Sophont

By Orson Scott Card Editor's note: Orson Scott Card is a Democrat and a newspaper columnist, and in this opinion piece he takes on both while lamenting the current state of journalism . An open letter to the local daily paper — almost every local daily paper in America: I remember reading All the President's Men and thinking: That's journalism.� You do what it takes to get the truth and you lay it before the public, because the public has a right to know. This housing crisis didn't come out of nowhere.  It was not a vague emanation of the evil Bush administration. It was a direct result of the political decision, back in the late 1990s, to loosen the rules of lending so that home loans would be more accessible to poor people. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were authorized to approve risky loans." (click on title for more)

 "I AM JOE"

"In 1964 the eminent physicist Richard Feynman served on the State of California's Curriculum Commission and saw how the Commission chose math textbooks for use in California's public schools. In his acerbic memoir of that experience, titled 'Judging Books by Their Covers,' Feynman analyzed the Commission's idiotic method of evaluating books, and he described some of the tactics employed by schoolbook salesmen who wanted the Commission to adopt their shoddy products. 'Judging Books by Their Covers' appeared as a chapter in 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!' -- Feynman's autobiographical book that was published in 1985 by W.W. Norton & Company."

 "Andrew Lahde, manager of a small California hedge fund, Lahde Capital, burst into the spotlight last year after his one-year-old fund returned 866 percent betting against the subprime collapse. Last month, he did the unthinkable -- he shut things down, claiming dealing with his bank counterparties had become too risky. Today, Lahde passed along his 'goodbye' letter, a rollicking missive on everything from greed to economic philosophy. Enjoy."

Wired Article : "Sleep Dealer is remarkably topical for a film set in the future (albeit one described by Rivera as taking place 'five minutes from now'). Central themes include outsourcing, corporate ownership of water, remote warfare, confessional internet diaries and military contractors who are accountable to no one. It's the rare political film without any reference to contemporary politics; like Blade Runner and other big-brained sci-fi flicks, it's about ideas, not selling merchandise." The director/writer's site: http://www.invisibleamerica.com/movies.html

So after having a sushi dinner downtown I decide to bike into Tomkins Square Park to read my software manual printouts instead of staying in my rat filled cave. It's very nice, not too hot, feet propped up on my folding bike, not too loud 80's music coming from the "movies in the park" set up, and the occasional distraction of hyperactive small dogs chasing each other on the grass. A man holding 2 shopping bags approaches me, holds one out; its filled with DVDs, and he says "triple x, triple x" I shake my head no and look back to my manual. He holds out the other one and says "photoshop office autocad final cut" I heart NY

TrueZer0

Speak, Dog! Speak!: News Flash! Hard-working American NOT a Socialist! : "Here's a video of a plumber asking Barack Obama about why he wants to raise his taxes, and The One says he doesn't want to 'punish' success, he just wants to 'spread the wealth around', because that's 'good for everyone'..."