Hasselbeck and Reality

To borrow Whoopi Goldbergs words, this is the reality. A black man for the first time stand on the threshold of becoming the most powerful man in the western world.

How far we have come. How wonderful that we are so far along the path of fixing the rift between white and black.

But like Bill Cosby before him Barack was insulted and degraded for making a simple point. While Ms. Hasselbeck was talking about something different, the point is the same. If you want to be equal you have to stop asking for different rules.

Please don't hate I ask with love in my heart.

I did not put a man in chains, and I did not fight a war to keep him there. My fathers did, and I am not them.

You speak of hope and change but you refuse to take that change to heart. You are keeping the word alive and you are giving it new meaning.

A white person is not allowed to tell you that the meaning you intend to give it is not the only meaning you are giving it. It's becoming a bad word again even when you say it.

The world is what we make it, and like it or not the old men you mock gave you the right to mock them. Without Jesse Jackson and other and women who would risk everything to talk about what no one would are the reason you are here not the excuse.

Many white people have tried to do right by everyone, not all of us are racist or bigots. If we are to build a new world we must together, and some times you just have to let go.

I did not put a man in chains, and I did fight to keep him out of them. And my fathers father died to break those chains, and he died beside yours.

We are the same unless we hold ourselves apart. With all my love I ask you to hear, truth is never black and white.

But I am not allowed to talk about such things, so I will stay silent.

Oil Prices Nose Dive's Drug Sale Take Increase

For a long time OPEC has been saying production levels are fine. But someone forgot factor in the confounding variable in there master plan. Americans cut fuel consumption.

Estimates range around 8-10% drop in US fuel consumption over the last 3 months.

It's impossible to deny at current output levels there is just to much oil to sustain current price levels, Oil prices slide another $5 today and should continue to drop until speculation and reality get closer together.

But as oil falls gas prices remain steady across much of the nation. Price fixing? Oh no don't say the word. Perhaps just a little. The temptation to keep fuel costs high for American consumers is high on both sides.

Petro-Chemicals are racking in the big money and so are governments who either profit directly from state own production or through oil lease programs.

There is also the push to keep prices high as a way to ween Americans off of oil.

For investors who have continued to bet on oil and not already gotten out the losses are mounting fast. The nations drug distribution agents are stocking up in anticipation.

UBS AG Announces it will Stop Helping People Illegally Evade Taxes

UBS halts U.S. offshore services amidst tax probe | Reuters

"They want to know that such misconduct does not belong in UBS and that the firm's ethics match their own," Branson said.

"I am here today to tell you and to tell them that no, that kind of misconduct does not belong in UBS."

Lawmakers claim that through elaborate schemes at many banks in dozens of tax haven nations, U.S. citizens annually avoid $100 billion in tax payments. The report accused tax haven nations of engaging in "economic warfare against the United States and honest hard-working American taxpayers.

Harsh words, but so far lawmakers are being pushed around on all sides and haven't accomplished much on the economy or enforcing it's own subpoenas.

Barrack Obama and the Truth in Iraq Collide

Iraq greets Obama with open arms “Everyone in Iraq likes him,” said the general, Nassir al-Hiti. “I like him. He’s young. Very active. We would be very happy if he was elected president.”

But there is a problem. Obama wants the troops out of Iraq and as the general explains “Very difficult, Any army would love to work without any help, but let me be honest: for now, we don’t have that ability.”

Confirming that much of the gains were made and are holding because of increased US troop levels, roughly 152,000, up from 130,000 pre-surge.

Americans have been feeling pretty good about security in Iraq, but recent spikes in violence and "quality of forces" in Afghanistan who thin US military forces are spread.

Both candidates want more troops in Afghanistan but withdrawing to quickly from Iraq could push the country back into a tailspin. Shifting already drained forces into one region to another could be devastating for US moral both at home as well as with the troops, many on there third tour.

But Obama is extremely popular in Iraq because he opposed the war, a war which destroyed much of the country and plunged much of it into anarchy for years.

But Iraqis are also very aware of the increasing stability on the ground and the effects of a quick withdrawal of forces could have.

There is also now a hint Obama is seeing what much of the world sees, that long term US policy has gotten us here and it requires large amounts of American troops. Even if he wants to just cut and run he may not be able to.

A 16 month pull out may simply be unrealistic and the Obama campaign has shown signs it understands this.

Even if the will exists to remove American forces from Iraq. There is a lot more involved than just signing an order. Long term policy concerns need to be addressed as well as location of forces. Commander and Chief is a big job.

Federal Regulators Sieze Wachovia Documents

As part of an ongoing probe into wide spread allegations of fraud 10 securities regulators arrive at Wachovia Securities in St. Louis demanding documents.

North American Securities Administrators Association task force agents arrive on site Thursday after Wachovia failed to produce requested records and information to the Missouri Securities Division.

Wachovia's refusal to comply with the request made in April "prompting today's onsite inspection," according to the regulator's statement. The SEC is also looking into Wachovia's conduct.

Wachovia isn't alone. "Most security firms, including Wachovia, are responding to inquiries from regulators about the auction rate securities industry," says Christy Phillips-Brown, spokeswoman for Wachovia. No Charges have been filed against the company so far.

Missouri Securities Division has 70 formal complaints on file over the last four months from investors that feel they have been misled.

Wachovia is already involved in class action lawsuit and arbitration in cases filed in NY in march. These cases involve allegations the company "knew, but failed to disclose to investors, material facts about auction rate securities." and falsely advertised or led investors to believe they were buying securities "equivalent to cash or money market funds," according to the complaint.

Tables Turned on Annoying Telemarketer

With pressures mounting on all sides and media coverage spelling doom and gloom, many Americans are staying home taking what comfort that can, sheltering from the storm. Form some it's a good thing, fuel consumption is down and more people are cooking healthy food at home, but it's not all good news.

More time at home means more time for you to be exposed to one of life's banes, the dreaded telemarketer.
Everyone knows who it is when the call starts, and if you are like me the muscles on the back of your neck begin to tense as you calmly try to remind them you are on the DO NOT CALL LIST.

Comedian Tome Mabe has taken a different approach. Instead of getting mad, he gets even.

Tom Mabe

Thailand and Cambodian Military Square off

Cambodian and Thai soldiers are locked in a fierce stand off over a disputed temple along their borders.

800 Cambodian soldiers armed with assault rifles and rocket launchers stormed the temple Thursday morning catching nearly 400 Thai soldiers stationed near by off guard.

The tense stand off continues as officials call for talks to resolve the dispute.

Preah Vihear ruins and the land it occupies had been awarded to Cambodia in 1962 by the International Court of Justice, but Thailand has never accepted the decision.

"If the Thais keep adding more troops the situation will escalate, but we try to be patient," said Cambodia's top army commander in the contested area, Brigadier Chea Keo, "They want us to do something first but we try to remain calm."

US dipolmats to station in Iran

US plans to station diplomats in Iran for first time since 1979 | World news | The Guardian

The Guardian is reporting that next month American officials will announce the establishment of a US interest section in an unspecified embassy in Tehran. The first US diplomatic presence in the country since the Islamic revolution and they kidnapping of American embassy personnel in 1979.

Relation have been tense in the region with tough talk on both sides, but Iranian officials had opened the door to diplomatic relations and the Bush administration moved quickly.

The state department had just announced William Burns would be attending a meeting between EU officials and Iran's Senior nuclear negotiator in Geneva.

It was announced Burns would state White House position, but not negotiate.

Iran has long called for direct talks with the White House, something the Bush administration as well as those before him have always declined.

McCain has staunchly opposed direct talks with Iran, preferring side channel negotiations.

Death and Taxes The Bell tolls to US Elite

Some of America's wealthiest men will face off with the Senate today, including Los Angeles mogul Peter Lowy.

The men face criminal tax evasion charges stemming information sold to tax authorities by a disgruntled employee of LGT bank in Liechtenstein, Heinrich Kieber

Lowey is a deep pocket contributor to for Democratic and Republican campaign coffers. It should be interesting.

Kieber's Jack Blum said, "They're the crooks."

Current and former officials of the giant Swiss bank UBS, are also set to testify, including the head of the private wealth management Americas office, Martin Liechti.

Prosecutor accuse them of setting up secret account mounting into the 10s of billions.

Karl Rove Admits He Lacks Nerve Endings

The funniest shit I have ever seen in my life was Bill O'rielly and Karl Rover talk about the bias of liberal media.

