Brazil shows why it's Brazil (Gabrielle Marcotti, 6/28/09, SI)
[I]n the first half Sunday, Brazil looked fairly dazed, shell-shocked by the U.S.' one-two punch of Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. If the first goal was a function of some not-so-tight marking (a fact which made Dunga blue in the face), the second was the result of a perfectly executed U.S. counterattack. Donovan to Charlie Davies, back to Donovan, André Santos turned inside-out, ball in the back of the net. It was textbook stuff, intelligently and accurately executed.Dunga may no doubt have been tempted to change things around at halftime. The thunder-and-lightning combination of Jozy Altidore and Davies was giving his defenders -- particularly Luisão -- fits. Meanwhile, Jay DeMerit and Oguchi Onyewu were effectively shackling Fabiano while, in central midfield, despite the absence of Michael Bradley, Ricardo Clark and Benny Feilhaber were forcing Kaká into uncomfortable positions.
Then, barely after the second-half kickoff, came Luís Fabiano's goal, a gorgeous swivel and shot which halved the U.S. lead and swung the momentum decisively the other way. The timing of goals does matter and, perhaps, the worst possible time to concede is either side of the break.
Brazil ratcheted up the pressure, Tim Howard was called to make a number of fine saves (the kind which deservedly won him the goalkeeper of the tournament accolade, despite conceding nine in four outings) and you got the sense it was just a matter of time before the Seleção broke through. Kaká's header should have been the equalizer -- Howard palmed it away after the ball had crossed the goal line -- but the goal wasn't awarded. No matter. Fabiano's strike made it 2-2 after Robinho hit the crossbar with the U.S. goal under a full-fledged siege.
U.S. head coach Bob Bradley had no cards left to play at this stage. With Altidore off the pitch, there wasn't much punch left and, in some ways, Lúcio's winning header was predictable. There was only so much of a battering the admirable Onyewu-DeMerit partnership could take before eventually crumbling.
"Look, we played well, we gave them a very good fight," said Dempsey after the match. "It's just that they created more chances and scored more goals and deserved to win. Sometimes you just have to accept that."
There's no shame in losing to Brazil, but it was a game the US could have, maybe even should have, won. He waited too long to bring on subs, when we could have used fresh legs, and because they came on immediately after the Brazilians tied, he ended up taking off the two guys who might have gotten a third for us--Altidore and Feilhaber--while bringing in a very uncertain Klestjens, who got burnt repeatedly, including on the play that set up the winning corner, and made almost no decent passes. Midfield was always going to be a problem with his son suspended for the game, but Jose Francisco Torres would have been a better choice if you insisted on removing Feilhaber and Davies should have come off instead of Altidore. If nothing else, they lost on a set piece which Altidore had cleared two of earlier. Dempsey should have been in Davies spot from the start.
A win here would have been a nice surprise--well, a shocker really--but the game they have to win is in Mexico in August. The talent level of this squad is high enough that no more excuses for losing to inferior teams--like Italy--should be accepted. America ought to be one of the teams mention as a threat to win the 2010 World Cup.
MORE:
Selecao comeback ends U.S. dream (ESPN SoccerNet, June 28, 2009)
Brazil, which won its third Confederations Cup title, looked like a beaten team in the first half, creating little and being constantly stymied by the United States defense and goalkeeper Tim Howard.But Fabiano started the comeback in the 46th minute as Brazil's "Beautiful Game" burst into life. The striker collected a pass from Ramires before turning and shooting past defender Jay DeMerit for his fourth goal of the tournament.
He added a fifth in the 74th, heading in a rebound after Kaka's cross was kicked against the crossbar by Robinho.
Dempsey, who also scored in the 2-0 semifinal win over Spain, gave the Americans the lead in the 10th minute by redirecting a cross from Jonathan Spector. Donovan added the second by finishing off some nice passing play with Charlie Davies on a fast counterattack in the 27th.
The defending champions Brazil fought back from 2-0 down to beat the United States 3-2 and win the Confederations Cup for the third time after a hugely entertaining final.The Americans, who shocked the European champions Spain in the semi-finals, looked set for another huge upset when goals by Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan put them 2-0 ahead at half-time.
