Saturday, October 31, 2009

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Arianna Huffington: Sunday Roundup Top
I should sue John McCain. Three and a half years ago, writing about Net Neutrality, the attempt to guarantee the Internet stays free and open, I said that it was a slam-dunk issue being hampered by a lousy name -- one that evokes a tennis match in Switzerland or basketball players who don't choose sides. And I suggested some alternatives, including The Fast, Downloadable Porn Act and The Internet Freedom Act. Cut to last week, when McCain, the number one recipient of telecom campaign cash in Congress, introduced a bill that would effectively kill Net Neutrality. The name of his bill? The Internet Freedom Act! Paging George Orwell! War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, and Freedom is... an Internet controlled by AT&T and Verizon. We can't let that happen. Support Net Neutrality. Let's start by giving it a better name. More on John McCain
 
Greg Hanlon: Giants - Eagles Preview: This is Fun Top
This is obviously a critical moment for the Giants, and it's understandable why Giants fans would be anxious. A third straight loss would amount to a strong case that the Giants aren't among the league's best. And avoiding this fate won't be easy. Despite their not uncharacteristic lapse against the Raiders, the Eagles are excellent as always this year. What's more, they'll be playing in front of an even more raucous crowd than usual because of the subsequent World Series game a stone's throw away. So there are many reasons to worry. But let's pause for a moment to appreciate how fun this all is. As nice as it was skating through most of the season last year, aren't these tough, pivotal NFC East games what being a Giant fan is all about? ** Injury Notes : The Eagles biggest question mark is Brian Westbrook, who's still listed as questionable with a concussion sustained last week. Receiver Kevin Curtis is out with a knee injury that has sidelined him since Week 2. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri, who mans the left side on running downs, is also out. For the Giants, Ahmad Bradshaw revealed that he has a cracked bone in his right foot, another chronic injury to go along with his right ankle injury. Should the bone breaks completely, Bradshaw will be lost for the season. Taken together with the ankle, you have to wonder what the odds are of Bradshaw's finishing the season in one piece. With the uncertainty surrounding both Bradshaw's health and Jacobs's effectiveness, don't be too shocked if Danny Ware is our go-to back by the end of the year. Mario Manningham injured his shoulder in practice on Thursday. He is listed as questionable but will probably play. Still, that's four upper body injuries for Manningham in less than half a season: He has already injured his neck, his chest, and this same shoulder. The guy is obviously talented, but between the injuries and the drops, you just hope he doesn't get torpedoed. Kareem McKenzie will step back in at right tackle. Michael Boley and Chris Canty both started practicing this week but won't play. They're on track to get back after the bye week though, which will be a nice lift. ** Giants Offense vs. Eagles Defense: The Eagles' defensive M.O. is well known: They blitz the shit out of the quarterback , and are successful at doing so: Their 8.3 Adjusted Sack Rate - a Football Outsiders stat that adjusts raw sack totals for passing attempts and situation - ranks sixth in the league this year. The strategy is so effective because the Eagles cornerbacks, Sheldon Brown and Asante Samuel, might just be the top tandem in the NFL. Philly is tied for third in the league with 12 picks, and Samuel and Brown have 4 and 3 respectively. Overall on pass defense, Philly ranks 3rd in the league in terms of DVOA, a Football Outsiders stat that puts traditional stats into context based on situation and opponent. Because the Eagles blitz so much, they're vulnerable to deep passes. So the onus is once again on Eli Manning and the receivers to hit some of these deep shots. With the exception of the flukish touchdown to Nicks last week, the Giants have been poor in this area over the past two weeks. For this reason, the health of Manningham - and whether or not he can catch the ball - will figure prominently. He is by far the Giants' biggest deep threat. The presence of so many defenders near the line makes the Eagles strong against the run as well. They rank 8th in the league, according to DVOA. Last year, the Giants had no trouble running on them in their first meeting but couldn't run in their second and third games. Overall on defense, t hey rank 2nd in DVOA. ** Eagles Offense vs. Giants Defense The Eagles offense has been average this year , ranking 16th in DVOA. How dangerous it will be on Sunday will depend on the health of Brian Westbrook , who will be a game-time decision after sustaining a concussion last week. Although Andy Reid has tried to ease Westbrook back from offseason ankle surgery by giving LeSean McCoy more carries, Westbrook has been much more effective, averaging 4.8 yards per carry to McCoy's 3.6. It will be interesting to see if Andy Reid abandons the run early on if the Eagles don't have success early on. The Eagles best runner might just be DeSean Jackson , who broke a reverse last week for a long touchdown and also lines up at quarterback in the Wildcat. (Michael Vick has been a complete non-entity this year). It might have been a good thing that Jackson broke that run on Monday night, as it gave Giants defenders a lesson in gap discipline. Two of the Giants three ends - Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka - can sometimes be overaggressive, so hopefully they will heed the cautionary tale of the Monday Night game and refrain from over-pursuing. Another thing the Giants have to watch for is tight end Brent Celek , an emerging star who is on pace for over 1,000 yards. The Giants have been very vulnerable to passes over the middle during the past couple of weeks, and McNabb is good at throwing that seam pattern. With Michael Boley still sidelined and C.C. Brown still C.C. Brown, the intermediate to deep middle is an area of concern. On the positive side, the Eagles right tackle is none other than old friend Winston Justice, the infamous benefactor of Osi Umenyiora's six-sack performance in 2007. Justice won't face Osi this time because he's on the opposite side, but he faces no easy task in the combination of Justin Tuck and Matthias Kiwanuka. The Giants' best chance of winning may reside in their pass rush. The Eagles offense's Adjusted Sack Rate ranks 18th in the league while the Giants defense ranks 10th. In other words, the Giants can get to McNabb. ** Prediction: The Giants pass rush generates some turnovers. Eli doesn't have an easy time with Philly's rush either, but he and the receivers are able to break just enough big plays to pull this thing out. Giants 24 - Eagles 20. More on NFL
 
