If — if —- economic problems turn into a full-blown recession (and some people don't think that's going to happen), that means time, energy and space opens up for a little creative ferment. Rents fall (think of all the financial services workers now wondering if they'll have to break their leases), wages stagnate, the young and unemployed have little incentive but to slack off. Some will divert their new idle time into what were once personal side projects or arty self indulgences.

Politics, meanwhile, would get a bit more scary. The George W. Bush years, for all the terrifying bloodletting, aggression and brutality, have been leavened, until the past 18 months or so, with cheap capital that has kept the economy going in the face of major disruptions. The next president, whoever he may be, will inevitably arrive in office on hopes for change and improvement. If it doesn't come swiftly enough, or if a recession mutes the impact, the popular letdown will leave many Americans feeling particularly hopeless. What do you do when your change agent fails? Elect another? Resign yourself to fate?

More likely, you watch a Janeane Garofalo flick, light up a joint and think about what you'll do when the unemployment works out.

(Probably work at the Gap.)

[Times]

[Cracked]

• We were freaked-out and fascinated by mysterious food art.
• The Office was originally made in Japan? Who knew?
• Britney Spears put on a bikini and Whitney Port unleashed her nipple.
• Oh Karen Allen, we love you so much!
• The British investigated Stephen Colbert.
• Yaaay! 80s commercials!

In this episode Chris Jr. gives "Madonna" a dressing down. Playing himself, Elliot introduces Letterman to some "props" and does a consumer report. And, finally, Brando!

Head to Street Carnage to watch both clips.

To far greater effect. [EW]

The documentary—produced by the gay ex-husband of popular 90s conservative pundit Arianna Huffington—is premiering at SXSW in Austin. The Real World: Austin might have taken place in 2005, but Austin was so 90s, as proved by the Austin-set 90s cult film Slacker.

Bisexuality was an evergreen topic for the MTV soft news documentary, Sex In The 90s. Based on the trailer (and their "100 girls making out" street promotion), this new movie's interpretation of bisexuality — that bi girls are straight girls making out with other straight girls to titillate men, and bi guys are gays who won't come out — is also very, very 90s.

The never ending primary election is asking us, as Americans, whether we want the 90s to come back. Nothing, save the resurrection of Kurt Cobain, is more 90s than Bill Clinton in the White House.

So if Hillary Clinton beats Barack Obama and wins in November, does that mean pagers will become the ultimate ironic hipster accessory? Beep me, dude! Or don't. I actually much prefer the 00s and cell phones.

Shattered Glass (2003)

Zodiac (2007)

The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)

Up Close And Personal (1993)

The Pelican Brief (1993)

The Insider (1999)

Almost Famous (2000)

Ace In The Hole (1942)

Live From Baghdad (2002)

The Parallax View (1974)

The People Vs. Larry Flynt (1996)

The Quiet American (2002)