Not that liberal isn't just as biased as any other media but.

O'Rielly is good for a laugh if you can keep your head from exploding but I had to clean my shorts after his interview with Karl Rover about not showing up for senate hearing.

I'm starting to think these two guys are lover. Not whips and chains lover, but like an old married couple, who just love each others company.

BUT COME ON PLEASE!

They get into this nice comfortable rhythm an smile talking about 'how come people in LA are haters'

Get me a spoon so I can pop an eye out please. Fuckin Liberal critics in LA right! Bill will Sneer at you ALL!

Rove: "It was like Satan dropping into the southern baptist meeting, they weren't exactly pleased to see me but they were intrigued"

Karl.. Buddy what are you trying to say about southern Baptists? Satan intrigues them?

Calling the [liberal media] 'critics' in LA ill-informed. Karl FSN now this is the big time news, not weather buddy.

ROVE: "they said why do you refuse to testify, I said look I've not invoked any privilege. The White House has revoked an executive privilege."

Blaming the president because you forgot to set you alarm is UNCOOL, even if he's a dick and you bailed on him.

The Constitutional Authority... not to have his aids testify

Karl... please not testify doesn't mean ignore a subpoena it means stfu. You are supposed to go there and then STFU not break the law asshole. This is FSN bitch get your facts straight WTF.

It's about this point in the interview I am convinced O'Rielly has his dick in his hand, play it backwards you can hear him moaning in the background. No don't.

ROVE: blah blah blah

O'Rielly: "They want to get you up there and mock you"

Bill, my man, the country needs more excitement in congress, celebrity roast congress style, don't get in the way of progress.

It's hard to pause this shit I get still frames of these two looking at each other in that way it's freaking me out a little, not that I oppose gay marriage but, well they aren't pretty men.

O'Rielly: after talking about how long he's been a total ass "Why is the media, especially the print media so left wing in this country?"

When Rove inhales like this... I never said wind bag.

ROVE: "I think it's a relatively recent phenomenon, they're all well educated, they go to the same schools and they share the same values... they have a herd mentality and they are center left."

Haha Herd mentality. Are you guys going to let him talk to you like that. If I was part of your herd I would kick this old fucker in the head for talking down to my people like that, cut off his nuts.

Herd mentality haha owned.

O'Rielly: "How 'bout the hatred, how 'bout the hatred, how 'bout that. How 'bout the hatred."

Guys please stop hating on Bill he puts up a tough front but he's going to cry soon. Don't hate on Bills woman either, just stop being mean!

O'Rielly: "it's into, look O'Rielly we hate you, why do you hate me, it's the most successful program in cable history... We have lots of points of view, it's a fun thing..."

Shut up, SHUT UP, just shut up. Lots of points of view, this is the part when it all starts sounding like farting noses to me.

ROVE: "It's envy bitch, I'll make it go away baby I love you."

They know it's still OK for two men to get married in Cali. I think Mitt Romney's state too but I have to check, who the fuck is he again?

Ron Paul's Gives Bernanke a Pass But not the Fed

The only guy who hasn't flip-flopped on the economy is Ron Paul and he's starting to look like the only man in the game with a head on his shoulders for policies encouraging moral hazard.

Giving Ben Bernanke a bit of a pass and laying the blame on the Fed and it's ongoing policies extending extremely low short term longs to banks.

"I see the predatory lending coming from the federal reserve." Paul states in Congress. "Even as early as seven years ago I introduced legislation that would have removed the line of credit to the treasury, which was encouraging the moral hazard and the mal-investment."

Ron Paul had been much maligned for his comments about the federal reserve for years, and not fitting into the mainstream economic views of most US politicians.

But after surprising success in his bid to secure the republican nomination, more and more Americans are listening when he speaks even after McCain secured the spot.

For many Americans now clearly consider the economy to be the biggest concern, and both McCain and Obama are weak on the subject, both choosing to focus more on the war than the economic realities at home.

Subscribing to the Austrian school of economics, he points out this view on economic policies, has not only predicted the current crisis, but that is should have been "expected".

In fact The Austrian school boys have been there at pretty much every economic disaster in US, to say we told you so.

RON PAUL TO BERNANKE: Federal Reserve july 16 2008

NATO strikes inside Pakistan

NATO forces in Afghanistan respond to yesterdays rocket attack with artillery and aircraft, striking across the Pakistan border today.

Tensions are high as yesterday another strike from suspected militant forces across the Pakistan border that left 9 Afghan soldiers wounded.

Today NATO responded by striking at a location across Afghanistan's border with Pakistan.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force said in a statement released today, "The troops identified a (compound) as the point of origin of the attacks and responded in self-defence with a combination of fire from attack helicopters and artillery into Pakistan."

Afghanistan officials have blamed Pakistani agents for continued attacks across their borders in recent days.

While fighting escalates NATO denied it had any intention of mounting any incursion onto Pakistani.

"There is not, nor is there going to be, an incursion of NATO troops into Pakistan. There is no planning for, no mandate for, an incursion of NATO troops into Pakistan," according to NATO spokesman James Appathurai, but stated NATO forces "have the right to fire back in self-defence into Pakistan."

Gay Marrage Vote to Proceed in California

California Legal battle over gay marriage will proceed in a vote to amend the state constitution.

The states supreme court has declined to remove "Prop 8" from November ballots. The propositions aim amend the states constitution to define marriage as "between a man and a woman".

It's a bitter court battle that began with the courts ruling that banning gay marriage was unconstitutional last month.

The initiative requires a simple majority to pass.

California was the second state after Massachusetts to allow gay marriage and has taken criticism for issuing licenses to couples from other states.

This is just the latest in a series of bitter legal battles and if the initiative passes it will leave the question of what happens to marriages that are now constitutionally accepted.

Ron Paul Calls out the Fed and Banking Cartels

Calling the Banks Cartels, Blaming the Fed and Federal government. He's calling everyone out. Is Ron Paul getting pissed off?

He's demanding a halt to the regulatory process that's gearing up and demanding new regulations on the Federal reserve.

Linking rising energy prices foreign policy and the debasement of the dollar, and he's not timid about it.

Instead of tightening banking regulations, Paul calls for tighter regulations and oversight over the Federal Reserve and the Treasury, singling out Paulson on his economic policies as they relate to China.

Paul says economic policy makers are "scurrying around".

Ron Paul has been increasingly pushing his wait around in Washington and the people who dismiss him are starting to look like the fools.

Ron Paul on Financial Services Hearing - July 10, 2008

Does Natural Gas expansion mean Cheap Oil

Peak Oil use for US home owners comes in the winter as demand for heating oil is at it's peak. Increasing numbers of Americans are converting there homes to natural gas looking to save money.

Economic pressures and a renewed interest in abundant US deposits of natural gas with new buzz generated by the Pickens Plan has many more Americans looking to gas and shying away from oil, investors are keeping an eye on this too.

Rapidly expanding Natural Gas use and investor concern over the stability of inflated oil prices may already be having an effect on oil prices as speculators pull back from the market.

A Reuters article highlights a growing trade in left over oil from people who have recently made the switch.

Vehicle conversions for natural gas and companies across the US and Canada offer cost effective conversion kits for vehicles as well as home heating.

Natural Gas supply lines exists in much of the nation and by many it's considered part of an ideal stop gap measure to both deal with rising fuel costs and energy independence for the nation.

For some Americans it already means up to $3 in savings on home heating oil if they stock up now.

A quick shot of government incentives would have a major impact in spurring a national switch to natural gas.

Bank Collapses and Fraud FBI looks deeper

“Failed banks are a lagging indicator, not a leading indicator,” said William Isaac, chairman of the Secura Group. “So you will see more troubled, more failed banks this year.”

Only 6 lenders have failed so far but as far back as 1994 the FDIC had almost 600 banks it's been keeping a close eye on, that number has almost trippled and it has a watch list of 90 banks it considers to be in danger of imminent failure.

IndyMac was not on this list. Yet it is the second largest bank failure in US history. How could they miss this coming.

Bernanke is under increasing criticism for failing to take even basic measures to address a long recognized issue of fundamentally flawed mortgage practices, practices it seems that had continued even as the crisis was gripping the nation.

And FBI inquiry into fraudulently mortgage practices with mention of mortgage back securities inconsistencies may shed some light.

The SEC is also under the microscope for failing to enforce the lax regulations on the books now and there is growing pressure form lawmakers to tighten the noose.