Producing the best soccer it has played in recent memory, the United States men's national team came within a whisker Sunday of pulling off its second staggering international soccer upset in just five days.After shutting out Spain, the world's No. 1-ranked team, 2-0, in midweek, the U.S. was leading Brazil by the same score at halftime in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The Americans still held a 2-1 advantage with less than 20 minutes remaining.
Obama is choosing to be weak (Clive Crook, June 28 2009, Financial Times)
The president has cast himself not as a leader of reform, but as a cheerleader for “reform” – meaning anything, really, that can plausibly be called reform, however flawed. He has defined success down so far that many kinds of failure now qualify. Without hesitating, he has cast aside principles he emphasised during the campaign. On healthcare, for instance, he opposed an individual insurance mandate. On climate change, he was firm on the need to auction all emissions permits. Congress proposes to do the opposite in both cases and Mr Obama’s instant response is: “That will do nicely.”The White House calls this pragmatism. Never let the best be the enemy of the good. Better to take one step forward than blah, blah, blah. The argument sounds appealing and makes some sense, but is worth probing.
First one must ask whether the bills really do represent progress, however modest. As they stand, this is doubtful, especially in the case of cap-and-trade. Then one must ask whether the US will get to where it needs to be on climate change and healthcare via a series of small steps. Perhaps the country has just one chance in the foreseeable future to get it right. The White House has said as much: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” Botch these policies this time, and it may be years before Congress can start again.
A White House that is more interested in promotion than in product development has another great drawback: it squanders talent. Mr Obama has impeccable taste in advisers: he has scooped up many of the country’s pre-eminent experts in almost every area of public policy. One wonders why. On the main domestic issues, they are not designing policy; they are working the phones, drumming up support for bills they would be deploring if they were not in the administration. Apart from anything else, this seems cruel. Mr President, examine your conscience and set your experts free.
The greatest waste of talent in all this, however, is that of Mr Obama himself. Congress offers change without change – a green economy built on cheap coal and petrol; a healthcare transformation that asks nobody to pay more taxes or behave any differently – because that is what voters want. Is it too much to ask that Mr Obama should tell voters the truth? I think he could do it. He has everything it takes to be a strong president. He is choosing to be a weak one.
Soccer Diary: U.S. vs. Brazil, 2:30 p.m. ET (William Snyder, 6/28/09, WSJ: Daily Fix)
The Journal provides minute-by-minute analysis of today’s Confederations Cup final between the U.S. and Brazil in Johannesburg, South Africa. Guest blogger Will Snyder offers commentary on the match and the ESPN telecast. Feel free to email William questions or comments before or during the match, which kicks off around 2:30 p.m. ET.
'I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SITTING NEXT TO A REPUBLICAN!' (HARRY STEIN, June 28, 2009, NY Post)
Something else some of us like to do, just for kicks, is stir up ideological mischief at dinner parties. Given the depth of liberal hypocrisy on certain issues, this is easier than it might sound, and occasionally even provokes actual thought in one's prey. My favorite tale in this regard comes from a friend who lives in Park Slope. She reports creating level-red discomfort, when the talk on a recent evening turned to gay marriage. Everyone was for it, of course, including my friend. "But wouldn't it bother you if your own children were gay?" she added, all innocent curiosity. "After all, isn't it natural to want your kids to mirror your experience? To have a traditional marriage and raise children in the traditional way? I can't think of anything that would make them more foreign."She reports that, hearing this, the liberals around the table "got very flustered -- because of course they feel exactly the same way. There was a long silence, and then someone said: 'I would be much more upset if my kids were Republican,' and that let everyone off the hook. But afterward, one liberal friend came and whispered in my ear 'I would be really devastated.' "
Indeed, if one keeps things polite in such situations, those on the other side are all but helpless, robbed of their chief weapon: Insults. For many liberals in these parts, dismissive contempt toward the other side is a reflex. So, for the enterprising conservative, pointing out, "that's not an argument, that's name-calling" is enough to stop them dead in their tracks. After lifetimes spent casually referring to those on the right as "haters" or "fascists," they are truly unaware there is anything wrong with it. While afterward they'll continue to believe you are a fascist, and say so behind your back, at least you'll have a momentary triumph.
