Tuesday, June 30, 2009

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Police Car Hits 5 Pedestrians, Including Baby, In East Village Accident Top
A police car collided with a Cadillac, jumped the sidewalk and hit several people in the East Village - including a mother clutching her baby girl, cops and witnesses said
 
Karen Mulder ARRESTED For Plastic Surgeon Attack Top
Karen Mulder was arrested in Paris on Tuesday for repeated verbal telephone assaults on her plastic surgeon. According to the Daily Mail , Mulder, 39 (or 41 depending on the source), is believed to have freaked out when her surgeon refused to reverse an unnamed procedure the former Victoria's Secret model had had done. A detective said: 'She was screaming and shouting about the operation and became extremely threatening. 'There were repeated calls to the female surgeon who was extremely scared. The suspect is being interviewed.' Mulder was arrested at around 10am and is being kept in a cell in the eight arrondissement, the epi-centre of Paris haute couture. Mulder, who was a top model in the early 90s, later suffered depression and anorexia and was hospitalized in 2002 following an overdose. Since her recovery, she gave birth to a daughter in 2006 and returned to the catwalk in 2007 for a Dior show. She has also modeled for Yves Saint-Laurent, Chanel, Valentino, and Versace in the past. PHOTOS:
 
Dan Solin: Smart Investor Makeover: Picking Hot Mutual Funds and Other Fables (Video) Top
Every day brokerage firms across the country recommend mutual funds to their clients. Sometimes they make these recommendations based on Morningstar's much hyped "star" ratings. They may also rely on the past performance of the fund or the fund manager. It's all an elaborate con. One study showed that 5-star Morningstar rated funds actually underperformed the mutual fund averages in ensuing years. The media reinforces the ability of "experts" to pick superior funds. Forbes has an annual "Honor Roll' of mutual funds which it touts as being helpful to investors. Vanguard founder, John Bogle, examined the "Honor Roll" picks from 1974 to 1990. He found that "Honor Roll" funds significantly underperformed the markets during the period after their selection. The cumulative returns of the "Honor Roll" funds was 439.7% vs, 633.4% for index fund investors. In this week's video, which is entitled "No Stars," I discuss the data you need to know to make informed decisions about mutual funds. If I had thought more about the title, I would have called it "No Conscience." The views set forth in this blog are the opinions of the author alone and may not represent the views of any firm or entity with whom he is affiliated. The data, information, and content on this blog are for information, education, and non-commercial purposes only. Returns from index funds do not represent the performance of any investment advisory firm. The information on this blog does not involve the rendering of personalized investment advice and is limited to the dissemination of opinions on investing. No reader should construe these opinions as an offer of advisory services. Readers who require investment advice should retain the services of a competent investment professional. The information on this blog is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any securities or class of securities mentioned herein.
 
Financial Commission Unmanned: Both Dems, GOP Have Yet To Nominate A Single Person Top
Democratic and Republican leaders have yet to nominate a single person to the high-profile commission aimed at investigating the financial crisis, even though it was signed into law by President Obama more than a month ago. House and Senate leaders, responsible for naming all 10 members of the panel, say an announcement could come as early as this week so that the panel, with broad subpoena power, can begin looking into the causes of the crisis. More on Economy
 
Andy Plesser: White House Signs Online Video Distribution Deal with California Start-up Top
The White House has signed an agreement with TubeMogul, an Emeryville, California-based start-up to distribute and analyze web videos, said David Burch, a TubeMogul executive, in this video interview. I interviewed David this afternoon at the Personal Democracy Forum . (Please see the transcript below.) TubeMogul allows video producers to syndicate content to as many as 24 different video sharing sites with one one upload to the TubeMogul site. It offers two tiers of service, a free product and a paid service, which provides analytics on video usage. The White House has opted to use the paid service. It is using the service to upload to at least two sites, YouTube and Vimeo. This agreement does not include any services or support for the White House's in-house video channel, which is managed internally. David was on a panel about video and political campaigns with Steve Grove of YouTube, Jacob Soboroff of Why Tuesday, and Max Harper, a key video producer in the Obama presidential campaign. Last week, TubeMogul added video publishing site Castfire to its network of site. Recently I spoke with TubeMogul's Mark Rotblat about how the company is being used by companies and organizations. Video Transcript of Burch Interview David Burch: So I'm here at Personal Democracy Forum representing TubeMogul. I direct our marketing. I'm just here...we're on an online video panel and we're talking about a lot of our research around video viewership and I am happy to announce that we recently signed the White House and they're going to be using us to distribute their videos to several sites to be able to reach voters and citizens, kind of, where they are online. So, go beyond just YouTube. They're also going to upload with Vimeo and I believe one other site, and we got in the fax machine came an Executive Order from the President, which I guess is what happens when you sign. So we're very excited about that and excited to be here and see how technology's changing politics. You can find this post up on Beet.TV More on YouTube
 
