Mid term Congressional elections are only twenty-two months away but it will take far more than two short years to sponge up the current economic debacle, precipitated by a long succession of devastatingly unwise regulatory decisions, and to reform and build new, firmly controlled international financial market mechanisms.

On January 20, 2009, when Barack Obama becomes President, his honeymoon will be over moments after his swearing in ceremony has… Continue reading

Here is a video worth watching: International Aid Workers are today’s heroes… every day’s heroes, risking their life yesterday, today and tomorrow, as they carry out their selfless work. This is a time to celebrate their gift to the world, and to everyone of us, who can remotely watch their accomplishments on our screens. If you know an Aid Worker, the family of and Aid Worker or know of… Continue reading

Tags: Generosity

This Holiday Season, I wish people to be creative and find ways to help the less fortunate around and far away. I have seen what neighbors can do when rushed into a catastrophic situation, such as a strong earthquake, a tsunami or a devastating flood. I personally repeatedly experienced sudden acts of generosity when Northern California was shaken by the Loma Prieta earthquake, at 5:04pm on October 17, 1989, as… Continue reading

Tags: History, Presidential Elections

This clip, from Chris Matthews’ Hardball show, featured last night on MSNBC, is worth the 14 minutes of your time. The three speakers: Chris Matthews, Christopher Hitchens and Michael Smerconish. It boils down to the ticking bomb issue and the easiness with which one of the speakers would resort to blow torches if needed… For some, this is a conundrum, for others there is no question either way. Post your… Continue reading

Tags: ethics, Torture

If you are looking for crystal ball answers on the future evolution of the world wide economic devastation and its monstrous aftermath, you will not find any details here. Actually, if you discover prognostics of the sort anywhere on this matter, they are likely to have been concocted by the next Bernard Maddoff. In murky times, any certainty is suspicious, but, as comforting as it may sound, there are a… Continue reading

Tags: bailout, Economy, Politics

As a parting gift, I would like to offer a piece of advice to our departing president: if you want to enjoy a peaceful retirement, next year, when the hunting season opens, don’t team up again with this guy…

Tags: Waterboarding

Time to reminisce for the departing president. This Friday, retiring President Bush will gather his friends and acolytes from the past eight years in a farewell dinner before Christmas. Watch for tearful comments and oh shucks remarks on some of the worst decisions from the most dangerous president in the History of this Nation. A quick summary of the Bush years: when he took office, W. was handed a half… Continue reading

Tags: History, Politics

Hard Lessons: The Iraq Reconstruction Experience

In the first hours of the weekend, George W. Bush flew to Iraq to hail a recent accomplishment: signing a security agreement that can easily be revised and superseded by the next administration – Bush, once again, claiming victory… Continue reading

Tags: History, Politics

Tonight, the Senate killed the automotive industry bailout, or at least sent it to the emergency room. Unfortunately, the No votes did the right thing for the wrong reasons and the Yes votes did the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Indeed, voting to salvage companies that have consistently and collectively ignored market dynamics for over three decades were not worth saving, but what… Continue reading

Tags: bailout, Economy, Politics

Yesterday, the police arrested the Illinois Governor on charges of corruption. It only took a few hours for Republicans to start attacking Barack Obama by association (again), figuring that although that strategy did not work during the presidential campaign, it should work now..!?

Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois Governor already under FBI investigation for the last three years, was trying to sell Obama’s vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder… Continue reading

Tags: corruption

Earlier today, the Genocide Prevention Task Force — co-chaired by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Defense Secretary William Cohen —released a set of recommendations to the Obama Transition Team as “We have a duty to find the answer before the vow of “never again” is once again betrayed.” The Genocide Prevention Task Force report will also be presented to the United Nations tomorrow. Continue reading

Tags: Diplomacy

The November 4, 2008 Presidential election indicated a yearning for a new vision for America. Beware of the revision of the last 8 years by the main actors of the last 8 years.

At Camp David just before Thanksgiving, George W. Bush expressed his regrets, to ABC’s Charles Gibson… Continue reading

Tags: History