Thursday, September 25, 2008

Flotsam from the sea of news

The Bush administration wants 700 billion dollars to try to stop the complete collapse of the American economy. Where is that money coming from? China?

A member of the US Forest Service handed me a government credit card one day in the shop. It felt very weird to be holding a direct pipeline into the national treasury. This is it: your tax dollars at work. I kidded him that the card was declined because it was over his Federal deficit limit.

"Quick! Print more money!" he yelled.

So is that what we're doing this time? Empty citizen pockets want to know.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez goes in search of other markets for his country's oil so that his country isn't totally dependent on American demand. Dope dealers need addicts as much as addicts need dope. The move has a lot of other extremely sound economic and political benefits. Wouldn't it be fun to be Hugo Chavez these days?

Yes, I know, everyone has their problems. Suddenly waking up as Hugo might be a total nightmare. But he does seem to enjoy having something everyone else wants.

Sarah Palin spends a few seconds with some foreign leaders and foreign policy legend Henry Kissinger. I can imagine her first question to Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan:

"So how's the huntin' over there?"

Did anyone else find it faintly disturbing that she hugged and kissed Henry Kissinger when they parted? I'm not even sure Mrs. Kissinger hugs and kisses Henry Kissinger. The move seemed folksy and friendly, but not vice presidential and statesmanlike. It seemed to take Hank by surprise, but he's a seasoned professional, so he rolled through it without balking noticeably. And he is kind of a teddy bear.

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