Home State "Natives" and American Migration

I'm from the East Coast, where curiosity about "native origin" typically involve nations rather than one of the states of the Union. However, in the American South and West, the "native" issue has a domestic focus as much as an international one. When I lived in San Francisco, I quickly grasped that "native" Californians were quite aware of their background. That sensibility, which largely ignores political ideology, was exponentially magnified by the concept of a "native" San Franciscan. It led to a definition of one's world in which exclusion was a necessary component. The perspective was similar to that I experienced in Italy, where one was socially defined in similar ways, and with linguistic dialects adding a layer of uniquely local identity.

This "native" phenomenon, and the unease about the most recent great domestic migration, extends beyond California. The LA Times recently picked up a story that originally appeared in the Las Vegas Sun about "native" Nevadans. According to the report, only 24% of Nevada residents could claim the state as its birthplace. The next two least "native" states, Florida and Arizona, could claim less than two out of every five inhabitants as born and raised within their respective boundaries. The issue seems to be a live one in Colorado as well: when my wife and I last visited there, we saw some license plates informally denoting the presumed owner's "native" status.

When I've talked with "natives" of a Western state, the conversation invariably becomes poignant. The influx of new residents, with the crowds and attendant development, modifies the character of an area. Typically, it changes from an easy rural charm to something visually homogenized. The sense is one of loss, rarely of gain. I know some LA "natives" and I enjoy learning about the drive-ins, remote escapes, and original homes now lost to the very doubtful benefits of "progress." Yet, even with the Angelenos' open conversation, I feel as if I've entered a private club for which I've been given a day pass.

I can't fully share their sentiment, even about where I reside now. In moments of doubt, I identify with New York, as I've lived much of my life in within the orbit of Manhattan. Yet, I'm not a native New Yorker. It's as if I've become fluent in a second language whose subtle nuances and behavioral expectations occasionally elude me. Despite that feeling, the New York area is my adopted home. Even though I don't fit into the "native" column on the Census Bureau findings, it's still mine. And that will more than do for now.

US Settles Another Anthrax Attack Lawsuit

The US Government, after years of legal fighting, finally agreed to settle a lawsuit by the family of the first person killed in the 2001 anthrax attacks in the United States.

According to The New York Times, the settlement requires the Feds to pay the family of tabloid photo editor Robert Stevens $2.3 million. (Another and better version of the story appears in online editions of The Washington Post.)

It has never been established why Stevens or the American Media Inc., the tabloid firm in question, were a murderer's targets. There remains considerable doubt that Bruce Ivins was the perpetrator, as the government has alleged. Meanwhile, the shadow of American Media Inc.'s publishing activities as connected to this case's fatal motive remains bafflingly unaddressed. The firm's tabloids were scourge of many high-profile celebrities, politicians, and (if you can take these stories seriously) creatures from outer space. If you've seen the National Enquirer, Star, or Men's Fitness, you've visited American Media's lurid world, one that could easily provoke one or more of its victims to seek revenge for real or imagined slights.

The government mismanaged, by accident or design, its probe into the anthrax attacks. However, the Feds had not counted on a very determined Stevens family. Their willingness to pursue justice kept the government case on its heels. Eventually, the court proceedings revealed dreadful security at the nation's top biological warfare facility. The case became a real thorn in the government's side, especially as it focused on programs national security officials understandably preferred kept in the Information Society's most remote, darkest corners.

The anthrax attacks remain a disturbing, unfinished episode from the fateful year of 2001. It is likely we will never know the story's complete truth. We are aware of a few facts. Will the real culprits ever be identified?

"Big Six" US Banks Netted Billions Via Secret Federal Reserve Loans

Maybe Not.

Have you ever wanted to get a loan at a below-market interest rate? Well, not so long ago, one highly publicized way was to get a VIP mortgage from Countrywide Financial. Dozens of Fannie Mae officials did exactly that. However, that's small potatoes compared to the secret, below-market interest rate loans the Federal Reserve dished out to major US banks.

The Fed fought Bloomberg News in court -- and fought hard -- to keep the information about these loans from public access. Thankfully, Bloomberg won and has published a story about who got what. It's a very unsavory tale, in which banking titans and the Fed lied to the public and stonewalled Congress. The usual Wall Street suspects are at the top of this corporate welfare list. The stakes were enormous, but so were the rewards: $13 billion net profit for the banks that were treated to the Fed's dole.

It's understandable that the Fed wanted to prop up these bankrupt institutions. It is unacceptable that information about the use of tax money -- generations of tax money, given the scale of the bailouts -- be kept from the American people. What are these institutions afraid of? Their high-handed approach only contributes to suspicions that both the federal bureaucracy and major financial players are profoundly corrupt.

Meanwhile, to the reporters who fought the Fed and won -- thank you.

