How Long Before Chavez Wants Nukes?

Trouble in South America:

Venezuela's government imposed rolling blackouts of up to four hours every other day throughout the country on Tuesday to combat an energy crisis.

President Hugo Chavez has said rationing is necessary to prevent water levels in Guri Dam — the cornerstone of Venezuela's energy system — from falling to critical lows and causing a widespread power collapse. Drought has cut the flow of water into the dam, which feeds three hydroelectric plants that supply 73% of Venezuela's electricity.

Chavez seeking (Iranian) nuclear technology in 5...4...3...

Reading Roundup

I've been cutting back on the amount of political news I'm ingesting. Frankly, I've already made up my mind, and there really isn't anything that Muttley/Beaverhausen can say to sway my vote away from Obama/Biden.

However, despite my serious efforts, I can't get away from the news completely because I'm a current affairs junkie. I always tear out the pages of periodicals or print out web pages and then circle the critical points to emphasize their importance. The clippings then sit on my desk and I end up trashing them as the news cycle moves on to the next topics.

I'm clearing off my desk, and here's what I've found that's still worth mentioning.

---

From Newsweek magazine's Letters column, September 22, 2008 issue:

"I couldn't believe that Anastasia Beaverhausen Sara Palin ridiculed Barack Obama's years of work as community organizer during her convention speech. The suffragists who earned Palin the right to vote were community organizers. So were the feminists who agitated to improve job opportunities for women and made it possible for Beaverhausen Palin to play high-school basketball. Abolitionists who fought against slavery, workers on the underground railroad guiding slaves to freedom and civil-right workers were community organizers. So are union organizers who help improve the lives of workers. Finally, we owe the very existence of our country to a dedicated group of community organizers, more commonly know as our Founding Fathers.

— Jane Cameron, Piscataway, NJ

Eight years ago the GOP noimated a short-term governor of a large, oil-rich state to be president. They described him as a regular guy and said his lack of international experience wouldn't be a problem Now it has nominated a short-term governor of a large, oil-rich state to be vice president and see no problem with her inexperience. For me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

— Hilton Weiss, Rhinebeck, NY

You can always count on interesting perspectives and getting a feel for where the country is at by reading the letters to the editor.

---

From Newsweek magazine's Perspectives column, September 22, 2008 issue:

"Until...the news media is going to treat her with some level of respect and deference...it would be foolhardy to put her out into that kind of environment."

— McCain campaign manager Rick Davis, on why vice presidential candidate Anastasia Beaverhausen Sara Palin is giving so few interviews to the press

She's going to be one heart beat away from being president. Gee, if she can't handle the U.S. press corps, how is she going to handle our relationships with Putin, Ahmadinejad, and Chavez. They aren't going to show up to the White House bearing candy, roses, and a Miss Universe sash.

---

From Time magazine's Verbatim column, September 29, 2008 issue:

"Maybe he thought he was going to have a more folksy ride."

— Barbara Walters, cohost of The View, after Cindy McCain accused the show of attacking her husband during an appearance.

See my comments on the Beaverhausen clip above Ditto here.

---

Now my desktop is ready for next week!

Oil Prices Plummet

Oil plunged $5 as investors fled to safer havens due to turmoil in the U.S. financial system and on early signs Hurricane Ike had spared key U.S. energy infrastructure. London Brent crude fell $5.26 to $92.32 a barrel.

High fuel prices and wider economic problems have dragged down oil demand in the U.S. and other large consumer nations, sending crude prices from a record high over $147 a barrel in July.

Some thoughts:

• Fuck you Chavez, Ahmadinejad, and Putin (less leverage for the hostage takers)
• Fuck you Muttley/Beaverhausen...drilling is not the key to price drops (ummm, it's about our exploding debt and the weak dollar but don't let the facts get in your way)
• Fuck you to the speculators...I hope you go bankrupt (without a taxpayer bailout)
• This is good news for the poor people that need to heat their homes this winter
• This is bad news because it shows the extreme fucked-up-ness of our economy

Other than the effects on the economy and country in a macro sense, the price of oil effects me not. I won't benefit from this as I didn't feel the pinch when prices skyrocketed.