Tom Vander Ark: Turning around bad schools with blended restarts Top
There are about 10,000 really bad schools in America (about 10%). The majority are elementary schools. We know how to make them better, but it takes political will and capacity to improve them . We know less about turning around bad secondary schools. The one thing wrong with them is everything. That makes fixing them really hard. Here's the best three school turnaround strategies: 1. Trade bad seats for good seats: closing bad schools and opening good schools in roughly the same proportion and location. This approach give lots of flexibility to new school developers like KIPP or Achievement First to open where, how, when is best for them. The bad news is that strategy is disruptive to families because it's hard to coordinate openings and closings and it requires changing schools. New York City is the best example of closing bad schools and opening good schools; it is difficult and contentious but it helps that there is good public transit and full choice. 2. Close & replace failing schools: The second best strategy is to close bad schools and replace them with good schools (same kids, same building). Green Dot's takeover at Locke High School in LA is the most visible example, but this has been happening successfully in New York since Julia Richmond High School was replaced by four new schools in 1993. However, there are as many weak examples as moderately good example. I don't think any replacement examples are as good a new schools by a quality provider. 3. Turnarounds: The third best strategy is to try to turn around bad schools. This is really hard especially at the high school level--there is so much to fix in a big bad school. A couple providers have tried (e.g., IRRE, Talent Development, America's Choice) with modest success. MLA Partner Schools took over Manuel Arts and is building a Promise Neighborhood in west LA--it will get better but it will take time. Unless there is the opportunity to change fundamental conditions (structure, staffing, schedule, and leadership) there's little hope of more than incremental improvement. Secretary Duncan's big federal grant programs (more than $5b for fixing schools between Race to the Top and School Improvement) don't give much credence to a systemic reform strategy like trading bad seats for good seats. The grant programs are specific about actions at individual schools. That will force a lot of close/replace (called 'restarts' in the SIG grants) and turnaround attempts. If restarts are the best grant supported option, the next problem we need to deal with is capacity. There are about 80 charter school developers that can open 200 schools per year. Even if they could open 300 schools a year that's hundreds short of what's needed to replace the thousands of failing schools. And most of charter operators focus on urban center, what do we do about failing rural schools? The answer to the turnaround capacity and rural question is blended restart charter management organizations (BRCMO) that combine the best of online and onsite learning. Most of these blended schools would use an online curriculum as core and would supplement with projects, community connections, tutoring, guidance and extra-curricular activities. Here's five reasons that BRCMOs makes sense: 1. Capacity. The big virtual providers (K12, Connections, Insight, KCDL, Apex, Kaplan) offer comprehensive curriculum and have lots of instructional capacity. Add about 30 state virtual schools and dozens of virtual district, contract and charter schools and you get enough capacity to teach about 3 million kids (they collectively serve about 2 million kids full and part time today). 2. Interest. Most of the big guys see learning at home capping out at less than 10% and know the bulk of the market will be blended. Some of them will open online/onsite hybrids next fall. 3. Less dependent on local teacher. In rural settings it will be very difficult to comply with the Department's guidelines for replacing half of the turnaround school staff. A blended restart would complement some the existing staff with effective online teachers and quality curriculum. 4. Easier to open. Blended schools are easier to open and can be more flexible in schedule. Mavericks in Education just opened four blended charters in Florida in their first year in operation. AdvancePath can open a school in 45 days when necessary and do it midyear where desirable. 5. Scale. BRCMOs would create statewide networks of turnaround schools that in big states could easily include dozens of schools with a common support system. None of the school improvement providers could scale as fast or as large. State charter school authorization processes are not well suited to BRCMOs. Other than Arizona, they don't allow private providers to apply. Most discourage multiple applications. All require a drawn out application process (like 18 months). For the purposes of RttT and SIG supported efforts, states will need a streamlined restart process. Despite all of these challenges, BRCMOs could open 100 schools in September 2010 and more than 200 in September 2011. BRCMOs will be a big part of the turnaround solution if states make it happen.
 
Andrea Chalupa: At Bette's Hulaween: Mayor Bloomberg "dressed" as Matt Damon Top
Friday night, in the razzling-dazzling Waldorf-Astoria, Bette Midler entertained a packed ballroom of ghostly and goofy guests, raising over a million dollars, and counting, for the New York Restoration Project. Dressed as a Moulin Rouge madame, Midler and comedienne/gay rights activist, Judy Gold--a theater-joke crackin' Abe Lincoln--worked the crowd, shaking people for $2,500 a tree. "Everywhere I turn I see hippy bags and beads; it's fantastic!" said Midler, as she cruised by the table of designer Michael Kors, dressed as a musician hitchhiking to Woodstock, 1969. Peace signs, protesting hippies ("No Nukes!") were in abundance, possibly a nod to our growing quagmire in Afghanistan and God knows where else, or the night's special performance by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, dressed as themselves, save for Nash's Guru-gettup, which could be how he normally goes about town. Other notable costumes included NYRP's executive director, Drew Becher, as a renassiance lord, tights and all, Katie Couric as Kate Gosselin (hilario), Martha Stewart as...a root? (still not quite sure) , adorable, soulful Australian singer Sia as a bunny or back-up dancer for the Flaming Lips, Gloria Gaynor as a pirate, and The B52's Kate Pierson went as Annie Oakley. (Speaking of Woodstock, Pierson runs a 9-acre retreat, Kate's Lazy Meadow , in the Catskills. From the website it looks rustic retro chic--very "Love Shack." ) Whoopi Goldberg, wearing black fairy wings, gave opening remarks, "I love me some Mayor Bloomberg, but Bette is cleaning the city." (NYRP has turned 55 vacant lots into community gardens and planted over 250,000 trees on its way to a million by 2017). "Who would have thought one tree could make such a difference...I have a cat so I don't f--- with trees," said Goldberg. Commenting on Midler's fearlessness in building the first boathouse in Harlem in over 150 years, Goldberg cracked, "'I'm Jewish, I go where I want!'" Later in the evening, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, dressed in orange slacks and a black sweater, received Midler's "Wings Beneath My Wings Award," for his support in teaming up with NYRP to green New York. Midler presented him with two tickets to her Las Vegas show and a signed CD. Bloomberg looked down at the tickets and read off a nose-bleed seat number. He gave brief remarks, that running for re-election is "easier than saying 'no' to Bette Midler" and claimed to be dressed as Matt Damon for Halloween. His hardy sign-off of "Let's go NY Yankees!" got the ballroom chanting,"Let's go Yankees!" Costume winners of the annual Hulaween Ball, judged by Kors, included half-a-dozen people as genormous potted flowers and a group of dudes dressed as a stocked liquor cabinet--Jose Cuervo carried a sparkling giant slice of lime--very economically appropriate. Also in that category was a woman donning chains, cobwebs, clutching an assortment of shopping bags, including a white crisp one from Chanel, and wrapped presents, and a book with the big, bold title: "Dow 36,000." With a resigned smirk, she said that she was the ghost of Christmas past, "when we all had money." Luckily, there are so many insane prizes to choose from on the NYRP online auction , making it affordable. Prizes include a bike ride through Brooklyn with rapper Matisyahu, meeting Whitney Houston and 2 VIP tickets to her concert, a customized outfit by Christian Siriano, a walk-on role and lunch on the set of "It's Always Sunny in Phildelpiha," a day in the studio with Jackson Browne, and if you want to keep the spooky spirit of Halloween going strong, you can bid on lunch with Jann Wenner or tennis lessons with John McEnroe. Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for, mermaid me for Halloween! Cute clutch by Italian designer Stefano Marcantonio and vintage hairpin is IGO by April Torres. Photo by Stephen Kosloff More pictures, courtesy of the iPhone! Sia and Kate Pierson enjoying Whoopi's stand-up dessert! Crosby, Stills, and Nash take the stage More on Katie Couric
 