The phrase moral hazard is being thrown around more and more. Is widespread fraud and corruption a major part of the economic crisis, the FBI thinks at least as far as IndyMac there may be some truth to this. It's not the first place the FBI has looked.

“The FBI currently has 21 investigations related to the sub-prime market industry," FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said. "We receive information from a variety of sources on a daily basis, and we have an obligation to review each allegation on its merits. Given the volatility of today’s subprime market, we have seen an increase in sub-prime related complaints."

One of the most publisized of these investigations involved two former Bears Stearns managers on conspiracy and securities and wire fraud charges. Allegations they lied to hedge fund investors. The first criminal charges on Wall Street involving the subprime mortgage crisis.

Not enough busses in Los Angeles

With fuel costs sky high and rapidly growing inflation, many Americans are feeling the pinch, and more and more are turning to public transportation. In LA as in many parts of the nation mass transit is overloading.

Los Angeles is a city of driver, and the impact is already being felt in the city with arguable one of the nations worst mass transit infrastructures.

LA Metro Transit Authority has been under fire for years for bad planning and wasteful spending. Expansion of new bus routes has been extremely slow.

Millions have been spend in the last few years sprucing up Metro link entrances with fancy works of art and the fleet of articulated buses that where purchased in 2005 was criticized for having LCD monitors installed. While many at the time suggested the 200 new buses would barely make a dent.

Population estimates in Los Angeles range around 10. million. Transit Authority claims capacity of 1.25+ million, but some bus routes have been at capacity for years and seen no relief.

As more and more LA residents are force to offset rising costs by taking the bus it's becoming clear how poorly planned and how few major bus routes the city has.

As inflation mounts and fuel costs remain at levels remain at record levels demand for public transportation will continue to rise, and like most of the nations cities, there is not enough money to have any significant impact on capacity.

Indymac Fraud FBI probe

Details are just coming out about a possible FBI probe into allegations of fraud involving IndyMac.

In the second largest bank failure in US history federal regulators seized Indymac Bankcorp.

The Office for Thrift Supervision, IndyMac's regulator, said IndyMac
"is unlikely to be able to meet continued depositors' demands" and thus
was "in an unsafe and unsound condition."

Now it seems unsafe and unsound conditions might be the least of the problems.

A criminal probe has been launch by the FBI to investigate potential cases of widespread fraud at IndyMac, but no details have been release as to the specifics of the investigation so far.

Inexcusable on the part of the Fed

Bernanke hammered for inaction, the video speaks for itself.

Boeing closes major sale to Air China 45 planes

Air China confirms purchase of 15 Boeing 777 and 30 Boeing 737 aircraft, announcing one one of the Chinese Flag carriers biggest order.

Total price tag for the planes to be delivered between 2001 and 2015, is US$6.3, but Air China officials expect to receive concessions that will lower the final price according to a company statement.

The purchase will raise Air China's carry capacity by 35% from 2007 figures and is part of a greater push to make Beijing a major domestic and international air hub.

Air China is expecting delivery of 15 787 Dreamliners from an earlier acquisition.

More good news for Boeing who sold 35 737's to Kuala Lumpur-based Malaysia Airlines, in a deal ink on July 16th.

As the dollar continues to slide more Asian carriers are considering purchases in spite of rising fuel costs. But in many cases Malaysia Airlines it's because of them. They will be replacing older 737-400s with new more fuel efficient 737-800s.

Pressure is on US carriers to ground there older fuel guzzling planes and purchase the next generation aircraft, something cash strapped American carriers have always been slow to do.

New fuel tank ignition safety standards adopted by the FAA may help to spur new purchases in the US.

Light sweet crude hitting the fan

Is this the last bubble popping? Remarks made today in senate hearings and further comments by Bernanke regarding further declines in US demand and the second sputter, the second largest dump of oil prices since 1991.

Light, sweet crude dropped from $146.43 to $140.26 on the day. The first dump happened on the 8th. Has the monstrous velocity of oil, on a near steady climb from $86.81on 12/05/07 finally hit it's ceiling. Is a massive dump around the corner?

While OPEC and specifically the Saudis have been under mounting pressure to increase output, they have maintained output levels are fine.

Global fears about the world banking system are mounting and global confidence in the Freddy/Fan bail out is buckling under the pressure and the US Dollar takes another nose dive against the Euro. $1.6038 against the Euro, a record low.

The German ZEW is in a tailspin and the Bank of France business index is at a 5 year low.

"Sentiment is really fragile," said Louis Wong, research director with Phillip Securities. "Investors are worried that there might be more bank failures, especially small banks in the United States."

the MSCI's main world stock index is at a 21-month low and an 11 day tailspin and the pan-Eoripean FTSEEurofirst 300 closed down 1.2%

Japan's Nikkei average closed down almost 2% and the Euro thunders on climbing past it's record in April of $1.6018.

Market in balance and a growing realization that the credit crunch and mortgage explosion is just beginning to hit have panic spreading across global markets.

If oil continues to plummet many fear the other commodities will begin to falter. The results would be catastrophic failure after failure of global markets as contagion sweeps the globe, and this time around with bail-out prices in the trillions no force on earth could stop it.

Why would commodities go down? That's just stupid... We have been down this road before. Don't forget S&L.

Aside from picking a few key institutes to shore up and unfortunately, raising interest rates there isn't much Bernanke can do, and as far as rates go, soon he will have no chose as the Dollar continues to fall and inflation begins to pick up steam. As he admits the housing market and economy will "bottom out and begin a slow recovery as credit conditions gradually improve" over the next two years.

With growing liquidity problems, American banks are turning to outside investment as internal options disappear. As global confidence in American banks fails, these sources will dry up, and Bernanke can only do so much.

The Fed and Senate Lawmakers need to act before the last ounce of global confidence vanishes in a puff of logic.

But Bernanke is caught between a rock and a hard place. If rates go up to fast the spread between the cost of money and the rate of return on assets will be a problem. But if he doesn't raise them inflation will continue to rise and the dollar will continue to fall. Have fun Ben, I'm rooting for you!

The Senators need to get over there egos now and drop there hardline economic models, they don't work it's to big now. Basic common sense rules need to be put in place but to much regulation will shut the economy down.

Simple stuff, no lying, no shorting vehicles without borrowing them stiff jail terms for the crooks, but oppressive regulations will stifle the economy.

While Democratic economic guru, and Obama adviser Paul Volker is truly the man in regards to his massive round house to the face of stagflation, he also in the same fell swoop sent the nation into the worst unemployment since the big one. It wasn't the glowing success it's painted to be.

To many Volker's sharp change in policy spelled utter doom, and the Volker Fed faced the harshest criticism since The Great Depression. And he'll do it again in a heartbeat.

Volker had been President of the Fed before taking the Chairman roll and inflation peaked at 11% in 1974. Unemployment was beginning to take hold in much of the nation.

Though he had killed one half of stagflation, the inflation, the second half being unemployment exploded and with it debt, and in many ways the final blow to American family farms. Symbolized when indebted farmers blockaded the Eccles building with there trackers.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For the ultra rich the years that followed were a bonanza, while tax payers struggled to pick themselves off the ground and the wealthy hid there income in offshore accounts.

But this time around law enforcement is pushing it's weight around. reaching with post 9/11 authority into these once safe havens, and with them follows the most frightening entity on earth, the IRS.

Securities Exchange Commission Chairman Cox put it, they are "law enforcement" but he's been reluctant to use if and is criticized during his tenure, naked short selling has been rampant with no or little enforcement.

He's effectively taken Fanny and Freddy, along with 19 other lending institutions including BoA and Citigroup out of the speculative shorting mess, requiring short sellers to pre-borrow shares before shorting.

Until now no one has addressed the speculators who are largely responsible for oil prices and in part bank liquidity. Who are doing it with no money down.

But Cox has largely sat by and allowed this mess to develop, and many believe his actions barely scratch the surface. Pressure on Cox to start doing his job.

Colombian Military accused of Violating the Geneva Convention

The Colombian Military that has been turned into heroes for the rescue of hostages from FARC now stand accused of a breaking international law in a Violation of the Geneva convention.

Defiling the sanctuary of the symbol of the international red cross and putting aid workers around the globe on danger.

If the accusations are true that members of the rescue party wore equipment marked with the insignia

Designed in good faith to protect rescue workers from violence, it could have dire consequences.

