Barack Obama's election victory and global popularity have made the United States the world's most admired national "brand," a new survey finds.
Here’s the current top five, with last year’s ranks in brackets:
1. US (7)
2. France (2)
3. Germany (1)
4. UK (3)
5. Japan (5)
There’s a metaphor lurking in here somewhere. The same day GOP Chairman Michael Steele unveiled a new online home for the Republican Party, the website apparently crashed, leaving users unable to log on to GOP.com.
Chambers began drumming at the age of four years old, and was gigging in Baltimore-area nightclubs by the age of six. In 1978 (at 18 years old) he joined Parliament/Funkadelic, and stayed with them until 1985.
In a play reminiscent to how I had my shoulder seperated, Jerome Iginla trip and rode Sheldon Souray into the end boards as he went back to retrieve the puck. While it is likely that the play was unintentional, Colin Campbell, NHL disciplinarian, has sent the wrong message by fining Pat Quinn $10,000 for his comments after the game.
Quinn said, the hit by Calgary Iginla's was a "dirty play." Adding that Oiler players should have retaliated and that "in the old days (Iginla) would have got hit over the head with a stick right after ... in the area I come from, you do dirt with dirt."
Here is the play below.
I do not endorse any of the ads seen on this page, in case you are wondering.
Archer is a new animated series that begins in January 2010. I've seen the first episode and it is some hilarious, over the top fun.
So this will be the way the world ends, not with a bang but with 140 characters of pure drivel.
I don't mean to offend but this be more pedestrian? Put a hot girl, shiny objects and a mind numbing loop together and ... you get this. So enjoy ...
Alina Puscau - When You Leave (Numa Numa) Basshunter
Click here if you want to read me rant about Obama.
From Money Revue:
Moore's Latest Documentary 'Capitalism: A Love Story'
Having found the last couple of Michael Moore's offerings a bit over the top. I skipped out on 'Sicko' and had went into 'Capitalism' with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised and felt the movie both informative and fast paced. It reminded me of his earlier work on the TV series the 'Awful Truth', which I still think was his best stuff. He provides enough evidence and human drama to indict the profit motive as unhealthy, immoral, and unsustainable. There are some very raw, emotional moments that are hard to dispute, yet I honestly didn't feel there was enough guidance for the average viewer on how to channel their hostility. However, sometime less is Moore. He leaves some of the heavy lifting to ourselves instead of beating us about the head and neck. Go check it out.
Intersting going-ons with regard to the Olympics in Vancouver.
Found at Counterpunch.
Is the Sky Really Falling?
Dollar Hysteria
By MIKE WHITNEY
Robert Fisk lit the fuse with his hyperventilating narrative which appears in Tuesday's UK Independent which went viral overnight spreading to every musty corner of the Internet and sending gold skyrocketing to $1,026 per oz. Now every doomsday website in cyber-world has headlined Fisk's "shocker" and the blogs are clogged with the frenzied commentary of bunker-dwelling survivalists and goldbugs who're certain that the world as we know it is about to end.
From Fisk's article:
"In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies
The Oilers are in the win column. Pat Quinn gets his first win, Khabibulin gets his 300th, and the boys are back to their old tricks by winning in the shootout. Sam Gagner potted his second in two games.
A couple of drunken yobs decide to give some drag queens a taunting. Well, the drag queens happened to be cage fighters enjoying a night on the town. Forward to the 1 minute mark to see the hilarity ensue.
From a protest in Brussels against falling milk prices.
Record gold prices and higher oil prices caused the dollar to rise to it's highest levels in a year.
A troubled real estate market and cost over runs have put the Olympic village almost $250 million over budget with little chance of recouping the costs in the foreseeable future. Factor in the 5 fold increase in security costs and I think these games have little chance of making it out of the red.
Check out Rolling Stone's fall music preview for something to listen to as it gets colder outside. I've already checked out the new Pearl Jam offering "Backspacer". Check out the video for "The Fixer" off the new album. It's a gooder.
ESPN (owned by Disney) has just come out with their "Body" issue showing some famous and attractive athletes in next to nothing. One athlete is Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones as pictured below.
Speaks for itself. Check it out.
First it was no liquor during pregnancy, now it's no liquorice. Sheesh!
How did I miss this when it came out?
... and the videos keep coming. You can find a lot of great stuff on the interweb.
I just picked up the book "The Drunkard's Walk - How Ramdomness Rules Our Lives". So far it's got me. Check out the author Leonard Mlodinow in the video.
Check out this blog on Alberta politics.
Craig Ferguson is a funny guy and has just released a new book about becoming an American citizen and his battles with alcoholism.
I've read a few pages at the bookstore and it looks alright.
Living here nowadays, I can tell you those days are passed. Vancouver is easily as conservative as Calgary.
Letterman took the initiative to get his spin out there before the media got a hold of it.
I guess heads are being scratched and fingers are starting to point as Vancouver has stumbled out of the gate. It's still another week before they play the Oilers, who they seem to own.Luongo allowed 3 goals on 3 shots in 44 seconds. I believe Vancouver's captain is showing a chink in his mighty armor. Meanwhile, Vancouver continues to pepper their opponents with shots, but fail to capitalize on many.
Wednesday night against the Canadians may be a rough one.
Photo by Derek Purdy
The IMF is looking to guard against another world wide financial crisis.
For those of you not familiar with the Tobin Tax, it is basically a tax on currency speculation.
From Wikipedia:
A Tobin tax is the suggested tax on all trade of currency across borders. Named after the economist James Tobin, the tax is intended to put a penalty on short-term speculation in currencies. The original tax rate he proposed was 1%, which was subsequently lowered to between 0.1% and 0.25%.
Much has been said already about the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. I'm still curious to see how it all plays out. Major sponsors have backed away from the games citing the downturn in the economy.
People have already started booking for ski hills in the Okangan during Christmas. Whistler is saying people can still go there, but they do concede that parking at the hill during the Olympics is still a question mark.
I highly recommend the hike to Berg Lake at the base of Mount Robson. Plus I wanted to add some colour to the site.
There next game is tonight (Monday) against Columbus. I will make no secret about the fact I hope their losing ways continue. Just 'splaining, not hating.Photo by Derek Purdy
Oiler fans were choked by the outcome of the season opener on Saturday night.
A heartbreaking blunder, by newly acquired goalie Nikolai Khabibulin, allowed the Flames to seal the game with seconds to go. The winning goal, by Sphagnum (David "Pete" Moss) came shortly after a great scoring chance by "Paddy" O'Sullivan (the best of a bunch on which he failed to capitalize).
In Khabibulin's defense, he looked pretty keen in his debut. While the Oilers plastered the Flames to the boards at every opportunity, they still allowed some ridiculous easy chances. Sam Gagner got lucky with a fortuitous bounce of a stanchion to tie the game upmidway through the third.
Good jobs by the refs as they put their whistles away in the last period (good for the Oilers as their power play was dismal and Flames' has been hot this season).
Next game, Tuesday night against Dallas.