Waylon Lewis: Playboy Yoga?! Now we've seen everything. Top
~ Yoga Gone Wild. ~ Now we've seen it all: Playboy Yoga videos with Sara Jean Underwood. ~ It was only a matter of time...the ultimate challenge to those "Yobo " fans who say that Yoga for Weight Loss , Disco Yoga, Bikram, Adidas Yoga with (my friend) Rainbeau Mars and Yoga without all that annoying Granola, Chanting or Sanskrit may not be "traditional yoga" (a moving target in and of itself)...but nevertheless may help open the door to those who might not ordinarily be interested in pure yoga , true yoga , quality yoga . Well, Sara Jean Underwood, a young lady who won the 2007 Playmate of the Year award, has inaugurated a new series of yoga videos that are all over the Playboy.com site. Yup, there's a new url in town: http://www.playboy.com/yoga Just the url itself is enough to provoke convulsions, grimaces, grins, vomiting and/or ogling. Beauty--or otherwise--is in the eye of the beholder. This is provocative stuff--it raises some tough questions about the Future of Yoga (some of which are addressed by elephant, yogadork, itsallyogababy, joellhahn and, in comments, by our readers in the links above). In any case, as the Buddhists say, it's our obstacles or enemies that are our best friends, provoking self-examination, questioning and growing pains. Now we've seen everything.* *Actually, no we haven't. If you like what you see, you can become a member and watch all her instructional videos in the nude (I mean her, not you, you can naked yoga it up--in the privacy of your own home, please--any old time you like). (SFW) Videos: "Playboy's 2007 Playmate of the Year Sara Jean Underwood is a dedicated yoga enthusiast. She demonstrates some of the yoga poses that keep her body in such good shape. For more poses visit www.playboy.com/yoga" More on Playboy
 
Tom Gregory: America: One Tick Closer to God Top
My partner, David Bohnett and I sponsored the Wednesday afternoon White House reception honoring President Obama's signing of the Hate Crimes Bill. The crowd was a noble and dignified collection of invincible fighters. GLSEN's executive director Dr. Eliza Byard was there. So were the Shepards, James Byrd's proud sisters, and those who have learned the hard way that anger and hate are the ugly antithesis of anything Jesus, Mohammad, G*d, Buddha, or any other religious leader ever would want for their flock. Unless you've lived in a box, you're aware the Hate Crimes Bill was bogged down in committee and Congress throughout the Bush years. It's hard to imagine a more hateful time in America than those Bush years. The anger was enervating, the vitriol was exhausting, and the overall tone of right wing rhetoric was un-American and backward. Finally, for the first time in over a decade with the swing of a pen, President Obama turned his back on the right wing's ridiculous rhetoric by doing the right thing. The old law defined a "hate crime" as one motivated by religion, race, national origin, or color. The new hate crimes act expands the federal definition of hate crimes to include assaults based on sexual orientation, gender, disability or gender identity. The lion's share of the law states: "Whoever . . . willfully causes bodily injury to any person or, through the use of fire, a firearm, a dangerous weapon, or an explosive or incendiary device, attempts to cause bodily injury to any person, because of the actual or perceived religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability of any person . . . [shall be liable for criminal penalties stated in this legislation]." Appended to the hate crimes amendment was a statement ensuring that a religious leader or any other person cannot be prosecuted on the bases if his or her speech, beliefs, or association. In other words, if a person peaches against homosexuality, people of color, or any group -- and a listener goes out and commits a lynching, the speaker cannot be held responsible. According to 2006 FBI statistics, hate crimes based on sexual orientation constituted the third highest category reported and made up 15.5 percent of all reported hate crimes. Only race-based and religion-based crimes (almost all anti-Semitic) were more prevalent than hate crimes based on sexual orientation. Now all three of these categories of Americans are protected under this legislation. Of course Pat Robertson bellowed his gloom and doom saying that America's religious rights are threatened and inferring that America is run by a bunch of liberals who want to lead the United States to the burnished gates of hell. It's his usual brand of bitter loathing and fear that has made him very rich and powerful. But he's even protected under this law. America is not further from God by Obama's signing of this bill. We are one step closer to being a more embracing nation that leaves any final judgment up to the Almighty. By professing a stronger legislative distain for hate we are honoring God's love, power, and delight for all of us. During Obama's East Room speech, I was standing in the front row. There among the disabled, the black, the Jewish,the Muslim, the Native American, the Christian, and the disenfranchised, I was not looking at our President, but watching Judy Shepard. It's impossible to imagine what she went through when she received the news of her son's assault. Matthew Shepard had been beaten so brutally that his face was covered in blood, except where it had been partially washed clean by his tears. But now a mother's pain was right in front of me, the ripples of that brutal murder welling out of her eyes. She wasn't crying because America was going down some fear monger's road to hell, but simply because she had brutally lost her son, and finally through her steadfast efforts, his death was not in vain. Her tenacity is America. That's what we must mark as true. We cannot surrender to turmoil and heartache, but get up, find peace in doing, and make tomorrow a better day. Judy, Dennis, and Logan Shepard fought hard for Wednesday, Matt would be very proud. They're American heroes. I'll take their lead over the naysayers any day. Bravo America, continue the evolution. More on Ted Kennedy
 
