Watercooler Sensation

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Five Most Corrupt (Movie) Politicians In History

• God bless Stephen Hunter, movie critic for the Washington Post. Hunter this weekend, sick of election “blather,” stepped away from the madness to give us a look at the five most corrupt politicians in movie history. Agree with him? Fire up the Netflix and find out. [Washington Post]
• ONE: Johnny Iselin, as played by actor James Gregory in the original “The Manchurian Candidate.” A “truly carbuncular malignancy on the body politic,” says Hunter. Iselin was a man ready to build his reputation on McCarthy-esque paranoia, an evil and manipulative wife, and a brainwashed stepson.
• TWO: Joseph Harrison Paine, as played by Claud Raines in “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.” Paine is a once-idealistic politician destroyed by Washington, too tired to fight corruption around him.
• THREE: Tracy Flick, as played by Reese Witherspoon in “Election.” Cupcake-baking perfection never looked so evil.
• FOUR: Fred Van Ackerman, as played by George Grizzard in “Advise and Consent.” Believe us, we never knew a confirmation hearing could have you on the edge of your seat like it does in this movie. This is bare-knuckle politics at its best/worst.
• FIVE: Charles Foster Kane, as played by Orson Welles in “Citizen Kane.” Rosebud. Hunter points out one of our favorite scenes in the movie — when Kane runs for office, he prepares two headlines for his papers to run the day after the election, either KANE ELECTED or FRAUD AT POLLS. Genius.

We thought of others! What about Gene Hackman in “No Way Out"? Or President Merkin Muffley in “Dr. Strangelove"? Or President Nixon in “All the President’s Men"?

Proving That Bad Judgment Still Reigns, Young People Shun Condoms

• We’ve always looked at young people as up-and-comers. Visionaries. The leaders of tomorrow. Silly us. [Reuters]
• According to a new British study, lack of availability and ignorance aren’t the only reasons some of today’s youths are passing on condoms.
• Rather, nowadays some young people are associating condom use with a “lack of trust” and “promiscuity.”
• The study reviewed more than 250 young people from a variety of different countries, including Britain, Australia, Mexico and South America
• There’s more: the study also found that — universally — the sexual freedom of women is restricted. In other words, a guy’s expected to be a regular Don Juan, while a girl is expected to be chaste.
• Even more interesting: the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which conducted the study, say that the research shows why many HIV programs haven’t been effective. “Programs that merely provide information and condoms, without addressing the crucial social factors identified are only tackling part of the problem,” they school said in a statement.

Not using a condom because you’re worried someone will think you have an STD. Our heads are still spinning from the irony.

By the Numbers

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s election time, folks. And with words like “values” peppering everyone’s vernacular, you’ve got to start wondering if everyone’s got a little Religious Right in them. Turns out, though, that Americans aren’t as God-fearing as you might think. Here’s a look behind the numbers. [AFP]

42%

The percentage of adult Americans who aren’t “absolutely certain” that God exists. That figure’s up from 34% three years ago.

7%

The percentage of Born Again Christians who aren’t certain that God exists.

1%

The percentage of people who think that God is female.

36%

The percentage of people who think. God is male. 37% say neither male or female, and 10% claim “both male and female.”

Celebrities: Unfiltered

“I wouldn’t rule it out ... but I would like to experience David for a while and see how it works out.”

— Mama Madonna. Er, she does realize that by purchasing a child, she has to “experience” him until he’s 18, right? [The Fix]

Speed Round

LAZY

CDC says you’re not lazy, you’re sick: More than a million Americans suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. We say get off the sofa and go do something. [Yahoo]

SAVING THE WORLD

Two high school girls figure out how to save the planet by making biodiesel fuel out of algae. Remember how the intellectual breakthrough of your senior year was how to hit three keggers by curfew and feel doubly impressed. [Portland Press Herald] via [Fark]

SEX & THE CITY

Strap back into your Manolos and shake up some Cosmos, ladies: Sex & The City movie is back on! [UPI]

SHOES

You too can look like the wife of a dictator! Get ready for the Imelda Marcos shoe line. (Starting at $30.) [LA Times]

ELEPHANTS FOR SALE

Pssst, you! Yeah, you! Want an elephant? Philadelphia Zoo, after 132 years, to close its elephant exhibit. [NY Times]

CHILD ACTOR: HAPPY, PROUD AND CONTENT

Neil Patrick Harris shows sometimes child stars can grow up sane and happy: After speculation over his private life increases, the actor releases a statement saying “(I) am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest.” [ABC News]

SEAFOOD

Like fish? Tough, they’re becoming extinct. [The Star]

SPORTS

Redskins finally win one, beat the Cowboys 22-19. [Washington Post]

SNAPPY

New “snappy” condom goes on in less than a minute. We’re not sure “snappy” is the right word to market a condom with. Ow. [AP]