A small spat seems to have developed between the Director CIA Leon Panetta and Senator Nancy Pelosi. Normally I would guess that Senator trumps department with a budget. But Panetta seems to be sure that his agency under the previous director did in fact let the Senate Intelligence Committee know what was going on. Perhaps Sen. Pelosi would benefit from some H.E.R.D. Hydrotherapy for Enhanced Recall and Disclosure.
Blast and Fire
In a land far away many years ago, I would sing to my children as I pushed them on the swing. Recent events at work brought to mind this song:
Every morning about seven o’clock
There were twenty tarriers drilling at the rock
The boss comes along and he says, “Keep still
And bear down heavy on the cast iron drill.”
Chorus
And drill, ye tarriers, drill
Drill, ye tarriers, drill
For it’s work all day for the sugar in you tay
Down beyond the railway
And drill, ye tarriers, drill
And blast, and fire.
The foreman’s name was John McCann
By God, he was a blamed mean man
Last week a premature blast went off
And a mile in the air went big Jim Goff
Chorus
And when next payday comes around
Jim Goff a dollar short was found
When ‘e asked, “What for?” came this reply
“You were docked for the time you were up in the sky.”
Chorus
And Drill ye tarriers drill. And Blast. And Fire.
Known Liars
I had remarked to some of my friends during the campaign last fall that Joe Biden was a known liar and Barack Obama was an unknown in that department. In the too late smart department, it develops that President Obama is right up there in the liar skills department.
Having run on the platform of “against the corporate biggies and for the little guy”, the Obama administration has shown their true colors by filing a brief in favor of the RIAA in Sony BMG et al vs Tenenbaum. Move the President from the unknown liar column to the known liar column. Politic$ and $leaze trumps fair once again.
Keep your powder dry.
CO2
My father has been studying CO2 for a number of years. He is convinced that the folks that want to reduce CO2 are the same folks that have starved the third world for years. Ask yourself, “Is <fill in a name here> making any money from this <fill in a noun here>? Try substituting “Al Gore” (who is selling “carbon credits”) and “scam” (just exactly do you get for a “carbon credit” and how is that different from blackmail? Who gets the commission on the sale? Just exactly how did this transaction change any production/consumption relationship?) and you will get the idea. Meanwhile, who is paying for this? Not the mbillionaires, you can be assured of that. My father has sent a letter to the ELCA. Update: The Bishop has referred the letter to his collegues for recommendations.
Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin’ town…
When 2 years of campaigning concluded with Sen. Obama’s election, I wondered when the corruption in Illinois would re-emerge in the headlines. Now we know. What continues to surprise me is that the only “scandel” I can recall connected with Sen. Obama was some piece of real-estate he may have gotten a sweet deal on. I will not be surprised if there is more to come. If Sen. Obama is actually as squeeky-clean as he appears at this time that will be a good thing. What we do not need is a Spiro Agnew type episode. And perhaps the press was not snoozing on watch during the entire Presidential Campaign.
On State Street, that great street, I just want to say They do things they don't do on Broadway
And hopefully not what they appear to have been doing in Springfield.
Calm voice of reason
With all of the noise and furor associated with the current financial distress, it is a relief to read someone who comments with wisdom and sanity. Check out Irving Wladawsky-Berger. Dr. Wladawsky-Berger was with IBM for 37 years and currently advises Citigroup and is a visiting professor at MIT.
My Friend John McCain
I listened to the the so-called debate between the Presidential candidates.
It seems that John McCain has a similar problem, my friends, to Gov. Palin, as regardless of whether or not I am actually his friend, he, my friends, repeated that phrase frequently, my friends, also.
An associate at work said that Sen. Obama had a similar repeated phrase. I do not doubt it. I re-listened to as much of the debate as I can stand but, practically speaking, I did not notice a repeated phrase.
There was a debate last night also
Also there was a debate last night between the vice-presidential candidates. I am no fan of Joe Biden but if Gov. Palin says “also” one more time, she could turn out to be an also-ran VP also.
Debate? What Debate?
I listened to Obama and McCain spar on the radio the other night. I guess I still enjoy a debate. What I heard was way too much like two kids fighting. You kids want to fight – then go outside. I guess expecting intelligent discourse from two Senators is expecting too much.
Clinton, McCain flunk Economics 101
In my humble opinion, both Hilary Clinton and John McCain fail Economics 101. While they really grasp the politics of the situation, they have really got the economics of the price of petroleum wrong. When the commodity is in short supply relative to demand, the price will go up. If you artificially reduce the price (price cap/tax cut), the shortage will increase because the demand will not decline. If you let the price rise, the demand will go down. Does anyone other than me remember the Jimmy Carter – gas line days. With two-thirds of the current presidential candidates you can expect a return to those good old days.
What we need in this situation is leadership from someone who can lead us out of the mess that we have gotten ourselves into.