Irene Rubaum-Keller: Review: Henry Jaglom's New Play Rocks Top
Henry Jaglom, the iconic writer/director whose films include: Eating, Someone To Love, New Years Day, Hollywood Dreams , and most recently Irene in Time , was kind enough to sit down with me and talk about his life, his art and his new play Just 45 Minutes From Broadway . Joining us was his muse, and very talented actress, Tanna Frederick who stars in Irene in Time, Hollywood Dreams and currently in Henry's new play. I can't think of anyone who makes films like Henry does. He is an artist in the true sense of the word. His lead characters are often women, and I'm not talking Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), but real women who share their deepest thoughts and feelings. Henry told me he gets his understanding of women from his mother. She allowed him to explore his feminine side without fear, or judgment, and Henry felt more comfortable around girls and women than he did around boys and men. He admired women's ability to be open with their feelings and to talk about deep and meaningful things. Henry at work His new play, Just 45 Minutes From Broadway , is a stunning tribute to showbiz folks. It offers us a glimpse into family life that explores: sibling rivalry, long-term marriage, happiness and the secrets we keep. The central character is Pandora (Panda), played brilliantly by Tanna Frederick. After her long-term relationship with a non-showbiz type (aka civilian) goes south, she returns to her parents home which happens to be just 45 minutes from Broadway. Her parents (Diane Salinger and Jack Heller) are both actors, as is she, and her uncle (David Proval) who is living there. Sally (Harriet Schock) is the ditzy boarder they have taken in to try and make ends meet. Her older sister Betsy (Julie Davis), who is 7 years older, comes home with a prospective mate (David Garver) and we watch the drama unfold. "My brother is 7 years older than I and the relationship between Panda and her sister is the relationship I had with my brother. His life was great until I came along and charmed everyone." Henry said. Without giving too much away, the central theme of the play is finding one's self and having the courage to be that. Even if that means going against what is considered "normal", or acceptable, by those closest to you and by society at large. The line in the play that most struck me was, "Nobody is normal." Henry came from a family of businessmen, who knew very little of showbiz. He was the only one to choose a different path. In the play his mirror image is Betsy, who is the business woman in a family of show folks. It reminds me of how Marilyn in the Munsters felt; like the oddball, the outcast. The set design is to die for. The ensemble cast is excellent. Just 45 Minutes From Broadway is currently playing at the Edgemar Center Theatre in Santa Monica through December 20th. Don't miss it! Meanwhile, if you haven't seen a Jaglom film , run, don't walk, to see one. There are no car crashes, explosions, natural disasters or big budget special effects. How refreshing. Just fascinating dialogue, character development and a depth that most movies don't come close to. Jaglom is a true artist. How rare these days.
 
Roger I. Abrams: We Could All Use A Bye Week Top
For twenty years now, the National Football League, in an ever-vigilant effort to find more ways to sell its product to the television networks, has featured 16 games in 17 weeks. From the fourth to the tenth week, each of the 32 teams has one week off. The bye-week system extends the regular season providing for even more programming. The bye week is the time for devoted fans to take a rest from the 0-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example. The fans of the 0-7 St. Louis Rams could use a bye week, but they don't get one for another week. Just sit back and enjoy the game as played by teams that win. I was musing about how nice it would be to have a bye week as a regular part of our work activities, assuming, of course, that we still have a job in this economy. We could spend a few days in light practice, and then fly off to be with friends and family while every else continues to work. We could even watch them work on Sunday! Bye weeks definitely are not good for fantasy football players. If you paid through the nose to get Tom Brady as your QB and Brady has the week off to be with Giselle, then what is a fantasy "owner" to do? I guess, in retrospect, the same thing happened to Brady-ites last year when Tom fell injured in Game One. This year, however, you should have planned your squad knowing when the bye week would hit. Back-up quarterbacks are a valuable commodity. People are known to place bets on football games, and gambling websites report that awful clubs coming off a bye week do remarkably well against the spread. There are plenty of awful clubs in the NFL this year, so there are many opportunities to test the betting scheme. Actually, over the past three seasons, clubs coming off their bye weeks went 58-36-2 against the spread, not bad odds. This has been a troubling season for the NFL. The remarkably successful effort at obtaining parity among the 32 teams seems to have fallen apart, at least at this stage of the season. Three teams remain undefeated - the Colts, the Broncos and the Saints - and three teams are seeking their first victory - the Titans, the Buccaneers and the Rams. The last three are, of course, playing for the first pick in the draft. The extremes do not tell the full story, however. The Browns, Chiefs and Lions have only one win, and the Seahawks, Panthers, Redskins and Dolphins only two. They are not mathematically eliminated, but they should not pack their bags for Miami on February 7 unless they want to go to Florida for early spring training. Ten out of the 32 teams are hopeless or on their way there. For many with body clocks set to professional football telecasts, it may be a long fall and winter. What then might amuse those football fans whose team has already fallen into the dumper? You can adopt another club just for the 2009 season. There are some great stories to follow: Drew Brees and the Saints are a lock for the playoffs, which they have made only six times since 1967. No city needs a winner more than New Orleans, which is still suffering from the Bush presidency. Or try the Vikings with their inspirational rent-a-quarterback, the aged Brett Favre. You either love him or you hate him. Either way, he could make the weeks pass. If you don't mind the pitchman-quarterback, root for Indianapolis. Hearing the greatest QB in the galaxy bark out his signals will set your heart spinning. There are some interesting division contests. The Bengals have finally learned how to play football and are tied with the 2009 Superbowl Champion Steelers at 5-2. (That is one more win than the Bengals had all of last year.) The Patriots are only a game in front of the Jets with more than half a season to go, although if you read the New York newspapers, it appears that the Jets are in the lead. If these races do not inspire you, I propose a one-on-one staring contest between Coach Bill Belichick and Coach Rex Ryan. So if your club has been dreadful, do the right thing. Toss them overboard, and pick a winner.
 
