Bush says that he takes responsibility for failures in dealing with Katrina. I didn't think that he had it in him -- he didn't acknowledge his tax cuts had anything to do with the deficit, didn't hold anyone of significance accountable for killing and abusing prisoners in Iraq, and didn't hold anyone (period) accountable for the WMD intelligence failures which led to the war. Now for once he's acted like the "MBA President" we were all told to expect: he's fired and replaced his worthless friend to whom he gave the FEMA job, he's said "I am responsible," and he seems to be committed to giving the situation the attention that it deserves. Good.
Unfortunately, his acceptance of responsibility wasn't unqualified; His statement was actually "to the extent the federal government didn't fully do its job right, I take responsibility." This leaves room for the possibility that the federal government did do its job right, which I think is generally agreed to be ridiculous.
Still, you can't ask someone to change five years of bad habits overnight... it's a step in the right direction.
2005-09-13
2005-09-08
2005-08-22
Turning 30, Part 2
... then my birthday week continued with great friends, many margaritas, and delicious birthday cake.
Turning 30, Part 1
My birthday week began with the U.S.-Trinidad World Cup Qualifying match. The game was in Hartford, Connecticut on Wednesday, 8-17.
2005-08-06
An Energy Bill We Can All Be Proud Of
I think Jon Stewart said it best...
Stewart: "Energy is clearly an important topic with Americans. That's why before going on recess, congress broke a four year impasse by approving a massive energy bill. And while it did nothing to address our dependence on foreign oil, ... or fuel efficiency, ... or in any way simplify the strategic nature of our relationship with the middle east, ... it does give oil and gas industries $500 million for research and $2.7 billion in tax breaks, even though a company like Exxon Mobil made $7.6 billion in pure profit just this last quarter. And by quarter, ... I mean three months."
"Now, you may find the idea of government using billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize oil companies as the antithesis of private free market capitalism. You... are wrong."
Joe Barton, Rep., Texas: "This bill is based on the premise that we believe in private free market capitalism to develop the resources of this land in a cost efficient fashion."
Stewart: "Oh my god, we have a winner! Congratulations Representative Joe Barton, you have achieved a lie-to-word ratio of one-to-one! I don't think that's ever been done before."
"There's a very simple explanation for why insanely rich oil companies get money from the government. It's called 'The Oil Cycle'. We begin with the American Family, a hard-working people who have developed a taste for powerful engines and stretch televisions. Through a natural process known as Taxation, the income of these families is broken down and re-absorbed back into a system we call The Government. The Government swallows these funds and converts them into what are called Subsidies, some of which go to giant, profitable oil companies. That 'found' money can then be used to look for new sources of oil, and to use the public's need for this oil to rape them for profits. These profits are then stored in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands to avoid a process known as Taxation, which was discussed earlier. The Government then... gives them more money."
Stewart: "Energy is clearly an important topic with Americans. That's why before going on recess, congress broke a four year impasse by approving a massive energy bill. And while it did nothing to address our dependence on foreign oil, ... or fuel efficiency, ... or in any way simplify the strategic nature of our relationship with the middle east, ... it does give oil and gas industries $500 million for research and $2.7 billion in tax breaks, even though a company like Exxon Mobil made $7.6 billion in pure profit just this last quarter. And by quarter, ... I mean three months."
"Now, you may find the idea of government using billions of taxpayer dollars to subsidize oil companies as the antithesis of private free market capitalism. You... are wrong."
Joe Barton, Rep., Texas: "This bill is based on the premise that we believe in private free market capitalism to develop the resources of this land in a cost efficient fashion."
Stewart: "Oh my god, we have a winner! Congratulations Representative Joe Barton, you have achieved a lie-to-word ratio of one-to-one! I don't think that's ever been done before."
"There's a very simple explanation for why insanely rich oil companies get money from the government. It's called 'The Oil Cycle'. We begin with the American Family, a hard-working people who have developed a taste for powerful engines and stretch televisions. Through a natural process known as Taxation, the income of these families is broken down and re-absorbed back into a system we call The Government. The Government swallows these funds and converts them into what are called Subsidies, some of which go to giant, profitable oil companies. That 'found' money can then be used to look for new sources of oil, and to use the public's need for this oil to rape them for profits. These profits are then stored in offshore accounts in the Cayman Islands to avoid a process known as Taxation, which was discussed earlier. The Government then... gives them more money."
2005-06-29
Which is bigger?
Which is bigger: the percentage of people in the U.S. who say that they live paycheck-to-paycheck or the percentage of people in Mexico who say that they live paycheck-to-paycheck?
The percentage of Americans is 28%, while the percentage of Mexicans is 7%. Quite striking considering the per capita GDP of the U.S. is about 25 times as big as Mexico's.
What can account for this? Maybe for Americans it is worth living paycheck-to-paycheck as long as they can consume massive amounts of goods and services. Maybe we have a serious "keeping up with the Joneses" issue. Maybe we're more susceptible (gullible) to savvy advertising. Or maybe we have too much available credit and too little self-restraint.
I hope to be posting a few words on credit soon: Some thoughts about how it can be a really good thing and a really bad thing, our "success story" of how we carried huge credit card debt for years without paying any interest, and more. Look for it some time before August (give me a break, I'm in summer school!)
The percentage of Americans is 28%, while the percentage of Mexicans is 7%. Quite striking considering the per capita GDP of the U.S. is about 25 times as big as Mexico's.
What can account for this? Maybe for Americans it is worth living paycheck-to-paycheck as long as they can consume massive amounts of goods and services. Maybe we have a serious "keeping up with the Joneses" issue. Maybe we're more susceptible (gullible) to savvy advertising. Or maybe we have too much available credit and too little self-restraint.
I hope to be posting a few words on credit soon: Some thoughts about how it can be a really good thing and a really bad thing, our "success story" of how we carried huge credit card debt for years without paying any interest, and more. Look for it some time before August (give me a break, I'm in summer school!)
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