With great regret I am reporting the death of the great Paul Newman. As one of the best and recognizable actors in America, as well as a maker of fine snacks, pasta sauces, and salad dressings, Newman meant a great deal to me, not only for his performances as Reggie Dunlop in Slap Shot (see above image and opening sequence which foreshadows the film as the best sports movie of all time, next to the original Bad News Bears), Luke in Cool Hand Luke (the banjo song, the 50 hardboiled eggs, the escapes, J.D. Cannon's famous speech which Guns 'N Roses ripped off in their crappy song "Civil War," George Kennedy as Dragline), The Hustler, Hud, The Long Hot Summer, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.... The list goes on and on. His CV of playing notorious, unlovable rogues, moody antiheros, and an aging and not-so-good hockey coach made me always envious of my old roommate's framed 8x10 of Newman, which he bought at the Alabama St. Flea Market. —mkl

Ah shit we got Rick Rolled...again! Damn ye! Well that's not as bad as what John McCain did to David Letterman. As Dave said, something smelled about his cancelled appearance.

So, we'll have to wait and see if McCain can rush in and save the economy over the weekend or whatever publicity stunt a man at his age can muster up to draw attention away from the time sensitive, potentially calamitous economic crisis and onto himself. Me, I'm investing in Revlon, lipstick to be exact (but not Palin's brand or color), and bulldogs, and I'll start a new sport of dog fighting/kissing that'll be a little more glamorous and cuddly than the Michael Vick variety.

Or wait, was that lipstick on a pig? I don't know, can't remember, don't give a damn. I did see a greased pig catching contest as a kid. My dad wanted me to sign up...I just looked at him.

To see the real debate in its entirety (which did go off as planned) go here: pt 1, pt 2, pt 3.

-Renic Lee.

We are saddened to learn the news of David Foster Wallace's death. It's been reported that he committed suicide on Friday by hanging himself. While we gather ourselves for what to say about him, we just wanted to say our thoughts are with his family and all that knew him or were touched by his incredible gift of writing.

Step right up folks, lets give the particles a little push, and there, off they go, running like two subatomic lemmings fast as they can till they smash one another to bits. It was a gamble, would we learn the secrets of the big bang? or...um... accidentally create a microscopic black hole that could suck the entire world right down the tube? There were those fears.

This drawing, while it looks appropriately like Bob Barker's Wheel of Fortune, is a representaion (okay a loose one...ha) of the half section of the Hadron accelerator, which had its first go yesterday. To get an idea of the ring racetrack, and its massive scale, go to this video on the Telegraph UK (and they kind of trump me in reporting too). I keep thinking about Hula Hooping as a kid, and that pea they'd put in there that'd spin around as you shook your booty to make it make noise. Well just think two peas, tiny as they could be, spun round in opposite directions (hard to do that with the Hula Hoop) in a HUGE enclosed ring until...well what did we learn? I hope we don't all run down the drain. Feel any tug today? More on this as we learn more of the facts and figures. Scientists threw some darts in/at a project that cost close to 10 billion dollars, but I bet it pays off.

-Lee Renic

Where was this originally said? That the McCain Campaign was now donating to the Obama camaign? Well in case you missed the Barracuda brouhaha, this is how it works out. McCain buys the rights to "Barracuda" by Heart for use when they introduce Sarah Palin at the RNC (read why here, something about basketball), without Heart's approval. Pissed, Heart (Ann and Nancy Wilson) and the song's original writer, Brian Rogers (not really pissed, he's making bank on the deal), are all now donating money in large dose to the Barack Obama campaign. Hence, the McCain campaign by using the song and paying for it is now donating to the Obama campaign. Someone said something the other night about how the original song was about corporate greed or something (I always thought the song was some kind of vagina dentata war cry kind of thing, with a killer riff, so now I am totally confused). Anyway, we are late on this news.

-Ski

Okay O'Malley, so obviously my first reaction to your Sarah Palin commentary was that you were a sexist son-of-a-bitch (though I know nothing about buck skinning) but I took your (alluded) alliteration on the word “buck” a bit further when you placed that noun just a word away from your “skin” - that does get me a tad peeved. It was cute perhaps, knowing your limitations, but perhaps too. Even for you (why not some U.S. Open coverage? speaking of which, what’s up with the bracket this year so that the Williams sisters couldn't see each other in the finals again?)

Anyway, anyway, you know I was snuckered myself by that speech Wednesday night by Palin. Enough so that I emailed some colleagues afterwards and said, “you know she’s not really evil. So I’m not worried by how this plays out either way, seeing what a rough time McCain had in that Hanoi Hilton and all.”

Then I went back to work (my day job is covering stocks under anther name for a big wire service). And I noticed something kind of funny. Everything went to hell in the market the next two days after that speech (well it started when he picked her, but really went to shit Thursday). And I am not just talking "green" stocks like ENER or ESLR and so on. I mean everything, the whole “drill, drill, drill” crowd too.

Maybe economists these days are looking back in wanton reverie at the Clinton days, one of the best bull markets ever in U.S. stock history. Or they're reconsidering that trickle down (I guess in this case it would be trickling from Alaska) economics doesn’t work. That to have a strong middle class, said middle class needs tax breaks more than the two percent that make 90 percent of this country's wealth. And some health care in the mix would actually help the rest of the 98% with their day to day expenses, and allow for more discretionary spending that would grow our economy like nobody’s business (excuse the pun). I’m just riled, riled at you, and at the whole mess. Fannie Mae is fucked, Freddie Mac too and I could care less if Sarah has a moose rack above her mantle.

Oh and have you seen this video (uh...kinda weird and long but watch the whole thing). Want to read what Wall Street thinks? Google “Sarah Palin Stocks” (there are serious doubts on Palin from both left and rights sides of the media). You can also do "Sarah Palin + tits" or something for some fun with a young Palin and a t-shirt where she brags that she’s, thank god, not flat breasted, but I think she has a team of blessed e-people pushing that page down in the rankings since so I've now lost it. Yes thank God.... I guess...what? God I hope my grandmother doesn't read this...

-Lee Renic

“Sarah Palin takes to the stage tonight at The Republican National Convention. And well, she can skin my buck anyday... what’s that? Was I not supposed to say that? Wait, how do you use this teleprompter? Ah heck...”

-Ski O’Malley