Ben Shoemate's Notebook

Michael Masnick via Techdirt shared by 5 people

Last week, in that big post about the financial crisis, one thing I mentioned is that despite all the talk of "moral hazard" -- the bigger fear might be moral hazard's sister problem: adverse selection. That is, it would only be those with truly awful assets and no other options that would take the government up on its offer to buy its "toxic" assets. That may be happening. Reports are coming out that some on Wall Street are considering saying "thanks, but no thanks" to the new ~$700 billion that the Treasury Secretary has been given. The article paints the issue as being about the strings that come attached to it, such as limits on executive pay and golden parachutes. That almost certainly could be a part of the reasoning, but a much bigger part may simply be that these banks recognize that the assets they have aren't quite as toxic as they're being made out to be.

Yes, there are bundles of highly questionable mortgages, but contrary to what the media tells you, plenty of the people who possess those mortgages are still paying -- and even if they're not, the property and houses they represent still do have some value on the market -- or will someday. Thus, it may be that the only banks that really take up Paulson on a buyout offer, are those with really toxic assets that aren't likely to appreciate in value. That's not good for anyone. The more you look at this bailout, the worse it seems. It also makes you wonder why there isn't more of a focus on using a so-called "stock injection" plan, whereby the gov't becomes an investor in the banks, rather than just buying out certain questionable assets. That would, in theory, help avoid sticking the taxpayers with only the worst of the worst assets.

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This is the sharpest "whole Jupiter" photo ever taken from Earth. It was snapped with a telescope using special adaptive optics to reduce fuzz. From National Geographic:

Captured using a new computer-assisted process and a 27-foot (8.2-meter) telescope in Chile, the result is sharp enough to show features as small as 180 miles (300 kilometers) across...

Adaptive optics, (UC Berkeley/SETI Institute astronomer Franck) Marchis said, adjusts for distortions caused by the Earth's atmosphere, "providing images as if the telescope was in space."

New Jupiter Image: Sharpest View Ever From Earth

UPDATE: In the comments, DAEMON kindly posted a link to the full res image!

Xeni Jardin via Boing Boing shared by 5 people

NYT writer and Texas son John Schwartz wrote this very funny piece about the family in Texas who bear the name being co-opted by John McCain's presidential campaign.

[T]o those who know the history of the word, applying it to Mr. McCain is a bit of a stretch — and to one Texas family in particular it is even a bit offensive.

“I’m just enraged that McCain calls himself a maverick,” said Terrellita Maverick, 82, a San Antonio native who proudly carries the name of a family that has been known for its progressive politics since the 1600s, when an early ancestor in Boston got into trouble with the law over his agitation for the rights of indentured servants.

In the 1800s, Samuel Augustus Maverick went to Texas and became known for not branding his cattle. He was more interested in keeping track of the land he owned than the livestock on it, Ms. Maverick said; unbranded cattle, then, were called “Maverick’s.” The name came to mean anyone who didn’t bear another’s brand.

Who You Callin’ a Maverick? (NYT)
Image: Mr. Samuel Augustus Maverick, of Texas.

Hutch Carpenter via I'm Not Actually a Geek shared by 6 people

via http://gigazine.jp/img/2007/10/22/water_dress/Gisele_1em-baixa.jpg

via http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/democrats_08_fear?size=_original

chrisbrogan via chrisbrogan.com shared by 4 people

Out of the blue, I asked Twitter what it would do if Oreo came knocking looking for a social media project. In about 20 minutes, I had some interesting ideas (shared below). I’m not sure what motivated me to ask the question, but it came out of thinking that went something like this: We’ve all got decent ideas. We’re all passionate about seeing how social media might help businesses and people. We probably could do something reasonably creative, if motivated.

The answers turned out fun. I’m happy that I asked the question, and thrilled with who responded. So, with all that said, why not pour a glass a milk and see what people had to say?

What Twitter Would Do for Oreos

audreychernoff – How about just creating a new Oreo, with fiber, less sugar, etc? Something that tastes great but appeals to dieters.
lfamous – something like JibJab where you can put your kids in an Oreo commercial (& an oreo ringtone & download for music player) Yum!
carlweaver – I love your questions like this but never know what to say. I’d do an Oreo building competition. Imagine an Oreo building.
KariRippetoe – place to post videos and/or photos of creative Oreo stacks, community can vote for coolest structures
bradatpharma – Oreo avatars. I’d have an opportunity for people to offer new flavours, I’d have a feedback loop for taste testers… hmmm…
KariRippetoe @planetrelations – love the Remember the Milk widget idea!
KariRippetoe – they already have a YouTube channel for Oreo Moments videos…but does that sell cookies?
jsmibert – First blush.. Id do a Cross platform competition… (Out ur Inner Oreo Addiction) w/ liberal winner pool 2 win fun oreo stuff!
SpaceyG – I’d blog, Twitter, place an ad, whatever, for say… a year’s supply of Oreos. Love those things. I’d be fat as a pig too.
coachbriany – Sports colors oriented voting I.E. Vote for Bengals color oreos. Black Cookies with Orange filling & so on
planetrelations – oreo campaign should include a Remember the Milk widget that sets a recurring task about adding cookies to the shopping list.
mecarluen – How bout a make-your-own Oreo cartoon using GoAnimate, ey? http//goanimate.com/go/watch
divorceddadwkly – A place to post photos + video - how and where I eat my Oreos…
mecarluen – How bout a make-your-own Oreo cartoon using GoAnimate, ey?
howlvenice – you know they had a youtube.com contest..w/ 4,000 subscribers http//www.youtube.com/oreo
urlgrl – ugc of the different ways people eat oreos!
garykoelling – who’s the target? what problem can oreos believable solve for them? and btw, who owns oreos?
NextInstinct – A blog, away from mothership Nabisco, named ‘We got milk!’ cute pics, dessert recipes, “where’d you dunk?” pic contest, etc
Orbius – Collection of “Oreo Moments” of child-like (not childish) happy moments
bertil_hatt – Make something to use Oreos in fun, edible, creative ways you know the oreao-flavoured ice-cream, why not the castle? Prizes?
RoyalAntsJosh – funny that you put that up, I’m currently working on a blog post on the same idea for Peanut Butter
shashib – good food for thought - What social media campaign idea do you have for oreo cookies. i will think about that
bwagy – Create a competition on how you best enjoy your oreo cookies and let them upload to youtube (simple, easy, cheap)
LeisaWatkins – - An art contest - art created out of Oreo Cookies. Everyone could vote for their favorite work of art.
Aronado – lots of milk?

And…

**UPDATE: Kari Rippertoe blogged her response here.

Bryan Elliott recommends a game.

**Update 2 from Royal Ants Josh and another from Todd Jordan . Fun!

What do YOU think should be done?

Photo credit, mihoda

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Mark Frauenfelder via Boing Boing shared by 5 people

Sim says: Here's my latest video remix, this time of America's latest sweetheart/demagogue.

Sean via Cosmic Variance shared by 5 people

Via Greg Laden, apparently originating in this Daily Kos comment: the candidates as trains.