Blunderbus – n, from Dutch Donderbus or Thunder gun means a muzzle loading shotgun intended to cause maximum harm in crowded spaces; the modern meaning is to masturbate. In either case, the meaning may well apply to the Israeli bombing and possible ground attacks on Gaza. Before the Israeli strike the count, yes-the death count(we […]
Who Green-lighted This Blunderbus? Read More »
The new anchor, David Gregory at Meet the Press, is interviewing Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice. Apparently the mission is to get “a frank assessment of President Bush” from Condi. And as is typical of recent US Military tactics -a full frontal assault with a barrage of embarrassing questions is being attempted. And of course
The US is beginning to see the consequences of having a Failed State or 5 on its border with Mexico as the drug trade problems spiral out of control. Interestingly, the idea that anything can be bought is the driving force behind the drug terror in Mexico. The same attitude has come lurching on the
Political Corruption Read More »
What is a Failed State? Wikipedia has a good starting definition which is worth repeating here: “Common characteristics of a failing state include a central government so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory; non-provision of public services; widespread corruption and criminality; refugees and involuntary movement of populations;
Having a Failed State on Your Border Read More »
LaPopessa along with Buckarooskidoo have a blog Make it Stop! Make it Stop! that is purportedly “the ramblings of [some] dangerous minds”. I beg to differ. I find it fascinating for four reasons: First, it takes on topics that from time to time the popular press needs to be coaxed into looking at in detail;
The Blog of LaPopessa and Buckarooskidoo Read More »
In making the Cabinet Appointment of Retired General Eric Shinseki as Secretary for Veterans Affairs, President-Elect Obama emphatically did the right thing. First, it sent a clear signal to all of the complicitous Bush Administration officials, particularly ex-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld who forced the general into retirement, that General Shinseki was right about a
There is a “gaming” culture in the US Banking system that is has survived the Financial Meltdown – call it “the never give the suckers an even break” or “fiduciary trust? Why me worry?”. Unfortunately it appears to have spread across the border. And as witness I have the following unsolicited offer from Citibank from
The Bank “Gaming” Culture Read More »
The following story in the NYTimes illustrates in detail how stubbornly infectious and poisoning the Wahabi Sunni Terrorist War against the West really is and how perilously taut are relations between nuclear-armed Pakistan and nuclear-armed India. This Religious War of Terror is being lead by Osama Bin-laden and Al Man El Zawahari and other religious
Mumbai Attacks: Religious World Warfare Read More »
Barack Obama is given tops marks for his ability to write and deliver a stirring speech. It is no small part of his political prowess. He has been compared to another Illinois native son – Abraham Lincoln for being a superb communicator. But Barack Obama may be taking this ability to listen, define and communicate
Obama as the Web 2.0 Great Communicator Read More »
The NYTimes has a story today that Barack Obama has finally been declared the winner in North Carolina. It hardly seems to matter since Obama already has well over the needed 270 electoral votes as well as an 8 million popular vote plurality. But there is something satisfying about Obama winning in North Carolina –
Obama Wins North Carolina Read More »
There is a news item at the NYTimes that confirms in no uncertain terms what has become abundantly obvious – Wall Street will not regulate itself. Not only that but Wall Street cannot rescue itself when it gets into trouble. The whole reason the banking system is failing now is that a)no financial institution trusts
Wall Street’s Incompetencies Read More »
In a daring but also partisan fear-laden column, Frank Rich advances the notion that Sarah Palin is doing a Dick Cheney to the McCain-Palin campaign. She and her handlers are providing the more energetic thrusts and are now, de facto, steering the McCain campaign. And the Republican elites, who are on notice from the Maverick
Palin Really for President Read More »
After the VP debate, it is becoming obvious that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are shaping up to win a landslide victory in the Presidential election. Despite doing much better than in the Katie Couric interviews, Governor Palin simply could not deflect (and almost every time switched the subject) on Joe Biden’s telling criticisms of
After the VP Debate Read More »
Stephen Colbert’s comedy show won the Emmy award this past week for writing. And this edition of the show underlines why. You will have to endure a movie commercial – but endure at least to The Word = “Future Perfect” – this is satire at its very best!Kudos to the writers and ongrats to Stephen
Colbert Comedy – High Satire Read More »
The Presidential Debates were proof positive that both candidates are hopelessly caught up in “PCS-Polically Correct Speak”. Even with Jim Leher’s promptings, both candidates backed away from spelling out: 1)the causes of the bailout problem ; 2)the what should be done in the short term and why it makes sense; 3)what has to be done
The Presidential Debates: Economic Tricklings Read More »
One would hardly know based on the coverage in the Press and on TV – Economic and Political Revolutions are taking place right before the pundits eyes and they have scarcely acknowledged them. 1)The Web as a shaper of direct governance rose significantly. The Web through blogs and business webstes a)carried the latest news of
Economic and Political Revolutions Read More »
The advisories on regulation of the Wall Street seem to be of the “deeply vested interest” type. I wish that news sources like BBC, Barrons, The Economist, Forbes, Fortune, NYTimes, Washington Post and many other adhered to the disclosure rules required of financial “experts” on TV programs like Nightly Business Report and MSNBC. And these
Regulation of Finance Read More »
Since the likliehood of the US electorate being hoodwinked a third time in Presidential elections is a dead-heat possibility , I have to look at John McCain and Sarah Palin and see if there is sustainng substance that will make their possible election something more than a repeat of George Bush. The going is very
Thanks heavens that Congress, Democratic Senator Chris Dowd and Republican SenatorRichard Shelby, have taken a whoa, wait a minute view on this bailout measure. Under the guise of an emergency, the Bush Administration is doing a Financial Iraq – let us in with no controls or otherwise the system will meltdown and there will be
Moral Hazard V – Blank Cheque Bailout ? Read More »
You have probably guessed it – you have a gut instinct for numbers. Sometimes the exact number of things up to 7-9. But also large collections of things such that distinguishing quickly which are most numerous is of survival import – are there more women then men at a party or more black pieces than
Perception of Numbers And Irrationality Read More »
The article has a tinge of shadenfreude and reads like a clever Steven Colbert rant, but the punchline is literally the lethal level of truth – see Rosa Brooks column in the LATimes here.
