1. Lara's Theme from Dr. Zhivago
2. Destiny by Zero 7
3. When The Tigers Broke Free by Pink Floyd
4. South of Market by Joyce Cooling
5. Little Willy by Sweet
6. A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall by Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music
7. Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield
8. Courthouse by Chris Isaak
9. Still Loving You by Scorpions
10. Testing 1,2,3 by Barenaked Ladies
I tried to post something from Paul Krugman last night, it didn't go through.
On one side, a measure that would have increased scrutiny of containers entering U.S. ports, at a cost of $648 million, has been dropped from a national security package being negotiated in Congress.Millions, billions. What's the difference in this day and age? It's not like their constituents have any say in the matter unless they contributed to their campaign and in a big way. Nope, nothing is more important than making sure that the lobbyists are happy. Too bad it didn't work this time, I hope you have worse luck the next time.
Now, President Bush says that we're fighting a global war on terrorism. Even if you think that's a bad metaphor, we do face a terrifying terrorist threat, and experts warn that ports make a particularly tempting target. So some people might wonder why, almost five years after 9/11, only about 5 percent of containers entering the U.S. are inspected. But our Congressional leaders, in their wisdom, decided that improving port security was too expensive.
On the other side, Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, tried yesterday to push through elimination of the estate tax, which the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates would reduce federal revenue by $355 billion over the next 10 years. He fell three votes short of the 60 needed to end debate, but promised to keep pushing. "Getting rid of the death tax," he said, "is just too important an issue to give up so easily."
So there you have it. Some people might wonder whether it makes sense to balk at spending a few hundred million dollars — that's million with an "m" — to secure our ports against a possible terrorist attack, while sacrificing several hundred billion dollars — that's billion with a "b" — in federal revenue to give wealthy heirs a tax break. But nothing is more important in the face of a war than cutting taxes.
From the what were they thinking department. If you find a USB storage device, don't just plug it into your computer, you don't know what's on it.
So, instead of giving Paris Hilton an undeserved tax break, what about these people? The shrimp season has started and there are no boats, which means people are unemployed.
Trying to comprehend the reasons boats still nestle in trees so long after the storm can hurt the brain: the owners never acquired or could not afford insurance; the federal government saw no compelling need to remove them; there are protected wetlands to worry about, and even an Indian burial ground.Katrina has faded to a blip, right up until the next big storm. Then it should rush back into the national consciousness.
If Katrina ever slips momentarily from one's mind here — if — the plain sight of these boats in the woods snuffs the daydreaming. The slow, complicated efforts to extricate the hurricane-stranded vessels mirror the slow, complicated efforts to extricate this hurricane-damaged city of 2,100 from that one day last August.
My brother and I have been waiting for Cars for over a year and a half since we saw the trailer, now I'm going to wait for the video.
If there isn't any news besides Zarquawi updates (he's still dead!) and Blogger keeps acting up, then I will see you tomorrow. If there is, I'll be back.
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