Terrorists. Never did he ask the woman interviewed how she, as a 13 year old, got pregnant, who was the father, or where her parents were when she underwent an abortion at Dr. Tiller's clinic. I'm sure O'Reilly's drivel will insist on personal accountability for the murderer. I'm sure he won't be in line for any "accountability" for calling the doctor "Tiller the baby-killer" or his clinic a "death mill." Are anti-choice groups celebrating today? An abortion doctor is dead so women won't have unwanted pregnancies! The "war on terror" needs to include domestic terrorists . More on Bill O'Reilly
 
Randall Terry, Operation Rescue Founder, Says He's More Concerned About Obama's Reaction Than Tiller's Murder Top
Randall Terry, the founder of anti-abortion group Operation Rescue who led protests against George Tiller's clinic in Wichita, Kansas in 1991, issued a statement about today's killing of the abortion doctor. In his comments, Terry does not grieve for Tiller or denounce the murder but seems more concerned about President Obama's reaction and what it bodes for the pro-life movement. "George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God. I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller's killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder. And we still must call abortion by its proper name; murder. Those men and women who slaughter the unborn are murderers according to the Law of God. We must continue to expose them in our communities and peacefully protest them at their offices and homes, and yes, even their churches." Terry did not return calls for comment.
 
Andy Borowitz: Bush Charges $150,000 to Speak; $1.5 Million to Speak in English Top
Former president George W. Bush has let it be known that he is available to speak on the corporate lecture circuit for $150,000 and will be willing to speak in English for $1.5 million. Tracy Klugian, Mr. Bush's agent and head of the Ex-Presidential Speakers Bureau, explained the disparity in fees: "He is charging ten times as much to speak in English because it requires ten times the effort." Mr. Bush came to the decision to charge the higher rate for speaking in English after an appearance in Toronto last week with former President Bill Clinton, an experience which he found "draining." "President Bush didn't realize he was expected to speak in English at the event, since it was in Canada," his agent explained. Mr. Klugian said that despite the lofty fee, he had already fielded several offers from corporations who would like to hear the former President speak in English: "I think it's the novelty factor." But the President's agent said he has had to politely decline requests to have Mr. Bush speak in complete sentences: "I tell them, 'Thanks, but you can't afford that.'" Subscribe for free to The Borowitz Report here . More on Bill Clinton
 
Scott Mendelson: Does Sony and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Actually Benefit from the Death of John Travolta's Son? Top
The big gossip news today is that John Travolta will not be doing publicity for Sony's upcoming The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 . Fair enough. The man lost his sixteen year old son in a freak incident just six months ago, so the idea of doing a junket and/or appearing on the late-night talk shows is probably not very appealing right now. But here's the awkward situation. It stands to argue that the news that Travolta is not doing publicity, as revealed by the film's costar (Denzel Washington), makes for a bigger media splash than if Travolta had just gone out and done the traditional publicity tour. Surely if his son had not just died, the footage of Travolta doing this appearance or that appearance wouldn't be the least bit noteworthy. Furthermore, if Travolta had gone the publicity route, having just buried his kid, each appearance and each interview would have been front page fodder for the gossip rags and gossipy news sites (such as, sad to say, Huffington Post's entertainment section ). Either he opens up about his grief and every quote becomes a 'must read heart breaker', or he completely focuses on the film, which then is a news story in and of itself ("Why won't he talk about it? Is he in denial?" the tabloids will scream). Point being, from a purely objective point of view, can we not conclude that the death of Jett Travolta is actually a boon for Sony marketing and those who desire that The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 open well in two weeks? Just as the death of Health Ledger and the prostitution-related arrest of Hugh Grant gave an added boost to their respective projects, John Travolta's family tragedy will have the effect of turning an arbitrary publicity tour (by Washington and others involved in the film) into a genuine news story that will place the film in the fore minds of readers and viewers everywhere. Sad to say, but the death of Travolta's son is nothing but good news for the financial success of his latest picture. More on Heath Ledger
 
