"Barbara O’Brien’s wide-ranging account of Zen history is conveyed with a master storyteller’s ability to keep the forest from getting lost in a myriad of trees. Wearing her scholarship lightly, she blends just the right amount of skepticism about her hagiographic sources with a deep appreciation for the Dharma." — Barry Magid, author of
Nothing Is Hidden and
Ending the Pursuit of Happiness Order here!
What a coinkydink… I just got done watching that over at HuffPo. Great minds, etc.
Aside from OCD-ishly wanting to fix some of the rhymes in the lyrics (“disapproval” and “tattoo removal,” I mean c’mon), I loved it. Had no idea Neil Patrick Harris could belt out a song like that. Thank heaven for the Broadway chops of gay men!
Today’s the day that the Big 3 automotive CEOs return to the Senate to beg for a bailout. For instance, GM is asking for $18 Billion, and, to show sincerity, the GM President drove his two other buddies from Michigan to DC in a hybrid Chevy Malibu. And he has joined them in saying he’d settle for a $1.00 salary this year (but has not mentioned any multi-million dollar bonuses or stock option plans.)
The $18 Billion is a problem that Michael Moore pointed out on the television last night, since GM’s share value is only $6 Billion … they are asking for 3 times what the company is worth.
As Moore says, if that is the financial situation then we are not bailing them out, we are buying the company… and if we do that, shouldn’t we be determining what they are going to build? Shouldn’t we be determining who they can and cannot lay off? Shouldn’t we function as owners and not suckers?
Harry Reid doesn’t think the votes are there in the Senate to approve this. I don’t know if this keeps Paulson from handing some of the Treasury’s $700 Billion to GM or Ford or Chrysler… or if he can legally.
The word is that if one of the Big 3 goes out of business it will trigger a move from recession to depression. Of this is true, we are set for a bumpy ride into the Obama Administration.
Under The LobsterScope
Had no idea Neil Patrick Harris could belt out a song like that.
I see we have uncovered the last human who has not seen Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
I see we have uncovered the last human…
News to me also. I guess I’ve been too busy with other stuff.
calling all toasters, I saw a teaser for it. I’ve meant to watch the whole thing… I really have. Huge Joss Whedon fan here. I’ve just been busy.
btw, only one other person of my acquaintance has even heard of Dr. Horrible, so your estimate is way, way off.
IPerhaps my friends and acquaintances have way too much time on their hands. Anyway, go watch it. It’s Whedon and it’s 40 minutes of fabulous.
Losterscope:
Being home sick with only limited basic cable, I watched damn near every minute of the automaker hearings yesterday. I saw three execs, a UAW president, representatives from parts makers, dealer associations, and an economist who’s analyzed the situation, who were appropriately contrite and downright desperate. I watched the CEO of Chrysler (and possibly the others–I can’t recall their responses) say that yes, if it came down to a choice between his job and those of the thousands of people who work for him, he would choose to lose his job. I watched them offer to run whatever numbers the Senate Banking Comittee wanted, to agree to whatever terms/oversight/trustees/restructuring/combining of operations were necessary. But most importantly, the word I heard over and over again, over the course of about 4.5 hours, was LOAN.
They’re not asking for a bailout. They’re asking for an emergency operating loan to allow them to do the work they need to make up for the years of stupidity that have gone before. Yeah, I’m still irked that they’re asking for help for a mess they largely created for themselves, but if they’re asking for a loan, if everyone including the management and the unions are willing to make some serious sacrifices, and if they’re willing to let Congress dictate the terms, then what I see are three organizations that are far more deserving recipients than the banks who are currently running amok with the money we’ve foolishly handed them. (And let’s not ignore the role of the financial meltdown in the car maker’s woes–without the banks refusing credit, a lot more cars would have been sold in the last few months.)
Mostly, though, I have to ask you this: is there a reason why you can’t seem to post an on-topic comment anymore? Coming in here to read comments, and coming across one of yours, is like hitting a speed bump in an otherwise smooth road. Worse, it’s like you’re posting an ad for your own blog without paying any attention to what’s going on here.
Side note to Joan: Dr. Horrible is excellent! Go watch!