Monday, November 19, 2007

1st\NW Quadrant 11/26 '07

The Approval Matrix: Week of November 26, 2007



Curvy Women are Smarter






















IT was already known that men find curvy women more attractive and that they live longer. Now research suggests that women with an hourglass figure are brighter and have cleverer children, too. The study found that women with large hips and small waists are more intelligent than those with either “apple-shaped” or linear bodies. The paper, to be published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour this week, suggests that such women give birth to more intelligent children - possibly a result of higher levels of omega3 fatty acids on the hips. The researchers believe that the results offer a new explanation for why many men find curvy women more alluring. (Times Online)


Brooks vs Herbert

Bill W. posted on Crock and Liars, "Steve Benen caught on to a subtle feud being played out between NYT’s Paul Krugman and David Brooks in their respective op-eds recently. Krugman’s column a few weeks back pointed to Ronald Reagan’s notable embrace of a Southern Strategy during a 1980 Philadelphia Miss. speech to capitalize on racism to secure the votes of those white voters who had become disenchanted by the Democratic Party following Lyndon Johnson’s endorsement of Civil Rights legislation in the 60’s. In an apparent response, on Fri Brooks offered up a version of what’s becoming an all too common lately, a myopic defense of Reagan’s infamous “states’ rights” speech, taking Krugman to task without ever actually mentioning him by name."

"Krugman fired back a snarky retort a day later, likewise not mentioning his fellow columnist by name. Benen writes, “As Krugman explained on his blog, Reagan’s defenders would have us believe that his “states’ rights” speech in Philadelphia, Mississippi, was just an “innocent mistake,” which Reagan managed to make over and over again.”

"Krugman went on to list a litany of other Reagan “mistakes” such as his oft told tale 'about the welfare queen driving her Cadillac, and kept repeating the story years after it had been debunked,' or that time when he declared in 1980 that the Voting Rights Act had been 'humiliating to the South.' …"




The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2007
(The Best American Series)

























Book Description: A selection of the best writing, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and comics, published in American periodicals during 2006 aimed at readers 15 and up.

B. Fielder wrote in his review of the book, "I picked up this book, having thoroughly enjoyed the last 2 editions and was greatly disappointed by the story selection this year. In the past the selections have all had only one thing in common: they are some of the best pieces of "writing" in the past year. This year there seems to be a theme of nothing but depression. Story after story seems to be nothing but how bad life is and how there is nothing you can do to get around it. Reading this book is akin to watching French films all day then calling your mom and asking her "whats wrong?". The light at the end of the tunnel is a hilarious story from Sedaris about a rousing night of strip poker. Very funny stuff and is just about the only reason I give this book 2 stars."


Damien Hirst Installation
@ Lever House


















The installation [30 dead sheep, one dead shark, two sides of beef, 300 sausages, and a pair of doves], on view through Feb. 16, was commissioned by the real estate developer Aby Rosen, who owns Lever House, the Seagram Building and the Gramercy Park Hotel, and by Alberto Mugrabi, a Manhattan dealer.

The two have jointly purchased the British artist Damien Hirst's installation, titled "School: The Archaeology of Lost Desires, Comprehending Infinity, and the Search for Knowledge," for $10 million for the Lever House Art Collection. (International Herald Tribune)
(Photo courtesy of EssG via Flickr)


Clinton Plants Questioners

















Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton’s campaign admitted Friday that it planted a global warming question in Newton, Iowa, Tuesday [November 6, 2007] during a town hall meeting to discuss clean energy.

Clinton campaign spokesman Mo Elliethee admitted that the campaign had planted the question and said it would not happen again.

"On this occasion a member of our staff did discuss a possible question about Senator Clinton's energy plan at a forum,” Elliethee said.

“However, Senator Clinton did not know which questioners she was calling on during the event. This is not standard policy and will not be repeated again.”

In a state where the caucus is held sacred and the impromptu and candid style of the town hall meeting is held dear, Clinton’s planted question may come as a great offense to Iowans. (Fox News)

The college student who was told what question to ask said "voters have the right to know what happened" and she wasn't the only one who was planted.

In an exclusive on-camera interview with CNN, Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff, a 19-year-old sophomore at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, said giving anyone specific questions to ask is "dishonest," and the whole incident has given her a negative outlook on politics. (CNN)

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