but fundamentally, what's going on here?

Dr. Christina Romer, who chairs the President's Council of Economic Advisers, stopped by Meet the Press this morning to talk a little shop about the economy.

Of course David Gregory quickly pounced on President Obama's message this week about the economy's fundamentals, which sounded strikingly similar to John McCain's widely derided statement during the campaign. And of course Romer didn't give an inch. Nor did she admit that in truth, campaigning is essentially--one might even say fundamentally--different from actually governing, and that elections are made and broken on perception, spin, and timing.

It's a pretty fascinating interview on many levels, not the least of which is the level at which you close your eyes and try to figure out which of your elementary-school faculty members the certainly-very-intelligent Dr. Romer sounds like. I'm leaning toward head librarian. Or lunchlady.

For those on the lookout for a good drinking game, hit it every time some form of the word "fundamental" is dropped.

-ks-

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

oh. my. god. redux.

With all the entertainment flying around in the world, particularly on the web, it is sometimes very easy to forget how much I love The Onion.

This killed me. Killed. Me.

And now I am dead.

-ks-

sweet suffering christ.

Yes, I know the header borders on blasphemy (and I use the phrase "borders on" to mean "is"), but when you see what I've just seen, I dare you not to think along the same lines.

It's one of Andrew Sullivan's "Christmas Hathos" award nominees, and I hope I'm not biasing your hypothetical vote by asserting that it may well be an unpredicted but clear sign of the apocalypse.



-ks-

can't afford therapy?

This holiday season, dear reader(s), I offer you a simple test which will tell you pretty definitively what kind of person you are.

When you watch the video below (or even just listen to the song), what kind of tears do you have?

The hopeful, beautiful, spirit-of-the-season kind or the kind that come from laughing so hard you nearly throw up?

This is right up there with "Butterfly Kisses" for me. On the Richter scale of sap, I'm reading about an 8.0.

Enjoy.



-ks-

p.s. Ooooooooh, a film-school version! No Rob Lowe, but lots of hats.



And if you just want to kick it old-school, here's the song with lyrics.



Okay, okay, I'm stopping...but how have I never noticed how much Alvin sounds like Cartman? Or, come to think of it, how badly I want to hear Cartman sing this song?

typo, typo, who's got the typo?

Wooooo! A fun new game!

The camp behind the wildly successful Twilight movie (no, I haven't seen it, yes, I loved the novels) is unifying behind the new director of New Moon--in my opinion the best of the four books (although Breaking Dawn was pretty awesome) and the most difficult to translate to the screen.

Nothing like a scandal about something that doesn't really matter at all. I put this one right up there with the Miley Cyrus Vanity Fair scandal in terms of importance to the world, but apparently some are interpreting it to be very meaningful.

But here's the joy! Five points to the first person who spots the typo in the super-official press release from Summit Entertainment!

CHRIS WEITZ TO DIRECT
SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT'S NEW MOON

Los Angeles, CA, December 13, 2008 — Summit Entertainment announced today that filmmaker Chris Weitz has been hired to direct the second film in the studio's TWILIGHT film franchise. The film, NEW MOON, is based on the second book in author Stephenie Meyer's blockbuster book series. The announcement was made by Erik Feig, Summit's President of Production.

Weitz, an Acadamy Award®-nominated writer, director and producer, has a proven track record working with a broad range of material dealing with youth-oriented characters, fantasy and action. As such, he has the potential to bring alive in NEW MOON the dimensions and depth that fans will demand in the next installment.


Um, whoops?

-ks-

nice reflexes, dude.

Ah, the fond farewell tour of President Bush.

This totally illustrates the difference between politics and Broadway. In my world, throwing shoes is a good thing, and generally earned by belting really, really high.



Anyone else on pins and needles to see what the Daily Show will do with this one? I'm DYING over here.

-ks-

obama's latest pledge...

...and the forty-nine First Ladies who collectively decorated the place breathe a sigh of relief.

-ks-

ruh-roh, redux.

Robots. Who act. And presumably don't belong to any unions.

Just wait till the Broadway League hears about this.

-ks-

vide-yo.

In case you're interested, video from the City Hall Prop 8 rally has been posted on the tube.

You can see all the speeches here.

Also: mine.




-ks-

i am thankful for...

...this weekend, which I spent with some of my oldest and most fabulous friends in Chicago, talking about things that really matter. And with a new friend who will really matter, too.

...a new idea about how to make some money while Broadway apparently goes down in flames for a moment. While it rises like the phoenix, I have a mortgage to pay.

...some grist for the mill-slash-backstory about one of my favorite politicians by a brilliant writer--and friend--I haven't seen in way too long. This was sufficiently awesome enough to be an early Christmas present. Whether your particular boat is floated by the inner workings of the New York Times, the Red Sox Nation, or brutal and self-examining honesty, get to know Seth Mnookin. Extra credit if you find the familiar name in this story--a no-degrees-of-separation situation I learned about years later.

-ks-