John Bolton

What kind of sick, sick, sick world do we live in when I agree with John Bolton?

As bad as the bloodying of Georgia is, the broader consequences are worse. The United States fiddled while Georgia burned, not even reaching the right rhetorical level in its public statements until three days after the Russian invasion began, and not, at least to date, matching its rhetoric with anything even approximating decisive action. This pattern is the very definition of a paper tiger. Sending Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice to Tbilisi is touching, but hardly reassuring; dispatching humanitarian assistance is nothing more than we would have done if Georgia had been hit by a natural rather than a man-made disaster.

Headline News

Given the current state of Eastern Europe, CNN comes up with an interesting headline:

"Georgians say they have proof of Bigfoot."

Now we know why Russia invaded...

I'm a big cryptozoology fan and so I am really looking forward to see what kind of evidence they have...

Romney & The Ruskies

Previously on Mitt Romney: Presidential Candidate:

Mr. Romney referred to recent comments that Mrs. Clinton made about the economy. "She said we have been an ‘on-your-own society.' She said, ‘It's time to get rid of that and replace it with shared responsibility,'" Mr. Romney said. "That's out with Adam Smith and in with Karl Marx." Mr. Romney advocated lowering corporate and personal income taxes as well as a freeze on taxes on savings accounts. (That's my emphasis added -- Matt)

Currently on Mitt Romney: Presidential Candidate:

The 47-page federal report was something of a revelation for Romney as well. Forced to open his blind trust, the Romneys --and the world--discovered precisely which stocks, bonds and mutual funds they own.

Among them: $2.5 million to $8 million in AB Svensk Exportkredit, a Swedish export credit corporation; and $1 million to $5 million in Eksportfinans ASA, a Norwegian financing corporation, and $100,000 to $250,000 in Russian energy giant Gazprom. Ann Romney's trust reported various Goldman Sachs investments of more than $1 million (spousal assets can be reported in less precise figures). Romney's trust has $3.5 million to $16 million in Goldman Sachs investments. (That's my emphasis added again -- Matt)

Wikipedia on Gazprom:

Gazprom Shareholder Structure (as of September 5, 2005, [17]):

State Property Committee of Russia (Rosimushchestvo) - 38.37315 % (My emphasis one more time...--Matt)
Rosneftegaz - 10.73985 %
Gerosgaz - 2.92997 %
E.ON Ruhrgas - 2.5 %
Gazfond - 3.22159 %
Nafta Moscow - 2.12502 %
The Bank of New York International Nominees - 4.42218 %