Worldview Brainy Chick for June 2008

Worldview Loves the Brainy Chicks

The June 2008 Worldview Brainy Chick is . . .

Chrystia Freeland!

Chrystia is the US Managing Editor of The Financial Times. FYI, The Financial Times is the British rival to The Wall Street Journal. The FT is, strangely, printed daily on dark pink paper, making it easy to spot. Chrystia shows up regularly on American tv pundit talk shows such as The McLaughlin Group and Hardball. A Harvard grad and Rhodes Scholar, she really is the complete package.

She is the author of the Adam Smith recommended book, Sale of the Century: Russia's Wild Ride from Communism to Capitalism, which you can look at here. She is rare among the pundi in that she has true foresight which she shares in an intelligible and artfully accurate way. She is also very polite, maintaining her poise and composure while holding her own among the yellers and interrupters who infest our political discourse on tv. As listeners, this allows us to enjoy Chrystia's knowledge, logic, and insight on the issues of the day, which never fails to impress. This makes her very likable and watchable, and I believe this better standard of behavior is becoming more common among the younger generation of pundits.

Here is a great clip of her, back in November 2007, when the Republican contest seemed to be between Romney and Giuliani, correctly predicting that the main election issue would turn to the mortage crisis in 2008.

And here is a great clip of her holding her own in John McLaughlin's circus and standing up for accuracy in political discourse. BTW, she refer's to "you guys" can elect your President because she's Canadian.

So thanks, congrats, and plaudits to Chrystia! Keep up the good work!

Yet More Random Thoughts For Friday

What's up the the Pregnant Man? If he has female reproductive organs, isn't he a woman? I want more details, but I'm kind of afraid to ask. And I definitely don't want to see any photos.

You know, derivatives and swaps really aren't that complicated. They're just new. And they're not even that new. The problems should not be this big. Can't anyone model this?

Anyone who relies on the "genius of the market" is an idiot.

Hillary seems to be getting tired. Plus, I know everyone tells lies, but she tells bad ones. A lot.

Old Chris Rock example of a bad lie, "That's your baby."

The Rape T-Shirts just seem in bad taste to me.

Time shares really are the way to go on vacation if you have kids.

My wife thinks if I mention someone more that once here that I'm "infatuated." So, just to clear the air, I am not infatuated with David Shuster. But, I did notice that he was wearing a black and white pinstripe suit yesterday on Hardball, which, with his nearly black hair and pale complexion, gave a kind of retro black & white look to the whole news segment. Since existentially we know that nothing is a mistake, I can only assume that this b&w theme is meant to convey a subliminal pro-Obama image to viewers.

David Gregory's new show on the Presidential Election, coming out just when everything has gotten realllly boooooring, is OK, but follows the same old format as a dozen other shows. It's not going to turn into another "Nightline." But it's not bad. At least it's better than The McLaughlin Group.

Milton Friedman's philosophy is inherently evil, and should be discarded. Yeah, that's right. I said it.

People's homes should be considered more than a financial asset, and should be treated differently under the law. Why have we forgotten this?

If America is basically just a big, free market, then how does patriotism fit in?

I'm looking forward to seeing Tom Glavine pitch for the Braves again this season. Tom's a 42 year old lefty, who has made the transition from young fastballer to crafty old curveballer. He spent the last 4 years with the Mets, but he's back home now. He's also a native Bay Stater, like yours truly.

The economy seems to be getting better around here. I hope it spreads.

Interesting perspective from an old lady cashier at the Mercedes dealership. She's been there for many years. She says that election years are always slow for Mercedes sales. Grass roots insight! This would make a lot of sense especially for this year. Since we have no incumbent running for re-election, both parties are running on a theme that things are all screwed up and only they can fix them. Well, the base message being that things are all screwed up is bound to influence consumer confidence. Downward. And since we have a consumer driven economy, this has an impact. A negative impact, to be specific. Let's call this the "Old Lady Cashier Effect."

No more news from the Swingers in our neighborhood. Maybe I should start to work out.

So, who won the NCAA Tournament? Is it over yet?

Apparently the LPGA has finally figured out that if they market their hot, straight women, then men will watch them too. Duh. Pretty girls, golf, laying on my couch with a beer. Sounds like a perfect Sunday afternoon plan. I may have to delete The McLaughlin Group from my tivo schedule to make room in my tv schedule.

Speaking of The McLaughlin Group, what happened to Tony Blankley? He's disappeared. Did they figure out he was a Moonie and kick him off? Or did he and Eleanor finally just have a big slapfight and she won? The new blond conservative woman whose name I can't remember is really good. Plus she doesn't interrupt.

Lake Lanier is up 5 feet, but is still 15 feet below normal pool level. So Atlanta should make it through the weekend.

That's all for now.