The Movie "J.Edgar" Tackles American Political Taboos

J. Edgar Hoover (Photo from fbi.gov)

Whatever the merits of Clint Eastwood's new film J. Edgar, it does deserve attention for tackling American political taboos. His subject -- FBI director J. Edgar Hoover -- could intimidate the nation's toughest insiders. Nothing could be said about Hoover during his lifetime, except praise (often defined by the head Fed). Criticism was harshly dealt with.

Even after the FBI director passed away, few ventured into the dangerous waters of Hoover studies. The FBI had files on just about anyone who could get the public's attention. Clearly, those files included dossiers on Hollywood power brokers and high-profile actors. How that information could be used to induce silence or "cooperation" was something Hoover mastered. Even the Cold War Russians were impressed.

During the Bush-Cheney years, Americans discovered just how extensive our National Security State's "information gathering" has been. Its corrupt use gravely jeopardized all civil liberties. (To this day, the American political conservative movement, with its supposed "love" of the Constitution, has never looked itself in the mirror about its complicity with the Bush-Cheney administration's odious domestic eavesdropping and surveillance campaign and likely blackmail efforts.)

Eastwood is now old enough where a vengeful national security apparatus can't really hurt him. He's free to publicly depict J. Edgar Hoover's sexual dramas, his family life, his dishonest mythmaking, and his occasionally delusional final years. In essence, Eastwood's movie frees Hollywood from the shackles of the Hoover taboos. Whether producers now rush to make movies without the FBI's intimidating shadow modifying its scripts is not so important. In a way, J. Edgar minimizes the power of the "personal and confidential" files the FBI was fond to maintain. That is a significant achievement.

J. Edgar makes other points that won't make today's audiences so comfortable. Notably, Eastwood doesn't spare a 1930s public (and Hollywood) for embracing gangsters and thug psychology. While the point is an historical one, its echoes of our own contemporary society are pertinent. As we discovered during the Bush-Cheney years, liberty is something to be cherished and protected. That's a sentiment J. Edgar Hoover would have understood.

PS. A considerable number of former and current FBI personnel have objected to the movie's depiction of Hoover. A fair, objective article presenting this perspective appears in The Washington Post.

Thinking About Black Friday On The Saturday After

When Black Friday's horror was limited to the screen.

My wife and I went to visit friends on Thanksgiving Day. We got home sometime after midnight. Our drive back to casa nostra took us past a large shopping mall parking lot. We were startled to see the lot filled with cars. At first, we thought we were mistaken about the time, and we thought it was really six in the morning. Then we realized it was the dreaded Black Friday. It was the first time we had witnessed the infamous shopping event's Midnight Madness.

Now, I can understand why someone would wait hours for a World Series seat, or a tough ticket to a musical act. I just don't grasp why anyone has to camp out to purchase a popular gadget. The hysteria underpinning American holiday shopping has become genuinely troubling. Has one ever witnessed a time when people have gone so far off the deep end to maintain a "normal" environment?

The poster is from the 1940 film Black Friday, starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. The movie's screenwriter, Curt Siodmak, was a Polish Jew who fled Germany during the Nazi era. Before the rise of National Socialism, Siodmak invested money in the 1930 silent movie Menschen am Sonntag (People on Sunday), a pivotal documentary about four ordinary Berliners that Criterion Collection recently re-released. The movie's co-directors were brother Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer; the scriptwriter was Billy Wilder and the photographer was Fred Zinnemann, who later directed High Noon.

Sotheby's To Auction Raymond Chandler's Personal Collection of His Own Books and Papers

Raymond Chandler

The New York Times reports that Sotheby's will host an auction of Raymond Chandler books and personal documents. Available items include important works, notably Chandler's screenplay for The Blue Dahlia, and autographed books. If I had the money, I would bid on a copy of The Big Sleep, inscribed by Chandler to himself, with the mordant comment "For me without my compliments."

The Chandler treasures come from the collection of Jean Vounder-Davis, the author's fiancee and secretary. The oddball item in the group is Chandler's copy of a work by Albert Camus, given to him by Blanche Knopf. Sotheby's estimate on this piece is between $1,000 and $1,500.

The auction is not limited to Chandler's works. There are some wonderful first editions from modern authors, and autographed letters from painters such as Claude Monet and John Constable. For more information about the December 13th auction, the Sotheby's site is the place to go.

Jack Kerouac's "Lost" First Novel Now Published

Cover of Australian Edition of Kerouac's "Lost Novel"

The Sea Is My Brother: The Lost Novel, a work by a very young Jack Kerouac, has been published by Penguin. The BBC reported in today's online editions about the book's release. Meanwhile, the book's US launch might be the quietest for a popular deceased writer that I can remember. The publicity for the novel has been -- so far -- a much bigger deal in other English-speaking countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia.

