The Chris Moeller Archives

Can I say something?

The problem with the long-abandoned, but recently re-proposed Fairness Doctrine is that it assumed that there are two sides to every debate, when in fact, there are always multiple. Why does every State of the Union broadcast end with a rebuttal by either a Democrat or a Republican? Who represents the more than half of Americans that consider themselves politically independent? Why no tradition that the president fill at least one cabinet position with a representative from a third political party?

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Sportswriters that advocate releasing the names of baseball's 103 positive steroid tests from 2003 can set a great example for the youth of America by submitting themselves to a full medical examination and drug test, then publishing the results. Rip that Band-Aid off. What's a little right to privacy when we're all suffering from acute "steroid fatigue"?

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Now with four years of hindsight, baseball's most thoughtful observers may be starting to recognize that Mark McGwire made some important points when he testified before Congress.

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Enliven your Academy Awards viewing experience this Sunday by participating in the Defamer.com "In Memoriam" Oscar Montage Pool. Aside from the montage, a possible acceptance speech by Mickey Rourke, and the prospect of Hersholt recipient Jerry Lewis going off-script, there's not much to get excited about in this year's telecast, not with non-comedian Hugh Jackman scheduled to host. I've been saying to myself for years-- That's what's wrong with the Oscars, they're not enough like the Tonys.

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Andy Kaufman and Joaquin Phoenix are in different leagues. Vanity Fair's Jim Windolf has the most detailed analysis to date of Phoenix's infamous guest appearance on Letterman last week.

Dave marked his 27th anniversary in late-night on February 2nd, and this past year has provided us with yet another creative peak for the host and his program. Here, we've got a Rolling Stone interview with Dave published late last year.

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Quote of the day: "Never underestimate the ability of Congress to repeat its mistakes. A decade ago, after it gambled and lost on deregulation, Congress was forced to launch a $500 billion taxpayer-financed bailout of the savings and loan industry. Congress has just rolled the deregulation dice again. This time the outcome may be even more costly.

"Congress and the White House have come up with the granddaddy of all financial deregulation, the "Financial Services Modernization Act," which whipped out the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933 and removed the major restrictions of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. In so doing, Congress and Clinton have opened the door for banks, securities firms, insurance companies, and in some cases nonfinancial corporations to combine into a handful of giant conglomerates.

"These conglomerates will be the financial equivalent of nuclear bombs. The explosion of even one could have a disastrous impact not only on the U.S. economy but on financial systems around the world."

-- Ralph Nader, January 2000

posted by CM @ 3:53 PM