Via Ian Welsh, Dr. Peter Morici, a SUNY business professor, puts banker bonuses into perspective:

How much is $140 billion?

The U.S. economy grew at a $89 billion annualized rate in the third quarter. That was the first growth since the second quarter of 2008 and came to $22 billion in actual growth in the third quarter.

The bankers, after causing the greatest economic calamity since the Great Depression, are rewarded with six times the growth accomplished so far in the much heralded “economic recovery.”

Meanwhile, seven million families face foreclosure and 25 million Americans can’t find full time work.

Oh yeah, I'd give that a "solid B plus"!

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(Nick Drake - the calming voice for insane times)

Nick Drake, from h is first album for Island, Five Leaves Left in 1969 - River Man.

Just the person to put this past week in perspective.

Forget everything you've heard about the 45,000 people who die in the U.S. each year because of no insurance (for some perspective, remember that that is 15 times the number of people who died on 9/11, 10 times the number of allied soldiers killed in Iraq and 5 1/2 times the number of Americans killed from Hurricane Katrina. Every year.). Forget about the millions of un- and under-insured Americans in the richest Western nation on the planet. Forget about the highest per capita medical costs and among the worst outcomes of the industrialized nations. Forget about being dropped for pre-existing conditions, like pregnancy or acne as a teenager.

None of that matters. Those Hollywood elites, like Will Ferrell, remind us who the true victims of health care reform are: the health insurance companies. Who will protect them?

Oh, that's right, the Blue Dogs will. It's sad when such an obvious example of parody and illogic actually accurately reflects the thinking of our elected representatives.

RaceWire: Best photo from the 9/12 Tea Party

Harold Meyerson: The "values" of the largest private-sector employer in the U.S. are shaping our national economy -- and that's a very bad thing.

The Agonist: Monsanto

uggabugga: Interested in a deep-think read?

Multi Medium: Healthcare perspective from Kristof

OFF THE BEATEN PATH: Delusions of Lucidity, Republican Dirty Tricks, Blue Heron Blast, Alien Truth

Ellie Greenwich, a songwriting giant with a catalog envied and respected by tunesmiths the world over, died this morning at 69 of a heartattack.

Greenwich co-wrote some of the best known songs of the early sixties, including "And Then He Kissed Me", "Da Doo Ron Ron", and of course "Leader of the Pack". The girl-group sound owes at least as much to Greenwich for songs as it does to Phil Spector.

I can't do a post about Ellie Greenwich without including what is in my opinion the silliest cover song ever recorded: Twisted Sister's version of "Leader of the Pack", which is of course sung from the perspective of the leader of the pack, rather than the girl who must leave him. Yes, quite misguided, but a clear illustration of her reach. RIP.

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(Bobby Hebb - sayin' it)

What a day. Kennedy, Dunne and Greenwich all in 24 hours. The only thing I could think to play was something I always relied on when it all got out of hand. Everybody knows Bobby Hebb by way of his hit "Sunny", but this one, "A Satisfied Mind" always tore me up - always put everything in perspective - always spelled it out in big block letters.

I figured it would be good to share a bit of that tonight.

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Digby took note of this segment on Hardball, and I agree with her assessment about what it would mean for the President if he lost some Blue Dog Democrats in the mid-term election.

I would love to hear anyone tell me why I shouldn't be cheering for that outcome.

Cook said it would "reflect on" the president, but from my perspective it would reflect well on him. And if it happens because he rammed through meaningful health care reform instead of some watered down bucket of warm spit and the administration managed to get unemployment down, I think he will very likely have Morning in America in 2012.

To hell with Rahm and his appease the Blue Dogs at all costs strategy. What good is it if the president fails in 2012? If Cook is right and the Dems maintain their majority while losing a bunch of these reactionary wingnuts, I couldn't be happier. And the Democrat should be happy too because it means they can pass successful legislation for a change.

It wouldn't break my heart either. These Blue Dogs and Liebercrats do nothing but vote against the President anyway, and they give the media an excuse to bring them on to undermine the progressives in the party.

Placebo, one of the only alternative rock bands providing a consistently compelling and unique perspective. Most of their songs pack a sonic mass of swirling guitars, but the simple drum/baritone guitar/vocal of 'Commercial For Levi' is a lesson in musical economics that their over-the-top compatriots in Muse could learn a thing or two from.