Posts Tagged “wildfire”
- The stock market returned to its wild ride Monday, as news of a global plan for buying directly into banks sent prices surging everywhere–including the US, where the Dow posted a gigantic 932 point gain, it’s biggest one-day bump in history. Brokers everywhere celebrated by taking off their homeless person disguises…
- President Bush said he would announce new plans Tuesday that will use a portion of the $700 billion bailout money for the purchase of stock in major US banks–the same plan adopted in Great Britain and throughout Europe. It must be strange for the president to announce a policy that wasn’t dictated to him while asleep by Karl Rove or Dick Cheney…
- Democratic Congressman Tim Mahoney of Florida called for a House Ethics Committee investigation into his own conduct after an ABC News report that he agreed to pay $121,000 to a former mistress and staff worker after being threatened with a sexual harassment suit. He’s either incredibly confident, insane or calculating–in other words, a politician…
 Princeton professor and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman is the recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economics for his work on international trade patterns–making Krugman the best-known American economist to win the award in decades. Krugman has been a relentless critic of the Bush administration’s economic policies, particularly the bailout package–which to much of the world would qualify him as a genius…- Canada is wrapped up in an election campaign as well, with voters going to the polls Tuesday to likely re-elect Conservative Party incumbent prime minister Stephen Harper over Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion. A native of Quebec, Dion’s struggles with the English language have been a campaign issue–you mean like Sarah Palin?
 Wildifres in Southern California are moving into suburban Los Angeles neighborhoods, fanned by the area’s legendary Santa Ana winds, forcing frantic evacuations by homeowners–some given as little as 20 minutes to escape the engulfing flames. There are those trying to put a positive spin on the tragedy–their commute just got a lot shorter…
Tags: ABC, California, Canada, financial bailout, Nobel Prize, President Bush, stock market, wildfire
No Comments »
- Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska–the nation’s longest-serving Republican senator–was indicted by federal prosecutors on seven felony counts of concealing a quarter-million dollars in home renovations and other gifts from a major oil contractor that has lobbied Stevens. Stevens has flatly denied that he knowingly broke any law–well, at least any law he felt he should obey…
- Southern California coped with a 5.4-magnitude earthquake Tuesday–
View Larger Map
the strongest to hit a populated area there in over a decade–that shook windows, chandeliers, a few buildings and plenty of nerves but did not cause serious injuries or major damage. In short, it was not the "Big One" scientists warn is coming, which I believe is measured by the number of celebrities losing cosmetic body parts…
- Mother Nature is causing more headaches in the Golden State as yet another wildfire–this one started by a target shooter– has spread to 46 square miles, destroyed 25 homes and restricted access to Yosemite National Park. This kind of thing could become a real tragedy–where would Yosemite Sam live?
-
Democratic senators Tuesday called for the resignation of EPA administrator Stephen Johnson, claiming he lied to them when testifying that he acted alone in sparing California from regulating vehicles’ global warming emissions–despite other testimony that Johnson was pressured by the White House. That’s easy enough to prove–just find out if he ever talked to Dick Cheney or Karl Rove…
- John McCain skirted a potentially damaging health scare after a regular checkup found a spot on his cheek that might have been skin cancer–until a biopsy ruled it out. It makes me wonder how Mike Huckabee took the news–before and after…
- A scientist has reported that a 7 square-mile chunk of ice has broken off a Canadian ice shelf in the Arctic, saying it was consistent with the theory that the Arctic’s current climate isn’t rebuilding ice sheets–but not specifically blaming global warming. Maybe it’s because every time it happens, you have to pay Al Gore…
Tags: Alaska, California, cancer, earthquake, EPA, global warming, John McCain, Senate, wildfire
No Comments »
- The Senate has signed off on a major expansion of the government’s surveillance powers, enhancing intelligence agencies’ ability to wiretap and to provide legal immunity for phone companies that cooperate with it. Not to worry–just as long as you don’t say or do anything that someone incredibly paranoid might think is even a little suspicious, they won’t bother you…
- Barack Obama made an unscheduled stop Wednesday to talk with one of the members of his vice presidential search team, but told reporters, "I’m not going to tell you" when asked what was discussed. Then maybe it is true that he’s gonna ask Newt Gingrich…
- Senator Ted Kennedy returned to Capitol Hill Wednesday–the first time since he was diagnosed with brain cancer–to cast a crucial vote to void a pay cut for doctors treating Medicare patients. Teddy probably figured he’d need the help himself soon…
- As the number of salmonella cases reached 1000, making it the worst foodborne outbreak in a decade, federal officials are suggesting that those most at risk for the disease now avoid eating certain hot peppers, as well as varieties of tomatoes and the herb cilantro. If I was a salsa manufacturer, I’d be pretty nervous right about now…
- Wildfires in California continue to rage, and the state is using all its resources to battle them–including crews of nonviolent inmates who have been trained in firefighting and forestry work. This is either some great on-the-job training or the ultimate death wish…
- Boulder, Colorado’s district attorney announced that more modern DNA tests have finally confirmed that the family of JonBenet Ramsey was not involved in her 1996 murder, and that the evidence points to an unknown assailant. That is, of course, unless they totally screwed this up as well…
Tags: Barack Obama, California, salmonella, Senate, Ted Kennedy, Vice presidential nomination, wildfire, wiretapping
No Comments »
- Those "economic stimulus" payments are finally making their way into the accounts of taxpayers via direct deposit today and the rest of this week, with the first checks set to be mailed May 9–a week earlier than planned. The sped-up timetable is reportedly due to increased government efficiency–those folks want their money, too…
- Barack Obama has reportedly passed on a challenge from Hillary Clinton to debate prior to the May 6 North Carolina primary, but added, "I’m not ducking. We’ve had 21." It may be the smart move strategy-wise, but he could spend the next week quacking endlessly about it…
- Long-time gum maker William Wrigley Jr. Co., the one-time owner of the Chicago Cubs and namesake of their baseball home, will become a subsidiary of candy giant Mars Inc. in a $23 billion all-cash deal. Fine–just as long as it doesn’t turn into Snickers Field…
- An early-season wildfire in Southern California has spread to 350 acres and forced over 1000 people to flee their homes yesterday. Is it just me, or is Mother Nature determined to turn LaLa Land into rubble one way or another?
- The Olympic Torch relay faced more demonstrators as it passed through South Korea yesterday, as Chinese students and anti-Beijing protestors threw rocks and punches in Seoul . Maybe they should make this an Summer Games event…
- Over 150 aftershocks have been felt in the Reno area following Friday night’s 4.7 magnitude earthquake, which actually was the worst of a series of quakes that began there February 28. This has got to wreak some serious havoc on the roulette and craps action…
Tags: 2008 Summer Olympics, Barack Obama, earthquake, economic stimulus, Hillary Clinton, North Carolina, primary, wildfire
No Comments »
|
The gold-medal Olympic victory by the 
Entries (RSS)