I read this last night after dinner and had a hard time keeping it down. So don't say I didn't warn you.

Obama to skip Gridiron for Camp David

Friday's announcement of the president's travel plans is likely to make the Gridiron snub seem like, well, more of a snub — especially as Obama would be the first president since at least World War II to skip the event in his first year in office....

Of course, skipping the Gridiron is already sparking the inevitable questions: Does Obama's version of change in Washington mean not taking part in some of its oldest rituals? And if the president doesn't show up at a dinner whose guest of honor is usually the president, what happens to the dinner?

Gridiron singed by Obama no-show

But some Gridiron veterans make clear they don’t understand. Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page said, “People feel uncommonly saddened, miffed and burned.

“I don’t think he understands the implications of not coming to the club in the first year. It’s not your ordinary state dinner. I think it would be helpful for him and his relations with the Washington establishment to come to the club.”

Beyond bruised feelings among the pundit class, Obama’s snub is a revealing cultural moment.

Gridiron has for decades been an inner sanctum of Washington’s political press corps. The club’s mostly aging members were considered highly prestigious because they said so — and because they had the ability to summon the capital’s political elite to a spring frolic of skits and songs.

I don't know why Obama decided not to attend, but I'm glad he did.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20036.html

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20036.html

Already my Office has determined that some of these bonuses were staggering in size. For example:

The top recipient received more than $6.4 million;

The top seven bonus recipients received more than $4 million each;

The top ten bonus recipients received a combined $42 million;

22 individuals received bonuses of $2 million or more, and combined they received more than $72 million;

73 individuals received bonuses of $1 million or more; and

Eleven of the individuals who received "retention" bonuses of $1 million or more are no longer working at AIG, including one who received $4.6 million;

Again, these payments were all made to individuals in the subsidiary whose performance led to crushing losses and the near failure of AIG. Thus, last week, AIG made more than 73 millionaires in the unit which lost so much money that it brought the firm to its knees, forcing ~ taxpayer bailout. Something is deeply wrong with this outcome. I hope the Committee will address it head on.

We have also now obtained the contracts under which AIG decided to make these payments. The contracts shockingly contain a provision that required most individuals' bonuses to be 100% of their 2007 bonuses. Thus, in the Spring of last year, AIG chose to lock in bonuses for 2008 at 2007 levels despite obvious signs that 2008 performance would be disastrous in comparison to the year before. My Office has thus begun to closely examine the circumstances under which the plan was created.

Letter to House Committee on Financial Services: http://www.oag.state.ny.us/media_center/2009/mar/House%20Committee%20Letter%203.17.09.pdf

NPR hosted Twitter factcheck sessions during the presidential and vp debates, then verified and wrote up the results. Several others have noted other interesting uses. And IMO, the potential for a few smiles during the day cannot be overrated:

badbanana (just a regular guy)

Oh, sure. The stock market is shooting up now that I've converted my entire portfolio into a Subway footlong.

Just wrote my tax checks. I'll hold onto them in case I get lucky and civilization collapses before April 15.

My mobile calling plan offers unlimited minutes. In an average month, I doubt I use half of them.

Many of you have informed me that a hobo sack is actually called a bindle. Further proof that I'd never survive a Depression.

HotAmishChick (the tales of a young girl both within her community and as she ventures outside it with her sidekick, Pony)

Research has lead me to conclude the non-Amish worship a fertilty goddess named Brangelina.

Ow ow ow. Churning cramp.

In trouble. Jedidiah and I made a snowman. Accused of making a false idol. The bat wings may have been a bit much.

Okay. I'm bored now. Pony time!

My mother spoke to your mother and now I'm supposed to speak to you. #amishpickuplines

It was all bullshit to him. He didn't want security; he wanted power. And power at Sullivan, Greenwald, he knew, come only with your own client base, your own book of business. If you couldn't eat what you killed, you'd always be dependent on the scraps from someone else's table. That might have been fine for other associates. But it would never be enough for him.

Which was why Hilzoy was so damned valuable...From Fault Line

:-)

You said:

3) The rise of Fox News, and the popularity of the Drudge Report is due, in part, because of the existence of the liberal bias. . . . there was a segment of the market that was not being served.

From the link you supplied on the study:

The Drudge Report may have a right-wing reputation, but it leans left.

Please clarify.

In spite of rrheard and Arne's efforts, I'm afraid you've confused me again.

You wrote:

@Steve Ashley: I supplied info from a study, you rely on anecdotes, . . .

And then you wrote:

Sure, sometimes Drudge's top stories and the networks are in agreement. Many times they are not.

For instance, I was led to this article via Drudge;

"Why, for example to quote the lawyer for Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., haven't we seen an interview with Sen. Obama's grad school drug dealer -- when we know all about Mrs. McCain's addiction?" - Michael S. Malone

I don't think I'll ever get the hang of this "X" thing.

Here's the link to his segment (also @ sig): http://tinyurl.com/dzpr2c