Typically, first novels are something writers have to get through. Kerouac, whose works rely on a refreshing, insouciant spirit and uncomplicated prose, is unlikely to be an exception to the "first novel syndrome." Significantly, The Sea Is My Brother did not find a publisher during Kerouac's life. As is well known, Beat Generation writers were in the literary wilderness for years, while other "important" novelists found publishing homes. It's generally thought their finest work has already been published. Will The Sea Is My Brother: The Lost Novel be an exception, a newly found jewel in the Beats' literary crown? We'll see.

Would You Buy an Electric Car?

Tesla Roadster

Today's Washington Post included a piece discussing why consumers appear reluctant to embrace the electric car. The writer takes a stab at an answer to this conundrum. He suggests the vehicles' perceived driving range has deterred the public from purchasing electric cars. Price is also an issue, with the entry level starting around $40,000; the Feds offer a $7,500 tax credit to electric car purchasers to help manage the sticker payments. The Post piece only mentions the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf as the available electric cars. The story does not mention Tesla Motors' snazzy Roadster Sport, which commands a base price of over $100,000.

I think most people don't have any idea electric cars exist. The vehicles still seem like something out of The Jetsons, and the concept of plugging a car into an electrical outlet just comes across as farfetched. Now, in the interests of reasonably full disclosure, I should say we own a hybrid vehicle. We like the idea of it, and the vehicle's performance satisfies us. (We're not very demanding in that department.) Of course, we have not experienced to date any significant problems with the vehicle. In that sense, our jury is still out.

Nonetheless, the electric car continues to fascinate me. It's not because I'm so committed to eco-friendly products; I'm attracted to the new gadget for its own sake. Also, the hybrid has helped me become accustomed to an electric motor's virtues. Down deep, though, I want an electric car because it's cool.

CalPERS and Other Large Players Settle Suit Against Countrywide and Bank of America

Angelo Mozilo

Remember Countrywide Financial? If you suffered through the prospect or reality of a foreclosed home, the words are chilling ones. Since the collapse of the corrupt housing market in 2008, Countrywide (now called Countrywide Mortgage) and its current owner, Bank of America, have tried to get out from key lawsuits against them.

They appear to have succeeded recently against a well-funded, determined adversary. The LA Times reported today that CalPERS, the Golden State's powerful pension arm, along with other large institutional investors, quietly settled their litigation against Countrywide and BofA. The confidential nature of the settlement means the public has no idea how much the defendants ponied up to satisfy CalPERS and the other litigants. BofA's 4th quarter SEC filing might offer a hint; then again, maybe not.

What is clear is that Countrywide's former chief executive and the face of the foreclosure scandal, Angelo Mozilo, walks free to this day. Meanwhile, those who are financially chained or ruined by the foreclosure disaster do not.

Meanwhile, The New York Times published an interesting look at the interplay of a federal bank regulator and IndyMac, one of the financial firms that formed the housing debacle's Ground Zero. The excellent story was co-authored by Gretchen Morgenson. She is of the few mainstream reporters willing to take on complex financial topics and the combined muscle of Major League Finance and the Feds.

University of Maryland to Drop Eight Varsity Sports

University of Maryland's men's and women's cross country team

Call it a sign of the times. Despite the American people being told "the recession is over," an increasing number of institutions are following a much different script. They're "trimming" operational expenses. Today's candidate for the "Cut of the Month Club" is the University of Maryland. As reported in The Washington Post, the university is so strapped for cash that it announced the dropping of eight varsity sports.

Sadly, two of the sports that aren't big enough for prime time are indoor and outdoor track. It's hard to believe track and field are expensive, even though the university claimed the programs cost $9.5 million. What did the university get for its $9.5 million? Track and field uniforms typically consist of shorts, armless tops, spikes (in the outdoor season), and socks. Running surfaces, unlike football fields, don't require a lot of maintenance. None of these are wild and crazy expenses. Where does the money go?

Meanwhile, the chief executive of USA Water Polo protested the university's cut of its water polo program. Even cheerleading got the bum's rush from Maryland's flagship public university.

The best part of Maryland university president Dr. Wallace Loh's explanation of the cuts involved a fired football coach. He was owed $2 million on his contract. The prez, who has a law degree from Yale among his academic bona fides, noted that the payoff to the coach was a "one-time revenue investment."

The ROI on that payment? Zero. If you're looking to learn what's wrong with the American university system, the rationale for the football coach's bon voyage package and the cutting of useful sports at a major institution are good places to start.

The Bradley Foundation's Funding of the American Conservative Movement

Michael W. Grebe

Today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported on the Bradley Foundation, a Milwaukee-based organization that has tremendous national influence on the American conservative movement. The well-written story includes an interview with the non-profit's president and chief executive, Michael W. Grebe. His plain-spoken comments make clear that among his institution's goals are the elimination of useful collective bargaining rights, the elimination of public schools in the name of "competition," and a "robust national defense" (whatever that means).

