Elliot Spizters’ garden blooms!

I happened to turn on CNN-TV last evening just in time to watch Elliot Spitzers’ gang-buster show.

As former Governor (D-NY) and after loosing his battle with Wall Street banksters in 2008, it now appears Mr. Spitzer has won the war.

Professionally, Mr. Spitzer is a very disciplined man. But with all of his professional aura and after watching him going deeper into his presentation last evening, it was hard not to internalize what can only be labeled his masterful control of his glee in reporting that many of his nemesis on Wall Street have finally been slain.

Unfortunate circumstances prevented Mr. Spitzers' personal involvement in the slaying but hey, I think he would be first in line admitting that vengeance in any form regarding this issues is a thing of beauty. I send him my best wishes.

As always,
BB

Lawsuits vs banks win ammunition from Senate
By Tom Hals and Jonathan Stempel
Excerpt:
A scathing U.S. Senate panel report faulting Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Deutsche Bank AG and others for contributing to the financial crisis may provide ammunition for investor lawsuits accusing the banks of putting their own interests ahead of their clients'.

And
Lawyers for investors who say they lost money from the securities and the banks' stocks consider the report a positive for their legal cases, though much of the underlying documentation and allegations were already known.

And
The report details how investigators believe Goldman and Deutsche Bank deceived clients into buying securities that the banks suspected were likely to implode and bet against with their own money.
Read more at:
http://93rockon.com/news/articles/2011/apr/14/lawsuits-vs-banks-win-ammunition-from-senate/

Anatomy of U.S. wars: The Gold Standard

I like when an author breaks down a situation into its component parts and presents it to the reader. I pray the author knows some readers may not agree with him -not the case here- but can appreciate the product of a scholastic endeavor.
As always,
BB

Obama's Libyan Escapade
By ANDREW BACEVICH
Excerpt:
Motive is slippery. As Paul Wolfowitz famously noted regarding Iraq, weapons of mass destruction merely provided the agreed upon public rationale for war. In reality, a mix of motives probably shaped the decision to invade. For some administration officials, there was the prospect of eliminating a perceived source of mischief while providing an object lesson to other would-be troublemakers. For others, there was the promise of reasserting U.S. hegemony over the world's energy heartland. For others still (including Wolfowitz himself), there were alluring visions of a region transformed, democratized, and pacified, the very sources of Islamist terror thereby eliminated once and for all.

And
Rather than why, what deserves far more attention than it generally receives is the question of how. Here is where we find Barack Obama and George W. Bush (not to mention Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, and Jimmy Carter) joined at the hip. When it comes to the Islamic world, for more than three decades now Washington's answer to how has been remarkably consistent: through the determined application of hard power wielded by the United States. Simply put, Washington's how implies a concerted emphasis on girding for and engaging in war.
Read more at:
http://counterpunch.com/bacevich04132011.html

Sen. Reid and “The Trout” fisherman

“The Trout” (Die Forelle) is a poem attributed to Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart (March 24, 1739 – October 10, 1791) and put to music by Franz Schubert.

The poem tells the story of a frustrated fisherman and an elusive trout. The fisherman successfully catches the trout only after muddying up the water.

In my opinion, Sen. Harry Reid muddied up the waters when talking on the floor of the Senate regarding his personal feelings about womens’ wellness centers.

I was uncomfortable when he began talking due to the fact he was taking his professional duties too personal. I do not think lawmakers should do what he did and, in my opinion, what he did may account for his gross ineffectiveness as Majority Leader of the Senate; Personal feelings as opposed to objectively doing the will of the people and following the law.

The next few months are going to be one heap big mess with Pelosi in the House and Reid in the Senate. UGH! This is going to be pure torture! I wish I could do a political Spring/Summer hibernation. (Smile)
As always,
BB

Amazing: Possible government shutdown boils down to funding the abortion industry
Excerpt:
Reid: My wife and I have been married for more than 50 years. We have one daughter and nine granddaughters….

And
One day, one of them may need a cancer screening…. Over their lives they’ll also need other tests like cholesterol and blood pressure screenings….
Read more at:
http://www.jillstanek.com/2011/04/amazing-possible-government-shutdown-boils-down-to-funding-the-abortion-industry/

Libya and survival of the fittest and smartest

In my opinion, this noteworthy article reveals that Col. Gadaffis’ efforts to ‘go along to get along’ may have cost him his country. There are several inferences in the article voicing the lack of wisdom on the part of Col. Gadaffi in destroying his ‘big stick’.

It is a tale told of the leader of a country who, in the twenty first century, still thinks there is something called “A gentlemans’ agreement”. The word ‘relic’ comes to mind. Sad.
As always,
BB

Libya after the NATO invasion
By Mahmood Mamdani
Excerpt:
Gaddafi's rapprochement with the West unfolded in 2003. In return for dismantling nuclear facilities and inviting a string of US, UK and Italian companies – Occidental Petroleum, BP and ENI – Gaddafi was welcomed back into the Western fold.

And
It may be too late for Gaddafi to draw lessons from these developments, but not so for others.

And
Claiming that it vindicated North Korea's military-first policy, the official went on to sum up the lesson: "The truth that one should have power to defend peace has been confirmed once again."

And
The irony is that the invasion mounted to save civilian lives in Libya is likely to end up making the world more insecure.
Read more at:
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/04/201148174154213745.html#