Nadal Loses In French Open 2009: Defeated By Robin Soderling Top
PARIS — For 31 matches, Rafael Nadal ruled the red clay of Roland Garros, boasting an unbeaten record and an unbreakable will. For 31 matches, this was his surface, his tournament, his time. For 31 matches, dating to his debut on May 23, 2005, Nadal never truly was challenged, much less defeated, at the French Open, allowing him to win four consecutive titles and close in on becoming the first player in history with five in a row. Until Sunday. Until the fourth round of the 2009 French Open. Until Robin Soderling, a 24-year-old from Sweden with a bit of an attitude and 6-foot-3 worth of power, transformed Nadal's career mark at Roland Garros from a best-ever 31-0 to 31-1 with 3 1/2 hours of assertive, and sometimes spectacular, play. "Well, that's the end of the road, and I have to accept it," Nadal said. "I have to accept my defeat as I accepted my victories: with calm." Simply put, Soderling's 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 7-6 (2) victory over the No. 1-seeded Nadal rates as one of the biggest upsets in tennis history. Not sure? Set aside all of Nadal's bona fides for a moment _ the dominance on clay; the six Grand Slam titles, including at Wimbledon and Australian Open _ and focus on this: The 23rd-seeded Soderling never had won so much as a third-round match at any major tournament before this one. "I kept telling myself, 'This is just another match,'" Soderling said. Nadal won all three of their previous meetings, including a contentious match at Wimbledon in 2007, and a 6-1, 6-0 rout on clay at Rome in April. But this time, Nadal was a half-step slower than usual _ he tumbled to the ground in the third set, smearing clay all over his pink shirt and charcoal shorts _ and Soderling was lights-out good. Soderling finished with 61 winners, 28 more than Nadal, and won the point on 27 of 35 trips to the net. "One of those days," Nadal said. "I had someone playing very well in front of me." The stunning result rendered the rest of Sunday's action around the grounds mere footnotes, from reigning French Open women's champion Ana Ivanovic's exit in a 6-2, 6-3 loss to No. 9 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, to Maria Sharapova's latest three-set victory, to the Williams' sisters loss in doubles. All that really mattered on this day was Nadal's ouster. In the first round, he broke Bjorn Borg's record of 28 straight French Open wins by a man. In the second, he eclipsed Chris Evert's overall tournament record of 29. "Everybody's in a state of shock, I would think," said Mats Wilander, a three-time French Open champion who works with Soderling as Sweden's Davis Cup captain. "At some point, Nadal was going to lose. But nobody expected it to happen today, and maybe not this year. Now it's a matter of: There's a tournament to be won." The biggest beneficiary might be Roger Federer, the 13-time major champion whose resume is missing only a French Open title. Looked at another way, the pressure on Federer to finally win the championship at Roland Garros ratchets far higher. Federer lost to Nadal in each of the past three finals at Roland Garros, and in the 2005 semifinals, too. "If one guy deserves it," Nadal said, "that's him." Federer was the last player to even take a set off Nadal at the French Open _ all the way back in the 2007 final. Nadal's streak of 32 consecutive sets won at Roland Garros, second only to Borg's record of run 41 from 1978-81, did not last long Sunday. When Nadal missed a backhand wide, then another into the net, Soderling broke him for the second time to take the first set. That, Soderling would say, was key. "I felt if I can win one set," he said, "why not the second one, and then the third one?" Soderling did come within two points of winning the second set, when he led 6-5 and Nadal was serving. Nadal held there, though, then ran away with the ensuing tiebreaker, helped by six unforced errors by Soderling. That was certainly a moment when Soderling could have folded. Instead, he showed fortitude. "It takes a serious mind to realize, that, 'Hey, listen, I just lost the second set 7-6 to Nadal, but I am so much better today, and I've just got to stay with him.' And that's, I think, what Robin exactly did," Wilander said. Nadal's high-bouncing forehands didn't bother Soderling. Soderling's deep groundstrokes and booming serves _ at up to 140 mph _ troubled Nadal, who stood way behind the baseline. When Soderling served out the third set at love, Nadal had lost two sets in a single French Open match for the first time. As the fourth-set tiebreaker began, spectators at Court Philippe Chatrier serenaded the underdog with choruses of "Roh-bean!" Others responded, "Ra-fa!" Later, Nadal termed the extra support for Soderling "sad." Soderling moved ahead 6-1, but Nadal's forehand winner erased the first match point of his French Open career. On the second, Nadal's volley landed wide, the final point of his lone loss at Roland Garros. "We know that when we walk on the court, we can either win or lose," Nadal said. "No one remembers defeats in the long run. People remember victories. So I have to move forward." He turns 23 on Wednesday, and noted he's accustomed to celebrating his birthday at Roland Garros. Not this year. About 75 minutes after the match ended, Nadal left the locker room with a couple of gym bags and a white plastic trash bag with other belongings. He paused at the tournament's player support desk for goodbye kisses, then walked past the transportation desk and said, "Ciao. Merci." Nadal slid into a black sedan that whisked him through the complex's green gate _ departing one week earlier than he expected, one week earlier than every other year he's been here. More on Sports
 