The story illuminates a number of useful points to consider during this high tide of conservative political power:
1. The Bradley Foundation's funding is far more extensive than that of the Koch brothers and Rupert Murdoch.
2. They've paid conservative star shills such as Paul Gigot, George Will, and William Kristol for some of their media and publishing work.
3. Among the foundation's founders was a former major backer of the John Birch Society.
4. It is implied that Grebe had veto power over right-wing Wisconsin governor Scott Walker's key appointees.
5. The foundation financially supports a Catholic monthly news magazine.
6. Its controversial stance on Islam includes subsidizing the David Horowitz Freedom Center, "creator of the Jihad Watch website."

Whether one is liberal, conservative, or neuter, the story is fair and worth reading.

Reflections on Roberto Clemente -- The Musical

Roberto Clemente's Plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame

Our friend Phil Dorsey, one of TheBocx.com's partners, suggested my wife and I join him to see a musical based on the life of the late, great baseball player and Puerto Rican icon Roberto Clemente. Phil has a personal connection to Clemente's life; Dorsey's father, a Pittsburgh postal worker, knew Clemente quite well. How well? The Pittsburgh Pirate right fielder entrusted Dorsey, Sr., with the keys to Roberto's Cadillac when Clemente was on the road. The musical -- DC7, The Roberto Clemente Story -- included a character based on Phil's father, and that piqued our interest in the play.

I thought Phil was pulling our legs (he is an excellent practical joker), but the press release about the play confirmed that someone indeed had made the stuff of Clemente's life into a musical. At first, the concept seemed an unlikely one. I had a hard time imagining a singer/dancer wearing a Pirate baseball uniform using Bob Fosse-styled technique and not looking ridiculous in the process. I had not factored an essential part of the musical, and a core concept of Puerto Rican culture: how music, dancing, and the dialogue between musicians and the audience informs the musical event. Once I heard and saw the performance's first number, I grasped the validity and necessity of treating Clemente's life in a musical form.

Today, the majority of major league baseball players are Latin. Few have significant commercial endorsements. It's tough for Latin players, even in the post-Clemente era, to feel local fans' and media respect.  For every Big Papi getting love from Red Sox Nation, there are many more, equally or more talented Latin players wondering why fans never fully embrace them. (Carlos Beltran, formerly of the New York Mets, quickly comes to mind.) The dialogue between baseball fans and players, just as alive and vital as that between musicians and audience, has a different dynamic for Latin baseball players playing in front of predominantly Anglo audiences.

It has been nearly a half-century since Roberto Clemente died during a humanitarian mission to Nicaragua. He was a leader for, among other things, respect for Latin ballplayers and the greater Latin diaspora in the United States. If Clemente were alive now, he would say there's a great deal of unfinished business to be done.

America And International Cyber Warfare

The Washington Post reported today on an alleged cyberattack on an Illinois water plant. Apparently, the mischief succeeded in creating equipment malfunctions and consequent closure of the water facility. The attack's source was traced to a Russian IP address. The Post story relied for its key information from one source, an "industry security expert," whose due diligence found a report which outlined the incident and its immediate consequences.

(Postscript -- The Saturday, November 26th online edition of the Washington Post reports that the alleged attack on the Illinois water plant "was in fact caused by a plant contractor traveling in Russia." The story, released over the slow-news Thanksgiving weekend, also noted that "Plant and federal officials are still investigating the cause of the pump's failure." Why a contractor's computer activity could shut down a water plant's operation also remains unexplained.)

Regardless of this case's outcome, it does highlight what  mayhem cyber warfare and industrial espionage can cause. For some time, the sources of most high-profile cyberattacks against American assets have been Russia, Eastern Europe, and the People's Republic of China. Israel and France have also conducted cyberattacks and state-supported espionage, principally to acquire sensitive corporate information, rather than disrupt the American security state.

Russian involvement has sinister and dangerous overtones, thanks to its blurring of boundaries between the state and the underworld. However, China is the most ominous state player, with its apparent imperialistic ambitions, aggressive will, and ample means to launch and maintain disruptive activity to American computer-based systems. Beijing's goals include the ability to defend itself against what it perceives as American electronic intrusion. This drive has manifested itself in episodes such as the Chinese government's continuing anti-Google campaign.

Meanwhile, there is increasing evidence that the United States empire is on a collision course with its emerging Chinese counterpart. As the Greek historian Thucydides observed, it is in the nature of hegemony for these conflicts to happen. The Chinese government and military have few doubts about this development. They're getting ready, looking for American weak spots, preparing to exploit advantage when the situation seems ripe for it. Meanwhile, our military-industrial complex and its governmental allies are slowly coming around to understanding the challenge's full dimensions. Ultimately, the American government will need to ally much more openly with its elite tech firms to counteract hostile, state-sponsored cyberwarfare. Whether Silicon Valley libertarians, DC technocrats, and military brass can coalesce to fight back against this shadow over American international dominance remains to be seen.