For conservatives in places like New York, that's about the best that can be hoped for. As a species, adamant liberals are not exactly known for graciousness. Even in the wake of their triumph last November, many seem Constitutionally unable to stop bashing Bush, Cheney or Palin. And talk about gloating. Having in many cases defiantly left on their Kerry-Edwards stickers through Bush's second term, can anyone doubt that, even if unemployment reaches 20%, their Obama stickers will still be in place on the Volvo when it gets towed off to that great recycling heap?
Of course, that's just another difference between us and them -- we tend toward optimism and good grace. Rotten as times seems now for conservatives, we face life as it is and press on, plucky as colonial Brits in those old movies on TCM. Just a day after the election, one friend remarked that he'd already taken the McCain sticker off his car, adding that Obama was our president now, and he was willing to give him a chance. "Still," he added, smiling, "I kept on the one for the New York Rifle & Pistol Association -- just in case anyone thinks I've gone soft."
U.S. aiming for upset in Confederations Cup final (ESPN SoccerNet, June 27, 2009)
Skipper Carlos Bocanegra, whose side were beaten 3-0 by Brazil in their Group A encounter on June 18, insists the U.S. will play without fear against their heavily favoured opponents and adopt an entirely different strategy for this match.Unlike the U.S., Brazil know all about winning major trophies, crowned world champions five times and seeking a third Confederations Cup victory in attempting to retain the trophy they won in 2005.
"The first time we played Brazil we came out a bit timid," Bocanegra said at a news briefing on Friday. "We gave them too much respect.
"We went out and sat back too much, but we changed it against Egypt, playing with a lot of energy from the start and we carried that into the Spain game. We had a go at them for 90 minutes rather than absorb pressure." [...]
Bradley will not be able to choose son Michael for the game, however, after he was sent off towards the end of the semi-final victory.
But he will have the impressive Clint Dempsey in attack and the Fulham forward will be looking to complete an excellent tournament with a winner's medal.
Dempsey has scored twice, including the second against Spain, and was praised by FIFA Technical Study member Holger Osieck for "winning nearly every ball in the air, keeping possession and working hard" in their 3-0 win over Egypt.
Osieck also praised his "tireless" performance against Spain in which besides his goal, he helped set up the first for Jozy Altidore.
Despite the north Americans enthusiasm and new-found sense of belief, Brazil still start as overwhelming favourites.
Although the South Americans know they cannot allow themselves to be out-thought as they were for long periods against South Africa in their semi-final on Thursday, or they might struggle to win with the flourish the world loves to see.
A Daniel Alves free-kick two minutes from time secured their slender 1-0 win over the hosts and midfielder Gilberto Silva says they will be taking nothing for granted.
The loss of Bradley was bad enough in the Spain game but he's covered more ground than any other player in the Tournament and he's not really replaceable for Sunday (hurry Jermaine Jones). Additionally, the core of this team has played with just ten men for a significant amount of time in three of the last four games and while three days off ought to be plenty and coldish weather should help, some fatigue may creep in.
The biggest reason to be hopeful is that Coach Bradley finally had his line-up and formation right late in the Spain game and the US showed the sort of commitment to attack that made it possible to win. Attacking Brazil will be just as important and getting the first goal vital, but they're the best team in the world on counterattack. As Tim Vickery has said, they're the only team for whom an opponent's corner kick is a scoring opportunity for the defenders, as we found out last game. And if they pick up an early goal and we're forced to press forward they'll exploit every chance we give them. So we'll have to maintain a stout central defense but, at the same time, go for goal. Just as it's said that basketball teams that use the press hate to be pressed back, a team that relies on the counterattack can be successfully counterattacked right back if you defend them well.
Happily, the US defense has been terrific the last couple games, with Onyewu and Demerit forming a dominant center and Jonathan Spector playing very well. Carlos Bocanegra is the captain and has the sort of experience Coach Bradley may want on the field, but he had some shaky moments against Spain. Ricardo Clark and Michael Bradley have reinforced that defense from the midfield and whoever replaces the latter (please, God, not DeMarcus Beasley) has to be capable of continuing the partnership. It's the four guys in front of that six who it seems fair to criticize the coach about.
Charlie Davies has shown that he can offer a nice burst of energy for about a twenty minute stretch and he's difficult enough for the other team to account for that it does provide Altidore with some space. But one would think he's best saved for the final twenty minutes rather than spent in the first and then necessarily subbed for.