While this certainly isn't the first time accusations have been made of this kind, concerns over the high profile nature of this case and global coverage highly the risk of such abuse.

No one in South America is surprised. The Colombian government and military have one of the worst civil rights records in the region.

No Compassionate Release for Susan Atkins

Manson Family member Susan Atkins denied compassionate release by California Parole Board, no surprise.

The infamous rampage in Los Angeles on August 8th and 9th 1969 known as the Tate-LaBianca left 7 people dead and a notable influence on pop culture.

The Murders gripped America, but the impact was, here in Los Angeles, most profound of all. Few Angelenos are surprised Atkins request for parole on the ground of compassionate release was denied.

Atkins, now 60 had been recommended for release by the prison physicians which was approved by officials at the California Institution for Women in Corona as well as corrections officials in Sacramento.

The release was also supported by the case prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi writing in a supporting email, "just because Susan Atkins showed no mercy to her victims, we therefore are duty bound to follow her inhumanity and show no mercy to her".

But the parole board and many in LA agree that the punishment for these horrific crimes should run it's course. Atkins reportedly has approximately 6 months to live and will serve them out behind bars.

The killings and greater purpose to ignite a race war left an indelible mark on LA and the nation. Arrested on unrelated charges on in early September 1969, Atkins told her cell mate Virginian Graham about Charles Manson, Spahn Ranch and the double murders.

According to Graham, Atkins related the brutality of the murders, the "tasting" of Sharon Tates' Blood and the further plans to murder more celebrities including Steve McQueen, Frank Sanatra and Elizabeth Tailor.

Atkins, along with co-defendants Charles Manson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Leslie Van Houten were sentenced to death for the Tatr-LaBianca murders on March 29, 1971, but California Supreme Court ruling in 1972 declaring the state's death penalty law unconstitutional spared there lives. Time will do the job it seems.

The Great Depression 2.0

Jack Cafferty has called our current crisis an "economic perfect storm". The current recession isn't just an American problem, it's effecting global markets and even the unstoppable Chinese economy is feeling the pinch.

There have been many economic recessions in our history and many theories as to their cause.

The Asian Financial Crisis which started in 1997 began in Thailand and was at least in part driven by a real estate crash. This collapse spread rapidly across Asia to Brazil and Argentina. Efforst by OPEC to "pitch in" are atributed to the Russian Financial Crisis in 1998. As the Russian economy began to fail it hit the US by way of the collapse of Long-Term Capital Management, but a quick injection of 3.6 billion Alan Greenspan and the Fed halted the problem in American markets.

The current crisis is very different, it is moving slowly, but for many action from the Fed has come to slowly and in inappropriate ways. But they are not completely unrelated, in fact part of the current sea of troubles can be directly related to this contagion's aftermath.

After the collapse, Most of East Asia, Russia, Brazil and India began devaluing there currency creating current account surplus allowing them to build large foreign currency reserves. Much of this in the way of funding of US treasury bonds. In our current crisis as the US dollar falls in value against the Euro and the Yen, these investments continue and as funding for US banks gets tighter, and people rush to withdrawal there funds American banks are now turning to foreign investors to get the liquidity they need to stay afloat.

As Bud goes global we are already seeing Global companies come in to gobble up American companies at pennies on the dollar.

According to standing theory held by Ben Bernanke and other Monetarists the Great Depression was caused by monetary contraction caused by poor policymaking by the Federal Reserve and continuing crisis in the banking system. With the failure of large public banks like the Bank of the United States, panic spread and runs on local banks by the public, the Fed's failure to provide emergency funds lead to more and more bank failures. With significantly less money to go around, businessmen could not get new loans and could not even get their old loans renewed, forcing many to stop investing. This interpretation blames the Federal Reserve for inaction, especially the New York branch, which was owned and controlled by Wall Street bankers.

This point of view is supported by Greenspan's quick actions and their effects of stabilizing the US securities market in the late 90's

Democrats like FDR blamed the excesses of big business and believed the problem was that business had to much power, this train of thought led to programs like the 'New Deal' which empowered labor and raised taxes on business. Some of the New Deal regulations were declares unconstitutional, the rest were abolished or drastically scaled back in the 70's and 80's.

Even among the worlds great economists there is no consensus on the cause of the Great Depression.

The debate is playing out still in our senate as republicans and democrats square off over tightening regulations and "blank check" funding of Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac.

Bernanke wants tax payers to to underwrite trillions in debt to stabilize these institutions and thus the mortgage backed securities market. Democratic lawmakers who largely control the senate want tighter regulations. But to date both sides have failed to address the reality that millions of Americans are going to lose there homes.

Clearly public bank runs are exacerbating the problem but so is Wall Street. In Bear Markets investors move funds to commodities such as gold, or food, or--you guessed it--oil.

Oil prices dropped today by $9USD a barrel as global consumption fell... but our government has mainly stuck to the story that oil prices are high because of so much demand, even as OPEC nations have continued to say that supply levels are high enough.

According to economists who subscribe to the Austrian School of economics, including guys like Ron Paul believe that the key cause of the Depression was the expansion of the money supply in the 1920s that led to an unsustainable credit-driven boom.

Proponents of this view even predicted the crash. In 1929 Friedsich Hayek stated "the boom will collapse within the next few months."

Ludwig Mises turned down a job with the Kreditanstalt Bank in early 1929 stating "A great crash is coming, and I don't want my name in any way connected with it."

For years men like Ron Paul have been warning this was coming. With America in an extremely expensive war and bail-outs mounting not in billions but trillions and mounting foreclosures, and financial loses on both sides of the mortgage equation compounded by oil prices that have essentially doubled in a short period many are rightly extremely concerned.

Through all of the important financial collapses one principle that cannot be ignored is panic in both markets and savings institutions. Government inaction, or inappropriate action is also common thread, but now as we see with the Indymac takeover, there is little confidence in the actions of the federal government and the Reserve. California is seeing runs on Indymac branches now. Tensions are high and at many locations police had to quell unrest.

Even though the Fed is now holding Indymac and the FDIC has assured customers there funds are safe, many have so little faith in the system and those in charge they are pulling out there savings and compounding the problem even further.

Sideline players are now watching commodities prices closely, as a steady decline in commodities, which are traditionally a hedge bear markets as the last signal to a greater decline. With oil dropping $9 in a single and the ominous tones taken by Bernanke and Paulson today in senate hearings those fears do not seem all together unfounded.

The general sentiment is to hold tight and "keep on trucking" but for more and more the pressures are mounting and foreclosure is looming as 7,000 Americans are receiving default notices every day. Whatever lawmakers plan on doing they need to do it at a faster pace. When this mess is over, many Americans feel they all need to lose their jobs.

Fugative bank clerk outs US criminal elite

Hienrich Kieber broke the laws of his country Liechenstien. In doing so he became a fugitive, but he also busted America's super rich in the process.

Now in hiding in a "secret" location and scheduled to testify before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations on Thursday.

Kieber was a disgruntled employee not a hero, and he sold the information--three data CD's full of it to tax authorities in 12 countries. He got payed.

His lawyer Jack Blum describes him as a hero, but he's just another criminal. Whistle Blowers do it because it's right, Kieber did it for a paycheck.

But the result of his acts of criminal sedition is busting up an even bigger ring of criminals. The super rich, who would prefer not to pay the taxes they are required to by law.

German authorities who payed handsomely for the information have already arrested several prominent CEO's.

So did American authorities. But will it matter? That depends on what charges if any the Subcommittee sees as viable. Kieber handed this information over 5 years ago. The statute of limitations on tax evasion is 6 years, but failure to supply information is only 3 years and the statute for false statement is 5 years.

The US is the last country to act on these tips, and the clock is ticking.

For the super rich who have been hiding there money to avoid paying their taxes in LGT bank the clock is ticking and the Senate isn't known for moving quickly unless it's in their interests to do so.

Busted? maybe not. The Subcommittee operates in private so we may never know.

Former USB banker, Bradley Birkenfeld has agreed to a plea deal and is co-operating with authorities to bring charges against American tax evaders.

There are provisions to extend the statute of limitations by 9 months, in specific cases.

Chinese fuming over BBC documentary on Sudan

BBC film on Darfur 'strongly biased' - Chinese envoy

This is an interesting article. Chinese officials are angry, saying that the BBC documentary China Fueling War in Darfur cites unnamed sources. The article itself sites an unnamed minister of an unnamed African country that accuses the West of selling rebels weapons.

