Current Events, July 2007
1) I guess you learn something every day. I always knew Dennis Kucinich was not exactly my favorite politician. Reading through Drudge today, I find out not only is he a vegan (not a science fiction alien, actually a person who won't eat any animal related product, ie meat, cheese, milk, baby seal pudding, etc), but he just got checked into the hospital for food poisoning. The rich irony here, is that if one was to visit PETA's website, it is full of great reading material that insists how superior a vegan diet is. Yummy, pass me the 100% organic tofu faux bologna. Not. Sorry guys, I'll stick to my totally macked out on steroids and antibiotics chicken breasts and genetically engineered grains. It's more nutricious, actually has less chance of leading to food poisoning, and is more efficient on land use. I am green, but only where it counts, the bottom line.
2) On a related note, I am glad the Al Gore has done so well for mother Earth that he has earned the right to serve a threatened species at his daughter's wedding (that's Chilean Sea Bass). I got in a fight with wifey when I said most of the people at the live aid concert were hyprocrits and charlatans. I wonder what would make me think that way. I give up. I have three wonderful daughters though, so I am already making my plans. The oldest shall have sea turtle stew, the middlest shall have a delicious baked manatee florentine with basil and red wine sauce, and the youngest shall have rosticery bald eagle topped with a wonderful truffle and white wine reduction.
3) Sub-Prime: The market is still getting very scared about the sub-prime mortgage issue. It has definately put a crimp on the major investment banks, and my Goldman Sachs position is suffering. Funny thing is, they are still making boatloads of money. Still, perception is reality on the street.
4) My boy Hugo Chavez is using his fat petro bucks to double down on even more Russian military equipment. In this case, Kilo class subs and maybe some better air defense systems. My odd prediction for the future is a post Castro revolution that will be opposed by Chavez and we will have a nice little miniature conflict in the Carribean in five years. Don't worry though, it won't last real long.
5) Big hands for our men and women overseas. The surge is going very well militarily. You never hear that on the news. I actually read one account of Jarheads in Ramadi getting bored becuase its so quiet. The progress in Al Anbar (my old stomping grounds) is astounding. The rat lines in from Syria are now a much less important threat. Arrowhead Ripper is winding down too. Mike Yon has had some excellent coverage and predicts the next hotspot will be Mosul, as the only major area where the bad guys might regroup. Keep an eye on the Balad to Mosul corridor. Keep an eye on the Strykers too, our modern day street-fighters.