Amazon launches author stores (good idea!).
A great DARK KNIGHT analysis (which I finally saw on DVD in high definition on our new large flat screen tv on New Year's Day. I give it a Thumbs up. Of course, I'm not really a superhero movie type person with lots of skyrocketing expectations. It exceeded mine. And, yep, I think Heath Ledger deserves the kudos he's received. )
Hilzoy remembers Andy Olmsted. I don't know Hilzoy. I don't know Andy. But I've read their blogs, and I remember tears rolling down my cheeks while reading the post last year following his death in Iraq. Very moving, heartbreaking and powerful stuff. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Al Jazeera reports that the Gaza crisis has exposed in stark terms the growing disconnect between anger on the Arab street against Israeli attacks on Gaza and the slow response - some say total failure to act - by Arab governments. I'm also reading Al Jazeera's special section on the War on Gaza which includes a war diary and several youtube clips offering a range of perspectives on Israel and Palestine.
Bloomberg reports that the first female deans of the Harvard (Elena Kagan, 48) and Stanford (Kathleen Sullivan, 53) law schools are the top candidates to serve as Barack Obama’s voice at the U.S. Supreme Court, according to people familiar with the selection process.
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to appoint Denver schools superintendent Michael Bennet to serve out the term of Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, who is leaving the chamber to join President-elect Barack Obama’s cabinet as Interior secretary, the Rocky Mountains News reported today.
In an op-ed on New Year's Day, Paul Krugman points out that the Republicans have become a party of whiners. He, he. (I love Paul!) Quit trying to pass the buck or blame dumb luck, folks.
Financial Times reports that the pressure is on:
Facing one of the most nail-biting choices since the presidential election, David Paterson, the New York governor, has been told he would be guilty of "political malpractice" if he named anyone other than Caroline Kennedy as the state's new junior representative in the Senate.I still have no idea if Kennedy is the best choice (I'm not familiar with all the possibilities), but I do, you know, like her and think she'd be a good senator.Mr Paterson, under intense pressure from some of the country's most powerful political dynasties as he ponders his decision, has sole discretion to appoint a replacement for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is moving to the state department in Barack Obama's administration.
In the latest development in a political saga that has gripped New Yorkers for the past month, Kevin Sheekey, senior political aide to Michael Bloomberg, the mayor, said this week: "The idea that we would pass up appointing someone to the Senate who is both a friend and a critical supporter of Barack Obama is political malpractice."
Under the apt heading of "Senate Soap Operas," Huffington Post reports that Senate Democrats are planning a cool reception for Burris, Reid pressured Blagojevich on Obama's Senate seat, indicating that he didn't want Jackson, Davis or Jones, the GOP intend to filibuster an early seating of Franken and Coleman may lose his office until the election is decided.
Greg Sargent is leaving TPM to write the lead blog on a new site that WaPo is launching.
That's it for now. Have a great weekend.
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