THE ENTERPRISE
It's probably a bad idea to write while suffering from jet lag, but here goes anyway--a collection of thoughts and observations, since the possibility of stringing together a coherent longer piece is slim.
---Understanding How Weak the US Dollar is--first hand
Nothing quite brings home just how weak the Dollar is vs. the Euro like going to the window of an Italian currency exchange and trading US $200 for €128.75 after fees, etc. When reading prices in Euros, you could almost forget to add the 30% premium if you are planning on spending your US dollars...
---When Money Rules the Game
Has anyone really considered how much too long the baseball season is when the World Series is not over until nearly Halloween, and it's so cold for night games that you can easily see the players breath on TV? But as long as the incremental additional games bring in a positive income contribution...it will stay that way. Anyone for Trick or Treat IF the White Sox win it all?
---Tourism is BIG Business in Europe
The hordes of tourists (yours truly included) visiting the legendary Mediterranean locales in mid-late Oct. were amazing. It was hard just walking in the streets in some places. Even with a weak US dollar, there were many Americans. Surprisingly, the Italians won the rudeness award hands down (defeating the traditional winners, the French.
---Storms are Bigger and Badder, but that isn't all
There are more and more people living in US coastal areas, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico and SE Atlantic Coast. This means that both the damage from big, bad storms will be worse, and the difficulty in evacuation will also be greater. With the hurricane predictors advising that we are in a cycle of more and stronger tropical storms, plans and emergency efforts must be more effective. And the government simply must curtail its liberal "insurance" protection that actually encourages development AND rebuilding in storm-damage-prone locations. Otherwise, the entire country could soon be subsidizing a "hold harmless" for coastal dwellers.
---A Disconnect--on Iraq--Again
Once again, I continue to hear positive first and second hand reports about Iraq (largely from military and/or parents of military serving there) that just don't match the constant gloom and doom headlines in the major media. Since I have not been there, I wonder just what the truth is. It makes a BIG difference in our national psyche.
---The NY Times says "Mea Culpa"--Again
A major war of words between this once prestigious newspaper and a misbehaving reporter--again--the third such incident in recent times. But don't underestimate the power of the media. After all, is it a coincidence that the writers of the West Wing (NBC-TV) had a major 2nd tier White House official being fired for leaking classified information? Or that a new show Commander in Chief heralds a woman President, just to soften up those who don't realize that Hillary wants the job sooo badly. With 90-95% of the major entertainment and news media admittedly liberal, neither of these "creative" twists are surprising--nor is the fact that NY Times reporters either report the news, or make up what they want to report.
---President Bush at a crossroads
The recent Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, a seemingly "lightly-qualified crony" could be the "straw that broke the camel's back" for George W. Bush. IF a sitting President loses the support of his core political supporters, he loses the ability to govern. Bush has already alienated many foreign countries. His approval level in general is at an all time low. Conservatives in his own party question the choice openly. IF they "break ranks" as seems likely, Bush is "toast." He will be a 2-1/2 year, very lame duck. That would be a serious setback for the US as a country. Scandals aside, Presidents in the past who have met this fate have caused our country to suffer both domestically and internationally. We'll see.
That's enough for now. My body thinks it is 4 AM, and although I'm a night person, I'm not that much of a night person. Next week, it's back to work.
Best, John
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