Olbermann: Obama Stonewalling On "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (VIDEO) Top
Keith Olbermann brought on author and noted gay rights activist Dan Savage to discuss whether President Obama is stonewalling on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT). Savage makes the important point that, just as Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has suspended enforcement of the 'widower's penalty,' which forces the deportation of someone who has been married to a U.S. citizen for less than two years, Obama has the executive authority to end the military discharges of gay and lesbian service members that are the result of DADT while Congress debates repealing the policy. Considering that we're in the middle of two wars, there is a compelling national security imperative to do this. Savage sarcastically wondered if Napolitano has executive authorities that Obama lacks. Watch the interview below. Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy More on Video
 
Andrew Warren, Former CIA Chief In Algiers, Charged With Sexual Abuse Top
WASHINGTON (CNN) A former CIA station chief in Algeria has been indicted in Washington on a charge of sexual abuse involving an alleged sexual assault of an unidentified Algerian woman at his official residence in the Algerian capital last year, according to government documents.
 
Andy Borowitz: Sanford: I Was A Nonstop F*cking Machine Top
In his most candid interview to date, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford admitted more indiscretions with women today, telling the Associated Press, "I was a nonstop fucking machine." How Gov. Sanford's latest admission will play with his constituents remains to be seen, but many of the comments he made during his nine-hour interview are likely to raise eyebrows at the very least, especially instances when he referred to his penis as "the Lieutenant Governor." "I crossed lines with women," he said. "And when I say lines, I mean tan lines." More Andy Borowitz here . Andy Borowitz is a comedian and the author of Who Moved My Soap? The CEO's Guide to Surviving in Prison: The Bernie Madoff Edition. . He performs Thursday July 2 in New York at the 92nd Street Y Tribeca. Tickets available here . More on Bernard Madoff
 
