The Clam Rampant

Kasia November 12th, 2008

OK. So at least one or two of the Big Three have expressed interest in getting some of the money from that big government bailout/stimulus package that passed back in what, September? Now, I’m not going to debate whether the package should have passed - even at the time I recognized that it was beyond my meager economic competence to evaluate, and now it’s moot anyway because it’s long since passed. My question is a little more basic.

According to the news report I heard this morning, the Big Three and our governor, Jennifer Granholm, are earnestly pressing for this. However, (the news reported), some people object because the funds shouldn’t be used to prop up companies that have grossly mismanaged their resources. I paraphrase, but that’s the gist.

So here’s my question: As I recall, the package was precipitated by the apparently impending failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, plus a few other financial institutions that had apparently either been instrumental in originating most of the mortgages that have since been deemed overly risky (you know, when they went into default - hindsight being 20/20 and all that) or had purchased them as investments (because we know risky investments NEVER fail and ALWAYS bring high returns)…doesn’t it seem like…well, you know…the package was designed for companies that have grossly mismanaged their resources? Or is it just me?

And now I hear the City of Detroit is trying to get in on the action. Well, they definitely qualify as having grossly mismanaged their resources…

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Kasia July 8th, 2008

Stupid. And plain wrong.

So the G8 summit is going on, and while these poor overworked world leaders are discussing critical food shortages and rising food prices, this is what they’re eating.

“Questionable public relations move” doesn’t even begin to say it. That must be that British gift for understatement shining through.

And Gordon Brown is lecturing Britons not to waste food. That’s rich.

I admit I’ve wasted plenty of food in my life. It’s a terrible habit, and I’m working on curbing it.

That said, admonishments from world leaders would carry a lot more weight if there were even a shred of evidence that they’re making similar efforts. Kind of like environmental causes: the sincere efforts of people like Mr. and Mrs. DJ to use less toxic cleaners and otherwise try to live green ring louder than a hundred rich yahoos who go around shouting at me to hang out my washing and eat less meat, as they get back into their Land Rover or Hummer or three tour buses (which they’ve left idling) to go on to their next stop. (Include in that latter category Al Gore, who wants me to purchase carbon offsets which are conveniently sold by a company he owns.)

Hey G8! Have you ever heard of “teleconferencing”? You’d knock the carbon footprint of the summit down to about a size 0.5 with that.

At the very least, don’t shovel eight courses of gourmet food into your mouths and then try to talk about food shortages. It’s rude to talk with your mouth full.

• "Sin makes you stupid" - Mark Shea , Environment , Politics , Rank stupidity
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