Sunday Reading: And the Oscar goes to…

I know someone probably just reminded you that the Oscars are tonight and you probably told them that you hate them, but secretly, you really love them, we all do. So, while you’re waiting for tonight’s red carpet show to start, check out some of these:

• OSCARS: There are 10 films nominated for Best Picture this year. (Interestingly, 10 films does not mean more big-time celebrities.) This fact alone seems to have packed tons of pre-show drama into the ceremonies. The new voting system is Australian. ABC is in a fight with Cabelvision, meaning approximately 3 million people won’t even get to watch the drama tonight. Tonight’s losers will be given consolation gift bags worth $91,000. Katherine Bigelow, who, incidentally is James Cameron’s ex-wife, could be the first female to win for Best Director. Unfortunately, however, her co-producer has been banned from the ceremonies for sending out campaign-esque emails. Have I convinced you to watch them yet?
• BEETHOVEN: New recordings demonstrate that modern musical instruments may actually ruin the tonal quality and sensuousness of great masterpieces such as Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
• GEITHNER: The Atlantic has a revealing portrait of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, arguably one of the most important men in finance right now. Yes, he’s unpopular, but he’s also doing the work of about 20 people.
• FEMINISM: This year’s fashion weeks in NY, Paris, London and Milan have been unusually focused on broader issues, particularly the economy. Also to come out of fashion weeks this year are examinations of feminism in the 21st century. Are women now libertines or just more liberal? And, how much does the political landscape of a country affect one’s idea that feminism still even exists?
• HEALTH CARE: The Health Care debate has been raging for over a year now in the Senate. Finally, this week, Obama threw up his arms and said “Let’s get it done” and Health Secretary Sibelius called insurance companies to task, asking them to justify their exorbitantly high rates. Tea Partiers may hate a strong central government, but, clearly, right now, it’s the only way to get anything accomplished. Especially with men like Jim Bunning in the Senate.
• ELECTIONS: It’s Election Day in Iraq today, only the second full-term elections since the fall of Saddam Hussein. The NY Times is keeping a live-blog today and CNN is already reporting on early violence at the polls.
• EARTHQUAKES: The aftershocks of the Haiti and Chile earthquakes have come in unusual forms. In Haiti, free goods from aid organizations are taking away from local businesses. It doesn’t help that foreign aid organizations have no leadership. The Chilean earthquake tilted the Earth’s axis, shortening days by 1.26 microseconds, and destroyed 12.5% of the 2009 wine harvest.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: OK Go, “This too Shall Pass.” The Boys of the treadmill video fame have paired with State Farm to bring you a video for their new song (behind the backs of their label EMI) that includes an epic Rude Goldberg machine.