"A minister of an African country told me at an international conference in March that the Dafur has been dragging primarily because rebels keep getting arms from Western countries … and those arms are more advanced than the ones being used by government forces," he said.

Very cute.

The documentary suggests that China sold arms to Sudan after the UN embargo in 2005, they take exception to this, but then say they only sold a small amount of weapons.

"Some Western countries have traditionally been supplying arms to African countries, and they far outweigh China's in terms of both quantity and quality," Dai Yan, a former Chinese diplomat posted in Ghana, said.

Did he just say, it's cool the guns we sold them really suck?
It's got a good beat, I can dance to it, I'll give it a 7. Pretty tricky Dicky.

Federal Bailout of $40 billion to Japanese Banks

The governments intervention in Fannies Mae and Freddie Mac is going to cost tax payers enormously. $40 billion of the debt that our tax dollars are going to cover is owned by Japan's Top three banks.

Wait hold up wtf did I just say?

That's right $40 billion of the debt our federal government is securing (technically it always has been secured that's the deal we made here when these institutions were formed and then handed over to bankers) is Japanese debt.

Take a quick look at global markets, Japan, Europe, Great Britain are all feeling the hit, why? In large part it's because they own our banks, including Freddie and Fanny, and since they own them they own their debt, and while they foreclose on our homes the government is, in large part covering foreign debt with our tax dollars.

This is only the beginning, the best is yet to come, most of the sub-prime bombs haven't gone off yet.

Best of all the FDIC only has $52 billion. The only way to pay for all of this is to print more money, driving down the value of the currency and leaving the fed with no choice but to raise interest rates and that's not going to be good at all.

Our dollar will be worth nothing by the time this is over, but that's fine because well be giving most of it to the government in taxes anyway. Excellent.

Guys like Ron Paul have been telling us this was coming. If the government had acted a year ago, even 2 months ago this could have been largely avoided.

Oh well it was a nice ride, had to close out sometime.

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

July 15 (Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks fell for a second day, led by financial companies, as concern mounted credit-market losses will widen after a report said Japan's top three banks hold more than $40 billion in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt.

American Flag made in China, but we have bigger issues to worry about

ABC News: Lawmakers: Flags Should Be Made in USA

While I absolutely agree that any American flags our government buys should be made in America, is this really a priority issue, as our banks fail and our fuel prices rise, and the Taliban re-emerge in "forgotastan" our lawmakers are wasting our time and money on little things like this.

How about the people who buy the flags just get sent a memo to buy American and we get back to dealing with real issues.

It is exactly this kind of total lack of priorities that is tearing this country apart and putting so many who can't afford it in more and more debt.

Senators have nothing to worry about since their pension plans will keep them wealthy long after they leave office, but for most Americans this is a prime example of just how screwed up priorities in Washington are.

Pat Tillman cover up gets covered up

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigation into the misinformation and attempted cover-up of of the friendly fire death of Pat Tillman has been derailed by what's described as a "near universal lack of recall".

Senior White House officials including former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, communications director Dan Bartlett, former Press Secretary Scott McClellan, and chief speech writer Michael Gerson seem to be loosing there ability to recall important events.

How convenient
"Not a single one could recall when he learned about the fratricide or what he did in response," says the committee's report.

The corruption and lack of will to hold the corrupt accountable just keeps marching on.

This man was a hero and a soldier and his memory and his family deserve better from there country.

Richard Myers former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff could recall when he first heard that the Tillman death might have been due to friendly fire, but conveniently was unable to remeber if he pass this information to Rumsfeld. LIAR.

These guys should all be burned at the stake.

Why would anyone re-enlist when this is what they can expect from the people they serve.

At worst they are all guilty of a conspiracy to cover this up, at best they are men who are mentally pathetic and if that's the case no wonder we are in such a mess.

Paynes Pain

Bush aid Stephen Payne selling presidential support

As I had already posted on this days ago I'll just re-iterate what I think the media is failing to report, the most important part of this video is not the library, I urge you to watch the entire video. Payne clearly discusses support of the administration for a deposed politician of a foreign power, a purchased endorsement.

An Open Letter to the New Yorker

As an avid reader of periodicals, including the New Yorker, a fan of art and expression in all it's varied forms, as an American and a voter, I am deeply offended.

I am offended that America has lost it's sense of humor and it's grasp on perspective.

I am offended and insulted by politicians and popular medias assertion that Americans are so stupid they wouldn't get the joke.

I'm upset that the men who would rule me can't take a joke and can't see the truth in front of them. That this piece of art and satire has done just exactly what it was intended to, open the dialogue on an issue, even Mr. Obama was afraid to address, that he isn't a Muslin but some Americans may still think he is.

I am offended by liberal readers of the New Yorker who didn't expect this and are offended.

And I am sick to death of people talking about art or any other form of expression as "not appropriate".

I'm offended by a society of robots who shudder with fear every time someone doesn't walk the line, and I am not surprised in the least we are in the mess we are now.

I would be offended if this issue wasn't addressed and Obama lost an election because this issue was never discussed. You have opened that discussion, Obama should be thanking you for this.

Keep it up, good for you.

We aren't the Brits, no queers allowed

Don't ask don't tell, that's the Policy of the US military, but not the British and that's why the American military is better, or at least that's the position of Senator Duncan Hunter, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.. As she put it in an interview with 60 minutes.

"The Fallujahs of the world, the Ramadis of the world that require heavy combat and lots of fire-fighting capability - those are the places the Americans go. The other countries tend to go to the so-called peacekeeper zones, where they have fewer fire fights and less contact with the enemy," Hunter says. "And the European nations show little will to send large contingents of their military people into dangerous places."

The British and other countries allow gays to serve openly, Britain has even allowed gay military personnel to march in gay pride parades in uniform. But according to Duncan. That's why they are pussies.

"The Fallujahs of the world, the Ramadis of the world that require heavy combat and lots of fire-fighting capability - those are the places the Americans go. The other countries tend to go to the so-called peacekeeper zones, where they have fewer fire fights and less contact with the enemy," Hunter says. "And the European nations show little will to send large contingents of their military people into dangerous places."

This is a huge insult to the British who have been involved in some of the heaviest fighting in a little place we seem to have forgotten about, Afghanistan. Our long term allies deserve a little better than this.

Ken L. of Roadtosurfdom.com makes a good if humorous point, a little perspective for us.

One thing is a bit of a worry though … the Iranians don’t just keep fags out of the military, they allegedly hang them. Does this mean the Iranians will be even more hardened warriors than all those good old straight GIs?

If we are going to fight the worlds wars we might actually need the help, not only of the gays in the British military, but of our own. With constant recruitment deficiencies and a reported 4000 gay personnel not re-enlisting because of don't ask-don't tell.

Many would rather have they help rather than rely on the clearly more expensive and risky practice of hiring private armies to do our dirty work.

There are certainly going to be soldiers who disagree with openly gay personnel serving, but many were opposed to having women serve and that certainly wasn't a mistake. If this country choses to fight a war against homosexuals, that's a fight it will lose.

It's time for us to grow up a little.

Fed steps in to stop shady martgage practices, is that a joke?

Several years to late for many families who feel they had not only been deceived but who are now starting to suggest that the value of there homes had been appraised much higher than they should have been The glorious Federal Reserver has decided maybe they should actually do something about it.

More and more people believe not only are we in this mess because of the unmitigated greed of lenders and a Fed that has failed to keep it's commitment to the people of the nation.

"Rates of mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures have been increasing rapidly lately, imposing large costs on borrowers, their communities and the national economy," said Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke.

"Although the high rate of delinquency has a number of causes, it seems clear that unfair or deceptive acts and practices by lenders resulted in the extension of many loans, particularly high-cost loans, that were inappropriate for or misled the borrower," Bernanke added.

He sounds like a man who's trying to catch up to reality. Who highered this asshole anyway. What seems clear is you're a moron.

"A lot of people probably already thought these rules were in place but they weren't," said Jim Gaines, a research economist at Texas A&M University's real-estate center.

You know rules like making sure the person you loan money to actually has a job. Like not being allowed to advertise "fixed" rates on loans when the "fix" is only a few months not the life of the loan.

Companies servicing mortgages, for instance, have to credit a mortgage payment to the homeowner's account on the day it is received.

This list goes on and on, and as you read through it you have to wonder how could these simple common sense rules not have been in place all a long.