Clint Dempsey seems to be of the, perhaps justified, opinion that since he can score regularly in the EPL he ought to be a primary offensive option for the USA. He's a completely different player on the front line than in midfield, much more interested and hard-working, and he's got the scent of the net right now. Teamed with Altidore, he'd also give us a physical presence in front of the goal that could create problems for the defense.
Then you put Landon Donovan and Benny Feilhaber in between the front two and the two defensive midfielders and have them provide service for the scorers. Put Feilhaber in the middle of the field--a la Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard--and swing Donovan out wide where he'd have enough room to lift balls into the box. Numerous goals in this tournament have demonstrated that if we just get the ball into dangerous places our physicality can produce scores.
Finally, Tim Howard certainly deserves to start. He just produced a clean sheet against the best team in the world and the best offense by some considerable margin. But he has to stop out-kicking his coverage. We're Americans and we're all mighty impressed that every time he has a goal kick he can boot it all the way down field to the back defensive line, but the object isn't actually to turn over possession on every single kick. And even if he's doing it to temporarily relieve pressure in front of his own goal, giving it away isn't the best option--against Brazil it may be suicidal. A little less foot would produce better opportunities for us to get and control the ball, even if it wouldn't look so pretty.
It's a winnable game and, for once, people in the States might be watching. They got great press coverage after beating Spain and the Sunday afternoon ESPN coverage is convenient. If they manage another upset and do it playing a distinctly American sort of game (as American as soccer can be) they can put the team on the radar, not as a peer of the NFL, college football, NBA, etc., but on par with NASCAR, golf, & hockey and above stuff like UFC, bowling, poker, and the many other sports that get regular tv coverage. Not only would a win be the greatest accomplishment ever for the Men's national team but they could keep the momentum going for their game at Mexico on August 12th, where they've never won. They're a better team than Mexico now and winning there is the last stumbling block to their becoming the dominant side north of the Canal. Americans aren't soccer fans but we are patriots and we love winners and a side in any sport that can beat foreigners, especially ones who are ashamed to lose to us, can develop a following.
But first they better play well on Sunday....
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U.S. Starting XI vs. Brazil: No Surprises (Jack Bell, 6/27/09, NY Times: Goal)
Who replaces Michael Bradley?Probably Benny Feilhaber, who entered the match against Spain in the 67th minute, controlled the ball well when he had the chance, calmly started the play that led to the second U.S. goal and was generally a positive factor.
A start for Feilhaber would be a delicious turn of events for the 24-year-old midfielder. Feilhaber was born in Brazil, after his family fled Austria before the start of World War II. They moved to the United States when Feilhaber was a child. [...]
The defense seems to be settled and solid with Tim Howard in goal, Jonathan Spector and Carlos Bocanegra on the flanks, and the imposing tandem of Jay DeMerit and Oguchi Onyewu in the middle.
In the midfield, Clint Dempsey, Ricardo Clark and Landon Donovan are mostly likely to be joined by Feilhaber, or perhaps Sacha Kljestan, who was drafted by and played for Bob Bradley at Chivas USA in M.L.S.
The twosome up front is likely to be the same as started and played well against Spain: Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies.
Defensively, the pairing of Ogushi Onyewu and Jay Demerit were a towering presence, subduing the prolific David Villa and Fernando Torres like very few sides have achieved previously. They blocked, they headed, they challenged, they were inspirational, and it was a particularly sweet victory for striker Jozy Altidore. His big-money move to Villarreal in 2008 has been a disaster, but he reaped some level of vindication by embarrassing Casillas for the opening goal.The team, as a whole, will be required to produce a similar level of commitment in the final, but the key factor may be whether Landon Donovan et al still have an element of surprise. It could be questioned if the Spanish superstars took the American challenge seriously enough, but they have paid for their complacency. However, the Brazilians, surely, will be more vigilant.
After a debatable start in the Samba hotseat, coach Dunga has instilled a level of discipline and tactical nous that, so far, has complemented the trickery and style to tremendous effect. World Cup 2010 qualification is almost secured and in this Confederations Cup campaign they have looked extremely comfortable. Sevilla forward Luis Fabiano and the mercurial Robinho have linked superbly in an attack full of pace and agility.
