News Nuggets 762

Koalas at the Lone Pine Conservation Park in Queensland, Australia.  From the Daily Mail of the UK.

Mental Toll of Extended Unemployment Looms Large from the Washington Post
"Many jobless Americans are falling into despair as repeated attempts to find work come up short."

Leading Bystander (John Dickerson) from Slate
"The claims that Obama doesn't lead are wrong and muddle things."

The Bankers and the Revolutionaries (Nicholas Kristof) from the New York Times
"I tweeted that the protest reminded me a bit of Tahrir Square in Cairo, and that raised eyebrows. True, no bullets are whizzing around, and the movement won’t unseat any dictators. But there is the same cohort of alienated young people, and the same savvy use of Twitter and other social media to recruit more participants. Most of all, there’s a similar tide of youthful frustration with a political and economic system that protesters regard as broken, corrupt, unresponsive and unaccountable."

Wall Street Readies Assault on Elizabeth Warren from Politico
"Wall Street is quietly watching Elizabeth Warren, getting ready to pounce. The Democratic primary in Massachusetts is still almost a year away, but the expected race between the architect of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Republican Sen. Scott Brown is already a hot topic in the financial services universe."
Given the protests on Wall Street, this kind of organized, big-dollar opposition (properly framed) could really work to Warren's advantage.

Our Unprepared Graduates (Kathleen Parker) from the Washington Post
"Jobs, jobs, jobs, we keep hearing. But for whom, whom, whom? Certainly not for the many young Americans being graduated from colleges that have prepared them inadequately for the competitive marketplace. The failure of colleges and universities to teach basic skills, while coddling them with plush dorms and self-directed “study,” is a dot-connecting exercise for Uncle Shoulda...”"

PolitiFact: Pundits Get Fewer Facts Right from the Huffington Post
"PolitiFact.com, which fact checks statements made in Washington, has found that pundits and talk show hosts tend to get fewer facts right, compared to the overall ratings for the individuals and groups it researched."

The GOP Establishment Trap (Brett Decker) from the Washington Times
"It’s a mistake to think Tea Party conservatives can’t win."

Missing the Populist Moment (Ross Douthat) from the New York Times
"This cycle of populist disappointment has probably raised the Republican Party’s odds of taking the White House in 2012, by making a swift coronation for Mitt Romney more and more likely. (So long as a certain New Jersey governor doesn’t lumber into the race, that is.) But it’s a missed opportunity for American conservatism. Republican primary voters deserve a better class of right-wing populist, and the country does as well."

In GOP Contest, Anything Could Happen from the Los Angeles Times
"With no clear front-runner and new campaign rules that could leave the field open well after the first votes are cast, analysts see room for many twists still to come."

Restless House GOP Members Pointing Fingers at One Another from The Hill
"GOP lawmakers told The Hill that redistricting pitting incumbents versus incumbents, coupled with the threat of Tea Party primary opponents, has sparked a lot of anxiety among House Republicans."

Perry’s Perpetually Playing Defense (Jennifer Rubin) from the Washington Post
"After a strong first week, Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s presidential campaign has devolved into the “controversy of the week.”"

Rick Perry Under More Strain After Race Row from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"Rick Perry, the potential Republican presidential nominee in 2012, has been accused of entertaining guests at a hunting camp called "Niggerhead.""
What a dope!!

TV DOCUMENTARY NUGGET!!
The Bootleg Empire of Ken Burns' Prohibition from Time Magazine
"There may be nothing more gratifying and unifying for people than coming together in disdain for a past idea, now universally agreed on to be stupid. ... So for fans of Boardwalk (though its viewership was down from its season 1 premiere) or students of American history, Ken Burns' Prohibition, airing three nights on PBS starting Sunday, provides a detailed, engaging postmortem of a very, very bad idea."
Salon has an excellent review HERE.

AUTMN NUGGET!!
Leaf Peeping Across the Country (SLIDESHOW) from Salon
"From Vermont's Green Mountains to Colorado's Crater Lake, the best places to glimpse fall's fleeting beauty."