AltWeeklies Wire
George W. Bush: The King of Bad Presidentsnew
As President George W. Bush gets ready to leave the White House, it says a lot that the most frequently asked question about his place in history is whether he's the worst president ever, or just in the top five or six.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
John Grooms |
01-15-2009 |
Commentary
How to React to the Recession in '09new
"Live during a good year as if it were a bad year," urges financial planner Kate Wilusz. And during a bad year she advises staying strong, keeping close track of every cent spent, and investing in real estate, stocks, and bonds.
East Bay Express |
Anneli Rufus |
01-15-2009 |
Economy
Tags: economic issues, Personal Finance
'Hot, Flat, and Crowded' is the Same Old Thomas Friedmannew
When some time ago a friend of mine told me that Thomas Friedman's new book was going to be a kind of environmentalist clarion call against American consumerism, I almost died laughing.
New York Press |
Matt Taibbi |
01-15-2009 |
Nonfiction
Maybe It's Time to Commit Facebook Suicidenew
Blue-collar jobs that take place outdoors, involve manual labor, and don't interact with computers probably aren't at risk of Facebook abuse. But white-collar office jobs are a different story.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
01-15-2009 |
Tech
Getting the Lead Out Causes a Freakout for Toy Retailersnew
Like their counterparts nationwide, Portland toy makers and retailers are raising hell about the vagueness, harsh penalties and cost of adhering to a federal law set to take effect Feb. 10. Estimates for testing range from $40 to $4,000, according to the Handmade Toy Alliance, a national nonprofit.
Willamette Week |
Dan Green |
01-15-2009 |
Business & Labor
A Soundtrack To Sweat Tonew
Most New Year's resolutions involve exercise, but what will you listen to?
East Bay Express |
Kathleen Richards |
01-15-2009 |
Music
Facebook Becomes an Israeli-Palestinian 'Battleground'new
The war in Israel and Gaza has quickly expanded to Facebook, where backers of both camps are using many of the social networking site's features to voice their opinions in graphic and sometimes absurd ways.
Boston Phoenix |
Peter Piatetsky |
01-14-2009 |
Media
Did Bush's War On Terror™ Succeed in Somalia?new
Instead of replacing Somalia's government with something better, U.S.-Ethiopian forces merely started a civil war.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Andisheh Nouraee |
01-14-2009 |
Commentary
Kill Your Antennanew
The DTV transition doesn't affect you. And we shouldn't be doing it anyway -- we should get all the spectrum back from the TV companies and use it to extend internet access to everyone.
Portland Phoenix |
Jeff Inglis |
01-14-2009 |
Media
Sen. David Vitter's Right Flanknew
The embattled senator effectively announced his candidacy for re-election last week when he filed nearly three dozen bills on the opening day of the 111th Congress, most of which reflect his desire (read: urgent political need) to endear himself to Christian conservatives.
Gambit |
Clancy DuBos |
01-14-2009 |
Commentary
Can Bob Cerasoli Help Clean Up City Gov't in New Orleans?new
When Cerasoli arrived to set up the city's first-ever Office of the Inspector General, he needed inventory tags to keep track of computers, monitors and other workplace valuables. He called City Hall to get some. It was one of his first, but not his last, surprises when it came to city government.
Gambit |
Kevin Allman |
01-14-2009 |
Policy Issues
Steve Fainaru's New Book Gives the Mercenary in Iraq a Face and a Soulnew
Although mercenaries have a bad rap around the world, "I didn't really blame most of them," Fainaru recalls, "even though a lot of people did, demonizing them and calling them all kinds of names."
East Bay Express |
Anneli Rufus |
01-14-2009 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Who's Killing the Plug-In Hybrid?new
The same California agency that drove the electric car off a cliff is now poised to wreck a new Berkeley company that triples the gas mileage of a Toyota Prius.
East Bay Express |
Robert Gammon |
01-14-2009 |
Transportation
Why Does it Take $46K to Start a Community Garden in San Diego?new
The nonprofit International Rescue Committee never thought it would spend $46,000 to get permits for an organic garden on the stretch of unused, city-owned land. They figured that the city surely would want folks to farm the land, in the name of food security.
San Diego CityBeat |
Rebecca Tolin |
01-14-2009 |
Gardening
Have Our Schools Rushed to Judgment On the Safety of Synthetic Turf?new
Converting grass playing fields to synthetic turf ones has been a growing trend nationwide. But possible health risks have led to debate in many communities. Locally, however, the debate has hardly been fierce.
C-Ville Weekly |
Chiara Canzi |
01-14-2009 |
Environment
