Where Are My Keys?

POTUS is sure lucky this guy isn't in the Senate anymore..

This guy was really pissed about how unprepared the USA was to deal with "bird flu", and took the Bush Administration to task for it:

The failure to prepare for emergencies can have devastating consequences. We learned that lesson the hard way after Hurricane Katrina. This nation must not be caught off-guard when faced with the prospect of an avian flu pandemic. The consequences are too high.

The flyways for migratory birds are well-established. We know that avian flu will likely hit the United States in a matter of time. With the regular flu season coming up shortly, conditions will be favorable for reassortment of the avian flu virus with the annual flu virus. Such reassortment could lead to a mutated virus that could be transmitted efficiently between humans, which is the last condition needed for pandemic flu.

The question is will we be ready when that happens? Let’s make sure that answer is yes. I urge my colleagues in the Senate and the House to push this Administration to take the action needed to prevent a catastrophe that we have not seen during our lifetimes.”

The current Ebola outbreak is significantly worse than H5N1 was.  Where is that young Senator now, to hold this Administration's feet to the fire?

Something to look forward to..

ISIS now controls both dams (shoddily built), and can unleash a 65-foot "tidal wave" on Baghdad whenever they want (or, if they don't stay on the upkeep, when they don't want to!):

As of August 3 newswires report, recent fighting in north and central Iraq results in ISIS fighters taking full control of Iraq's biggest dam at Haditha unopposed by Kurdish fighters who have made a strategic retreat to Kurd territory after losing three towns, and an oilfield to ISIS fighters. The Haditha Dam serving Baghdad, like a smaller dam serving Mosul which fell to ISIS fighters in June, was as early as 2007 identified by the US Special Inspectorate General for Iraq Reconstruction, a Pentagon watchdog, as a critical installation for enemy insurgent attack. This Agency highlighted structural problems at the two earthfill dams, needing constant grouting and backfill to prevent collapse, and warned of the catastrophic possibilities if either of them fell to insurgents - then called Al Qaeda in Iraq. Both of these dams are now in the hands of ISIS.

Due to their construction method and need for constant upkeep, both dams are relatively easy to rupture using only low amounts of well-placed explosives. The Agency warned that total rupture of the Haditha Dam could cause a 65-foot-high tidal wave in Baghdad City.

ISIS now has two powerful bargaining chips in Iraq. Its frankly apocalyptic general theory of forcing its Grand Caliphate into being would be served by the total destruction of Baghdad if the city and el-Maliki's government do not submit. In no way avoiding the Apocalypse but welcoming it, the effects on Iraq's oil production and oil exports can be imagined. Comparable insurgency, civil riot and rebellion and destruction of government is under way in both Syria and Libya. The extreme fundamentalist Sunni ISIS movement makes no secret of 'the prize' being the overthrow of albeit-Sunni ruling families, called 'impious and heretical' in the GCC countries.

That would have an interesting effect on the price of oil, wouldn't it?

Thank goodness we have a leader in DC that keeps showing his "smart diplomacy" skills.

Remember how Obama "saved GM"?..

It was announced today that an additional 7.6 million U.S. vehicles are being recalled.  GM stock is trading around $37 today (you'll recall it needed to hit around $55 a share for the taxpayers to break even on their "investment").

GM has been getting hammered with recalls, as evidenced by a simple search on Google.

At what point will GM encourage consumers to buy a different brand of vehicle?

GM is number one in one category: number of vehicles recalled in a single year!

Remind me again of why we didn't let this company go bankrupt?  I wonder if GM will need a taxpayer bailout to finance the over $2.5 billion in claims it will have to pay out?

As I wrote this post, I went back to see what effect the news was having on GM stock.  It's dropped to just over $36, and trading has been halted. 

You know what sucks?

Getting older: