It's still about the money

Well, I got my economic stimulus check this week deposited into my checkbook. So, to answer what George and others will ask, "What will you do with your check?" It's in my account to sit there and earn money. It's not going anywhere else. It's now my money and I will choose to do with it as I want and need, no matter what George thinks how I should spend it. I won't stimulate the economy unless my dumb bank, there aren't any smart or customer-supported banks anymore, decides to waste it's huge profit on subpar mortages or bad investments.

And reading and listening to the news about George, it's clear he's simply biding his time. Everything he says he wants to accomplish won't have any effect until he's gone. He's punted every issue, problem or need into the future. He's simply trying to go out on a happy note, in his mind, to tell himself, "I did everything I could." Except it's down the toliet for this country, this nation and the people. He's acting like a senior in college partying after hearing he'll graduate, and he should know better than anyone, he wasted many years avoiding military service doing it.

Ok, enough ranting or venting about George. Not. He's such a good target, a natural.

Ok, something different. Reverend Wright. Touchy subject?

Well, I'm angry about all the flak about him. What don't people understand about our freedom of speech? If the reverend espoused war against our enemies, espoused a strong pro-life position about life - or really cotnrolling women's body, espoused angry at black people like Bill Cosby did a few years ago, and so on, would he have been chasitized in public?

I doubt it. Senator Obama has nothing to explain or excuse himself for. We pick our friends as they are, everything about them as is, faults and all. How many of you have heard or read the complete sermons of the reverend or heard or read the complete speeches of the reverend, to fully understand what he really said? Or did you just follow the snippets the news twisted into stories?

I liked Senator Obama's initial response that he simply disagreed with Reverend Wright. That's all that has to be said. I respect him for that. All the rest is simply politics.

Why haven't the oil industry built more refineries? Will all the profits they're making they haven't built a new one in over 20 years. And we know they're running near capacity making billions in profits. We know everyone would approve several new refineries in a heartbeat almost anywhere. So why aren't there new ones?

Did you know for the umpteenth time the myth about bottled water is a myth. Scientist this week asserted you just need the water in whatever form is comes in, cola, coffee, tea, etc. Your body extracts the water it needs from what you eat and drink, so adding water in a normal diet is overkill.

And most bottled water is tap water bottled. Really. Some are from specific springs or wells, but even these share their aquifers with nearby towns and cities. If you don't believe me, check out the bottled water you're drinking. You're wasting money and could easily save by buying a good water bottle and drink tap water.

Onward.

Did you know the Vice President is the one person responsible for not getting the right whale on the endangered species list? Yup, everything was done over a year ago and ready to be imposed, but the VP intervened and it's been siting on his desk since then and won't get out before he leaves office.

It took a federal court judge and Representative Henry Waxman to get the documents from the VP including all the scientists' reports supporting the listing, and the work by the senior administrative staff to rewrite it so whales aren't an endangered species as we all know. So that's the power and stupidity of Mr. Cheney. He's not a VP but someone playing it for the good of his corporate friends and himself.

Five years later President Bush says the "Mission Accomplished" banner was a mistake. Like Duh, Dude! We all knew it then and you're now just getting it? Wow, you're quick. Not!

Five years on and we're still at war in Iraq. What a legacy he's leaving us.

Did you know the African National Congress, a legally recognized and elected party in South Africa is a terrorist organization? And did you know that Nobel Laurate Nelson Mandella is banned from the US being a member of the ANC? He needs a waiver to enter the US. What a system. That's our terror watch list.

Did you know the Iraq government has earned $70 Billion from oil sales, not including the oil stolen by various groups in Iraq. At the same time we're paying $1 Billion for reconstruction, and about $100 MIllion to insurgent and militia groups who "work" with the US forces to fight other insurgents and militia groups. Your tax money at work and their going where? Into the pockets of the rich Iraqis?

Did you know that none of the candidates on either side will not reduce let alone eliminate the national debt? NONE of them! So why aren't they being asked about that?

Did you know that almost all of the "war analysists" on the news networks are retired senior military officers? Yup, only NPR doesn't allow them on their news stories, and if they do an interview with one or an active duty military officer, they tell the audience. Do the news networks to that? No, they simply put a banner across the screen.

So why are the news networks not bring in other war analysists? How about specialist on diplomacy or even worse, peace? So are the new networks really marketing war? For who? Not us, but the government? And who is our government, Bush and Cheney. It's a government media, not the news. Remember that when you watch or listen.

Parting jesture. Grace Wang (Washington Post article), who has spoken out against both sides of the Tibet debate to stop fighting and start talking to each other. And both sides have called her a traitor. Gee, expressing your own views and trying to find a resolution. Our hats off to her being her own person.