The latest from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com
- Matt Osborne: Reid Doesn't Need Lieberman
- Mike Ragogna: HuffPost Reviews: Nirvana, Michael Jackson's This Is It, Weezer, and Glee, Plus a Rickie Lee Jones Interview, and This Week's New Albums
- Robert Shiller: Address Income Gap, Tie It To Tax Rate (Video)
- BCS Rankings Week 10: Texas Passes Alabama In BCS Standings
- GOP Health Bill In The Works; Boehner Says Republican Bill Would Extend Insurance Coverage To "Millions"
- Private College Salaries Of More Than $1 Million Paid To 23 Presidents
| Matt Osborne: Reid Doesn't Need Lieberman | Top |
| When the public option rose from the dead last week, the Beltway Village media reacted with surprise. The public option hadn't been included in the Senate Finance Committee's bill, so pundits and politicians had stopped taking it seriously . After Olympia Snowe declared her opposition to a bill including a public option, Joe Lieberman decided it was his turn for the spotlight; he's playing spoiler to feed his ginormous ego. But Lieberman has yet to face one inconvenient fact about his intransigence: it doesn't matter. A public option is primarily a cost-saving measure, which therefore qualifies under the Senate rules for budget reconciliation . Harry Reid only needs fifty votes to pass it that way. The media failed to understand the basic realities of Congressional sausage-making, and Joe Lieberman is making the same mistake now. This inconvenient fact has slipped by everyone so far, but thanks to Reid's slow pace it still has time to penetrate the MSM. Time is not on the side of opponents anymore. Here's what I'm talking about: the public option in the current House bill would cut the cost of reform by $100 billion . Of course, this is not a "robust" public option (indeed, it's very far from robust ), which means it doesn't save as much as it could. H.R. 3200, the House's original bill that opponents hefted to risible applause in August, was far stronger -- and would save four times as much . That's not me talking, it's the Congressional Budget Office. How is this possible? Quite simply, a non-profit insurance plan doesn't have to waste 25-30% of all premium dollars trying to deny the claim. A nationwide public option would create a very large pool of ratepayers to hold down costs, and force insurance companies to compete in the exchanges. This would help keep down costs across the board. The media is slow to pick up factual memes these days. Death panels get instant buzz and never seem to die, while the benefits of a public option escape scrutiny. But the longer this fight lasts, the more likely that someone will ask Joe Lieberman: you believe this is the sole sticking-point of reform, that everything else in the bill is okay and it just needs to be more expensive? Because that is basically the only argument Lieberman is making. Indeed, this inconvenient fact is just now beginning to penetrate the MSM. Paul Krugman led off on Thursday : The odd thing about this group is that while its members are clearly uncomfortable with the idea of passing health care reform, they’re having a hard time explaining exactly what their problem is. Or to be more precise and less polite, they have been attacking proposed legislation for doing things it doesn’t and for not doing things it does. Thus, Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut says, “I want to be able to vote for a health bill, but my top concern is the deficit.” That would be a serious objection to the proposals currently on the table if they would, in fact, increase the deficit. But they wouldn’t, at least according to the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates that the House bill, in particular, would actually reduce the deficit by $100 billion over the next decade. To be sure, this was too much for CBS's Bob Schieffer to understand in time for Sunday, when Lieberman gave his third conflicting rationale for opposing a public option: First he told Politico it would become a burden on taxpayers; the next morning, he told Faux Noise it would work too well . Senators Whitehouse and Feingold schooled him on these issues afterwards, so his new line is that "nothing" is better than "something" with a public option -- because reform should cost at least $100 billion more than it has to . Last week revealed the MSM's narrative on the public option as a misinformed fraud . Blue Dogs have managed to make reform more expensive by opposing a strong public option. But we are not at the finish line yet; Reid still hasn't produced a final Senate bill, and even then there is a conference process to produce the final bill for both houses to pass. We are still working our way through the 11-dimensional chess game , so reformers have time to affect the outcome. In the end, Reid doesn't need 60 votes, and the stronger the public option the less reform costs. These two realities need to be repeated until they penetrate the debate and put opponents on the defensive. Osborne Ink is a Website of Media Deconstruction "News that's fairly liberal, but never unbalanced" More on Joe Lieberman | |
