- OJ is in the news again. No, he didn’t find the real killers, but allegedly he’s been pirating satellite TV. A federal judge ordered “the Juice” to squeeze out $25,000 in damages to DirecTV. Interestingly, gloves were not mentioned, Mark Furman doesn’t work for DirecTV, and Johnny Cochran was unavailable for comment, as he is dead.
- “NASA Says Discovery Looks OK to Fly Home” – OK, but is there vacancy on the International Space Station? I’ll catch the next one… Jeez, NASA also said they had the falling debris thing fixed, right?
- It looks like we will have an energy bill passed this year. The House/Senate compromise version provides $14.5B in tax breaks including $1.3B in tax breaks for conservation and efficiency programs like credits for buying hybrid gas-electric cars and home efficiency improvements for stuff like solar. However, solar heated pools are excluded, so shrinkage will remain a serious threat. The bill doubled down ($2.6B) for the oil and gas industries. In related news, today Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell reported quarterly profits of more than $7B and $5B, respectively. Yeah, that “profits” and “billions.” Finally, it aims to double the use of ethanol (made from corn) in gasoline to 7.5B gallons a year by 2012. Hmmm… Ethanol… Corn… Hey, isn’t that-there corn grown in the red states?
Of course Republicans and Democrats lined up to praise and pummel. Rep. John Dingell of Michigan pontificated, “It is not a perfect bill, but it is a solid beginning to developing an energy strategy for the 21st century.” Homeboy Ed Markey, senator from Massachusetts somewhat disagreed, “This bill is packed with royalty relief, tax breaks, loan guarantees for the wealthiest energy companies in America even as they are reporting the largest quarterly profits of any corporation in the history of the United States.”
If we could just find a way to harness the wind produced in the US Congress…
- Is there any way for Teddy Kennedy to come around on Supreme Court nominee, John Roberts? I doubt it, but if Mr. Roberts ever bumps into ol’ Ted at some DC party, two words might help: “Teddy! Shots!”
Dad- I think that you should really write about your fruit salad. I just opened the fridge and saw all of the fruit you bought, and the masterpiece salad needs to be in this blog. And- a possible Haloween party 🙂 Love, Megan