Michael Giltz: Boo! Scary New DVDs To Rent And Buy Top
Heading out to the video store and looking for some DVDs to rent or buy? Here's a roundup of recent releases. You can always, of course, rent The Bride Of Frankenstein or Psycho. But why not take a gander at these less obvious choices? DRAG ME TO HELL ($29.98 and $39.98 BluRay; Universal) -- Until Paranormal Activities came out, this was unquestionably the most notable horror film of the year. It's still probably the best reviewed. Universal had unreasonable expectations for this B movie horror fest in the best Sam Raimi tradition about Alison Lohman getting cursed by a nasty old woman. At $80 million worldwide and a long DVD history ahead of it, it's a strong performer for the genre. And it might be the perfect break for Raimi so he can get his Spidey sense tingling again. ORPHAN ($28.98 or $35.99 on BluRay; Warner Bros.) -- I'm not sure why it is -- I'm not adopted myself -- but I have a serious aversion to films where adopted children turn out to be the spawn of hell/untrustworthy/ungrateful/just plain mean. Seriously, if people listened to Hollywood, it would be a miracle if a single kid was ever taken into someone's home ever again. Even a top-notch cast -- Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga -- can't gussy this one up into anything beyond it's predictable arc of the orphan from hell (though in this case, that's hardly a cliche). P ($19;95; Palisades Tartan/Asia Extreme) -- Only hardcore fans of horror would know about the distinction between Thai horror and, say, Korean horror. I'm not one of them. But this entry about a young girl taught the dark arts who is forced into working at a go-go club (not a good combination if you're a customer) is a cut above. WILLIAM CASTLE FILM COLLECTION ($80.95; Sony) -- If you're like me and you enjoy being scared (but not that much) and don't really care for gore (even a little) this boxed set is for you. Castle is more of a Barnum-type showman than a good director, so the eight flicks in this set (along with a substantial documentary about Castle himself). His promotions were often better than the films themselves. One tagline said: "If it frightens you to death, you'll be buried free of charge!" But The Tingler with Vincent Price, the ridiculous 13 Ghosts, and Joan Crawford in Strait-Jacket are all good for a laugh when they don't spook you. Decent extras scattered throughout. THE OBJECTIVE ($19.98; IFC/MPI) -- On the off chance that your main desire is to actually see a good movie, give The Objective a shot. A Special Forces team is sent into the mountains of Afghanistan after a rogue cleric when they stumble upon an ancient evil. It's a genuine B movie that garnered some good reviews for the clever premise and a relatively unknown cast (Jon Huertas, Matt Anderson) that keeps you blissfully unaware of who might survive. From Daniel Myrick, the director of The Blair Witch Project and a man who might have some useful tips for the folks behind Paranormal Activity. TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE SEASON TWO ($39.99; Paramount) -- Maybe you prefer your horror in bite-sized bits? This anthology series from the mid-Eighties -- like most anthology TV shows -- featured actors on their way up or on their way down and directors who loved the genre or couldn't get any other type of work. Invariably, there are some standouts in the 24 episodes, though the show is far from a classic. It doesn't help that music rights proved too expensive and they have reportedly rescored half the episodes. Anyone who's actually a fan of the show and remembers the originals will undoubtedly feel cheated. THE CRAFT ($24.95 on BluRay; Sony) -- An obvious precursor to the hit TV series Charmed, this is a goofier, nastier spin closer to Heathers with the outcasts of a high school ready to use dark magic to get their revenge and to hell with the consequences (not to mention their souls). Fairuza Balk has fun and Robin Tunney will be a draw for fans of the TV show The Mentalist. But it's Neve Campbell who anchors this silliness with by taking it all very seriously. THE GATE MONSTROUS SPECIAL EDITION ($19.98; LionsGate) -- Long available only in a cropped version, this cult hit from 1987 is finally offered in widescreen in what appears to be a newly remastered print with the usual extras like a commentary track and brief making-of featurettes. A young Stephen Dorff stars in this tale of kids who unintentionally open a gate to hell, releasing some demons who wreck serious havoc in their town. Like Gremlins (but less satirical), it's genuinely scary but meant for teens and is not particularly violent. THE KILLING ROOM ($19.95; Genius) -- If you find the horror-porn of Saw unpleasant, you might enjoy this classier spin on the same idea. Timothy Hutton and Chloe Sevigny are two of four people who agree to be part of a research project that turns deadly when they're locked in a white room and told only one can come out alive. Debuted at Sundance and sort of worth the ride. THE HAUNTED AIRMAN ($24.98; E1) -- Maybe horror is just an excuse for you to clutch your date's arm? Then this romantic ghost story may be just the ticket. Robert Pattinson (now where have I heard of him before?) stars as a British WW II soldier who is wounded and sent to a rambling old mansion to recuperate, only to be haunted by ghosts! Better than vampires, I suppose. Julian Sands (always reliably creepy even if he's playing a good guy) and Rachael Stirling costar. LEFT BANK ($24.98; IFC/MPI) -- Roman Polanski may not be working for a while, but this spin on Rosemary's Baby should keep him uppermost in the mind of horror buffs. In it, a world-class runner (Eline Kuppens) is forced to stop training and recuperate from a knee infection. She impulsively moves in with her boyfriend Bobby, a handsome member of an archery club that has been around since the Middle Ages and...well, ancient groups with medieval ties never have an athlete's best interests at heart. SCARE TACTICS SEASON THREE PART ONE ($29.98; Warner Bros.) -- OK, you don't really want to be scared at all, but you don't mind if OTHER people get scared. Then dig into the SyFy (god, I hate that new name) prank show built around horror and sci-fi angles. Hosted by Tracy Morgan, you can watch as a babysitter finds a psycho invading her home, a freakish creature gets loose in a lab and so on. For the folks who think there's not enough screaming during America's Funniest Home Videos. --30-- Thanks for reading. Visit Michael Giltz at his website and his daily blog. Download his podcast of celebrity interviews at Popsurfing and enjoy the weekly pop culture podcast he co-hosts at Showbiz Sandbox . Both available for free on iTunes. Link to him on Netflix and gain access to thousands of ratings and reviews. NOTE TO READERS: I was provided with a final copy of every DVD reviewed in this column. In fact, I refuse to review DVDs based on streaming videos available online or advance DVD test discs since it's impossible to verify the quality of the picture, sound, menus, extras and other features that way. I receive many more DVDs each week than I could ever cover and typically, I don't guarantee coverage for any DVD that is sent to me, merely that I will consider it for coverage. More on Halloween
 