| Mike Ragogna: HuffPost Reviews: Nirvana, Michael Jackson's This Is It, Weezer, and Glee, Plus a Rickie Lee Jones Interview, and This Week's New Albums | Top |
| Nirvana - Live At Reading Nirvana's August 30, 1992, performance at Britain's Reading Festival is considered to be one of the finest moments in rock history, and after mostly ragged bootlegs have circulated for years, finally, a clean, color-corrected, official version honoring that legendary event is now available. Live At Reading presents the band at its fiercest, performing practically everything from their grunge classic Nevermind , Bleach nuggets, and fan faves like "Spank Thru" among others. Cobain, Grohl, and Novoselic even foreshadow In Utero by playing soon-to-be familiar titles such as "Dumb" and "All Apologies." Overseen by all involved Nirvana parties with DVD producer/rock enthusiast Jeff Fura, the package is handled meticulously from its tape sourcing through its 5.1 mixes, and the chosen camera angles and edits are all outstanding. Having come into its own, Nirvana is amazingly self-confident here, and its energy sets even overplayed songs (by that point) such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on fire. For a quick example, check out the show's promo clip of "School" that's making its way around the net. It's a great three minute example of the DVD's editing and style, with Kurt Cobain (in his hospital gown) owning that stage and crowd like the superstar he and his band mates had just become. Though one could pile on even more superlatives by describing what is going on song-to-song across Live At Reading , let's just say that, collectively, they tell the story of one of grunge's greatest hours (plus thirty). And although it's a live album, this probably should be the first place newcomers stop to get the full experience of the natural genius of Nirvana. (Also available on vinyl, and perfectly timed with the Bleach Deluxe Edition and Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits ...) Start Here : "Breed," "School," "All Apologies," and "Tourettes." Tracks: DVD 1. Intro 2. Breed 3. Drain You 4. Aneurysm 5. School 6. Sliver 7. In Bloom 8. Come As You Are 9. Lithium 10. About A Girl 11. Tourette's 12. Polly 13. Lounge Act 14. Smells Like Teen Spirit 15. On A Plain 16. Negative Creep 17. Been A Son 18. All Apologies 19. Blew 20. Dumb 21. Stay Away 22. Spank Thru 23. Love Buzz 24. The Money Will Roll Right In 25. D-7 26. Territorial Pissings 27. Credits CD 1. Breed 2. Drain You 3. Aneurysm 4. School 5. Sliver 6. In Bloom 7. Come As You Are 8. Lithium 9. About A Girl 10. Tourette's 11. Polly 12. Lounge Act 13. Smells Like Teen Spirit 14. On A Plain 15. Negative Creep 16. Been A Son 17. All Apologies 18. Blew 19. Dumb 20. Stay Away 21. Spank Thru 22. The Money Will Roll Right In 23. D-7 24. Territorial Pissings Michael Jackson's This Is It The saddest things about one of the great musicals, All That Jazz , is that choreographer Joe Gideon--an uppers-addicted talent with a controversial lifestyle--dies before his Broadway masterpiece is to debut (which, of course, it never does). Sound familiar? This is the heart-wrenching tragedy that is the reality behind Michael Jackson's This Is It , though there isn't one maudlin scene to capitalize that fact throughout. This musical, behind-the-scenes documentary filmed in Los Angeles' Staples Center traces virtually all aspects of Jackson's would-be extravaganza, from choosing the dancers, to rehearsing the music, from a glimpse at the "toasters" (stage catapults that shot the dancers into position) to the cherry picker that lifted Jackson above the stage, and from his brilliant dance moves with the extremely gifted troop to his casual vocal riffs that, even in their most throwaway moments, bested many r&b-sters half his age. The result of his being both the show's creator and ultimate director (as displayed in many of the rehearsal shots), Jackson's creative fantasies, musical and visual, were