TheNextReport

Anna Nicole – Super-Size Me. Stop the presses! Anna Nicole has been embalmed. Americans obsessed with the wall-to-wall news coverage of the trial that will decide who gets custody of the Texas playmate's body can be content that the object of our unhealthy hunger will be preserved. The story reminds us that we live in a culture where size truly matters, often to the point of the grotesque — whether it is maxi-fries, monster trucks, giant slurpees, or Texas tits. Americans are psychopathic consumers who are easily fascinated by what media programmers jiggle before us. It is an unfortunate truth that we rarely bother to stop and evaluate what precisely we are ingesting. For several weeks, US television viewers have been able to tune in their cable news channels and watch the spectacle of dueling claims of paternity, trailer-trash testimony and even a weeping judge. Alive or dead, the media fascination with Anna Nicole's body appears to be an apt reflection of the seemingly contag

Don't Knock Barack? I would really like to see Barack Obama win the presidency – though I know it will never happen. I will admit I am one of those who have been inspired by Mr. Obama's appearance on the American political scene. There are many, however, who are seriously questioning whether the Illinois senator would truly be a good choice for the Democrats, whether he would be, in a word, electable. One might assume that the person who would be deemed most appropriate to hold the office of the presidency would have to possess the best qualifications to match the following job description: “Wanted: Experienced executive type, learned in American political history, demonstrated mastery of current affairs; a command of economics, international and domestic trade relations, business and labor policies; a thorough understanding of foreign relations and the dynamics of diplomacy; familiarity with military tactics, strategy and weaponry; prefer someone skilled with crisis managemen