Berlusconi to Release Album of Love Songs

A Young Silvio Berlusconi Singing on a Cruise Ship

Believe it or not, former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi intends to release a collection of Neapolitan love songs. The story, appearing in today's LA Times, notes this is Berlusconi's fourth "album," all of them done in collaboration with another singer.

Called Il Vero Amore, the 75-year-old zillionaire and Italian media mogul is the "album's" chief crooner. Given Berlusconi's documented and rumored sexual exploits, it's possible the interpretations and color for each song may offer plenty of feeling. We're just not sure which of his heads Berlusconi uses for song. We do know which one he uses to think, especially around females.

Bringing Water to LA Becoming More Expensive

Roman Aqueduct

Among America's great engineering triumphs is the transportation of water to Los Angeles. To accomplish the task of bringing fresh H2O to arid LA, an assemblage of aqueducts, power plants, and reservoirs was created, much of it a century old today. The collection goes about its business every day, providing blue gold to the millions who call Los Angeles home. One difference between Westerners and East Coasters is that the West respects water, while Northeast Corridor residents take water for granted. Another distinction is that bringing water to LA is an expensive proposition. It's going to become increasingly costly in the coming years, partly thanks to California's new cap-and-trade regulations, and LA's loss of certain electric resources.

I've had an interest in aqueducts ever since I lived in Rome. One aqueduct was especially memorable. It was an arched structure that stretched across the flat Roman plain for miles. It was as if someone drew a straight line from Point A and Point B and had it carry water. The aqueduct was easily seen from the train that went between the Eternal City and Naples. Its simple, pleasing design looked best at sundown, when its terra cotta-colored stone gracefully partnered with the setting sun.

Baths of Caracalla

The ancient Romans did not take water for granted. They became skilled at finding it, transporting it, and leveraging all its qualities. Roman baths were a step forward for health care. Their ardor for bathing led them to build the Baths of Caracalla, so that the body and soul could be refreshed. They had the right idea, and would have scoffed at the idea of a gym.

In a way, Los Angeles has continued the Roman skill. The LA Times recently ran a thoughtfully story on water and LA's future. It provided a thin overview of the issues involving water, and some directions for going forward. Some details, especially about the pipeline that crosses the desert, make for intriguing reading.

UK Broadband Speeds Rarely Reach Advertised Levels

Image from BBC Depicts Broadband Speeds at Various Distances

As reported in the BBC, a recent British study revealed that stated UK broadband speeds, like a poorly maintained automobile engine, don't quite perform up to published standards. Unsurprisingly, the slowest times paralleled those of peak usage. Also, rural areas of Britain have lousy service, something their country cousins in the United States know from unfortunate experience.

With the exponential growth of broadband-needy devices, the question of service is rapidly becoming a question of money and location. Already, our local cable provider has talked up its "premium" service, featuring "faster" connection speeds. The rationing of broadband is moving quietly into homes, businesses, schools. Those enterprises that control distribution and access have historically been able to charge tolls. They also don't like to lose control: a loose grip on the situation is what these firms desire.

It may be too much to hope for truth in broadband advertising. Better we should keep in mind that we should be "shocked that there's gambling in the casino." Right.

Wisconsin Governor Recall Election Begins

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker

The campaign to recall Wisconsin governor Scott Walker will begin on November 15th. The drive needs to obtain a half-million signatures in order to compel a recall election.

According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, a Walker recall election would only be the third gubenatorial recall election in the nation's history. It is far from a done deal that the vote will occur. Wisconsin voters have not significantly moved from their political positions; Walker, in some quarters, is viewed as somewhat stronger than at the height of the Wisconsin protests.

Less publicized is a recall campaign against four Republican state senators. In the unlikely event the entire quartet is recalled, the Wisconsin state senate will have a slim Democratic majority.

David Rosenberg Remains Realistically Gloomy on the Economy

David Rosenberg

David Rosenberg was Merrill Lynch's chief financial guru when the bull wasn't full of shit. He was generally considered a wise, sharp mind who didn't shave the truth to suit some corporate profit goal. Rosie, as he's affectionately known in financial circles, fled to his native Canada shortly after Bank of America acquired ML.

Rosenberg joined Gluskin Sheff and Associates, a Toronto-based finance firm, and continued to call 'em as he saw 'em. Rosie, as he's known among his peers, did not drink the post-Lehman Kool-Aid. He thought -- and thinks -- the US and the overall global economy are struggling mightily. He also believes they will continue to struggle for some time. His pessimism certainly has not settled well with the financial tom-tom beaters, who have tried to con retail investors and a very edgy voting public that "things were better" and that "the recession had ended over a year ago."

