The Watercooler for 09/06/08 1:00 AM

i just got back from the latest round of the nine inch nails (NIN) tour.  best rock band ever.  really.  but if you don't like it loud and throbbing, they're not for you.  some good politics in their lyrics as well.  packed house, great visuals, cool electronics, etc.  they even had a section where the bass player played double bass, and resnor played xylophone.  more arty kind of stuff his normal crowd isn't used to.  he's trying to change definitions...

other shows i'll see soon:  joe jackson at the warfield.  deerhoof at the great american.  neil young/bridge school benefit at shoreline.  and maybe los lobos at the filmore.

i've got 2 shows coming up also at local venues doing cool improv stuff. 

i'm now the training guy for our united campaign office.  we get our data base this weekend so it's off to the races.  "Hi, Ms. Smith?  This is Mark from the Democratic party and i was wondering if you'd like to volunteer at our office?"

Okay, so Freddie, Fannie, and GM are 'junk'?  Thanks Repugs for the lack of regulatory policies...so long US of A as we know it...

NYT on Fannie and Freddie:

The plan, effectively a government bailout, was outlined in separate meetings that the chief executives were summoned to attend on Friday at the office of the companies’ new regulator. The executives were told that, under the plan, they and their boards would be replaced, shareholders would be virtually wiped out, but the companies would be able to continue functioning with the government generally standing behind their debt, people briefed on the discussions said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/business/06fannie.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1220699477-CeapdADRAkKC+Xvo29SnYw

Somewhere last night I saw or heard a 'meme' painting Palin not as Cheney or a Pit Bull but as W -- remember how we all wanted to have a beer with him?  He was a cheerleader!  The popular guy at the party!  

Fool me once...

I see that comedy central has a string of episodes of the Daily Show today starting at 9 am eastern - I think it's a rerun of Jon's live 11 pm coverage of the convention this week - I saw a few and he knocked it out of the park.  worth a watch if you're hanging around the house this morning.

 or you can catch them here

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Bhutto's widower elected Pakistan's president

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pakistan7-2008sep07,0,1020038.story