Biggest Loser?

Cleveland Sues 21 Lenders Over Subprime Mortgages - Cleveland is going after Wall Street, using an Ohio statute to claim damages based on the creation of a public nuisance. The defendants are not the firms who originally made the mortgage loans, stretching the credit review process past the breaking point to make loans that would not be repaid if interest rates rose. No, the defendants are the bankers who set up special purpose funds to purchase the mortgage loans, thereby creating demand that may have induced the loan originators to act rashly. Interesting case. First, is this really what the Ohio legislature had in mind when they enacted a law allowing municipalities to recover damages from one who created a "public nuisance" - it sound's more like a way to go after a landowner who lets the weeds grow and doesn't clean up after the dogs. Second, should Wall Street be tagged for someone else's bad credit decisions just because Wall Street bought the bad loans and (coincidentally, of course), Wall Street is where the money is? These questions will be decided by a local judge, and possibly jury, from Cleveland, a city that is suddenly paying a lot to tear down abandoned houses and looking at empty lots that do not pay real estate taxes. They may get to hear evidence that Wall Street knew its mortgage loan purchases were creating a level of demand that could only be met with bad loans. So, is Cleveland Robin Hood, Willie Sutton or just the Biggest Loser in the subprime mess, setting itself up for another round of burning Cuyahoga humor? Stay tuned.

Running and Fighting, All to Save Her Son -She's baaaach in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Linda Hamilton created a fascinating character (remember the escape from the prison mental ward at the beginning of T-2), but the spotlight was on Arnold. Now a new TV series will focus on Sarah (played by Lena Headey, pictured). In a very promising development, NY Times gave the new show thumbs up - a lot to ask from the Times for a TV series that's derivative and low brow. As Good As News is looking forward to this - even if only so I can use Sarah's pull ups as ammunition in the perpetual struggle to switch to a channel that is not playing Biggest Loser.

NFL playoffs continue and As Good As News is asking for too much, an interception return for a touchdown by Nate Jones of the Cowboys and a Giant's win. Odds against this parlay are at least 200 to 1, but we can hope.

Couch Potato Propaganda

Nathan Jones, graduate of Rutgers and Scotch Plains-Fanwood H.S., is on the Cowboy roster for a fourth year. Listed as a backup cornerback, he made the stop for the Cowboy's on the opening kick-off, nearly causing a fumble. On the Cowboy's next special teams play Nate wrapped up the holder after a bad snap, for two tackles in his first two trips onto the field. Even those who detest America's team can root for Nate Jones, a collegiate Academic All -American and a good citizen from way back when he spoke to the PAL football banquet as the star of the high school team.

A Stir, but No Crisis, From Principal's Gender Change - The principal of Ulster County's Career and Technical Center came back as a woman this Fall. Yawn. Most took it in stride, but Michael Locasio complained, "God makes things perfect and people want to screw it all up." Mr. Locasio seems to have no connection whatsoever to the school. Not clear why he was included in the story, but for the exciting contrast between his quote and the fact that he owns a tattoo parlor. I don't think the Times did this just to make fun of Mr. Locasio, I think they did it to drive As Good As News crazy. Suck us in with the irrelevant, but irresistible quote, then torture us with yet another insoluble headline capitalization brain teaser. Can anyone explain why "but" is not capitalized in the story title but "From" is?

Still Married With Children , But Trading Insults in Russian - so now "But" is capitalized but "in" isn't"? This story is great news for all Americans. OK, Putin is sounding more and more like a wild West capitalist version of Hitler, claiming the North Pole as Russian territory, supporting Serbia's saber rattling in Kosovo, establishing youth gangs who will make him President for life, prosecuting political dissidents on trumped up charges. All bad, agreed. But how worried can you really be about a country that takes Russian language retreads of "Married with Children" to its heart as a top rated show. Give the would be brown shirts another decade in the new Russia and the Putin Youth will turn into couch potatoes who want to join the Air National Guard to make sure they won't see combat. Even in the still photo you can see the Russian "Peg" has really captured the spirit of the original.