Top Stories of the Week
What happened during the week of October 22-28, 2011? Find out here:
It’s Getting Cold Out there for OWS
It’s getting cold out there. This weekend’s weather could freeze many Occupy Wall Street protesters out of their Zuccotti Park tents, raising doubts that the uprising can survive winter. Police are cracking down, too — especially in Oakland — and dissension is splitting the Occupy ranks. In New York, volunteer cooks are reportedly miffed that the homeless are treating OWS like a soup kitchen. Can this movement last?
PHOTO: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Libya struggles to find its way
Moammar Gadhafi may be gone, but the real fight for democracy in Libya is just beginning. Already, the African nation’s interim leaders have announced the adoption of Islamic law — worrying many Westerners. And the torture rebels apparently inflicted on a dying Gadhafi doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the fledgling government’s ability to transition to democracy. Should NATO stick around longer?
PHOTO: REUTERS/Youssef Boudlal
Rick Perry stumps for a flat tax
It was a busy week for the presidential candidate, plummeting in the polls, threatening to skip future debates, and trying to make GOP voters forget about his embarrassing missteps. He flirted with birtherism and unveiled a bold proposal for an optional 20 percent flat tax. Critics blasted the plan as a regressive attempt to reward the rich, while others argued that its real purpose is to fire up the GOP base.
PHOTO: Richard Ellis/Getty Images
Herman Cain defies the odds
There are a host of reasons why the ex-boss of Godfather’s Pizza should be cratering in the GOP presidential race. He’s released strange web videos, flip-flopped on key issues, expressed confusion on others, and been ripped apart by Karl Rove. And yet, Cain leads in the polls, while Mitt Romney, a more plausible frontrunner, struggles. Analysts are competing to unlock Cain’s secret.
PHOTO: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Obama bypasses Congress
President Obama, frustrated by an intransigent Congress and eager to jump start the economy (not to mention his approval ratings), unveiled a number of economy-related executive orders this week. Critics dismissed the new initiatives — on home refinancing and student loans — as marginal, while noting that they’re probably all he can do without congressional approval. Too little, too late?
PHOTO: John Moore/Getty Images
Netflix flounders
After its drastic price hike and ill-fated Qwikster debacle sent subscribers fleeing, Netflix announced quarterly results this week that had analysts projecting a “horrid” outlook for the company — and investors jumping ship. But with the DVD-by-mail and movie-streaming site’s stock priced at less than a third of its summer high, is Netflix actually a smart bargain buy?
PHOTO:
Charlie Sheen strikes back
His tiger-blood-fueled wild ride may have turned warlock and actor Charlie Sheen into an industry pariah, but FX doesn’t care. The network has picked up Sheen’s Anger Management sitcom, and will begin airing episodes as soon as next summer. Meanwhile, Ashton Kutcher, who replaced Sheen on Two and a Half Men, is being criticized for the show’s less-than-stellar ratings. Who’s winning now?
PHOTO: Vince Streano/CORBIS
MadMike’sAmerica is grateful to The Week for this story and pictures.
As someone who often works very long hours and misses out, I really like this feature! Keep it up!
Thanks John. It will be a weekly feature.