Medvedev Spurs Judicial Reform In Russia

According to this BBC News story, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has pushed the Russian judiciary system into reform mode. Russian Prosecutor General Yury Chaika has promised to reform a system in which money and influence have often led to wrongful convictions, or, indeed, wrongful acquittals.

I know of no country where the judicial system reaches a perfectly just decision every time, or is free from influence by the rich and powerful. Certainly that is not the case here in the US, although we try. It is heartening to see that the Russian Republic is making deliberate steps to recognize and improve on it’s courts’ shortcomings.

I think I scooped Windows to Russia on an important piece of Russia news, too!

 

Martian Real Estate Boom!

Falling home prices have prompted innovative entrepreneurs to look outward for new opportunities. The first photos from the newly arrived Mars Phoenix Lander show just how far some developers are willing to go.

This may be your chance to get in on the ground floor!

 

We Meet Again Dr. Jones

According to Yahoo News, an unimpeachable source if there ever was one, Communist Party representatives in Russia are offended by the depiction of Communists in the newly released film “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” and are asking for the film to be banned. Banned in Russia, I guess, where it opened in 800 theaters this weekend.

I think it was pretty insensitive of Steven Spielberg to give this film, set in the 1950s, at the beginning of the cold war, a Russian Communist villain. Surely he could have found a way to make the bad guy a Muslim extremist, as all patriotic American filmmakers now do.

The depiction of Communism in this stereotypical way is offensive to our good friends in the former Soviet Union. Moose and Squirrel would be ashamed.

 

Campaign Rhetoric

Thank youTime.com.

 

Stay On Message!

Thanks to Ambivablog for finding this video, despite the somewhat snarky title she chose.

 

Primary Campaign Drags On

Hillary Clinton, refusing to listen to my advice, has won the Kentucky primary by a margin of 35%, meanwhile Barack Obama has won in Oregon. Obama now has a clear majority of pledged delegates. You can expect another cascade of superdelegates to announce for Obama in the next few days. Clinton vows to fight on. The Kansas City Star calls it “winning by losing.”

I’m tired.

 

Let The games Begin!

Barack Obama has begun to aim his campaign rhetoric at Republican nominee John McCain. Now a website called The Real McCain has released this video on YouTube.

The Real McCain is operated by:

Brave New PAC
10510 Culver Blvd.,
Culver City, CA 90232

whoever that is.

I look forward to the online freak show we will have, with many many many voices, some hard to identify, throwing the kitchen sink at both of the Presidential nominees. This is going to be fun, exiting and infuriating.

 

Carnival of Maryland #33

Carnival of Maryland issue no. 33 is up and running at The Greenblet. I have a Clark’s Picks post in it, as per usual. This time it’s Frank Zappa.

BTW, this is not what the new Frank Zappa statue in Baltimore looks like.

 

No Soup For You, George

Saudi Arabia has again denied President Bush’s request to increase oil production, citing a balance between supply and demand. as the price of oil rose o a new record, over $127 a barrel. In fact the world oil supply, and the American oil supply are sufficient to meet demand. There are no gas lines as we saw during the “Arab Oil Crisis” of 1973. Nobody is suggesting rationing fuel.

The weak dollar and the weak housing market, sparked by the crisis in sub prime home loans have made oil futures an attractive investment, particularly for those who’s money is in dollars. The lower the dollar goes, the higher the price, in dollars, of a barrel of oil. The more money chasing those barrels of oil, the higher the price goes again. The rise in prices attracts even more investment, which again drives the price up, effecting a further drop in the dollar. Even as supplies are increasing, due in part to an increase in production already implemented by Saudi Arabia and as demand is cooling, due to a slowdown in the world’s economy driven by the soft dollar, oil prices continue to rise in an uncontrolled spiral.

Unfortunately this rapid rise in oil prices is not based on solid economic fundamentals. Once again, the last people in to the market are going to be left holding the bag when oil finally drops to a price supportable by supply and demand. How much damage this will do is anybody’s guess, but I would guess big.

 

Within a Week

That’s my prediction. Hillary Clinton is looking for some concessions from Barak Obama and then she will be dropping out of the race. Her 41 point victory in West Virginia gives her a high point on which to withdraw. She can get her campaign debt retired, take the no 2 spot, if she wants it (doubtful), effect changes in Obama’s health care proposal, become a Supreme Court Justice, something.

John Edwards has felt it in the wind. He is giving Obama his endorsement today. Hillary is making moves toward a withdrawal with her conciliatory moves toward Obama and stepped up criticism of McCain.

Within a week, remember where you heard it.