Rosie keeps calling Wall Street's publicity bluff. In his most recent newsletter to clients (and a recent interview with Consuelo Mack), Rosenberg talks about how the US economy is the midst of a depression. He defines his terms, brings useful evidence to bolster his points, and states his case plainly. While the news is not cheerful, it is refreshing to read economic analysis that's free of cant and that trusts the truth.

The financial blog Zerohedge.com generally publishes Rosenberg's comments. He's also an occasional guest on Bloomberg Surveillance, its excellent morning radio program. Rosie's thoughts are worth reading, worth listening to, and definitely worth thinking about.

Google Keeps Iron Grip on Search Engine Market

According to a Dow Jones report reprinted in today's Chicago Tribune, Google continues to maul any and all competitors in the Internet search business. Nearly 2 of every 3 searches is handled by Google, with #2 Yahoo getting 15% of the market. Microsoft's Bing and other search endeavors came in third place, with slightly under 15%.

Yahoo, once the Cadillac of search engines, continues to lose its mojo. Its most recent site change made a manageable experience much more annoying while not improving anything at all. Yahoo recently fired its brash CEO, Carol Bartz, and the M&A sharks now smell blood. Of course, Yahoo could have taken Microsoft's generous buyout offer a few years ago and lived happily ever after. Incredibly, major Yahoo shareholder Jerry Yang took the advice of its principal competitor, Google, and backed out of the deal. Since then, Google, without having to worry about Microsoft's cash and clout, continues to erode Yahoo's value.

One can only now hope that Yahoo isn't dismembered by its Asian investors and Yahoo's probable private equity partners. It would be a sad end to a once wonderful brand. Also, as a practical matter, the notion of search effectively monopolized by one firm is simply not in the public interest. "Too Big to Fail" is not only relevant in the finance world: it's especially pertinent in Internet communication.

Egyptians Close Great Pyramid for 11/11/11

The Egyptian government closed access to Giza's Great Pyramid today (11/11/11), ostensibly for maintenance. Just about everyone else assumed the closure was related to rumors of "special rituals" certain groups would hold at the structure. There was even an implicit threat of violence from those opposed to transforming the Pyramids into a cult circus.

The story of the pyramid's closure appeared in today's online editions of the BBC. There's also a related story on the English language version of Pravda which offers a bit more occult juice and more crass commercial exploitation of the "magic" numbers.

Richard Nixon and His 1975 Grand Jury Testimony

Thanks to a federal judge's ruling, President Richard Nixon's 1975 grand jury testimony has been released to the public. The comments so far are fascinating. In the excerpt noted in today's LA Times, Tricky Dick talks about the buying and selling of ambassadorships, the quality of State Department careerists, and Nixon's opinion of certain nations.

Who needs memoirs when Nixon's grand jury testimony is far more compelling reading?

The photograph shows Prescott Bush, father of George H.W. Bush and grandfather of George W. Bush, fixing Richard Nixon's lid.

Adobe Waves White Flag Over Flash for Mobile Browsers

Adobe HQ in San Jose

Adobe, which had been called out by the late Steve Jobs over its Flash platform for mobile browsers, called it quits today. The firm pulled the plug on Flash for mobile browsers and (intriguingly) TV. It will instead focus on cloud computing, "service," and subscription based initiatives. The move could end up being the smartest thing Adobe ever did, but time will tell.

The "Good Morning Silicon Valley" column from siliconvalley.com is pretty good, although some of the zdnet.com commentators also offer some useful insights into the Adobe announcement. Meanwhile, in our "recession-was-so-last-year" economy, Adobe will let ten percent of its workforce go.

Two Pennsylvania Joes -- Frazier and Paterno -- RIP

Joe Frazier Connecting Against Ali

This was a tough day for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as two of its sports icons died.

One was the former heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Frazier. He died from liver cancer at age 67. "Smokin' Joe" fought the honorable fight against cancer and against other adversaries throughout his life. He'll always be associated with Muhammad Ali and their three justly famous bouts. Later, when Frazier struggled, especially financially, he carried himself with a champion's dignity. "Work is the only meanin' I've ever known," Frazier once said, according to today's New York Times obit.

Billy Joe Frazier (the champ's full name) was a decent man cast into the indecent world of big-time boxing and media. The corruption that sullied others, such as Ali's self-seeking entourage, did not personally stain Frazier (his backers are another story). I work with someone who knew Frazier and has a faded photo of the champ tenderly holding my colleague's infant grandson. As with many who make their living in the demimonde of violent entertainment, Frazier was gentle outside the arena. He also understood and fought for certain ideals. No one openly questioned Joe Frazier's integrity -- except Muhammad Ali. Events have proven that Ali's accusations were unfair, willful distortions designed to excite the public and a mostly cynically adoring (and mostly Caucasian) media.