Louise McCready: Gillian Duffy on the Expanding Populist Food World and How Neighborhood Joints Will Benefit from the Recession. Top
To say New York 's culinary editor, Gillian Duffy, is a food expert is an understatement. The author of two cookbooks, Hors d'Oeuvres, Simple, Stylish, Seasonal and New York Cooks, The 100 Best Recipes from New York Magazine , Ms. Duffy has produced the magazine's Entertaining issues since 1988. After the closing of the epicurean handbook, Gourmet , and as restaurants struggle in today's economic climate, I thought it might be enlightening to ask Ms. Duffy to reflect on the gastronomic landscape of yesterday, today and tomorrow. LM: You joined New York Magazine almost thirty years ago to run the restaurant and nightlife section. What have been the greatest changes in restaurants during that time? GD: Thirty years ago chefs had one restaurant and they spent all their time in their kitchen actually cooking, and most of the top restaurants were French. I think it was the Food Network that started to change things and turn chefs into superstars with multiple restaurants, cookbooks and television shows. Nowadays it can be difficult to find these superstar chefs actually cooking in their own kitchens. I remember doing a story on Mario Batali in 1996 soon after he opened his first restaurant Po. Since then I have lost count of the number of restaurants he owns, the cookbooks he has written, his television shows, and now he is into cookware and food products. Now if I want to interview some of the chefs I have to make an appointment as they are on the road so often. Another big difference was the availability of ingredients - foreign ingredients - French, Italian, Spanish and Asian were hard to find, and you had to go to a specialty store to find cilantro and lemon grass. These items are now stocked in most supermarkets. LM: In this current recession, Americans are eating out less, but as Michael Pollan points out, they aren't necessarily cooking any more. I sometimes wonder if our fetishization with food and celebritization of chefs is a direct result of the fact that we no longer need to cook--what was once a necessity is now an exotic luxury. What are you thoughts? GD: While I am a fan of Michael Pollan and agree with him on his astute opinion on where our food is going, I am not sure that I agree totally with him on this particular point, as there are many people without jobs these days, or reduced budgets who can no longer afford to go out and eat. There is a big drive for the family to eat at home together - for many people cooking is not an exotic luxury it's a necessity. Another thing I have noticed recently is the number of people brown bagging their office lunches. LM: This year's 11th annual New York Taste will bring together more than 40 of New York's best chefs to benefit City Harvest. I feel one benefit of the rising fame of chefs is their ability to use that popularity to support causes they believe in or raise awareness of food issues such as nutrition, sustainability, or whether the food is organic or local. Is there one food-related cause in particular that you personally strongly support? GD: I am on the food council of City Harvest , which I think it is one of the most important charities as it feeds the hungry, and today the demands are even higher. They are the chosen charity for New York Taste, and many of the chefs who are participating in the event are already big supporters of the organization. I agree that some of the chefs such as Dan Barber are making us more aware of the food we eat, how it is grown, and whether it is grown sustainably. Sustainability is the word of the moment, organic is already passé, once it went mainstream and could be purchased in Walmart. The definition, and the way it is produced needs re-addressing. Certainly shipping any foodstuffs 3,000 miles is not doing the environment any good, and the nutritional content after several days in transit has been compromised. When we first started New York Taste 11 years ago, there were very few events like it, and chefs were honored to be invited, it gave them an excuse to get out of the kitchen and party with other chefs, and check out the restaurant scene under one roof. Today we are one of many events this fall featuring a chefs' tasting, it is putting a huge demand on the chefs, especially in this economic climate, and many of them have become very selective as to which events they attend, otherwise they could be at a fund raiser every other night. We are fortunate that we still attract all the top chefs to this event, and we're able to include different people every year. LM: With the recent closing of Gourmet magazine, many people have taken a closer look at today's food landscape, filled with celebrity chefs, blogs written by self-proclaimed foodies, and user-submitted recipe websites, and predicted the end of epicurean magazines and the traditional restaurant critic. What do you envision as the future of food writing? GD: I think the loss of Gourmet is very sad, it was the first food magazine, and generations have grown up with it and treasured it, but it has changed over the years, as the competition grew. It had become a very exclusive magazine. But it looks as if the "Gourmet" world might still exist with Ruth Reichl 's new television series, as well as the updated Gourmet cookbook she is promoting at the moment. I am sure other things will be developed. I have a feeling it won't be the last food magazine to go, the total food universe is becoming more populist - it's becoming a Rachael Ray World. The influence of the epicurean internet sites is growing at a great rate and improving all the time. The quality of the information online is more up to date than traditional print media. As far as the critics are concerned, they build reputations, and a following that will always be significant. Adam Platt's reviews are available on nymag.com , even before most people receive their copy of New York magazine. LM: Have you noticed culinary trends travel faster or permeate culture more thoroughly thanks to the Internet? GD: Yes, the moment a restaurant opens the self proclaimed "expert" foodies, many of whom have little basic knowledge of food, are all blogging their personal opinions, and if the place is praised it is packed the next night. If it's not, then it's disastrous for the restaurant, as the word gets out there so quickly, and they have no time to rectify any problems. The theatre "first night" mentality does not work for restaurants! LM: What 2009 trend do you hope will soon die? GD: The globalization of restaurants, I would like chefs to focus on one restaurant and do a great job instead of becoming executive chefs. LM: What do you foresee as the 2010 trends? GD: Even though many of the great French restaurants are closing, (especially sad was the closing of Chanterelle about to celebrate their 30th anniversary), I think it is a good time for smaller restaurants to open, while there are some great real estate deals. Gone are the days of the 10 million dollar mega restaurant, today it is the small neighborhood restaurant, featuring local ingredients, simple good food. LM: Finally, I know it's difficult to do, but what is your favorite New York restaurant? GD: Le Bernardin --it is continually evolving and never disappoints. LM: What contemporary chef do you find most interesting? GD: Daniel Humm from Eleven Madison . LM: Ooh, I went there this past week. The gnocchi and duck for two were especially incredible! More on Food
 
