Gather Weekly: pot politics, social media, spending galore

This week's Gather articles (12/5-12/11):


Web

• Google launches real-time search feature (video)

Economy

• Obama on jobs creation, new stimulus: US must "spend our way out of this recession"
• Millions may lose benefits as Congress debates unemployment extension
• Obama may support using TARP funds to pay for jobs bill
• Cash for Caulkers could rebate up to $12,000 per home

Politics

• Coakley, Brown win primaries for MA Senate seat
• Senate Dems agree to drop public option from health care bill
• Senate vote on abortion amendment to health care bill expected today
• New Jersey is next gay marriage battleground
• House passes huge $447 billion omnibus spending bill

Social Media

• Hate Facebook? Sick of social media? Check out Seppukoo
• Social media wish list: 5 Twitter feature requests for 2010
• Facebook for business: 5 tips to increase fan engagement

Money

• 9 top international retirement destinations from Mint.com
• Twitter stock investing app StockTwits closes $3 million series B round of funding
• Is a falling dollar good or bad for you?

Marijuana legalization (yes this deserves its own category this week)

• Cannabis in the capital? Omnibus bill allows for medical marijuana legalization in D.C.
• Denver's Ganja Gourmet to provide culinary cannabis

Science

• Hot air in climate change debate: 2000s warmest decade ever

Balloon Boy's parents to plead guilty

The Balloon Boy's parents are in hot water. Lawyer David Lane released a statement saying that the father, Richard Heene, will plead guilty to a felony charge of attempting to influence a public servant. . . . more

Lou Dobbs leaving CNN

Longtime CNN anchor Lou Dobbs announced Wednesday that he was leaving the network. Dobbs has caused controversy with his strong views on illegal immigration. Here is a video and transcript from his . . . more

Census worker hanged

This is an extremely bizarre case. Authorities discovered the body of a U.S. Census worker hanged near a cemetery in Kentucky with the word "fed" scrawled . . . more

30 point buck killed

Wayne Schumacher, a hunter in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, shot a 30 point buck Sunday evening while bow hunting from a tree. The deer was a massive . . . more

Ventura County fire northwest of LA: evacuations ordered

A Ventura County fire burned up some 200 acres earlier today. The brush fire is northwest of Los Angeles, California. Mandatory evacuations were ordered . . . more

Traumatic Asphyxiation Cause of Yale Student Annie Le's Death

The Connecticut chief medical examiner in the case of Annie Le's murder released his findings: the Yale graduate student died from traumatic asphyxiation by neck compression. Traumatic asphyxiation . . . more

Yale Student Annie Le Murdered

New Haven police are investigating the death of Annie Le, a Yale University graduate student presumed murdered. Police discovered her bloody, battered body on Sunday hidden behind a wall in the laboratory . . . more

Russia's Victory Day Photos

An excellent gallery of photos up at Boston.com of Russia's recent Victory Day parade - ostensibly to celebrate their victory in World War II, but increasingly a huge nationalist/militarist propaganda display.

Very cool photos, but ICBMs rolling past the Kremlin give me the willies.

(Hat tip, oddly enough, to Le Foot for the link.)

Fixing a Broken State

There's an excellent article in the latest Economist about the possibility of California holding a constitutional convention sometime in the next few years to rewrite their current mammoth guiding document (it's longer than the U.S. Constitution). Strict rules for tax and budget legislation; gerrymandering; posturing extremists in the legislature on both sides; overreaching direct diplomacy with numerous wacky referenda in recent decades; all coming to a head in the current financial crisis with California's finances shot - huge budget deficits looming amidst plummeting tax receipts and a bond rating that counts for dead last of the 50 states.

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. I like the idea of selecting convention members from the jury pool - how much more democratic can you get? (Although I wonder if there will be as many excuses to get out of convention duty...)

Usually the Only Casualties Are Livers, Dignity

But this is absurd.

Thanks to LB for the link.

(We will be installing metal detectors before the next game at Club 259 - The Management.)

Swine Flu

Game Theory: Why the Swine Flu Panic is Good

Posted using ShareThis

Huzzah!

3 down, 159 to go.

(Photo from Boston.com)

I feel you, Youk. I really thought you were gonna pull it off: bottom of the ninth with two outs; Tek had just soloed to trim the Rays' lead to a mere run; Papi had worked the walk and it was up to you and your Hellenic/Ashkenazi ways to give us a win in the tiebreaker today.

But it was not to be.

Ah, well. Off to the Best Coast to do battle with the LAAoA. Late game tomorrow night on Easy Coast time.

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A note here about Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, who was killed in a traffic accident today after his first start. My best to his family. What an awful thing.

NPR's Audience Increasing

Great news: NPR's listener numbers are up, although that's not translating to increased revenue.

Over the last few months I've become an NPR addict. Their radio and podcast programs are top-notch. I remember when I was little and my parents used to listen to NPR; I thought it was soporific as hell. Then again, I was 10.

In one of my first acts as a solvent, employed citizen, I will gladly pledge some cash to WBUR (Or the appropriate local NPR affiliate. Hopefully in LA or Santa Barbara or something.)

We Heart You, Big Schill

Big ups to the man who helped end the drought and bring us two Sox championships.

Take her easy in retirement, my man. Thanks a million.

Passim Gets Wet

Great news for music fans who have had to deal with temporary sobriety at Club Passim. Finally we can enjoy booze with our tofu cake!

Cassel & Vrabel to KC for 2nd Round Draft Pick

This one hit me like a kick to the face. Sad to see Vrabes go, and it's too bad about Cassel - he did a fantastic job last season; far, far beyond my expectations - but we can't carry two QBs for all that cap cash. This should give the Pats a lot of flexibility. As always, In Belichick We Trust.

Now we just need Brady back in action in September. Hopefully married life does wonders for Tommy's recovery.

(That is a legit power couple right there.)

Beefcake Is Recession-proof?

True entrepreneurship.

Madoff With a Fortune In Other People's Money

There are a few articles in the Weekend Journal about the Bernard Madoff Ponzi pyramid scheme, in which Madoff allegedly duped investors out of some $50 billion. This one talks about Madoff's private nature and inscrutable "investing" strategy. This details the sad story of former Fort Lee, NJ mayor Burt Ross. This lists numerous other victims of Madoff's scam, including major names, hedge funds, companies, non-profits, and foreign investors.

It's incredible that this could happen. For all of these people - independent investors, fund managers, charity organizations - to blindly trust Madoff with billions in capital boggles the mind. It goes against the most basic of investment advice: Know what you're investing in. Diversify. It's a combination of greed, delusion - there had to be on some level - and "rolling with the good times" as Madoff brought in high, consistent returns of between 10-12% per year. Forget that these were ludicrous in a declining market, forget that monthly statements from Madoff Securities represented quite literally impossible profits. Investors basked in the ignorant comfort of those fat returns.

A lot of blame to go around beyond Madoff, of course. The SEC didn't investigate Madoff Securities for years until just recently despite evidence and entreaties to do so from several people. And how about these countless funds investing others' money in something that nobody understood? What a disaster.