Monday, June 26, 2006

Buffett says wealth giveaway has been a long time coming

Buffett says wealth giveaway has been a long time coming - Jun. 26, 2006 (CNNMoney.com): "'The first three letters were easy to sign; I just signed 'Dad',' joked Buffett, while signing a letter pledging funds to his daughter Susan A. Buffett's foundation. 'I'm not sure a billion has ever been sent with a letter that says 'Dear Suze.' I wanted to make sure I never wrote one that started 'Dear Anna Nicole Smith',' quipped Buffett. "

Hey, Warren's funny.

This is good news - in the vein of Bill Gates' big announcement the other day.
When asked by Melinda Gates whether her husband had dropped hints to Buffett about making a gift to the Gates foundation, Buffett said that he and Gates have been in discussions about teaming up for philanthropy for about 10 years. [BTW, Gates and Buffet are bridge buddies, as well as good long-time friends. I'd like to be the fly on the wall for some of their conversations...]

Buffett called the decision "logical," saying he wanted to allocate his wealth to people he feels can do a better job of dispersing it than he can. He said he was impressed with the Gates' enthusiasm for the foundation and how the organization is run.

"I want people that are turned on about what they're doing. It just shouts at me, the enthusiasm that you people have for what you're doing," Buffett told the Gates. "You can't order $10 million worth of enthusiasm."

Is this a new breed of Capitalist? Wow. I hope this is contagious.

Friday, June 16, 2006

Gates charity move spotlights giving while living

Gates charity move spotlights giving while living - Yahoo! News

This is great news, and it's going be interesting to watch.

Good for Bill!

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

US emergency rooms in crisis, reports find

US emergency rooms in crisis, reports find - Yahoo! News (Reuters)

Considering that ERs have been over-crowded and with long waits for decades, this is no surprise.

Our government has got to do something about this.

Friday, June 09, 2006

US ports still seen vulnerable to terrorism

US ports still seen vulnerable to terrorism - Yahoo! News (Reuters)

Duh. I'm not the least bit surprised. What's different? Is there anything different?

(I live down the road from Long Beach and see the container ships on their way into Long Beach - many more than there used to be, BTW.)

It's not just our Mexican border that is a problem. How about these ports? And what about the Canadian border?

Homeland Security, where are you?

Thursday, June 08, 2006

CNN.com - 'Painstaking' operation led to al-Zarqawi

CNN.com - 'Painstaking' operation led to al-Zarqawi - Jun 8, 2006

Hurray - this is good news.

I don't usually cheer anyone's death, but this is an exceptional case, as I'm sure you agree. No less than the #1 man in Al Qaeda in Iraq.

No, it doesn't mean that all problems are solved in Iraq, or that there still won't be plenty of violence there, but - all are better off for this man being out of the picture.

(I wonder who's getting that $25M that was on al-Zarqawi's head?)

Now for Bin Laden...

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

CNN.com - Americans want universal health coverage, group says

CNN.com - Americans want universal health coverage, group says - Jun 7, 2006

Yes.

It's about time we joined the rest of the "civilized world" in regard to our health care system.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Bush makes new push for gay-marriage ban

Bush makes new push for gay-marriage ban - Yahoo! News (Reuters)

Why bother?

Doesn't he have more important things on his plate?

Yes!

Oh please let's not have another election dominated by this silly, trivial issue...

Thursday, June 01, 2006

cbs2.com - Reporter Assaulted After Interview, Loses Tape

cbs2.com - Reporter Assaulted After Interview, Loses Tape

From Los Angeles CBS/KCAL TV...

"A local radio reporter was assaulted Thursday while leaving a Los Angeles charter school that his station has said imparts separatist ethics, a station official said."
With his car the assaultant jumped the curb and tried to run down the reporter. Failing that, he tackled the reporter and stole his tape recorder.

The reporter is okay - even after all that.

What the hey!

Schwarzenegger to order troops to border

Schwarzenegger to order troops to border - Yahoo! News (AP)

"They reached an agreement under which California will contribute about 1,000 Guardsmen for border duty and the federal government will pick up the full cost, said Schwarzenegger spokesman Adam Mendelsohn."
I do hope the Feds do pick up the tab.
"Schwarzenegger's decision ended an awkward period for the Republican governor. He held out longer than Democratic governors in Arizona and New Mexico before saying he would send troops." [italics are mine]

Arnold is his own man - a Republican, yet not entirely a Republican. Also, our state's First Lady, who seems to have a big influence on Arnold, is, after all, a Kennedy.

Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" movie about global warming

An Inconvenient Truth - the film's website.

(Gee, I wish Al Gore had won... Oh, wait, he did, sort of. Let's draft him for 2008. : )


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