Michael Brenner: Lies, Statistics and Economic Statistics Top
Weathering a blizzard of statistics is the fate of the public minded. Numbers come at us from all points of the compass. Some are raw data, some massaged, some naked and some fitted out for the occasion by their sponsors. In this wintry economic season, they all come with a message and meaning. Making sense of the figures demands a large measure of skepticism and an eye for misrepresentation and forgery. Here is a quick everyman's guide to economic statistics. First, the "recession." No term has been more abusive of statistics. There is a narrow technical meaning for economists. It is strictly a matter of GDP numbers having nothing to do with our feelings of being "in the money or out of the money." If the economy registers a quarter in which GDP rises - by however small an amount, we are no longer in recession. That's it. That happened in the third quarter of this year when it rose at a 3.4 annualized rate. If GDP drops 4 percent in the fourth quarter and then rises just 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2010, the business headlines could rightly proclaim that the "recession" is still over. The public understanding of the term "end of recession" is that we have hard data of a return to prosperity - or, at least, that a growth cycle is imminent. Nothing of the sort is in the numbers per se. The discrepancy between these two meanings are cynically played upon by all those who have a vested interest - political, intellectual, or financial - in creating the impression of an economic morning in America. That covers just about everyone marketing the news. Then there are GDP numbers. Politicians and markets alike rise and fall on these magic numerals. In fact, they are as soft as statistics get. At times they are fanciful. Consider the financial sector. The "virtual" wealth generated by the razzle-dazzle of recent years may have created nothing of tangible economic value - whether goods or services. Indeed, the largest part of the value created by the trading of exotic financial instruments is fictitious. President Obama admitted as much in remarking on one occasion that we shouldn't worry that much about the evaporation of trillions in investment accounts since it wasn't real money anyway. Economists routinely talk blithely of the "financial" economy and the "real" economy. Yet GDP - and all other aggregate statistics - make no distinction whatsoever. Nor do economic models. GDP figures are no more than the sum of all expenditures. Every time a piece of financial paper (actually, electronic dots) with little intrinsic value is transferred from one party to another the national cash register records it as a number in the tally, and does so at the face value of the transaction. This is an absurd methodology based on an absurd measure of value. We all may have been living in a world of statistical make believe. The latest numbers, for example, say that GDP grew at a 3 percent annualized rate. But if that reflects the big Wall Street banks reverting to go-go of virtual assets, then the real number is substantially lower. Rates of economic growth are further overstated by discounting population increase. If the number of Americans increases by 3 percent and GDP numbers grow by 3 percent, we are no better off in real terms. This relationship is prominent in calculating economic dynamics in poor countries but for some inexplicable reason largely ignored in the U.S. The implications of all this slips through our mental fingers. Yet the implications are profound for calculating national wealth, the United States' place in international league standings, productivity and even inflation. Inflation as represented in the government's cost of living index is another statistical fiction. For one thing, the formula was rigged by Bill Clinton to produce lower numbers in order to keep down increases in Social Security payments that are tied to annual inflation. The method was crude: When the price of one item in the index rises sharply, a cheaper item that supposedly is a functional equivalent is substituted. More generally, there are a plethora of distortions in data gathering that bias the index toward the low side. One small example, when all of my personal medical expenditures rose due to changes in my employer provided plan (as happened this year to millions), they never registered in the official inflation numbers. Productivity statistics are also manipulable. Every time a company "downsizes" - that is to say, fires workers - its productivity figures go up if the same quantity of goods/services is produced. Heavier work burdens for remaining employees do not count. Unpaid overtime does not count. Nor do the costs borne by customers who must wait longer for help in a box store, or on lines at an airline ticket counter, or go through the ordeal of dealing with mechanical telephone programs intended to be as painful as possible so as to force you to spend your time on the Web. Corporate and government statistics register none of this. Economists' models do not either. The common thread running through this recitation of how economic statistics are abused is that it is the little person - as employee, as customer, as retiree - who gets the short end. Surprise, surprise. More on Financial Crisis
 
Larry Smith: A Weird, Kind of Awesome Contest: Six Words on a "Signicant Object" Top
HuffPo readers are nothing if not the types who will willingly outsmart themselves. So you'll like this contest from SMITH Magazine, creators of the Six-Word Memoir project, and Significant Objects, a weird, wonderful new project from Joshua Glenn and NYT Mag's Consumed columnist Rob Walker. Here's how it works: 1) Check out this random object we found at a thrift store (via the link below). 2) Create a story about in in 6 words. 3) We choose a winning 6-word story. 4) The story, along with the object, will then be auctioned on eBay. 5) The winning six-word writer gets to keep all the loot. 6) Fun, right? Go here to see the object and enter your six words: http://www.smithmag.net/sixwordbook/2009/10/29/a-six-word-story-about-a-significant-object/
 
Melanie Duppins: Detroit, Elections, and the Power to Choose Top
This Tuesday, November 3, citizens of metro Detroit will flock to the polls to determine whether Mayor Dave Bing will stay in office, or yield his position to accountant Tom Barrow. Additionally, they'll get a chance to vote on Proposal D -- a controversial idea to alter the current structure of the Detroit City Council to a council-by-district structure, similar to most large cities in the United States. Right now, people from Detroit and across the country are "voting" with their dollars as well: giving what they can to improve public education one classroom at a time. Over time, these gifts are making an impact -- funding projects $400, $500, or even more expensive projects, down to a level where other citizens can give what they can to fully fund the rest. Thanks to everyday people giving what they're able, 643 classroom projects from high-need schools in the U.S. now need less than $100 to come to life! These projects represent hundreds of teachers working tirelessly to equip their students with the best education possible with the resources they have. To view the 280 Detroit projects that need less than $100 to come to life, click here . To view classroom project requests from teachers in your community, visit www.donorschoose.org today.
 