The answer is simple, we allowed bankers to regulate themselves and they know how to milk the system for everything it's worth. To banks the average American is a number on a spread sheet.

But Bankers are crying foul, saying these regulations go to far, ARE YOU FRICKEN KIDDING ME? This is bottom of the barrel stuff, these should be the lowest standards. The bar should be much higher, and it will have to be raised if they expect any confidence in the economy or the nations banks, it will take even more to restore confidence in the Fed and Bernanke.

is the ICC just a joke?

President Omar al-Bashir isn't to worried about the ICC, it's been a largely ineffective and as Drima on PajamasMedia puts it.

what on earth does the ICC’s chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, plan to do after he gets his warrant? Walk into Khartoum and handcuff the Sudanese president?

If people in such influential positions are going to make such inflammatory rhetoric, then they better have the ability to act upon it. Otherwise they should avoid making such empty threats in the first place, because such foolishness can carry a high price.

Like the ICC the UN is largely ineffective at dealing with issues of human rights abuse because when they take a stand on an issue they rarely can or will back it up in any meaningful way.

According to wikipedia

As of 4 October 2007, the Prosecutor had received 2889 communications^[82] about alleged crimes in at least 139 countries.^[92]
After initial review, however, the vast majority of these
communications were dismissed as “manifestly outside the jurisdiction
of the Court”.^[82]

On 10 February 2006, the Prosecutor published a letter responding to complaints he had received concerning the 2003 invasion of Iraq.^[114] He noted that "the International Criminal Court has a mandate to examine the conduct during the conflict, but not whether the decision to engage in armed conflict was legal", and that the Court's jurisdiction is limited to the actions of nationals of states parties.^[114]
He concluded that there was a reasonable basis to believe that a
limited number of war crimes had been committed in Iraq, but that the
crimes allegedly committed by nationals of states parties did not
appear to meet the required gravity threshold for an ICC investigation.^[66]

2889 complaints about 139 countries it has no jurisdiction over. The ICC is just another parade.
Article 16 of the Rome Statute allows the Security Council to prevent the Court from investigating or prosecuting a case.

The court is funded using the same method as the UN and last year spent €80.5 million accomplishing virtually nothing at all, the 2008 budget was approved at €90,382,100. A lot of money for an organization with only 485 employees who get very little done at all.

During the negotiations that led to the Rome Statute, a large number of states argued that the Court should be allowed to exercise universal jurisdiction. However, this proposal was defeated due in large part to opposition from the United States.

California Screams about Bush Offshore Oil Scam

There seems to be a growing consensus among people in southern California. Lifting the offshore drilling ban on isn't going to help oil prices and we already have enough.

Many beach goers in southern California already stare out at oil rigs and tankers now and concerns run high about local impact of renewed drilling. Few believe it will have an impact on oil prices in a reasonable time frame.

"It took them years to build these things and they drilled for years before any oil came out." a beach regular who identified himself as Jack in Huntington beach said. Now in his 60's Jack said he grew up in the area and thinks of them as an "eye sore"

I took a trip to the Farmer's Market today and asked some random people what there thoughts were.

In general most people doubt they will make any difference, and many believe that this is "just another scam the president is pulling to make his rich oil friends richer," Janice, a student at UCLA told me.

As I waited in line for a coffee at Bob's Coffee and Doughnuts, I asked a young Hispanic gentleman behind me his thoughts. "The guys in the White House now are just crooks and they're taking as much as they can before they go."

Discussions with friends and neighbors reveals much the same sentiment. It's just the last in 8 years of Bush cash grabs. The executive branch and it's associates are just getting rich off our blood.

Governor Schwarzenegger opposes drilling on California shores and it seems many in SoCal agree that California should chose what is done with her shoreline. Bush should just go away.

Oil the scapegoat for US dollars weakness

Analysts are increasingly wary of the fundamental logic behind model-based financial trading,the link between the weakening US dollar and the sharp rise in oil prices as exaggerating the cause-and-effect.

"There are some arguments as to causation, but certainly not to justify the strength of correlation. To some extent oil has been used as a bit of a scapegoat to explain dollar weakness," State Street senior strategist Michael Metcalfe said According to reuters

"Anybody with a spreadsheet can throw out a correlation. It's a clear analytical error however to infer that correlation implies causality," said Steven Pearson, chief currency strategist at Bank of Scotland Treasury Services.

Many law makers and some experts blame hedge funds, pension funds and speculators for much of the rise in oil prices.

"There are people out there who have short-dollar, long-oil trades set up, that to a certain extent might be algorithmic or just react automatically to changes in those variables," Michael Waldron, Lehman Brothers energy analyst has said.

"If people do think in the short- to medium-term that there will be a
strong relationship between the two and they trade to capture that
relationship, it can reinforce the price movements."

The suggestion by a growing number is bad financial policy and a lack of regulations and enforcement of existing regulations are at the root of the issue.

"If you go back and look at the last 6-1/2 years and you ask what's behind the strength of the oil price, I would say it's the same thing that is behind the strength of other things and that was the extremely accommodative U.S. monetary policy," said Simon Derrick, head of FX research at Bank of New York Mellon.

Peter Beutel, president of oil consultancy Cameron Hanover, "At some point we'll come back to an era without the dollar mattering, I guarantee. Because we'd been going 25 years without this as a factor until last summer."

More and more this is on the minds of American tax payers, government failures and big money funds caused this problem and it's big money the government is now bailing out.

If they worked for me I would fire them all.

Californians want there money out of IndyMac

In a sweet farewell line up to bancorp and IndyMac, Californians send a clear message, we want our money enough is enough.

Pick and IndyMac branch and head down if you want to get some nice crowd shots. Hundreds of people began lining up five hours before the regulator seized bank opened Monday morning.

The bank, now in the hands of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp after customers withdrew $1.3 billion over the previous 11 days. But this banks were already collapsing, the bank run was just the final straw.

But unlike bank runs of previous decades this time people aren't doing it because they are afraid of financial collapse they are doing it because they understand now that the Fed is a complete failure. It is a failure in regulating the banking industry, it is a failure because it is run by the banking industry and most certainly it's a public relations disaster.

Far from being able to stabilize financial markets, it's further eroded American confidence by bailing out the top percentile and trusting them to filter this stability to the foundation. If the foundation gives the structure will fall.

Californians are sending a clear message to Bernanke, Paulson and the FDIC, you are not trusted.

Fannie and Freddie Paulson Plan a Disaster says Rogers

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

Jim Rogers thinks Paulson's bail out plan for embattled Freddie and Fanny is an "unmitigated disaster".

Rogers, famous world traveling investor, author and professor says the largest US mortgage lenders are "insolvent" and in reference to the planned bailout and it's architects he doesn't mince words. "I don't know where these guys get the audacity to take our money, taxpayer money, and buy stock in Fannie Mae,'' Rogers, 65, quote by bloom continues. "So we're going to bail out everybody else in the world. And it ruins the Federal Reserve's balance sheet and it makes the dollar more vulnerable and it increases inflation.''

These companies were going to go bankrupt if they hadn't stepped in to do something, and they should've gone bankrupt with all of the mistakes they've made,'' Rogers said. "What's going to happen when you Band-Aid and put some Band-Aids on it for another year or two or three? What's going to happen three years from now when the situation's much, much, much worse?''

Rogers says the comodities bull market has a "long way to go" and is recommending investment in agricultural commodities.

In a bold accusation Rogers says the Fed and the treasury are "bailing out their friends on Wall Street but there are 300 million Americans that are going to have to pay for this."

He's going to take a lot of heat for these comments, but he's a hard man to attack, he's been right for a long time about the situation. By many he's considered a wise and honest man.

He's also right and while to collapse of these institutions would have devastating effects on the market, perhaps it's time 300 Americans bite the bullet and take there country back.

This is investor debt, across a global market, in the hands of the wealthies people in the world, let them pay for there own mess. The economic mishandling that has gone on for decades has cost tax payers enough, we have a war to pay for, enough is enough.

Obama Ego Bomb

Power Line: The resistible rise of Barack Obama

There is a decent break down here of a New Yorker article Ryan Lizza wrote about Obama's rise and a link to a Jonah Goldberg article discussing the enormity and consistency of one thing more and more people seem to be talking about in regards to Barack Obama. His ego.