Bradley said he was leaning toward Benny Feilhaber, whose skittering move across the top of the penalty area began the sequence that led to the second American goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat of Spain. That the United States is playing Brazil is something of note beyond soccer: Feilhaber was born in Rio de Janeiro after his family fled Austria before the start of World War II.Bradley must also consider whether to stick with a 4-4-2 formation or perhaps use a five-man midfield to provide extra cover in Michael’s absence. In that case, Sacha Kljestan might get a start. It seems unlikely that it will be DaMarcus Beasley, considering Beasley’s elemental blunder in losing the ball on a short corner in the 3-0 group play defeat to Brazil, which became a lightning-fast goal on a counterattack.
Bradley has said that his team feels more comfortable in a 4-4-2. And Jozy Altidore said Friday that he preferred to be paired with another striker.
“Tactically, in every game, you have to weight the different factors,” Bob Bradley said. “At times, there’s a need to make a small tactical adjustment to make a big change in how you play. At the same time, it’s not always the case that we handle those changes well.”
The United States started in a 4-4-1-1 against Italy before losing Ricardo Clark early to a red card, then shifted to a 4-4-1 and a 4-3-2. It has seemed more assured in the 4-4-2 since.
It is Robinho who presents opponents with the greatest tactical conundrum. He plays in an odd three-quarter position, neither forward nor midfielder, neither central nor wide, and thus falls into the sphere of neither right-back nor centre-back to mark.If a defensive midfielder is assigned to pick him up, that draws resources from the other flank, where both Ramires and Maicon can attack from deep.
South Africa restricted Brazil in the semi-final by taking the game to them, and playing the game largely in Brazil’s half; the reverse of how the USA frustrated Spain in their semi-final, which was to sit deep and deny Spain’s playmakers space to thread passes.
Brazil, it must be expected, will be rather better than they were in the semi-final. In the wake of their astonishing victory over Italy, Brazil may have been underwhelmed by the prospect of a game against dogged minnows. Yet, as Gilberto Silva hinted, South Africa’s man-marking had unsettled them.
That is something for the USA to consider. Certainly to sacrifice the wings and allow their opponents to cross would be a far riskier policy against Brazil than it was against Spain and, besides, USA’s centre will be weakened by the absence of Michael Bradley, the third American to be sent off.
Charlie Davies may again use his pace to try to get in behind Maicon, as he did against Sergio Ramos in the semi-final; he may not have created much from there, but he successfully disrupted the Spanish right as Ramos became reluctant to advance.
Most recent meeting: Brazil 3, U.S. 0 in a Confederations Cup first-round game on June 18 in Pretoria.All-time head-to-head record: Brazil, 13 victories and 26 goals; U.S., one victory and eight goals.
Most expensive player: Kaka (Brazil), acquired this year by Real Madrid from AC Milan for $94 million; Jozy Altidore (U.S.), acquired last year by Villarreal from the New York Red Bulls for $10 million.
Oddity No. 1: The American roster has only five players who play in the U.S. The Brazilian roster has only seven players who play in Brazil. The other 34 players are scattered around 11 European countries, Canada and Mexico.
The back line will likely remain the same, with captain Carlos Bocanegra nearly entrenched in his new left back role, and having had a few extra days to regain his fitness after a nagging hamstring injury.Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies have formed a dynamic duo up front, and will hope to continue their exploits in the Americans' first FIFA final.
Dunga brings a exciting team into the final as well. The Brazilians have scored eleven goals over four Confederations Cup matches, but looked far from their best in their semifinal win Thursday over South Africa. A late Dani Alves free kick gave the South Americans the slim victory.
The defending Confederations Cup champs will have to do without his stalwart in the center of defense, Juan, who has been ruled out for the tournament.
The match gets under way at 8:30 local time on what is expected to be a cool, clear evening in South Africa's capital.
The one difference in the side is likely to be the suspension of Michael Bradley, who was sent-off against Spain.The counter-attacking prowess of USA could make for an uncomfortable night for Brazil’s back four — especially if the industrious Felipe Melo struggles to offer them protection like it was against South Africa.
Against the Bafana Bafana, Brazil showed signs of fallibility and it remains to be seen whether their lumbering performance was a one-off or the high altitude in Johannesburg will continue to affect their confidence and customary swagger.
With decent players available in every other position, how USA coach Bob Bradley must wish he could call upon a prolific, match-winning striker. Once again this patently isn’t the case, with none of Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies entirely convincing in the crucial role of lone striker that is in their 4-2-3-1 system.
