Who's Really Killing Financial Reform? - by Reich

Great post from Robert Reich: "Some Democrats are quietly grumbling that all the tough talk emanating from the White House in recent weeks — the President calling the Street’s denizens “fat cats” and threatening them with limits on their size and the risks they can take, even waiving a watered-down version of Glass-Steagall in their faces — is making it harder to collect money from the Street this mid-term election year. And the Street is quietly threatening that it may well give Republicans more, if the saber-rattling doesn’t stop.

Alice in Wonderland Trailer Looks Promising

Check out the trailer for next month's "Alice in Wonderland" re-imaging by Tim Burton with Johnny Depp. 

Grifters’ Tale - from Opinionator Blog

Excerpts from this great post by Timothy Egan: "

"Judson Phillips is a Tennessee lawyer, specializing in personal injury lawsuits, drunk-driving cases and men who get into trouble beating their wives. It was his idea to incorporate Tea Party Nation as a money-making venture and charge $349 to hear Sarah Palin talk about what’s wrong with America over steak and lobster this weekend in Nashville.

Andrew Young is a North Carolina lawyer, specializing in John Edwards. The deceptions. The baby born to the mistress. It was his job to make sure the Diet Sprite never ran low. And when Edwards suggested that Young co-habitate with the senator’s mistress, to further an outrageous lie, Young set up the guest room and explained to his family that they now had new members....

Volcker: Separate Bank Speculation - DealBook Blog

From NYT Dealbook Blog: "Paul A. Volcker, the former Federal Reserve chairman, pushed his plan on Tuesday afternoon to tighten the investment activities of large banks in order to avoid future bailouts, telling the Senate Banking Committee that there was no “rationale for public funds — taxpayer funds — protecting and supporting essentially proprietary and speculative activities.”

Safety Concerns? Trade Your SUV for a Toyota

Given the media coverage you would think there is a Toyota wrapped around a telephone pole on every street corner. 

Certainly, any avoidable automotive accident, injury or death is a terrible loss. But let's put this in perspective. If all the typical, large American SUVs on the road today were replaced with Toyota Avalons (a six-passenger family sedan), without fixing the Toyota gas pedals, over 10,000 fewer people would die every year in crashes. 

The numbers are straight-forward: If you drive a typical, American-made SUV, then you, your family and your other passengers are 30% more likely to die in an automotive crash than if you drove an average, family-sized sedan because cars are safer than trucks (Yes, SUVs are trucks). 

Analyzing Roger Federer's Win Over Andy Murray in the Australian Open Final

Sometimes less really is more.

I've been listening to a ton of analysis of the Australian Open men's final. Everyone from Boris Becker to Tim Henman to Patrick McEnroe to Brad Gilbert chiming in on what Andy Murray did wrong. Murray was: too passive, too indecisive, didn't attack the short ball, didn't go after Federer's forehand enough ... and on and on.

Krugman to Fox: Deliberate Misrepresentation

Brav0 to economist Paul Krugman, who told Fox CEO Roger Ailes to his face that Fox News deliberately distorted reports on the healthcare plan. Krugman speaks the truth, this time anyway, Fox rarely. 

Murray's Brilliant Shotmaking Against Cilic at Australian Open

Here's a succession of great shots that show Andy Murray might be the best defensive player in tennis, at least on hard courts. Click "four-arrow" icon to view in a larger window. From ESPN:

Apple's iPad, a broken link? --Adobe

From Adrian Ludwig, an Adobe PM: "a picture posted on Engadget shows (below), and many others have reported, there's something important missing from Apple's approach to connecting consumers to content.

Alito's reaction to Obama was fair - CNN.com

New York (CNN) -- It was the most vivid, and unexpected, confrontation of Wednesday's State of the Union address.