I hold in my hand another testament to this, "The Audacity of Hope" penned by none other than The man himself. I read it for the first time on the Independence Day weekend, I figured I should catch up. Weeks later what stand out in my mind isn't the man or the platform he stands on. It's the effort he went to in constructing some of the most technically correct--and incredibly long--sentences the man weaves.

I'm not left with substance, just a feeling that a great deal of effort was put into trying to convince me he is a scholar among scholars and a visionary among the blind.

I am still recovering from the ego bruising, but that's another story. I want desperately to see something in our future beyond 100 years of war, but in the end of the day at least thats a plan.

The grand ideas, of taking care of our weakest and providing for our youngest, as a nation and a species is wonderful and I fully support it, but I can't stand on lofty ideas I need a plan, and a plan we can afford.

Ego is all I see from Obama and his most hardcore supporters, and it may carry him to election day but I doubt it will see him into the White House.

Ego, as a root motivation for human endeavor, in many ways is what's gotten us here.

Hancock is cute to a point

Nothing great here, but at least it's unique. Will Smith is Hancock the drunk bum of steel. Smith puts in a solid performance as usual, and Jason Bateman as his manager Ray Embery the man as always.

Rays wife is played by Charlize Theron, who even though age is begining to show, frankly looks better than every. Like a fine wine, and a true beauty she just gets better with age.

I instantly liked Hancock, as we meet him for the first time passed out drunk on a city bench... facing the wrong way!

But the roudy drunk is stripped away to early and before you can really enjoy the attitude and antics it starts to turn to mush.

The effects are certainly not top notch in this film and by the time we find out Ray's wife is actually Hancocks wife I had given up caring about the movie, still it was fun.

I don't think I could go much over 6.5 out of ten, and that's almost a full point for originality.

Israel and Palestine on the verge of peace

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Sunday according to Reuters that Isreal and the Palestinians have never been so close to peace.

This, I have actually heard before, usually once a decade give or take.

But this is a new day. Pressure for a settlement with Palestine is greater than ever on both sides. There is much respect for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the controversial French President Nicolas Sarkozy is the architect.

For Olmert it's a make or break deal, facing multiple corruption and bribery charges this would go a long way to restoring his image.

Abbas has only upsides, and For Sarkozy, this would launch him into global rockstar status. Between a peace deal here and his "Mediterranean Union" he may be the hero of the week.

Budweiser Beer Bye Bye

$52 billion dollar buyout from InBev, to high to resist, Anheuser-Busch sold.

The King is dead, long live the King.

The death of an American tradition.

No longer a great American Beer, it's just another division of a multi-national company.

Just another chunk of a America sold off to foreign interests.

Bye bye baby. Hello Anheuser-Busch-InBev.

Nation of Whiners

What most people who live in America know is gas is expensive. The price of orange juice and meat and bread has gone up. If you live on a fixed budget you have had to adjust it. It's simple math and the equals less spending money in your pocket.

When economist Phil Gramm and psychologist Kit Yarrow, who make six figures and up, do interviews they are in general payed handsomely for make comments about consumers are negatively effecting the economy because they are "whiners" or being "emotional" it shows how removed they are from the country they live in.

The vast majority of this countries population still needs to buy the essentials and has less money left over, that's not emotion thats cold hard reality.

While affluent Americans tend to have there money spread out in different sectors of the economy, for the majority a savings account still represents the bulk of there savings.

For the young times like these will pass. People 40 and up there is less time to recover from this, for many this will be devastating. As you age you have less opportunity, re-education in a dwindling job market is more of a challenge. Retirement in this country is expensive. Many do not have pensions and social security is probably not going to be there.

That is extremely emotional. But the emotion is a symptom not a cause.

If the nations economics will fall because the average person can't spend, destroying the average persons ability to spend was a pretty bad idea.

The economic boom this country is clearly no longer enjoying was a boom for a minority of the population, for the majority the last decade has been stagnation in wages, fewer opportunities and sky rocketing tuitions.

If Americans can afford to spend they will. When they have less the spend less, emotional or not.

Americans should be offended.

Bush aid Stephen Payne selling presidential support

Think Progress » Bush Homeland Security Aide Caught On Tape Offering High-Level Access For Donations To Bush Library

Steven Payne busted on camera offering to 'trade' high level access to senior White House Officials including VP Cheney and Dr. Rice to an exhiled politician from Kyrgyzstan.

Though the politicians name is never mentioned in an audible portion of this video it's most likely Askar Akayevich Akayev. Ones the peoples hero for democracy he was accused of corruption and deposed in the 'Tulip Revolution' in 2005 for massive corruption and suppression of free media. He's not a nice man by all accounts.

You can meet with them for only a few hundred thousand dollars, of course this money is a donation not a bride, it will go to the Bush Library.

But if you watch to the end of the video, what's being offered is support for a discredited politician who wants to be vindicated so he can run for the office President of a foreign power.

Of course, Payne isn't just a savvy power, he asks for a large cut for his company too.

People who focus on the library have simply missed what is happening here.

For a price our presidents endorsement can be arranged.

And out of the $600,000 to $750,000 being discussed only a Third is going to the Library.

One has to walk away wondering how many times our president has been bought.

You can work the words any way you want this is a bribe and it's been caught on tape.

9 US soldiers Dead in Afghanistan, But Pakistan has everything handled so chill

ABC News: Officials: 9 US Troops Killed in Afghanistan

In what's described as a "multi-pronged assault", implying someone in the region actually has a plan, 9 brave American soldiers lose there lives.

I'm pretty sure I have a copy of...

President Musharraf talking about how he has it handled.

Oh yes there it is, "Our government's
policy is that our troops, paramilitary forces and our regular forces
are deployed in sufficient numbers. They are capable of taking action
there. And any foreign intrusion would be counter-productive." Musharraf just finished telling us we can't cross the border these murderers came across, then retreated across.

For almost seven years the Taliban and al Qaeda have waltz across this border while we've danced the tango with Pakistan.

For the same amount of time, our government has neglected it's commitment to protect it's people and it's interests by allowing this to continue.

We walk around making threats, clearly we can't back up. How can we expect our enemies to take us seriously when we are incapable of defeating the people who struck us on our own soil.

This amounts to 9 US military personal being left to die. Our disposable heroes.

Terhran mayor says get over it

"The United States and the West make the mistake that they can still go back to before the revolution,They should completely forget this." Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf.

It's been 30 years, the US has never since never recognized the Iranian government.

But we have completely encircled the nation with military forces. Every single country bordering Iran has US military on it's soil.

I can't say I am a fan of anyone that starts a political speak with prayer, but that's there bag baby.

"If the Westerners accept this, deal with this fact, Iran should accept to act in the international framework and act based on international regulations," he declared.

We deal directly and in fact has in many cases treaties and close ties with all kinds of dictators and nasty oppressive governments, but we've hunkered down in this position of not talking to Iran. Just shouting across the ocean at and about them.

To man Muslims Iran, because of the last 30 years is an icon. This begs the question, isn't the biggest single move this country can do to settle this mess, is start accepting that they are not going away.

Clearly American policy is more about image and power than any real concern over human rights. We only get involved if an ally is threatened or there is money to be made or lost.

I would love to save the world but you can't save something with a nuke.

And when you have presidential hopefulls like this complete moron named John 'Warmonger' McCain making absolutely stupid remarks in regards to the smuggling of cigarette into the country as "a way of killing them"...

well

"McCain's crude remark on the indiscriminate killing of the Iranian nation not only testifies to his disturbed state of mind, but also to his warmongering approach to foreign policy."

But of course Americans get more worked up over the fact that Bernie Mac is married to a ho than the republican who wants to rule the free world making jokes about killing Iranians.

Pretty pathetic set of priorities.

McCain, you're a moron. A complete and total moron.

Robert Steel and the Revolving Door

Washington's revolving door to spin faster | U.S. | Reuters

Robert Steel, the Treasury Department's undersecretary for domestic finance, was key in helping manage the U.S. housing crisis before being named late on Wednesday as chief executive of Wachovia Corp, the fourth-biggest U.S. bank.

Well, anyone who isn't getting stinking rich off the blood of others has to flinch just a little when they read this.

The revolving door has been discussed at great length. The problem isn't Steel taking a private sector job in his field of expertise, it's a lot bigger than that. It's way they walk just on the edge of what's legal, getting away with just exactly as much as they can before crossing that last line.

As the article mentions the legal cooling-off period (2yrs) addresses lobbyists but is vague about corporate officials.

