Category / current events

by Diane Tate

For the Cause

So I used to not like Obama because people followed him so unwaveringly…so cultishly….

Then circumstances started to change and it became a matter of not voting FOR Obama, but voting against McCain.

But now. Now. The koolaid is kicking in.

If supporting Obama means shaking your hiphop rappin’ bootay the way we did tonite … for reals… then I’m a lifer. Let’s re-look at those term limits. I can’t go back.

Let’s just face it….McCain will never….never…have this kind of cool factor.

What is this? Why, my beloved Obama finger-puppet, proudly displayed as I “wave my hands in da air” to the evening DJ’s rap-sody. I don’t think Cindy & John are bringin’ down da house in quite this way…do you?

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by Diane Tate

When ivory towers lead to barbed-wire fences


I’ve noted elsewhere how we as humans have our limits when it comes to outrage. Sometimes God blesses us with humor to let off the steam; other times, maybe it’s just a reprieve from thinking about the issue.

When it comes to Gitmo, I’m rather sad to say the latter situation applies, and the reprieve is for tragic reasons. We simply don’t hear about Gitmo because:

1) Other tragedies have grabbed our attention (economic collapse, campaign smears and the like); and
2) W…yes, we can add this to the 3,846* other tragedies left in his wake:

“It is part of a broader strategy not to make difficult decisions about Guantánamo and leave it to the next president.”

— Vijay Padmanabhan, an assistant professor at Cardozo Law School who was until July a State Department lawyer with responsibility for detainee issues

I wonder if the detainees think of this “broader strategy” every morning when they wake up.

*count as of 11:39:43 PST 10 October 2008

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by Diane Tate

Validation of my brilliance

In that lame, self-promoting spirit of “I Said It First” (recall I’ve never held back from shameless pandering): Liz Ann Sonders, SVP & Chief Investment Strategist at my beloved employer (and nearly as brilliant and beautiful as me), writes today:

Gov’t to pull a Buffett?
I also think the Fed may have to consider direct investments via preferred shares in banks; kind of like a mega-Warren Buffett, and/or allow financial institutions outside the normal banking system, like commercial lenders, to borrow directly from the Fed via the discount window, with appropriate collateral and with an oversight that those borrowings do indeed get lent out.

Of course, I noted this nearly 1 week ago which feels like eons in light of the unprecedented pace of change bemoaning the financial services industry. But who am I to shamelessly self-promote? I always give credit where it’s due.

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