Openness and Transparency.

I really like this video. Watch how Helen Thomas shows her repulsion to the 'pre-packaged questions', calling a reporter the night before to brief him on questions. "I am amazed .. at you people that call for openness and transparency". You people. Love that. via Drudge .

Boys With Dad

The video is about Bush Senior jumping out of the plane again on his birthday and using it to get old people out and about to 'do something instead of sitting in the corner drooling'. But there is something about the family stuff here that I really like. About halfway through Jeb and George W come into the camera. Note Bush 43 more at ease and jocular.

I Guess That's Karma

the Bad kind.

I think attaching any humor to the Air France crash is morose, but I can
only say that we should note the irony of two know terrorist suspects
dying on the Air France crash.

Note: officials are not saying they caused the crash but simply in the
wrong place at the wrong time, rather than being in a place they chose
to kill and maim innocent lives as is their normal modus operandi.

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Felt 1903

I really want one of these: (The video embed is supposed to work below here. Dunno what went wrong, so click the link and suffer past the advertising to see the bicycle/mortocycle.)

Palm Sweat

I am watching Timothy Geitner shaking hands with Chinese officials and I couldn't help thinking what its like to hold hands with a man for a long, long time as photos are being made. They must be trained on the squeamish factor ahead of time. I wonder if someone has a video somewhere of an official wiping his hand on his clothes as soon as he released Geitners wet-fish palm. I would need shots after I shook Geitner's hand.

Non-confirmed Kills

This was like out of a bad comedy with Steve Marin. Seriously close to getting rundown by a car cruising through and intersection yesterday after work.

I was out with my six year old walking the two dogs to the park in Prague, when a car comes from the right without yielding and even without looking. I saw the driver look only the other side where she expected traffic to come from and was oblivious to four living beings not one meter to her left.

Whats worse is tha the driver continued into the intersection and almost took out an older woman crossing the intersecting suburban street.

It was an auto-skola (Driving School) lesson! I almost laughed and tried to get the second target/victim to smile at the idiocy of the moment but she would not have any of it.

I did catch a glance of the teacher who was looking across the shoulders of the driver through the rear window. I could not tell if it was a grimace of embarrassment (go ahead, try to make that face; it works), or a "I am totally busted" face. Imagine the teacher's thoughts at that moment. No near misses all month and two on one day. Better than a confirmed kill, I guess.


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Hating "the Perfect Storm"

I am sick of hearing "its a perfect storm" brewing, or "all these factors combined to make a perfect storm" Are you? .

Madoff Losses Linked to Palestinian Gains?

I just listened to a long BBC story about Madoff's charitable involvements and how these charities now suffer from loss of their main funds but also about some that will suffer in the future from 'clawback'. Interestingly, since Madoff ran with the Jewish communities, and he was a known charity mark, it would not be too hard to believe that funds were being directed towards Israeli lobby interests. Now, consider the recent comments by Hillary (just these last tw0 days) about settlements. And trial balloons these last months that seemed to highlight these policy shifts. I wonder: is it related? Sure there are some pretty far out claims like this one which quote's some Russian journal which further quotes Israeli politicians saying that they had better release Madoff or there will be war. I am not so interested in that type of journalism, but I do believe there are some links. Maybe I am tired and drifting into conspiracy theories. .