The flip side of this is that USA’s six goals so far at the finals have been spread among five different players, but the lack of a constant threat and reliable source of goals is an undeniable hindrance. The centre back pairing of Oguchi Onyewu and Jey DeMerit has been as strong as any in the competition in the last two games, and will have to be against Brazil’s attack of Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano.
Against Brazil Sunday the U.S. needs to start out with the same intensity and commitment to defense that they did against Spain the other day. It will take another grueling day at the office for the U.S. to keep things close and be in a position to get a result.The only adjustment I would make is to insert Benny Feilhaber at center mid for the suspended Bradley. I actually liked the game that Ricardo Clark had the other day and hope that he has landed on somebody's radar in Europe.
Even though I'm not a huge fan of the 4-4-2 against world-class teams, I think if they play it low pressure, it will still work with Davies and Altidore up front. I was not a fan of Davies initially, but like what he does out there and want to see more of it.
Altidore needs to be allowed to stay more centralized. He needs to use his body and strength to brutalize the Brazilian defense, get shots off in dangerous spots and draw fouls, just like he did the other night against Spain.
I am not quite a Coach Bob Believer yet...but if he can pull off a victory tomorrow, I may well just have to become one.
I do have to give him credit as of late for simply putting the best players in the best spots and going out and playing in the best system possible to earn a result, which he has been doing the last couple of games (how noble, it's only his job!).
A tactical genius he is not. But a practical person who is finally listening to reason (ME) he just might be!
A few days after Christmas in 1975, a man named Joseph boarded a plane from Port-au-Prince to New York. He carried $300 in his pocket and hopes of a new life in his head. He couldn't have known that shortly before him, a woman named Gisele was leaving Haiti under nearly identical circumstances.Their lives first crisscrossed in Orange, N.J. Boarding bus No. 20 one stop after Joseph had, Gisele chose the seat next to his and found that they could talk to each other about most anything. Even marriage.
Although two years passed before they encountered each other again, they began dating, married and eventually moved to Boca Raton - a happily-ever-after story that has everything to do with the United States having an equally improbable shot today at its greatest feat ever in men's soccer.
Joseph and Gisele are better known as the parents of Boca Prep graduate Jozy Altidore, who at 19 years old is a key reason the Americans will face powerhouse Brazil in the Confederations Cup final in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Velocity still big part of a pitcher's arsenal (Pat Mitsch, 6/28/09, Pittsburgh TRIBUNE-REVIEW)
While the top vitals of a good pitch remain location and movement, velocity is a tool that can revive a pitcher in an at-bat when any important pitch goes flat."Velocity lets you get away with mistakes a little easier," said Pirates closer Matt Capps. "A lot of times, not necessarily swings and misses, but you throw a ball not in the right spot, down the middle, and you get just a foul tip and not a base hit."
More pitchers in today's MLB are catching on, and velocity seems to be an increasingly valuable commodity for major-league clubs. It's no coincidence the Nationals took Stephen Strasburg, whose velocity tops 100 mph, with the top pick in this year's draft.
"As you talk with guys who have been watching this game over the past 20, 30 years, they'll say there's more guys throwing harder today than there used to be," said Pirates director of player development Kyle Stark.
REVIEW: of Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America By John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr and Alexander Vassiliev (Andrew Lownie, 28 Jun 2009, Daily Telegraph)
A common perception is that, both before and after the Second World War, the British Establishment was penetrated by Soviet spies (most notably by the Cambridge Spy Ring) while America somehow escaped infiltration. This important new book, however, which is based on archival material – a rare luxury for intelligence historians – shows the huge extent of Soviet espionage activity in the United States during the 20th century.The authors estimate that from the Twenties more than 500 Americans from all walks of life, including many Ivy League graduates and Oxford Rhodes Scholars, were recruited to assist Soviet intelligence agencies, particularly in the State Department and America’s first intelligence agency, the OSS.
Health-Care Activists Targeting Democrats: Sniping Among Liberals May Jeopardize Votes Needed to Pass Bill (Ceci Connolly, 6/28/09, Washington Post)
In the high-stakes battle over health care, a growing cadre of liberal activists is aiming its sharpest firepower against Democratic senators who they accuse of being insufficiently committed to the cause.The attacks -- ranging from tart news releases to full-fledged advertising campaigns -- have elicited rebuttals from lawmakers and sparked a debate inside the party over the best strategy for achieving President Obama's top priority of a comprehensive health-system overhaul.