As today's LA Times obit demonstrates, Joe Frazier left this earth with dignity, the respect of his peers, and the attention of the world. The other Pennsylvania Joe, Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, cannot say that. It is ironic that Joe Frazier would be universally hailed while Joe Paterno would be universally scorned. However, today's revelations in philly.com and elsewhere that Paterno's former right hand man sexually molested pre-teen and teenage boys for years kills "JoePa," both professionally and personally. There's no excuse, no "oops," no fall guy for Paterno's apparent willful negligence. Decades of achievement, a program that resisted financial corruption, a rare "clean" head coach -- all of it has come crashing down with a startling, disturbing "thud." Now a man who probably could have won for governor of Pennsylvania and won in a landslide vote cannot walk down the street without a great sense of humiliation and guilt. It is a shocking finale for a coach who holds the record for most college football victories. Much more troubling is Paterno's impact on the boys whose lives were marred by JoePa's silence. They know -- in ways that cannot be eradicated -- that Mr. Clean let the devil loose in his own house, a world over which Paterno had nearly complete control. The dishonor and shame will stay with Paterno for the remainder of his days, and linger after he has passed.

In the third, epic Ali-Frazier fight outside Manila, Smokin' Joe's trainer Eddie Futch waved the white flag before the beginning of the 15th and final round. "Sit down," he said. "It's all over. Nobody will ever forget what you did here today." Those moving words were true -- and remain true -- for Joe Frazier. They also are true, but in a dark way, for the disgraced Joe Paterno.

Camping Out in Starbucks

In the unlikely setting of Fox Business, an article discusses "Starbucks Etiquette." I don't think the piece was a well-written one. However, the topic was a clever choice and does touch on a phenomenon obviously apparent to anyone walking into a Starbucks.

The article notes that some people make plans to stay for hours at a Starbucks. Some of them use the coffee shop as a sort of mobile office. Some have nowhere else to go. Others really do patronize Starbucks for the coffee. What do you do?

I've done my share of hanging out in a Starbucks. I meet people there, particularly in New York. Few friends and acquaintances can afford the disturbingly high price of a more refined New York cup of coffee. Diners, once a City mainstay, are vanishing faster than gas stations in the suburbs. That eliminates venues for a cheap cup of coffee and the implicit compact that one can linger at diner counter seating. Given the dreadful economic realities of life in Gotham (and elsewhere in the United States), where else can I indulge in my version of cafe society?

I hold to a theory that most adults go to Starbucks because they grew up going to McDonald's. They're used to the experience and truly only feel comfortable in a contemporary environment similar to the one in which they were socialized. Is that why someone would pay five dollars for a custom-made latte?

For the record, I'm not writing this at a Starbucks. I'm not writing it in a McDonald's, either. But I'm comfortable where I am now -- in bed.

Sandra Day O'Connor Going Strong at 81

Chief Justice Warren Burger Swearing In Sandra Day O'Connor, 1981

For a long time, I thought that Supreme Court justices were similar to popes. Their confidence in the strength of their own arguments paralleled a belief in their own legal infallibility. They all seemed ancient, as pontiffs do. Popes don't retire; the Supremes typically don't, either.

The refreshing exception was Sandra Day O'Connor. She retired to take care of her ailing husband. Her legal perspective came from a rancher's life, unique for top-tier judges and elite attorneys. (By contrast, four Supreme Court justices spent their formative years in New York City.) She was also the first female Supreme Court justice, placed into nomination by conservative Ronald Reagan.

The Washington Post ran a feature on O'Connor, with the lead noting her recent visit to the National Cowgirl Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. It's a good story to read, and includes her controversial advocacy for electing judges versus appointing them.

"Lost" Steve Jobs Interview To Appear in Selected US Movie Theatres

Steve Jobs, circa 1997

Yesterday's LA Times reported that an allegedly "lost" video interview with the late Steve Jobs will be shown in nineteen movie theaters across the United States. The footage, shot during Jobs' curious interregnum between his Apple management tours, came from the 1996 miniseries Triumph of the Nerds: The Rise of Accidental Empires.  The Times story and a related siliconvalley.com article provide details; each piece is worth reading for their unique spins on the film's release.

The stories share a common element -- Mark Cuban and the Landmark Theatres chain which he owns. Cuban has skin in the tech game, the media game, and the entertainment game (via the NBA Dallas Mavericks and his interest in acquiring a major league baseball franchise).

Cuban's ownership stake, if any, in the movie, was not noted in either media story.