George Tiller Killed: Abortion Doctor Shot At Church Top
***UPDATE*** At an afternoon news conference, Wichita Police confirmed that a suspect, a 51-year-old man, had been arrested for the murder of Dr. George Tiller, reports KSN-3 News : The suspect is currently facing one count of murder and two counts of aggravated assault for threatening onlookers who tried to intervene. ***UPDATE*** The AP reports that a suspect is in custody: A Wichita city official says a suspect is in custody in the shooting death of late-term abortion provider George Tiller. The city official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case. The official did not provide additional details. An attorney for Tiller, Dan Monnat, says the doctor was shot Sunday as he served as an usher during morning services at Reformation Lutheran Church. Monnat said Tiller's wife, Jeanne, was in the choir at the time of the shooting. WICHITA, Kansas -- Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas doctor whose clinic received national attention for performing late-term abortions, was shot to death as he entered his Wichita church on Sunday. "Members of the congregation who were inside the sanctuary at the time of the shooting were being kept inside the church by police," the Wichita Eagle reported , "and those arriving were being ushered into the parking lot." Media reports said the suspected killer fled the scene in a blue Taurus. Police described him as a white male in his 50s or 60s. Tiller has been among the few U.S. physicians performing late-term abortion, making him a favored target of anti-abortion protesters. He testified that he and his family have suffered years of harassment and threats. His clinic was the site of the 1991 "Summer of Mercy" protests marked by mass demonstrations and arrests. His clinic was bombed in 1985, and an abortion opponent shot him in both arms in 1993. Tiller's clinic also provided group and individual counseling, as well as chaplain and funeral services for people who were grieving. The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, which runs a " Tiller Watch " feature on its website, released a statement condemning the shooting. "We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down. Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning. We pray for Mr. Tiller's family that they will find comfort and healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ." Tiller remained prominent in the news in recent years, in part because of an investigation begun by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline, an abortion opponent. Prosecutors had alleged that Tiller had gotten second opinions from a doctor who was essentially an employee of his, not independent as state law requires, but a jury in March acquitted him of all 19 misdemeanor counts against him. Abortion opponents also questioned then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' ties to Tiller before the Senate confirmed her this year as U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. Tiller donated thousands of dollars to Sebelius over the years.
 
Schumer: Sotomayor Is 'Filibuster-Proof' Top
WASHINGTON — A leading Democratic senator says that President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee is "virtually filibuster-proof" when his colleagues look at her record. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York said Sunday that Sonia Sotomayor's nomination is heading toward confirmation. He says she has a compelling history and a moderate record. Schumer downplayed Sotomayor's comments about her ethnic background and the bench. He says Sotomayor's comments about her personal experiences reflect a respect for the law while acknowledging her own background as the daughter of Puerto Rican parents. Some conservative critics of Sotomayor are calling her a racist. Schumer spoke to ABC's "This Week." More on Sonia Sotomayor
 

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