The rising tensions between Democratic legislators and constituencies that would typically be their natural allies underscore the high hurdles for Obama as he tries to hold together a diverse, fragile coalition. [...]
Much of the sparring centers around whether to create a government-managed health insurance program that would compete with private insurers. Obama supports the concept, dubbed the "public option," but he has been vague on details. Left-of-center activists want a powerful entity with the ability to set prices for doctors and hospitals.
But in the Senate, where the Democrats do not have the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster, members are weighing alternatives such as a nonprofit cooperative or a "fallback" provision that would kick in only if market reforms fail.
Playing It Safe in Cancer Research (GINA KOLATA, 6/27/09, NY Times)
The cancer institute has spent $105 billion since President Richard M. Nixon declared war on the disease in 1971. The American Cancer Society, the largest private financer of cancer research, has spent about $3.4 billion on research grants since 1946.Yet the fight against cancer is going slower than most had hoped, with only small changes in the death rate in the almost 40 years since it began.
One major impediment, scientists agree, is the grant system itself. It has become a sort of jobs program, a way to keep research laboratories going year after year with the understanding that the focus will be on small projects unlikely to take significant steps toward curing cancer.
Blue Note keeps 'em lookin' as smooth as they sound (Mike Doherty, 6/26/09, Weekend Post)
When German emigrés Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff founded the Blue Note record label 70 years ago in New York City, jazz held most of the market for recorded music. Nowadays, it's decidedly a niche genre. So why do so many artists with mainstream success, from Norah Jones to Anita Baker, still want to record music for the legendary bastion of small-group instrumental jazz?"The label has always stood for high quality," says its CEO, Bruce Lundvall, a former president of CBS Records and lifelong fan who helped resurrect Blue Note in 1985, after it petered out in the '70s. Even the fact it lay dormant in the heyday of airbrushed synth-pop feeds into Blue Note's matchless cachet - the label is synonymous with "cool." [...]
Lundvall has intentionally strayed from Lion's lead in other ways: He records vocal music (to which Lion wasn't attuned) and has signed pop and soul artists. He used to divert such projects to sister label in Manhattan as a matter of course (e.g., Bobby McFerrin's breakthrough, Simple Pleasures), but he gave in to Norah Jones's insistence on releasing her 2002 debut, Come Away with Me, on Blue Note. Since then, a number of her peers have followed suit, from Van Morrison through new signing Kristina Train, a singer of blue-eyed southern soul who, Lundvall says, "doesn't sound like anyone but herself, which is what we always look for."
Branching out from jazz, the CEO admits, has been an economic necessity, not only to keep the label in the black, but also to help to fund the work of jazz musicians he considers to be ahead of their time. During his tenure, Blue Note has crossed over into Latin jazz, using its clout, for instance, to sign phenomenally proficient Cuban pianists Chucho Valdés (playing fests across Canada this year) and Gonzalo Rubalcaba (playing Toronto and Montreal). And despite his focus on acoustic music, when Lundvall first heard Us3's acid jazz, based on uncleared Blue Note samples, he decided to sign them rather than sue.
Lundvall's devotion to eclecticism has brought criticism from purists but has won unlikely converts: Even Wynton Marsalis, whom he signed to CBS in 1981 and then to Blue Note in 2003, is apparently "becoming a little more open-minded than he was a few years back, where if [music] didn't swing a certain way, it wasn't jazz, and so on."
'A Hardware Store as Proof of the Existence of God' (Nancy Willard, February 22, 2007, Chronogram)
I praise the brightness of hammers pointing east
like the steel woodpeckers of the future,
and dozens of hinges opening brass wings,
and six new rakes shyly fanning their toes,
and bins of hooks glittering into bees,
and a rack of wrenches like the long bones of horses,and mailboxes sowing rows of silver chapels,
and a company of plungers waiting for God
to claim their thin legs in their big shoes
and put them on and walk away laughing.
In a world not perfect but not bad either
let there be glue, glaze, gum, and grabs,
caulk also, and hooks, shackles, cables, and slips,
and signs so spare a child may read them,
Men, Women, In, Out, No Parking, Beware the Dog.
In the right hands, they can work wonders.