celebrated with magnificent excess. We're treated to insider looks at how the various interactive films were created, for example, "They Don't Care About Us" that featured what looked like thousands of futuristic soldiers simulated from just three cast members; "Smooth Criminal" that had Jackson convincingly face-off with Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep ; a "Thriller" projection that was more over-the-top than can be explained here; and the clip for "Earth Song," with its main messages of anti-deforestation and respect for the planet, that took a shocking look at the world's impending crises from a child's perspective. Sometimes, during Jackson's rapport with director Kenny Ortega and musical supervisor Michael Bearden, you see some pandering to the man-in-charge, but one can forgive that considering the artist took a bit of a taskmaster approach in his reach for perfection. He sometimes scolds with love, but he also takes criticism, when properly phrased, pretty well. A great rehearsal scene comes with Jackson trying his best to describe to Bearden how he wants "The Way You Make Me Feel" groove and drag a little, his intervening when the music doesn't quite tramp enough. And Jackson's interactions with ladies throughout was very natural, especially with rock guitarist Orianthi who dangerously flirted with Eddie Van Halen prowess during the duo's play on "Beat It." But the movie might be at its best during Jackson's last couple of songs, especially on "Billie Jean," it ending with all but a standing ovation from the cast. The stage was Jackson's true home, and the film shows him at his most comfortable and most believable, something we hadn't seen from this artist for decades. Considering how and why it was assembled, Michael Jackson's This Is It never comes off exploitive, just a fantastic view of The King Of Pop that will surprise and possibly change the opinions of many. Glee - Glee: The Music, Volume One Your daughter has just come home from school. She plays you a rehearsal MP3 of her glee club's take on Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." As the track ends, you lovingly inform her, "That's really...special, dear" though you're fantasizing crashing your innocent offspring's iTunes so it can do no further harm. Not to worry, that could only happen in the real world, not in the TV town of Mckinley where Fame -meets- The Partridge Family moments occur as spontaneously as a musical number from Cop Rock . Let's face it. We're coming to the end of the Age Of American Idol , and what's "needed" is something new to fill that "even I can be star" void. Ryan Murphy's Glee and as-yet-to-be-invented karaoke-based shows probably are the future of mass self-gratification, with this soundtrack pioneering that not-so-brave new world. It's dork-rock at its finest, although many will find themselves wondering, "Did 'Gold Digger' have to sound like Kidz Bop on steroids?" or "How could anyone do that to Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself'?" or "Why does Queen's 'Somebody To Love' singers sound like the seventies' cast of Godspell ?" (Speaking of Stephen Schwartz, Glee: The Music, Volume One 's charming finale, a take on Wicked 's "Defying Gravity," does actually satisfy in an off-kilter-Broadway kind of way.) Amidst the "relax, it's all in good fun" moments is a cute version of Ebb & Kander's "Maybe This Time," a decent swing at Madonna's "Take A Bow" and REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling" (though the hyper-compression and pitch correction on Matthew Morrison gets annoying), and a strangely convincing read of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline." Then there are The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On" that, unfortunately, is modeled after Kim Wilde's re-record, and "Bust A Move" that is exceptionally soulless. But it's supposed to be, and even if that's not Glee: The Music, Volume One 's intention, it's not for us anyway, it's for our kids, though it just might bring some harmless happiness into our own hipster lives. Go Rachel (Lea Michele). Start Here : That's okay, you decide... Tracks: 1. Don't Stop Believin' 2. Can't fight This Feeling 3. Gold Digger 4. Take A Bow 5. Bust Your Windows 6. Taking Chances 7. Alone 8. Maybe This Time 9. Somebody To Love 10. Hate On Me 11. No Air 12. You Keep Me Hangin' On 13. Keep Holding On 14. Bust A Move 15. Sweet Caroline 16. Dancing With Myself 17. Defying Gravity Weezer - Raditude "The moon was shining on the lake tonight, the Slayer T-shirt