Chris Kelly: Biased Media, Dirty Tricks and Special Interests Drove Out Republican Top
Three days before the special election in New York's 23rd congressional district, the Republicans have lost their candidate. Dede Scozzafava has dropped out. This leaves upstate New York, parts of which have voted for the party of Lincoln since Lincoln, without a Republican choice. They just have a Democrat -- law professor/Air Force captain Bill Owens. And a Conservative -- cipher Doug Hoffman. But no Republican. Chester Arthur would roll over in his grave, which is in New York's First District, which means he couldn't vote for Doug Hoffman in Tuesday's election, just like Doug Hoffman can't. (Why shouldn't 99% of the money for Doug Hoffman's campaign come from outside the district? He comes from outside the district.) (Here's the difference between Doug Hoffman and a carpetbagger: A carpetbag has mass and physical form.) Dede Scozzafava, a lifetime Republican, and the former Mayor of Gouverneur, was driven out of the race by Doug Hoffman's out-of-state money and Doug Hoffman's dirty tricks. This might explain why she declined to endorse Doug Hoffman in her resignation: I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so. Which comes off a little bitter. One of the dirty tricks was setting up a fake website called Draft Dede as a Democrat. The site, which depicts Scozzafava as Emma Goldman, only without the strong Rochester roots, calls itself "An unofficial campaign site for Dede Scozzafava's NY-23 race." I emailed them Wednesday, politely asking who they were and if they really thought they were helping. No reply. Another dirty trick was the creation of a group of non-existent Scozzafava supporters called Common Sense in America. On Wednesday they bought $150,000 worth of local airtime and started running this ad . The ad calls Scozzafava "the best choice for progressives" and says she supports gay marriage, the stimulus and card check - an issue that's supposed to enrage you, but about which no one but the Chamber of Commerce gives a damn. The problem? There's no such thing as Common Sense in America. The group, I mean. According to Politico : The group, which was founded on October 23, is headed by Arkansas businessman Jackson Stephens, a board member of the Club for Growth. The Club for Growth was one of the first groups to endorse Hoffman. Stephens donated the maximum $4,800 to Hoffman's campaign, and is one of the Club for Growth's leading donors. Calling the group's phone number - listed on the advertisement - led me to a voice mail from Stephens, which directed all questions about Common Sense in America to Dan Blum, a communications consultant who is serving as a spokesman for the organization. According to FEC records, Blum worked for the Republican National Committee as a staffer as recently as this January. On Thursday, Politico exposed the ad as a smear and a fake. But as of Saturday morning there was still at least one place linking to it as evidence to "further show liberals and progressives in our district that Dede represents our values and beliefs": Draft Dede as a Democrat. Don't you just hate dirty Chicago style politics? Makes you wonder what Doug Hoffman's imported campaign workers were saying about Dede Scozzafava door-to-door. Here's another example of what Dede Scozzafava was up against, and why the people of Plattsburgh don't have a Republican to vote for, for the first time in 150 years: Bill Hennessy is a tea bagger and about the 150th guy to get the idea to write a book and call it The Conservative Manifesto (Right Press, 1993). If he were any more bush league he'd sprout. And even though it's unclear if he's ever been to New York, he says he'll do "whatever it takes" to choose its next congressman. Here he is on Big Government : Before the polls open in upper New York on Tuesday morning, thousands of Tea Partiers from states as far away as California will have had an impact on what might otherwise have been an unnoticed special election. ... Those patriots will soon conduct perhaps the strongest get-out-the-vote campaign ever targeted on a single Congressional election. ... It's as if God has given Tea Partiers the lever that controls the course of the sun. If they all pull together, they make it Morning in America. "It's as if God has given Tea Partiers the lever that controls the course of the sun." And/or megalomaniac paranoia. If you're a voter in upstate New York, you should understand why you don't have a Republican candidate anymore. You should know that it's because there are psychotics "from states as far away was California" who want to use you and your vote to "control the sun."
 
Dan Persons: Mighty Movie Podcast: Shrieks from the '80s: Ti West on The House of the Devil Top
Ti West sure digs his retro. In The Roost -- his tidy little horror film about a group of travelers threatened by some really nasty bats -- he added a wraparound featuring Tom Noonan in tacky butler drag, holding forth in front of a cardboard set as host of a local Saturday Night Chiller Feature broadcast. For The House of the Devil -- which reunites West with Noonan and adds in Mary Woronov for good measure -- it's a blast from the '80s, complete with a really gnarly font and a freeze-frame for the opening titles. Elbow-in-the-ribs tip-offs aside, The House of the Devil -- about a college student (Jocelin Donahue) who goes to an isolated abode for a babysitter gig and (surprise!) encounters more than she bargained for, including Noonan and Woronov as her clients -- shows off West's skill at building atmosphere and his predilection for eerie nuance over gross-out gore. The Saw franchise (and if any series deserves the term "franchise," it's that one) may be more efficient in logging a body count, but House is the kind of film that reminds you how cool it is to settle back and just let the dread soak in. West shared some spooky goings-on that happened on-set, and talked about the audience's responsibility in making sure that the labors of horror's more unique visionaries don't completely vanish from the screen. Click on the player below to hear the interview. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY FOCUS FEATURES' 9 CHECK OUT THE TRAILER: More MMP on HuffPost: Anthony Fabian on Skin Lars von Trier's Antichrist: A Conversation Mira Nair on Amelia Check out the Mighty Movie Podcast homepage. More on Death & Dying
 

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