Stocks Bouncing Near the Bottom
This is a futile exercise, calling a bottom, so, I'm not calling one, but just speculating. The DOW has to bounce off of 6400 +/- once more. The NASDAQ MIGHT, just MIGHT have to bounce off of 1250 +/- again but frankly I doubt it. The S&P might have to bounce off of 640 +/- again. There, got that outta my system.
The Democrats like government, committees, and big collections of folks who can't reach a conclusion and like lots and lots of money to spend on things that don't work, aren't accountable and eventually they blow themselves up. They like to suffer. It's their nature.
The Republicans like lots and lots of money in their pockets, wars, heavy industry, incompetence, fear and trembling in the population and the world. They blow everybody else up. Plus they're not terribly bright and blame everybody else for the ill they begat. But, they can bring themselves together as somewhat of a cohesive group of dingbats, airheads and fundamentalists. Buckley's dead, what else can you say?

Capitalism Evolving? Devolving? Something
Maybe I'm just getting to old. What is “contractual obligation” for failure?
And what's the opposite? For success? AIG, BA, C, etc, etc, bonus's paid for abject failure to the public, shareholders, the country or, is it Capitalism at it purist?
Everybody for themselves. The boss (es) are getting big ones everybody else might as well get it too. The success of the business is secondary.
The Mantra is “we have to pay it to retain the top talent.” This is talent? Incompetence is Talent? Getting the bonus when you're a greedy slimeball buffoon is talent.
Based on rewarding the incompetent and corrupt and insatiably greedy Madoff should get the biggest bonus of all.

Wrapping it Up – The Saudis, The Bushs & The Baath Party
We're at war in Iraq for one reason, to bust up the Baath Party for the Saudis who hadn't the brass to do it themselves. (See post Jan 18, “Mission Accomplished”) The Saudis are now in negotiations with the Syrians to form a new Pan-Arab league with themselves the Saudis- on top. Saddam is dead. Assad the Elder is dead. GW Bush can go home and watch re-runs of “Lawrence of Arabia” over and over. The Christian Right can wallow in the glow of a successful 6th Crusade, dead bodies and all. And they didn't even know what they were in on.

The Democrates blow themselves up, always and the Republicans blow everybody else up, always. The Democrates stand around wringing their hand, pissing and moaning and the Republicans just go for the money and power. It looks like now the Republicans have learned by default something from the Dems. Jesus, thank God for whiskey.

FOX & Conservative Luminarios

FOX news on February 28, during the CPAC confrence called Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter the "luminarios of the Conservative Party."
I am almost without words. Almost. This is like announcing that boiled Spam will be served for Thanksgiving. No wonder nobody showed up. I seriously thought it was a joke, thought maybe the newscaster was just playing with me, but, nope, dead serious. Sorry, I didn't mean to insult the Spam.

FOXnews & BOFS

Early in the last campaign an interesting situation surfaced. It's a new virus, know as BOFS, it's rampant in certain circles, savage in it's scope and frankly funny if it wasn't so sad, pathetic and humiliating for some members of the human race. It's neurological, kind of like dementia, a form of Serious denial, undefined currently in medical journals. BOFS is Barack Obama Fear Syndrome. Fortunately it's spread through a minority of the population but it can be observed on the Fair and Balanced TV newshow FOX. Disbelief, denial, disconnect from reality, and unwavering belief in the perpetuation of Dumb.