fit the scene just right..." starts "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," and it's all so very girl-boy, pop-punk-emo, with a guest Beatles affectation and a trip to the girlfriend's mom and dad's house. This is pretty much Raditude , and the new album seems to borrow from both sides of Weezer--pre- and post- Green --though its lyrics, as you can see from the above, still find Rivers and company celebrating adolescence with much exuberance. Producers Jacknife Lee and Butch Walker treat the material as if it already was in the Top Ten, emphasizing big fat frat hooks over anything resembling a nuance. Considering Rivers and the boys' ability to outsmart everyone on the pop-logic field while still playing pretty hard, tracks like "Girl Got Hot" and "In The Mall," though cleverly titled, seem a little so-so. It's nice to have the goofiness back (nice album cover), but it might have been better to mold it a bit more age-appropriate, considering that Weezer's audience has matured a little (actually, a lot). Sure, Raditude is very good, it's a lot of musical fun, and its quality still dwarfs many of its competitors, but it's also 2009, and we already own Blue , Green , and Pinkerton . "Can't Stop Partying" indeed. Start Here : "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" and "I Don't Want To Let You Go" Tracks: CD 1 1. "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" 2. I'm Your Daddy 3. Girl Got Hot 4. Can't Stop Partying 5. Put Me Back Together 6. Trippin' Down the Freeway 7. Love Is the Answer 8. Let It All Hang Out 9. In The Mall 10. I Don't Want To Let You Go CD 2 1. Get Me Some 2. Run Over By A Truck 3. Prettiest Girl In The Whole World 4. Underdogs GUILTY PLEASURE : Bee Gees - Ultimate Bee Gees Despite this being the umpteenth hits collection on the band, Ultimate Bee Gees might be the best one yet. The package surprisingly includes red-headed step-tracks like "Boogie" Child" and "Spirits Having Flown," and it adds live versions of "Heartbreaker," "Islands In The Stream," and "Guilty" to the Bee Gees lexicon. A couple of quibbles might be that there are radio-friendly charters like "Edge Of The Universe" that never get their due, and where was the luv for "How Deep Is Your Love" that was placed onto the second disc where mostly oldies were gathered? If you're on the fence about picking up Ultimate Bee Gees , its time-capsule of a DVD alone makes it worth the purchase. It contains a few of the group's vintage, international TV appearances, and a run of era-centric promo clips--like the stoic "New York Mining Disaster 1941," and a disco-drenched batch that includes "Stayin' Alive" and "Night Fever" that will have you back in your white, bell-bottomed jumpsuits, jive talkin' in no time. Start Here : "You Should Be Dancing," "Nights On Broadway," and "Night Fever" Tracks: CD1 You Should Be Dancing Stayin' Alive Jive Talkin' Night On Broadway Tragedy Night Fever More Than A Woman Fanny (Be Tender With My Love) Spirits Having Flown If I Can't Have You Boogie Child Love You Inside And Out You Win Again One Secret Love Alone Still Waters (Rund Deep) This Is Where I Came In Spicks And Specks - Live CD 2 1. How Deep Is Your Love 2. To Love Somebody 3. Words 4. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart 5. Too Much Heaven 6. Emotion 7. Lonely Days 8. Run To Me 9. Love So Right 10. For Whom The Bell Tolls 11. I've Gotta Get A Message To You 12. New York Mining Disaster 1941 13. Massachusetts 14. I Started A Joke 15. World 16. First Of May 17. Holiday 18. Don't Forget To Remember 19. Islands In The Stream - Live 20. Heartbreaker - Live 20. Guilty - Live DVD 1. Spicks And Specks ( Bandstand Australian TV 1966) 2. New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Promo Clip 1967) 3. Massachusetts ( Top Of The Pops UK TV 1967) 4. I've Gotta Get A Message To You ( Idea TV Special 1968) 5. Tomorrow Tomorrow (Promo Clip 1969) 6. Lonely Days (Promo Clip 1970) 7. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart ( Whitaker's World Of Music 1971) 8. Run To Me ( In Session US TV 1973) 9. Jive Talkin' (Promo Clip 1975) 10. Night Fever (Promo Clip 1977) 11. Stayin' Alive (Promo Clip 1977) 12. How Deep Is Your Love (Promo Clip 1977) 13. Too Much Heaven (Promo Clip 1979) 14. For Whom The Bell Tolls (Promo Clip 1993) 15. Alone (Promo Clip 1997) 16. Still Waters Run Deep (Promo Clip 1997) 17. You Win Again (Promo Clip 1987) 18. One (Promo Clip 1989) An Interview With Rickie Lee Jones Mike Ragogna : What's the story behind the album title Balm In Gilead ? Rickie Lee Jones : There's a remark in the Old Testament that's a list of things... "Is there no this, is there no that, is there no balm in Gilead to heal my people?" So the implication was that the town of Gilead made a wonderful balm for people. Out of context, for me, it takes on a lot of meaning since my people are suffering pretty terribly. I was listening to this record and thought to myself, "Every time I listen to it, I feel a little better when it's over. It's kind of nice for my heart." That's how I came to the title, and music is kind of like a balm for us, it soothes and eases us. MR : You approached this album in a very personal way, starting off with "Wild Girl," a song about your daughter. RLJ : "Wild Girl," oddly enough, was started back in '86. It was one of the first songs I wrote for Flying Cowboys . I was expressing some kind of feeling of a person whose life had gone wrong, telling her that all those things she dreamed of, she could still bring them back. But I could never | |
| Robert Shiller: Address Income Gap, Tie It To Tax Rate (Video) | Top |
| The US might be in the midst of a second housing and financial bubble, according to economist and Yale Professor Robert Shiller. Shiller and Financial Times commentator Martin Wolf were interviewed by Fareed Zakaria Sunday. Zakaria asked Shiller and Martin to weigh in on the topic of executive pay at bailed out banks. Both agreed that they were "annoyed" and "irritated" with the issue. Shiller warned that if the income gap is not addressed, it could do major harm to the US and create a country that even rich people don't want to live in. The professor proposed a tax tied to the income gap. Shiller, an economist who foresaw the financial crisis, questioned sharp increases in urban housing prices and admitted that he's not entirely sure about what's fueling with the economic recovery. According to Shiller, the US recovery is not purely because of the stimulus. Shiller believes that the recovery was spurred by "spontaeous" public confidence in the US government's response to the crisis--not necessarily the scope or quality of the response, but confidence that the crisis was being addressed. WATCH (Part 1): WATCH (Part 2): More on Economy | |
| BCS Rankings Week 10: Texas Passes Alabama In BCS Standings | Top |
| NEW YORK — Texas took a small step forward in the Bowl Championship Series standings Sunday, and the remaining unbeaten teams held down the first seven spots. The Longhorns (.9227) jumped from third to second place, ahead of Alabama (.9166) and behind Florida (.9918). It's a cosmetic move. Texas was already in control of its destiny in the BCS championship race. The Crimson Tide and Gators, if they both remain undefeated, will have to play each other in the Southeastern Conference title game. Behind the top three were Iowa (.8407), Cincinnati (.8033), TCU (.8008) and Boise State (.7863), all unbeaten and hoping for the Gators, Crimson Tide or Longhorns to slip up. Alabama faces a stiff test Saturday when LSU travels to Tuscaloosa. The Horned Frogs hold a slim lead over the Broncos in the race to be this season's BCS buster. Both teams had lopsided victories on Saturday. Oregon moved up two spots from 10th to eighth place after a 47-20 victory against Southern California. USC dropped seven spots to 12th place. Notre Dame, which needs nine victories and a top-14 finish in the BCS standings to be eligible for an at-large bid, is 22nd. Florida holds the top spot and is ranked first in both polls used by the BCS – the Harris and coaches' polls. The Gators are also tops among the compilation of six computer ratings used by the BCS. Texas is No. 2 in both polls and tied with Alabama for third in the computer ratings. The Crimson Tide is third in both polls. Iowa is second in the computers, though only seventh in the Harris poll and sixth in the coaches' poll. More on College Football | |
| GOP Health Bill In The Works; Boehner Says Republican Bill Would Extend Insurance Coverage To "Millions" | Top |
| Republicans are preparing an alternative health-care bill to Democratic legislation, House Republican Leader John Boehner said, marking a shift in strategy as the full House is set to begin debate on the issue this week. More on Health Care | |
| Private College Salaries Of More Than $1 Million Paid To 23 Presidents | Top |