If you want to believe the cover story related to siliconvalley.com about the "lost" film, be my guest. The article states that a VHS copy of the filmed material, left in a garage for over a decade, was the basis for the soon-to-be-released film. I'm not buying it. VHS tapes stored in uncontrolled environments for prolonged periods of time tend to deteriorate. Garages, even in Silicon Valley, have temperature control issues. The Times' version cites a different origin of the material.

What's most interesting, of course, is that Jobs is not around to threaten or initiate litigation to stop the viewing. It's safe to say that Jobs' "passion" for control -- and his fangs -- would have quickly emerged.

Getty Museum's Legal Issues Over Armenian Bible Continue

Detail from circa 13th Century Armenian Bible

In recent years, top-layer museums have become embroiled over holdings which, in certain cases, have dodgy provenance. Marquee names, including New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, have made splashy settlements over allegations of harboring looted artifacts and treasures. A repeat actor in the art world's mercantile shadows is LA's Getty Museum. Its most recent controversy involves a legal fight over custody of beautiful pages of a nearly eight-century-old illuminated Armenian Bible.

The LA Times reported today on a judge's recent decision to encourage the opposing parties in the lawsuit to "compromise."  What that means is anyone's guess. The Times story does a good job of summarizing the case, its background, and its context in the larger, thorny issue of the right to acquire and keep portions of another nation's artistic patrimony. If you think the question is one of simple morality, just take a moment to imagine the Louvre without its "found" works. (Napoleon, for example, did a splendid job moving art work to the museum. The French government has not returned any of it, at least that I'm aware of.)

I don't know where the justice is in the current lawsuit against the Getty Museum. However, we all can take a moment to admire the exquisite artwork at the heart of the case. (The above image is a detail of one of the pages at issue in the court proceedings.) The pages were certainly created by a wonderful artist, who in all likelihood was a true believer in the spiritual world embedded in the Bible. We are fortunate that this work, and other artistic  from distant epochs, remain available and visible to us today.

The Fiction of the GOP's Voter Fraud Claims

Today's Miami Herald includes a report on US Senator Bill Nelson's request for a Federal inquiry into new voting laws recently enacted in various states. The purpose of the new laws, Nelson suspects, is to muzzle likely Democratic Party voters. In most cases, Republican governors or GOP-controlled legislatures have put new statutes on the books which mandate heightened identification requirements for voter registration.

The GOP stance on this issue is that they're simply trying to prevent "massive" voter fraud and to thwart illegal immigrants from casting ballots in American elections. I wondered where these enormous numbers of fake voters could be found. I've voted, with the exception of one year, annually for more than three decades. I've voted in squalid inner cities and prosperous suburbs. I grew up in a small, very Republican town. I was too young to vote at that time, but my parents did vote and took the privilege seriously. They got accustomed to the election officials wearing GOP badges inside the polling area. No one ever complained or called the ACLU.

In all of these venues, the concept of waves of people appearing en masse at a polling station was simply a ridiculous notion. Those experiences led me to conclude that Republican efforts to inhibit the right to vote to as many people as possible is simply shameful. The action casts doubt on the validity of the Republican claim (especially the Tea Party faction's assertion) that they represent the majority of Americans. If that claim were true, the Republicans would want to register as many people as possible, so as to add the weight of numbers to their argument.

The Miami Herald article notes that investigations of voter fraud conducted over the years have conclusively shown the GOP assertions to be without merit. Among the probes was a federal investigation during the George W. Bush regime. (That investigation was especially ironic, given GOP's high-stakes voter fraud in Florida during the 2000 presidential election.) Yet, the Republican Party's baseless allegations continue, with plenty of people buying into them.

Voting is fundamentally connected to the rights of free speech and assembly. In the iterations of Occupy (fill in the blank), municipalities have squirmed over enabling these constitutionally guaranteed rights. What the Occupy phenomenon has brought to light is that those rights need to be reasserted, regardless of political perspective.

Volvo Says Goodbye to Station Wagons

In the movie Crazy People, Dudley Moore cooks up an ad campaign based on telling consumers the truth.  One of his pigeons is Volvo, for which Moore uses the hook line "Buy Volvos: They're Boxy, But They're Good." It's a funny sequence which you can see via this YouTube link.

The square, sensible Volvo station wagon lampooned in Crazy People, alas, has met its end. Volvo's new Chinese owners have decided to stop producing arguably Volvo's most iconic automobile. The story, as reported in Yahoo! Autos, also notes other auto headed for termination, including Ford's Crown Victoria. (Those who kept a wary eye out for unmarked cars were characteristically attentive when they spotted a dark colored Crown Vic in their rearview mirror.)

For years, Volvo station wagons were associated with politically liberal, somewhat prosperous people. My unscientific survey suggested that crowd moved over to hybrid vehicles a few years ago. Ironically, hybrids tend to be boxy. Sometimes, they're even good.