Neil Zevnik: Perilous Journey 2: The Urge to Cheat Top
So here I am, only one week into this rigorous adventure, and already I'm hearing voices -- the container of Haagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche was seductively whispering to me from the freezer last night, and now it's the vodka bottle beside it preaching sedition and urging insurrection at the cocktail hour. Let's face it, we're humans. We're a species that you have only to forbid us one thing, and it becomes the one thing we crave most above all others -- Adam and Eve, the apple? I rest my case. So when faced with a diet plan that denies me any number of customary delights, my brain short-circuits, my taste buds howl, and my will (which was not all that strong to begin with) begins to crumble. What to do? And on top of that, there's the little matter of dragging my aging butt off to the gym and the park for seemingly endless workouts and boot camps day after day after day. Just the laundry alone from all those sweat-soaked t-shirts and grass-stained pants is enough to discourage anyone... I'm sure this is a daily dilemma faced by every person who attempts to transform themselves through altering food habits and committing to serious exercise. How do you encourage -- nay, force -- yourself to stick with it? How do you balance the competing claims of improved health and allowable vanity against innate laziness and oral gratification? And how do you do it all without driving your friends and family batty with your incessant whining? Okay, I'm ready to share my strategy, such as it is (understanding, of course, that this is all an ongoing process and unfolding discovery, and as such is subject to alteration at any time). I seem to be developing two reasonably reliable maxims: First and foremost, There Is No Negotiating. The alarm goes off, the room is murky gray at best, it is not a fit hour for man nor beast to be up and stirring (and my pound pup Jane attests to that with a sleepy, puzzled stare); surely boot camp can be skipped for just one day, if I promise faithfully to do an extra half-hour on the treadmill at a more civilized hour. There Is No Negotiating. Get up, get moving, get coffee. It's almost dinner-time, if I have one more 8-ounce portion of fish I will grow fins and gills, and a cheese-oozing pepperoni, sausage & mushroom pizza on my doorstep is just a brief phone-call away; really, I'll cut out half my carbs tomorrow I promise. There Is No Negotiating. Turn on the grill, turn out the fish, and turn off the mental images. Ohmigod, I've had the most wack day at work, I've put up with more nonsense than any one human should have to bear and did it all with a smile, I deserve a nice restorative cocktail, I've earned it; and hey I can swap it for the sweet potato, after all vodka is distilled from potatoes, right? There Is No Negotiating. Pour away the vodka and pour out the green tea. And Number Two (in direct contradiction to First and Foremost): Give Yourself a Break. Okay right, it does seem to negate the First rule -- but not really. This is the safety valve, if you will. Every once in a while, you need to indulge yourself, in order to keep your motivation (and sanity) intact. It is this rule that allows me to stick with the program when I might otherwise fling it out the proverbial window and surrender totally to my baser instincts; and it keeps me from blowing it big-time (like having a couple of beers with the pizza and following it with a vat of ice cream). So when you reach critical mass, you treat yourself to one slice of pizza (no sausage or pepperoni, please); or you have one cocktail before dinner, not too large, and savor every sip; or you skip your cardio on Thursday, just to give your bod a little breathing space. And suddenly that salmon for dinner seems once again appealing, and boot camp appears to be a sweaty satisfaction instead of an unbearable chore. Anyway, that's what's working for me so far. The demands of my new stepped-up regimen are testing these maxims more than ever, so we'll see what transpires over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, there's Alaskan Copper River salmon robustly calling my name from the kitchen, and my pj's are briskly suggesting an early bedtime to prepare for boot camp tomorrow... Stay tuned!
 
Lisa Earle McLeod: The New Normal: No Whining Allowed Top
Welcome to the new normal. Your 401(k) has tanked, your job is hanging by a thread, and purchases you once considered routine are now major life decisions. Many have suggested the current economic challenges are causing us to rethink our values. That may be true, but I'm also still hearing people talk about when we get over "this" and things get back to "normal." Exactly which normal are they talking about? The normal where people saved money and their assets grew? Or the normal where people financed granite countertops with their home equity line or charged flat screens on their VISA? I'm all for economic stability, but do we really want to go back to the way we were? The Universe is an amazing teacher, and sometimes we get two curriculums for the price of one. In this case, perhaps we're getting more than just a tough lesson in fiscal responsibility. Perhaps we're also getting a lesson in gratitude. My heart breaks for the people who don't know where their next meal is coming from. But many who are lamenting our losses have lost sight of just how good we still have it. While we're crying over our brokerage statements, other families (including people in this country) are wondering how they can keep their kids safe. While we're missing going out to restaurants, many families would love to sit down at an old kitchen table with a big pot of Spaghetios. Just because other people have it worse doesn't mean that your problems aren't real and significant. My husband and I lost a family business in this mess, so trust me, there's been no shortage of pity parties at our house. But if we're honest, and I certainly include myself in this, while we may be whining about what we lost, the truth is, we weren't very grateful for the good times when we had them. When we whipped into Applebee's or picked up Chinese because we were too tired to cook, did we appreciate that we lived in a country where there was plenty of good food and that we had enough money to buy it? Or did we bemoan how exhausted and stressed we were? When we got assigned yet another endless project at work, did we appreciate the fact that we had a job and that our paycheck didn't bounce? Or did we grumble about how misguided or demanding our boss was? Times are tough. But how much more do we have to lose before we learn to be grateful for what we have? People say that when God wants to teach you lesson, first he whispers; then he shouts; then he smacks you over the head with a two-by-four. The reality is, we're only at the shouting stage. We haven't been hit by the two-by-four. Yet. Losing your money or your job or even your home can be a devastating setback. But losing your sense of purpose or the people you love or the opportunity to shape your future would be even worse. And so far, that hasn't happened. The lesson is becoming pretty obvious, or at least it is to me: Be grateful for today, because tomorrow is uncertain. It always has been and it always will be. Maybe this really is the new normal. Less stuff, more gratitude; I think I'll take it. Lisa Earle McLeod is an author, syndicated columnist, keynote speaker, and business consultant. Her books include Forget Perfect and Finding Grace When You Can't Even Find Clean Underwear. More information at www.forgetperfect.com . More on The Recession
 
Matthew DeBord: Wimbledon Tennis: Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim Updates the Greatest Sport Book Ever Written Top
There's some debate on this, but many, many fans, journalist, and writers agree that John McPhee's 1969 book, Levels of the Game , is the greatest sports book ever written. Using an extremely intimate and carefully paced narrative style, McPhee recounted a deceptively important tennis match: a semifinal at the 1968 U.S. Open between Arthur Ashe and Clark Graebner. What gave Levels of the Game its enduring oomph was that it dealt not just with the intricacies of the match itself--its psychological, emotional, and athletic give-and-take (Ashe eventually won, and then won the '68 Open, the last amateur to do so)--but with the changing story of American life. On one side of the net, you had Ashe, who represented the cool, youthful, post-civil-right sports hero, coming of age in an America that was becoming more liberal, in every sense. On the other side, you had Graebner, a terrific player but also an establishment figure. Republican. Solid. Suspicious of Ashe and his mercurial talent, but respectful of the black man's prodigious skills. A lot of sports books have been written since, but no one has ever really captured Levels of the Games' distinctive mix of politics, personality, and the thrill of competition (the book originally appeared as a long essay in The New Yorker magazine). However, last year's epic Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal provided many sports fans with the opportunity to label that match--which Nadal won in a extended fifth set, in the English summer gloaming--the greatest ever played. John McEnroe was among them, and he had played in the previous greatest match ever, the 1980 Wimbledon final that he lost to Bjorn Borg. So was Sport Illustrated's L. Jon Wertheim, who has just published an unapologetically McPhee-esque book about the Federer-Nadal match, Strokes of Genius: Federer, Nadal, and the Greatest Match Ever Played. Wertheim covers tennis regularly, but he's also attracted to sports on the fringes of everyday life; his previous two books were about a pool hustler and mixed-martial arts fighter. By tackling Federer-Nadal at Wimbledon '08, he's come back to the mainstream. Obviously, this isn't the late 1960s, so the social, cultural, and political dynamics that were affecting America then aren't present in Wertheim's story. Additionally, the match took place in England, and was played between a Swiss and a Spaniard. So it isn't the tale of chaotic, challenging change. Instead, it's an analysis of the contemporary athlete, in the postmodern context. It's an analysis of what it's like to compete on a grand stage, for millions, in front of the global audience, and still be a tennis player, striking a ball back forth on slippery grass, across a simple net, keeping the shots between the lines. Doing craft while simultaneously chasing brilliance and reinventing history. The match is now viewed as a zenith for Nadal, who had defeated Federer three times in a row at the French Open, which precedes Wimbledon by a few weeks. Nadal, however, had lost to Federer in the two previous Wimbledon finals. So unlike Levels of the Game, which presented two players who were good, but in Ashe's case not yet great, and in Graebner's case, never a top-flight player, Strokes of Genius gives us indisputably the two finest players in the world, at the game's greatest venue. (And we won't see a replay this year--which is probably fitting--as Nadal withdrew from the tournament, citing injury.) In many ways, Wertheim's take on the final pits the gentleman-artist against the force of nature. Federer is a portrayed as a modest cosmopolitan from a well-mannered European nation who just happens to have a ungodly ability to play superlative tennis. Nadal is shown as a family-oriented powerhouse who stormed Federer's dominance, almost punishing the Swiss' elegance with blunt, physical capability and a will to win. And everyone knows the outcome of the '08 final now: as darkness fell and the tiebreakerless fifth set stretched on, Nadal showed himself to have become a vastly improved grass-court player, Federer gradually lost his passion to continue, and in the end the Swiss relinquished his crown and with it, a bit of his soul. (Although he got some of it back at this year's French, when he finally won on the red clay.) As Wertheim recounts this eventuality, he delves into all sorts of intriguing minutia, shifting back and forth between the action on court and the quieter drama that defines the existence of high-level modern jocks. He explains the differences between Federer and Nadal's rackets. He introduces us to Federer's essential relationship with his then-girlfriend, now wife and manager, as well as to Nadal's connection with his uncle, who's also his coach. He even offers perspective on why Federer has more...um, body hair than Nadal (suffice it to say that McPhee never had to deal with athletes and the question of "manscaping.") It's ultimately a dual portrait of pure execution, the type of mythical contest that shouldn't have a loser, but somehow must. But it's also a window into what it means to be a great competitor in the early 21st century, in a sports environment that barely resembles the world that McPhee inhabited. You wouldn't think it could be done, taking Levels of the Game and using it to make something equally compelling. But Wertheim has, and that's his personal triumph.
 
