Jamie Malanowski

In my freshman year of college my friend Bob Crumlish and I were sitting in the college cafeteria doing what 18 year olds were doing in cafeterias the length and breadth of America, namely, screwing around. In our case, we were using teaspoons to catapult elements of a fruit cocktail through the air and onto […]

Brinksmanship is a pretty effective tactic; the disciplined refusal to compromise until the very last minute often panics a less steadfast opponent into making desperate concessions. Currently Congressional Republicans are engaging in brinksmanship with the debt ceiling, refusing to approve raising the ceiling by the deadline of August 2nd unless there is an effective budget […]

David Brooks has been a great columnist for The New York Times because he has always conducted himself like a decent guy. Intelligent, prudent, even-handed, he spends a lot of time giving the other fellow his due, in the obvious belief that he ought to behav in an earnest, high-minded, intelligent way because that is […]

Jayne Mansfield knew it. Whenever the blonde, buxom, modestly-talented starlet threatened to become lost amid the endless parade of up-and-coming bombshells Hollywood produced, Jayne found a way to display her breasts in view of a host of compliant paparazzi. Because Jayne knew the secret of success, she managed to support herself and her girls for […]

In the Times this morning, Paul Krugman, who clearly opposes Paul Ryan‘s Vouchercare plan, nonetheless acknowledges that “medicare has to get serious about cost control; it has to start saying no to expensive procedures with little or no medical benefits, it has to change the way it pays doctors and hospitals, and so on.” Writing […]

In a fine example of state of the art thinking circa 1980, Peter Beinart today explains in The Daily Beast why this is Sarah Palin should seize this moment to run for president. “There will be never be a better moment,” he writes. “A conventional politician might bide his or her time, amass a record […]

In his column in the Times recently, Joe Nocera wrote about Robert G. Wilmers, the head of the M&T Bank, based in Buffalo. Wilmers has distinguished himself by growing M&T into one of the most highly regarded regional bank holding companies in the country, and one of the best performing stocks in the S&P 500 […]

“I have a roaring fire in the belly, and I struggle with it every day,” Palin said. This is an hysterical quote, held up for ridicule by Lawrence O’Donnell. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Lawrence has held that Sarah Palin will not run for president because no losing […]

“What are we fighting for?” Country Joe and the Fish memorably queried. The question we need to ask today is “What are spending for?” In Slate, Fred Kaplan writes about Robert Gates, the departing Secretary of Defense, and a man who deserves his country’s gratitude for the thoughtful and professional way he has conducted his […]