Recent high-level moves include the Food and Drug Administration's food safety director becoming chief scientist and regulatory officer for the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and a Federal Aviation Administration administrator becoming chief executive for the Aerospace Industries Association.

All they have to do to make this legal is follow proper recusal process once they get the offer, this includes

That includes notifying the ethics department at Treasury and recusing himself from any matter that impacts Wachovia -- but only Wachovia, according to experts.

But

For example, Steel could still participate in policy decisions related to the industry as a whole, as long as it was not solely affecting Wachovia.

That really is what we used to call skirting the law. It's pretty sad. It's not just sad because they walk the line, knowing full well why the line was drawn.

"The law is a floor, not a ceiling," she said. "If you look at it from a strictly legal point of view, you don't get the entire picture."

The floor. I mean this really is a profound statement, this is the heart of the issue right here. It's not just the law that's important. The reason we need the law is what's important.

"It's an issue that is constantly debated ... balancing the goal of having people cool off versus the equally important goal of having qualified people come and work in the government," Baran said.

Actually Mr. Baran, the issue is, if these guys are willing to pull this kind of stuff standing on the ceiling, then maybe they aren't qualified at all.

It seems to me the single most important quality for high public office is integrity. If that existed, this wouldn't require debate.

I actually liked Steel, I think he was one of the few guys who talked straight about this 'implosion', it's to bad. Well, another one bites the dust.

The guy no one wanted in the room

"We print money for it, the value of the money goes down poor people pay higher prices" he said with a serious face. "that is a transfer of wealth from the poor and the middle class to wall street. Wall street is doing quite well..."

He was a little guy, and sometimes his voice was a bit unsteady, but he spoke with conviction.

I used to scratch my head and wonder where he came from, but then a friend pointed out he had been there all along.

"There's nothing radical about it, to me the radical idea is over spending, over borrowing and resorting to printing money when you run out and you wonder why you have financial problems," he began to laugh as he continued. "or borrowing money from the Chinese to finance our military operations."

After I saw his face I did kind of remember who he was, he'd been in the news a little from time to time, I had never listened, he said some radical things. But how would I know they were radical, I never listened.

He's still around, but I don't know where he went.

Fanny and Freddy: Obama says wait, McCain wants a bail out

Candidates talk about what to do with the two quasi-private banks, speculation on what the quasi-private Federal Reserve should do, not my words, look these entities up. Here let me help.

Federal Reserve System

FNMA (Fannie Mae)

FHLMC (Freddie Mac)

A lot of people wanted this thing to be government run, I mean this mess that started with the Fed and then the twin Fs.

But you know big money always wins these debates and they got there way and they put bankers in charge and then the bankers made undue use of "bank credit for the speculative carrying of or trading in securities, real estate, or commodities, or for any other purpose inconsistent with the maintenance of sound credit conditions". That's good isn't it, I poached that from US Code, Title 12, Chapter 3, subchapter 7, section 301.

Because really what we are talking about is people knowingly making "false statement or report, or willfully overvalues any land, property or security". I know, I got that one from US Code, Title 18, Part1, Chapter 47, section 1014.

The rest of US Code, Title 18, Part1, Chapter 47, section 1014 reads something like this...

"shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both."

I'm leaning towards both here.

Yahoo tells MS and Ichan to suck a lemon

The man who carved up TWA working a deal with the anti-trust kingpins and they don't have the interests of stock holders in mind, are you serious?

This could almost be one of those moments when an American company stood strong in the face of corporate raiders and mega corps, if this board wasn't a bunch of idiots you just want to smack.

Do people still use Yahoo search? Lets google sour puss.

Speaking of google, #2 is so far behind they can't even see googles dust, I don't even need to capitalize the name if you know what I mean (nods as good as a wink to a blind man).

Are the people who work at google in pain, doubled over, holding there stomachs from laughing there heads off at these little kids.


Yahoo rebuffs Microsoft-Icahn restructuring proposal - MarketWatch

"This odd and opportunistic alliance of Microsoft and Carl Icahn has anything but the interests of Yahoo's stockholders in mind," Yahoo Chairman Roy Bostock



He's kidding right?

McCain = WAR Obama = intercourse?

McCain would exclude Russia from G8 nations | Politics | Reuters

Next to OPEC Russia is the second largest producer of oil on this small blue dot.

Russia and China just used there Veto on Zimbabwe.

The Coffers of the largest country on the planet are flush with mounting oil revenue, and Russians scoff at a paltry 14% inflation as if breadlines are scary.

Most of the time I think Obama is just the new Jesus, but sometimes he actually has something to say besides hope hip hop, that tunes over played.

Obama opposes excluding Russia from G8 | U.S. | Reuters

"It would be a mistake," Obama told CNN in an interview when asked about McCain's proposal. CNN on Saturday released excerpts from the interview that will air on Sunday.

"Look, if we're going to do something about nuclear proliferation, just to take one issue that I think is as important as any on the list, we've got to have Russia involved," the Illinois senator said.

"The amount of loose nuclear material that is floating around in the former Soviet Union, the amount of technical know-how that is in countries that used to be behind the Iron Curtain, without Russia's cooperation, our efforts in that on that front will be greatly weakened."

No American Troops in Pakistan

Pakistan's foreign minister said on Saturday, "Our government's policy is that our troops, paramilitary forces and our regular forces are deployed in sufficient numbers. They are capable of taking action there. And any foreign intrusion would be counter-productive."

But he hasn't really been very productive. I mean since 9/11 the only thing this guy has managed to actually get done was Bhutto.

"People will not accept it. Questions of sovereignty come in."

Yeah I am pretty sure I remeber the Taliban leadership say that almost word for word, but that was years ago and he didn't get a chance to repeat it.

Wasn't it followed by something along the lines of

"If you're either with us, or against us."

My memories are clouded, obscured by layers of bullshit

Bernie Mac Lives with "two hos"

Why do you invite a comedian if you can't take a joke.

Part of the reason we are in this mess is because of the politically correct.

No one can talk about the problems at the root of our problems.

When I was a kid the best comedians where the ones who never got invited to political rallies, it was only the guys who sold out, or just couldn't really make people laugh enough to earn an honest buck.

Getting mad at Bernie Mac for calling his own wife a ho is kind of like getting mad at
George Carlin for reminding you you're an idiot.

"Sen. Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn't condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate."

Is the Senator not familiar with the material of the people he puts on stage, This is Bernie Mac we're talking about. You guys have seen his stand-up before right?

It's cool though, just sprinkle some hope on it and all will be forgiven.

I don't drink bud

If someone says this Bud's for you, beer isn't the first thing that comes to mind. I Prefer beers I can't easily buy 24 at a time.

Belgian Interbrew and Brazilian AmBev merged into InBev.

They Make Stella, I can drink that.

If you can't get behind a Boddingtons from time to time or even a Brahma I might not let you buy the beer.

At +30% this sale will happen. Unless someone from Yahoo is the designated driver.

When I walk onto a raceway and the Budweiser banners everywhere and I know one thing is still true, America is still breathing.

If the sale happens

It's just going to become an advertisement for a beer I never drink. Not worth the paper it's printed on.

The Resegragation of the United States

I've often wondered, is blind faith easier?

Is the company of liars worth the price of admission?

How come I had to be the guy who thinks both sides are full of shit.



National and World -- GazetteXtra

Clinton
noted that on the one hand, following the early stages of the
Democratic primary, "the surviving candidates were an African-American
man and a woman."

Clinton's wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton,
battled for the Democratic nomination into June with fellow Democrat
Barack Obama, son of a white mother and black father.

But this achievement was overshadowed by a growing distance between Americans, said Clinton.

"Underneath
this apparent accommodation to our diversity, we are in fact hunkering
down in communities of like-mindedness, and it affects our ability to
manage difference," Clinton said.

If you get the chance to drive coast to coast, you might just find out that asshole down the road has a lot of friends and they all think the same thing he does.

If you read blogs you know it's true already. And the drums beat on.

"I'm betting on light - I hope you are, too."

Hope is excellent, how about a plan Bill.

I see an army of intelligent, beautiful, strong young black people waving the banner of the party that put and fought to keep there parents parents in chains.

I see the men whole hold the constitution in there breast pocket tear it to shreds.

I see the man who should know better than anyone else beat the drums of war with his broken arms

and the men who payed for it all getting more and more

and the people who worked for it getting ignored.

People don't segregate themselves because they are full of hope.