Reporter Steve Ryan Slaps Drunk Prankster In The Face For Ruining Broadcast (VIDEO) Top
We sympathize with (but do not condone!) reporter Steve Ryan's reaction after this drunk prankster repeatedly harassed him during his live Las Vegas Strip broadcast about Michael Jackson's death. Ryan tries to continue his live report, and initially reacts with good humor and patience, but when the man just won't leave him alone and wrecks the broadcast, Ryan lightly slaps the man in the face. The camera cuts back to the anchors but not before catching the engagement. Wonkette is right that the stunned expressions (0:33) on the anchors' faces (especially the one of the right) "might rank among the greatest YouTube freeze-frames of some period of time." [WATCH]
 
Emma Ruby-Sachs: Governor Sanford and the Failure of Moral Politics Top
It's satisfying to lambast a staunch social conservative for an extramarital affair on another continent. Governor Sanford voted to impeach Bill Clinton, has been a solid opponent of gay marriage and often invokes the "word of God" to support his conservative policies. I understand, those emails were hilarious and the press conference was pathetic and those of us without full rights in the United States certainly want Sanford's career to stay in the dumps. But, all this hubub over an affair? As my parents would say, it's just inappropriate sex. The real failure in this sad story is a political platform based on a personal moral code. Laws are put in place, ideally, to protect the most vulnerable members of society from those stronger than them. It's why we have criminal law, tax law, family law, securities law, etc. A good law maker identifies a weak party and works to protect them, thus representing their constituents. When law makers choose, instead, to identify a moral agenda, one that ignores the actual reality of people living in their district, and attempts to impose certain value systems based on that moral agenda, they target minorities and establish legal restrictions that fail to relate to problems voters face. So, instead of working to find homes for children without parents, politicians like Governor Sanford oppose gay adoptions. Instead of ensuring that each taxpayer is given a credit for their dependents, Governor Sanford opposes the tax rights associated with gay marriage. And like anyone who loses touch with reality, Sanford fell victim to his own fictions. His moral code bears no relation to the diverse country in which he lives. It turns out, his moral code bears little relation to his own life. Moral politics ignore reality, they serve to ostracize and isolate vulnerable members of society and they are inevitably impossible to follow. Their separation from the messy human condition means that even the people imposing the morally based laws are sinners and transgressors. We have a lot in common with Governor Sanford. We too have had to grapple with what we are taught is right and what we feel is honest and true. He's just learning the lesson a little later in life. Perhaps his tragedy will teach others the folly of moral political policies and encourage law making that addresses the diverse populations facing difficult and myriad problems in the U.S. today. More on Argentina
 
Bruce Raisley, Former "Perverted Justice" Vigilante, Arrested For Trying To Bring Down Rolling Stone's Website Top
A software developer whom authorities say once worked with the online vigilante group Perverted Justice has been charged with launching denial of service attacks against web sites belonging to Rolling Stone, Radar and others. Bruce Raisley, 47, allegedly launched the attacks to block access to two articles written by the publications that reported embarrassing information about him. But ironically his attempt to obscure the information is now bringing even more attention to it.
 
Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins: The Clean Energy Bill Story You Haven't Heard Top
In these days following the House of Representatives' passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), there's a wide range of opinions on the implications of this massive bill - particularly among progressive and environmental groups. Whatever their opinions on ACES, these groups all agree on one thing: Now that it's the Senate's turn to take on energy legislation, making ACES better will be a tough battle. But there is at least one story that gives reason for hope for the Senate fight: The story of how an unlikely coalition successfully pushed to include key provisions in the bill - provisions that will bring economic opportunity to disadvantaged communities. ACES now includes almost $1 billion in funding for job training programs, and it ensures local access to quality jobs in green construction. Thanks to bold collective efforts, the House adopted these provisions, and the bill now includes opportunity for communities that too often languish at the margins of American prosperity. The Push for Equity This unexpected success would simply not have happened without a broad range of groups - many of whom are not known for their engagement in climate and energy issues - coming together for a better, more equitable ACES. This coalition was made up of civil rights, social justice, labor, environmental, faith and community groups. The Center for Community Change, Partnership for Working Families, National Employment Law Project, and Building Trades Department of the AFL-CIO worked with Green For All in developing a proposal for creating local access to quality jobs in ACES. And established civil rights groups like the NAACP, Democracia USA, and Leadership Conference on Civil Rights piled on with a big legislative push to get this proposal into the bill. On the Hill, it was members of the Black and Hispanic Caucuses that pressed for the provisions. Champions like Representatives Bobby Rush, Emanuel Cleaver, and Ben Ray Luján in particular participated in the discussion and fought for their communities. The leadership role taken on by advocates for people of color and the working poor has never before been seen on this scale when it comes to climate and energy legislation. It was essential to getting the equity provisions into ACES, and has helped shift the terms of the debate. Senators should hear this message loud and clear as they draft legislation: Opportunity for low-income communities must be included. The Equity Provisions: 1. $860 million allocated to the Green Jobs Act . This measure will provide training to workers who need new skills for clean energy jobs - training that can be the first step on a pathway from poverty to a steady green career. 2. Local access to quality jobs , through the creation of a green-construction, careers-demonstration program. Representative Bobby Rush authored this amendment, which will promote middle-class careers and quality employment practices in the green construction sector. This program will empower the Secretaries of Labor and Energy to ensure that these green construction jobs are good jobs, and are accessible to low-income communities and local workers. The Bottom Line The bottom line is this: shifting to clean energy means redefining the very foundation of our economy. We must make sure that the principles of equity and opportunity for all are etched into that foundation. That means we need strong job quality standards. That means we need opportunities for low-income communities, opportunities like training, standards, and local hiring provisions, to be written into the laws. And that means we need strong allies, a broad movement of supporters, and bold champions on the Hill to make it happen. As we look ahead to the Senate crafting its version of energy and climate legislation, we'll need the political power, and people power, that a broad coalition can wield when it stands on common ground. The House passing ACES in and of itself may seem like more of the same, with groups on both sides arguing the merits of the bill. But look closer. Because we're gaining strength, we're forging partnerships, and we're building a growing consensus that low-income communities and communities of color must have a fair stake in a new clean energy economy. More on Climate Change
 
Some Hard-Hit States Get Less Stimulus Money Top
Some of the states worst hit by the recession are getting far less federal economic-stimulus money per person than states faring better. Nevada, where unemployment stood at about 10% when the plan was passed, is getting $541 for each resident from the stimulus money allocated so far, a Wall Street Journal analysis found. Wyoming, where the 3.9% jobless rate was the lowest in the country in February, is getting $1,074 per person.
 
