The oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico has been doing so for 6 weeks now and it doesn't appear that an end is in sight.  I recall about two weeks into this matter when talking heads like Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck made comments to the effect that the leak wasn't that big a deal and that environmentalists were making a big fuss over nothing.  Assholes.

This leak will be seen as the greatest hazard to our environment in our recorded history.  It is a man-made problem and proof that we are poor stewards of our planet.  British Petroleum has shown a nearly unparalleled arrogance, similar only to the arrogance we witnessed by former Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick as he was carted off to jail for probation violation — which just happened yesterday, BTW.

It is strange to hear so many blow hard politicians get into the fray now that this has gone on for as long as it has — especially the GOP governors who are trying to spin this as a problem brought on by the Obama administration.  Nice.  Strange watching Louisiana's governor Bobby Jindal spouting that we need greater federal involvement and more resources, as though the federal government has any expertise in these matters.  And wait, are those GOPers asking for bigger government?  What?  How convenient.

This is a very serious matter that will affect us for many years to come, just as the Exxon oil spill off the coast of Alaska has for a number of years — this disaster is projected to be many times worse.  I suggest that President Obama take penalty monies  NOW from BP and place it in escrow — perhaps $10 billion today and then $2 billion each week going forward — because when it is all said and done, this morally bankrupt company will be financially bankrupt and unable to pay its punishment.

No, not really – just something about sitting poolside. Maui several
weeks back and Phoenix this week. What else to do in 95 degree weather?

Great time at the Heart Walk this morning in Southfield, MI. Stepped
into the potty (reluctantly) and saw this bananna peel – who the heck
was eating in this dump? Crazy.

President Obama's selection of Elana Kagan for the next Supreme Court justice is a curious one — but I don't think she'll have trouble passing confirmation by the senate.

Curious because she is so young and has no judicial experience.  I know, I know — not all past justices on our nation's highest court had experience as a judge when they were nominated and they went on to be great justices.

But it just seems weird to me on two fronts.  First, she's single and there is no mention of any sort of romantic interest in her life.  Now I am not stupid and I understand that she doesn't need a man in her life to make her complete — but even a woman in her life — if she has an alternative life style then so be it, just be forthright about it.  (Of course that would drive the GOP senators NUTS!)  The other thing that makes me crazy is her uncanny resemblance to actor Kevin James — you know, King of Queens, Chuck and Larry, Paul Blart, yes, the comedian.  Take a look at that photo and tell me you don't see the resemblance.

But alas, she is Jewish, which never came out when the president nominated her for the position.  And for my part — my great prediction:  she passes confirmation with ease.

It is astounding that 'some event' triggered a nearly 1,000 point fall of the Dow Industrials last week and over 72 hours later and there is still no explanation as to what happened during that 20 minute free-fall.  We've experienced issues like this  before on a smaller scale and have been able to explain them within hours. 

And don't give me that 'fat-finger' bullshit explanation that some trader entered the sale of a billion shares instead of a million – fat finger refers to mis-keying a number on a keyboard adjacent to another — the one that was meant to be struck or entered.  There are 3 more zeroes in a billion versus a million — that isn't fat finger, that is three more intentional  key strokes!

Don't be fooled people, there was likely something else going down like a sick prank or someone hacking into the system.  Hey, are those Goldman puppets still on Capitol Hill or are they back in NYC??

 We can learn from the leaders of "the city of steel" as they quietly went about re-inventing that city over the past 20 years.  From a struggling blue-collar economy, tied primarily to production of steel, to a flourishing metropolitan area that attracts the brightest MBA candidates to Mellon and whose cultural scene is bustling.  

Stop rolling your eyes.  If you haven't been to Pittsburgh, PA in recent years, you don't know this city.  And now it tops Forbes' list of "most livable cities in US."

Congratulations to the citizens of this fine city.  Now can someone please ask Ben Roethlisberger to pack his bags so as not to drag this list down?

Yes, I know it is hard to make out, but enlarge the photo if you must. Here is the beautiful Jennifer Anniston getting into the 'special' van that took her and the other actors to their shoot. Ran into her several times on Maui last week and never had a camera or the nerve to say hello. Then on Friday as I was leaving, she walked right next to me to the valet area as though we were leaving together. Had the sense to reach for my iPhone as though I was making a call and snapped a couple of pix. I am sooooo clever.

 

Well it took this guy 8 minutes to get this oversized bag stuffed into
the overhead bin – another case of the airline not doing their job
correctly. This idiot held up the entire process because he didn’t
wantto check bags. It may be his stubborness or the fact that it would
have cost him $20. Well he nearly brokethe bin’s frame and in the end
had to empty several garments to skinny down the bag. My entertainment
as I head home on the red eye from LAX. Maui was fun but it is time to
head back to reality.

Sent from my iPhone