USA gets a letter from the World Bank Read More »
It appeared that with the refusal of FedAid to Lehman and the shotgun wedding of Merrill to Bank of Captain America, Treasury Secretary Paulson had closed the Moral Hazard Insurance window for your friendly Investment Bankers-only service. But I demurred here. And sure enough, two days later, the Moral Hazard Insurance window is open again
There is no doubt in my mind that Maureen Dowd, OpEd columnist for the New York Times, would have made an exquisite torcheress during the Spanish Inquisition. Take a look at her latest flogging of Sarah Palin. But the problem with torturers is they don’t know ‘enough’. Flogging Sarah Palin is counter-productive because it just
In a significant political opinion, NYTimes columnist David Brooks acknowledges what was manifest – Sarah Palin is not ready to become President: “But a few commentators, like George Will, Charles Krauthammer, David Frum and Ross Douthat demur, suggesting in different ways that she is unready….I would have more sympathy for this view [that Sarah’s ready]
Fire Ready Aim from the Right Read More »
Before the US Presidential Elections become the victim of the game of who can can best navigate through the reefs and dangers of a Deliberately Damn Nasty Silly Season, here are some questions for the presidential aspirants which should prove illuminating. The questions start identically the same for both candidates – alternating such that each
Questions for the Presidential Candidates Read More »
I have been arguing here that there is a Capital Investment Crisis in the US because organizations and especially private equity firms are routing investments to self-aggrandizing, sure-thing takeovers which add nothing new to the economy except old line companies stripped of personnel, debt capacity, and no financial ability to adapt a long term innovation
Innovation Investments Trickling Down … Read More »
The Republican party is engaged in a massive campaign of Revanchism. They hope to rescue their wrecked political brand by hiding/disavowing their Still President and rewriting recent Presidential history + motivations. Forget for a moment that Still President Bush in his 2000 campaign promised a)to a be “a uniter and not a divider”, b) not
Republican Revanchism Read More »
John McCain in the Republican corridors of power is like Rodney Dangerfield, he doesn’t get any respect. He has become the RNC-reformed maverick as seen here on the Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show. In brief summary, John McCain has been forced to reverse himeself by Republican elites on many critical positions. This includes on the role
McCain Takes Charge Read More »
Even T.Boone Pickens, oilman and financier of the Swiftboats Smear campaign against Presidential candidate John Kerry, has recognized that there is a global contest for Energy Innovation going on right now that will determine which countries will be economically prosperous – and which countries will be playing catch up. Because the countries that perfect renewable
There have been some interesting business news items recently. In the Thursday, August 14th Financial Post, there is a story by Barbra Shecter on the state of securities disclosure by Canadian businesses. Even in the polite etiquette and language of regulation, the Canadian Securities Administration declared that “significant deficiencies were found in the disclosures made
The Problem with Business Ethics Shortfalls Read More »
This article in the NYTimes shows that Greed is still running rampant on Wall Street and the Financial markets: “Since the almost overnight collapse of Bear Stearns earlier this year, top-level Wall Street executives have been pleading with regulators to investigate what they see as efforts by short sellers to plant false information and profit
Greedy Continues to Gut US Read More »
On the Jon Stewart Daily Show, Jon consistently gets laughs by referring to the Still President for “nnn” Days. The problem is that it is no laughing matter as President Bush and his colleagues in the Senate particularly continue to wield power and obstruction. The Presidential veto used only 2 times in the previous 6
Still President for 200 Days Read More »