Zachary Karabell: You Can be Great at Soccer or Globally Dominant -- You Can't be Both Top
So the United States lost to Brazil in the final of the FIFA Confederations cup, in that thrilling but painful tale of two halves, with the U.S. up 2-0 only to see Brazil roar back (or rather dance and prance and glide with balletic ferocity) and win 3-2. All I can say is, thank god. For the past sixty years, the powerhouses of international soccer (a.k.a. football) either have been empires past their prime and on the decline or countries that dream fruitlessly of empire - England, France, Italy, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, and Spain. To bestride the world as a soccer power is to not bestride it as an economic or military power. In its period of global hegemony, the United States was manifestly not a global powerhouse in soccer. It was mighty in everything but the sport that is played by more people in every corner of the world than any other. And so if the United States had magically defied the odds and the gods and beaten Brazil, it would have been the final sign that American is indeed in decline. Of course, the United States may already be in irreversible relative decline, its near miss against Brazil notwithstanding. But for a moment at least, order was maintained. The other rising global power, namely China, shares with the United States an historical ineptitude for the game. In fact, making fun of the Chinese national team is one of the few outlets for uncensored political expression in China, and indeed the team has been inept. It may be no coincidence that it was once coached by the same coach who struggled valiantly but in vain to remake Americans soccer, Bora Milutinovic (now the coach of the Iraq national team). China even failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, which is a feat that will probably elude the United States. Argentina - with its rich tradition of World Cup prowess, its intellectual sophistication and its astonishing natural resources - was once thought of a hemispheric challenger to the United States, before Juan Peron and Evita cemented the country's fate as a montage for an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Its victories in soccer are in almost inverse proportion to its political and economic stability. Yet, there is the case of Brazil, which has been defying the odds and has started to demonstrate real leadership and success in today's globalized economy. It has a confident and thriving middle class, energy independence and cutting edge use of biofuels, as well as decreasing corruption. That may explain why the national team has struggled of late, as Brazil attempts the rare feat of having both an ascendant national economy and a dominant football team. For now, the world order is not yet dramatically upended, but as the game demonstrated and as the last year has proven, that order is in flux and the old hierarchies are unlikely to remain in place for long. More on Argentina
 
Todd Purdum Discusses His Vanity Fair Article On Palin: "Desperate" Decision That Revealed McCain's "Appalling Egotism" To His Staffers Top
Todd Purdum was a guest on 'Hardball" tonight to discuss his mammoth 10,000-word Vanity Fair article on Sarah Palin and her involvement in the McCain presidential campaign. The piece is filled with former McCain staffers making damaging statements (albeit anonymously) about Palin on a wide range of issues, from her lackluster efforts to prepare for debates to her diva-like behavior and strained relationships with the campaign staffers assigned to her. Essentially, Purdum describes a "desperate" campaign which "took one of the great leaps of faith in American political history." However, the lack of deliberation and vetting behind the decision backfired on the campaign: They needed something to shake up that race and she did shake up that race... In the short term, in the first 10 days it seemed to be working. What happened though was what the McCain campaign has not really taken the time to find out was there was a whole sort of counter-story about her in Alaska that was a lot less rosy than the one they sold of a governor... record-high approval ratings, 80 percent support in her state, who'd taken on big oil and so forth and so there were always a lot more problems with her than they knew. Purdum explains the anonymity of the negative quotes about Palin to the staffers finding it painful, even privately, to reflect on the selection of Palin because: There is ultimately no way to read [it] as reflecting anything but an appalling egotism, heedlessness and lack of judgment... They all know that if their candidate - a 72-year-old cancer survivor - had won the presidency, the vice presidency would be in the hands of a woman who lacked the knowledge, the preparation, the aptitude, and the temperament for the job. Chuck Todd, filling in for Chris Matthews, pressed Purdum on these extremely harsh words, asking if Purdum actually had McCain staffers telling him this or if it was more of a read-between-the-lines of the staffers' statements. Purdum demurred, saying he didn't want to get into a discussion about sources, but he stated it's safe to say that he had people from the McCain campaign saying words extremely close to those words that he wrote. Purdum also discusses her current, very popular, presence within the national Republican party base, and her future political prospects . The whole interview is worth watching. [WATCH] Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy More on Sarah Palin
 

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