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May 25, 2012
Mark Clayton: Is Hillary's State Dept. hacking Al Qaeda? Not quite
Erika Bolstad: Temple cancels Wasserman Schultz speech
The Kosher Gourmet by Ethel G. Hofman: The former president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, whose members included the likes of Julia Child, is back with contemporary Shavous cuisine: Ruby Fruit Soup, Sweet Noodle Kugel with Cheese, Key Lime Curd, Calsone Casserole Frittata with Wild Mushrooms, Sun-dried tomatoes and Olives, Baked Tilapia with Pepper Cheese Cream and Brown Sugar Shortbread
May 24, 2012
Jeff Jacoby: The peace process battered Israel's reputation
Michael Muskal: 'Pro-choice' position hits record low, according to poll
Chris Farrell: Are We in a Tech Bubble?
The Kosher Gourmet by Penelope Wall: PHILLY CHEESE STEAKS --- hold the steak!
May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Dec. 28, 2011/ 2 Teves, 5772
Eye of Newt: It's always on the main chance
By
Paul Greenberg
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
A bright spot in Newt Gingrich's run for the presidency -- yes, there is one -- has been the revelation that he was paid $1.6 million by Freddie Mac. That's the broke, bailed-out, scandal-ridden, public-private, political-financial hybrid of a monster that the American taxpayer has just been asked to bail out still again.
What possibly can be good news about this fiscal-disaster-waiting-to-happen having funneled $1.6 million into Newt Gingrich's ever capacious pocket?
This: Mr. Gingrich wants it known that he didn't collect that million-plus for his services as a lobbyist. Oh, no. He was paid for his services as . . . an historian!
Oh, good. That's a relief. This news flash should serve as a useful corrective to the widespread assumption on college campuses that a history degree, or one in any of the liberal arts for that matter, is a financial dead end. The Newt now has demonstrated that it's really the path to fame and especially fortune. And, heaven help us, maybe to the White House, too.
Maybe the happily former speaker's next book could be titled: "How to Succeed in History Without Really Trying." It would make a great Broadway musical, too. Something on the order of "Fiorello!" The show could take Newt's politics with the seriousness it deserves, that is, not much. Working title: "Eye of Newt," which would give it a nice Shakespearean ring.
Doubtless the American taxpayer will be much relieved to hear Newt the Great's explanation for this latest exploit of his. He's always got a cogent explanation for any and all scandals he's involved in. And this alibi has got to be one of his all-time best.
The man is nothing if not inventive. It's so brazen a story, with its cover of academic propriety, that it's almost charming, as new heights of chutzpah can be. Almost. But on closer examination, like so many of Newt's throwaway lines, one realizes this one really does deserve to be thrown away.
The Newt is by trade and inclination one of those people the Brits call a chancer, so ardent a competitor for power and pelf that he may not be overly scrupulous about the methods he employs to gain either. And whenever his little games are exposed, though he may lay low for a while, even years, you can be confident this superannuated Comeback Kid will, yes, come back. Again. Indeed, bounce back. Just look at his poll numbers. He's the Silly Putty candidate -- malleable beyond belief. Literally, since this latest story of his really is beyond belief.
One reason some of us can hardly wait for his next scrape with the truth, and in light of his record there's bound to be one, is to hear him talk his way out of it. Audacity could be his middle name.
Despite his pretensions to an honored place in the American pantheon, the Newt is a lot closer to P.T. Barnum than George Washington. But there's never a shortage of suckers who'll see in him a political messiah, this time one who represents the best hope of saving the American Dream, or even America itself, from Barack Obama's soft socialism.
And who can doubt that Newt is the very image of the self-made man, not to mention the self-promoting and self-absorbed one? Now he's got to be the best-paid historian around, too, even if his own history is a bit checkered.
Never mind. He can explain it all. And in the most entertaining fashion. As with any other carnival barker, it's not the truth of his pitch that mesmerizes, but his style, his pizzazz, his never-at-a-loss gift for repartee. Step right this way, folks, and lend an ear, take a gander, and fall under his spell. For one brief shining moment, like now in the polls, he's almost convincing. Almost.

Along with its twin, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac was able to destroy billions in book value in the blink of an eye. These improbable but all too real monsters were largely responsible for the housing bubble that, when it burst, led to the Panic of '08-09. Which in turn led to the Great Recession that's still hanging around.
No entries in a medieval bestiary could have been any more destructive than these modern-day monstrosities. The monsters of mythology might swallow up only an individual; these could engulf and devour a whole country's fiscal future. At this point it's not clear which was the evil twin, Freddie or Fannie, but the overwhelming evidence suggests that both were. And, unfortunately, still are.
It was only a matter of time before an irrepressible character like Newt Gingrich would find himself in the employ of one or the other, if not both. These types always find one another. And this was a match made in purgatory.
It'll be a great day when both these outfits are dismantled, and housing can go back to being a market instead of a plaything for hedge-fund operators, politicians, and lobbyists and spongers of every variety -- even if they prefer to call themselves historians.
Paul Greenberg Archives
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