Thursday's Daily Brief

Thursday, November 3, 2011 Arianna Huffington: Shakespeare, The Bible, and America's Shift Into a Punitive Society Arianna Huffington: I'm haunted by a passage in Ron Suskind's Confidence Men in which Paul Volcker questions whether Obama and his economic team are really serious about the financial crisis and is reminded of a phrase that he knew Lawrence Summers sometimes used: "the important thing is just to be caught trying." "Be caught trying." Is there a better description of the mindset of so many of our political leaders at this troubled moment in our nation's history? The fact that there's a crisis, and that people are hurting -- or at least that the people are angry -- has finally sunk in around official Washington. And everyone there wants to be caught trying to do something about it. But what the country, and especially the millions who are suffering, needs are leaders who will do more -- much more -- than just be caught trying. This isn't just about helping those in need; this is about helping keep our society strong. POLITICS Herman Cain Accused Of Sexual Harassment By Another Former Employee POLITICS Obama Mocks Congress For Vote SAN FRANCISCO Occupy Protests Get Ugly WORLD Ban Ki-Moon: Palestinian Aim To Join UN Agencies Is 'Not Beneficial For Anybody' ENTERTAINMENT The New James Bond Is Revealed! BLOG POSTS James Moore: Whodunnit to Herman? Herman Cain can blame Rick Perry for leaking past sexual harassment charges. And he might be right. But it doesn't really matter who did it. The information was there and he ought to have planned his messaging for when it went public. And he didn't. Cara Santa Maria: WATCH: Talk Nerdy to Me: Is Human Sexuality Innate? Recent studies are revealing that genes, environment, brain structure, and hormones all seem to have a mixed role in sexual orientation and preferences. Vicki Larson: Kim and Kris' Worst Newlywed Mistakes If nothing else, the reality TV stars' whirlwind courtship and marriage has an important message for anyone who ever hopes to live happily-ever-after: Better to put a lot more thought into planning your life together than your "big day." Robert Scheer: Too Big to Jail Why has Robert Rubin, the onetime treasury secretary who went on to become Citigroup chairman during the time of the corporation's financial shenanigans, never been held accountable for this and other deep damage done to the U.S. economy on his watch? Charlotte Singmin: 5 Tips for Staying Healthy This Cold and Flu Season Stress weakens the immune system making us susceptible to infection. Don't let stress get the better of you; try meditation or yoga, both proven to reduce stress and anxiety. It can be as simple as taking a few minutes out of your morning to sit in quiet contemplation.

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