| The fast-growing group of millionaire private college and university presidents hit a new record in recent years, and it's likely more college leaders will make seven-figure salaries once the slumping economy rebounds. A record 23 presidents received more than $1 million in total compensation in fiscal 2008, according to an analysis of the most recently available data published Monday by the Chronicle of Higher Education. A record one in four in the study of 419 colleges' mandatory IRS filings made at least $500,000. Topping the list is Shirley Ann Jackson at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., whose total compensation the Chronicle pegged at nearly $1.6 million. She was followed by David Sargent at Suffolk University in Boston, who made $1.5 million. However, one-third of his compensation had been reported as deferred compensation last year and counted as salary this year – an example of the difficulty of making straightforward compensation comparisons. Overall, median compensation for the group rose 6.5 percent to $359,000, and 15.5 percent at major private research universities, to $628,000. The figures essentially cover the 2007-2008 academic year. Those averages have almost certainly flattened or perhaps fallen since then, with numerous presidents – including Jackson – taking voluntary pay cuts this year amid widespread budget-cutting at their institutions. But experts say the upward trend will almost certainly resume eventually. It may frustrate parents who are paying higher tuition, but experts insist the salaries reflect supply and demand. "The baby boomers are retiring," said Ray Cotton, a Washington D.C.-based lawyer and expert on presidential contracts and compensation. "Boards are in a scramble competing against each other for the remaining available talent." But the 24-7 nature of the job and the stresses stemming from the recession have made it unappealing to prospective candidates. "Some people just don't want anything to do with the job because it keeps them up at night," said Chronicle editor Jeffrey Selingo. "In order to attract and retain good talent they're going to have to pay for it. They may take a little break now because of the economy, but these pieces are still in place." Still, colleges will have to absorb the public relations hit that comes with offering seven-figure compensation to an academic leader. The average price of tuition plus room and board at four-year private colleges surpassed $39,000 last year, according to the latest figures from the College Board. The Chronicle noted that 58 institutions charged more than $50,000 this year, up from just five last year. A number of those schools pay their presidents more than $1 million, including New York University, Columbia and Vanderbilt. The Chronicle also identified three former presidents who received compensation of more than $1 million in 2007-2008, topped by retired George University president Stephen Trachtenberg, whose benefits package was valued at $3.67 million. It identified 85 colleges paying at least a former president or other high-ranking official at least $200,000, typically in deferred compensation and bonuses. "You wonder if these colleges are giving away the store when they sign contracts with employees," said Sen. Charles Grassley, Rep.-Iowa, who has been a longtime critic of pay practices at not-for-profit institutions. The latest survey does not include presidential salaries at public universities, which have been rising in recent years but are generally lower than at top private institutions. Last year, just one public university president, Ohio State's Gordon Gee, earned more than $1 million. Nine private college presidents exceeded the $1 million mark in last year's survey of the 2006-2007 data. Jackson, a physicist and former Clinton administration official, has clashed with Rensselaer faculty and been criticized for spending time away from campus to serve on six corporate boards. But she volunteered this year to return 5 percent of her base salary – which the Chronicle reported at just more than $1 million in fiscal 2008 – to be used for student scholarships. All salaries for senior administrators are frozen this year, RPI said. Jackson received a strong statement of support from the university. Applications to the school have doubled, research volume has tripled, and $690 million has in new construction and renovations have taken place in Jackson's decade as president, said William N. Walker, Vice President, strategic communications and external relations, in a statement issued by the school. A request to interview Jackson was denied. "The value she contributes to the Institute far exceeds the amount she is paid," Walker said. | |
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