Thursday, May 20, 2010

Yet Another Report on Current Events

I write my blogs on current events in sympathy with my son.  His history class has him reading a news article once a week and reporting on it.  So I walk in his shoes.  I find it actually refreshing to read the news through the eyes of a 17-year-old.  It somehow makes things less serious.  Through my pretend young eyes, I can see nothing but bad news.  But I don't worry.  My pretend young mind is telling me it's all happening somewhere else.  My biggest concern is who I will sit buy in the cafeteria during lunch.

So what's going on in the world.

BP finally let the world see the live feed of the underwater leak.  For the last month, they have been estimating 5,000 barrels a day.  Expert after expert, now that they have access to the video, are saying the leak is between 45,000 and 90,000 barrels a day.  So, BP was off by a factor of 10 to 20.

You heard it hear first.  This is going to do to BP what ENRON did to Anderson Consulting.  It's the end of the line for them.  They will start to sell themselves off before their parts have no value.

Rush Limbaugh blames Greenpeace for the oil spill.  He said their "green" mentality has forced the oil companies farther and farther off shore and thus, the spill is the inevitable result.  Chris Matthews of MSNBC has a standing invitation for any GOP member to come on his show and say, "Rush Limbaugh does not represent the GOP."  After 9 days, there are still no takers.

Paul, winner of the Republican primary in Kentucky is against the American Civil Liberties Act and the American's with disabilities act. This is true.  I do have some problems with the disabilities act.  There is a guy in Marin county that drives around and finds places that should have wheel chair access.  He then sues to get the access put in and keeps a lion's share for himself.  Sounds justified until you see where he is forcing these things to be built.  There is a place where you take a dirt trail to a tennis court.  According to the law, there needs to be a place to unload a wheel chair at the base of the trail.  He got his tens of thousands and the county coffers dropped several thousands building a wheel chair ramp that stretches ten feet from a parking lot to a very steep dirt trail.

North Korea apparently sank that South Korean ship.  The evidence appears to be overwhelming, including pieces of a Torpedo that basically says "made in North Korea."  North Korea is denying this.  It reminds me of the time that I read where a man will deny having an affair even in the face of overwhelming evidence.  The reason being that there is no "up side" to confessing.   We can't attack because they will feel inclined to fight back.  South Korea stands to loose big time while North Korea might not feel anything.  After all, how be a threat is it to say, "We will bomb you back to the stone age," when North Korea is already in the stone age.  They are Neanderthals with nuclear devices.

Greeks are going on strike because they want more money from their government than their government has to give.  So, they damage their economy further by striking.  Meanwhile, those that are lending the money watch.  My guess is the EU will take it all back if Greece doesn't get it together.

I understand that Basketball and Hockey playoffs are underway.  I have no idea who is playing and what round they are in.  Seems to me that in both of these sports, they play all season to eliminate the one or two worse teams and then they hold another season of playoffs.

I find it offensive that politicians pay millions to put out television ads that slam their opponent.  At the same time, we are laying off teachers.  There is something wrong with the way we select our leaders.  Spend the most and you will probably win.  Misspeak once, and you will probably lose.  Lie and deny and we will probably forgive and forget.  I think they should just fill out a big questionnaire and let everyone read it.  Write all you want.  Put it in writing so others can fact check.  You can also write about your opponent.  Post it all on the internet.  Fair and cost effective.

Oh yeah, artificial life was created in a lab.  More on that later.

http://www.worldgratitudelist.com  Leave a list.  Read a list.  Be happy

j