More on the Russian spies

Cypriot police say Russian spying suspect vanished

LARNACA, Cyprus — Cypriot police began searching late Wednesday for an alleged Russian spy wanted in the United States who vanished after being released on bail a day earlier in the Mediterranean island nation.

Either the Cypriots are idiots or they are colluding with the Russians.

Chicago Theatre of Absurd

Chicago gun ban on way out, but mayor vows fight

     CHICAGO – A Supreme Court ruling finding that Americans have the right to bear arms anywhere they live almost certainly means the end of Chicago’s decades-old handgun ban, but it might not make handgun ownership in Chicago much easier if the city’s powerful mayor has his way.
     Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said officials already were at work rewriting the city ordinance to adhere to the court ruling while protecting Chicago residents from gun violence.

-Wire reports

The Supreme Court held in McDonald v. Chicago that the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process clause incorporates the Second Amendment against state and local governments thus striking down Chicago's handgun ban. But, the Mayor is determined to find a way around the ruling and deny the citizens of Chicago their Second Amendment protections all in the name of protecting the Chicago residents from gun violence.

This is absurd on its face. Despite Daly's handgun ban, gun violence in Chicago has never been higher. There have been weeks when Baghdad had fewer deaths due to violence. Indeed, a recent press conference by the Chicago Chief of Police, Jody Weis, was interrupted by a gang shoot-out less than a block away.

So, if Chicago had the most stringent handgun law in the nation, why is gun violence so high? The Mayor should stop and think about that question. It certainly isn't because law-abiding citizens have the guns.

The Hill over the hill?

Franken launches full-throated attack on 'conservative activism' on courts

The Hill, commenting on a comic set-piece by Al Franken, wrote:

Republican senators and conservative jurists found themselves on the defensive after Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) blasted "conservative activism" on federal courts.

To say that analysis is a 'stretch' is to indulge in understatement.

It is apparent the writers at The Hill are due for a reality checkup. Franken is a clown making clownish statements. No one having a firm grip on reality would take seriously anything Franken says.

Criminal negligence in Gulf spill

CHANGE! 53 Days Later Obama Administration Decides to Accept Dutch Offer to Help With Spill

There's no hiding it now. The Obama administration has been criminally negligent in the handling of the Gulf oil spill:

The Obama Administration turned down offers to help clean up the spill from The Netherlands and the British Government just days after the explosion. They didn’t accept the British help because they didn’t have the proper paperwork. The administration still has not given the OK to allow emergency workers to use a Maine company’s oil boom even though they were made aware of the warehouse full of containment boom back on May 21.

Wrong. As usual

In today's hearings with BP CEO Tony Hayword, Rep. Joe Barton, in reference to Obama compelling BP to establish an escrow account under Federal control, reminded the Waxman/Markey panel that BP should pay for damage claims but should be allowed to follow the "due process and fairness" of the American legal system.

Now enters Barrack 'I don't know the details but the police acted stupidly' Obama with the following gem:

“What is shameful is that Joe Barton seems to have more concern for big corporations that caused this disaster than the fishermen, small business owners and communities whose lives have been devastated by the destruction. Congressman Barton may think that a fund to compensate these Americans is a ‘tragedy’, but most Americans know that the real tragedy is what the men and women of the Gulf Coast are going through right now. Members from both parties should repudiate his comments.”

No, Mr. President. Rep. Barton was concerned about the rule of Constitutional law. Oh, yes, I forgot. You consider the Constitution to be irrelevant.

Unions have their boot on the president's throat.

It has been reported that numerous entities have offered naval assets to help with cleaning the oil from the BP oil spill in the Gulf; but those offers have been refused by the Obama administration. Why? It is because of something known as the Jones Act (US Code: TITLE 46a, CHAPTER 24—MERCHANT MARINE ACT, 1920). Basically, it is a law passed during the Wilson administration (Progressive) that protects maritime union jobs from foreign competition. The Obama administration (Progressive) is hiding behind this law even though exceptions are routine (Bush-Katrina). So, what is Obama up to? I suspect Obama is cowering before Andy Stern and the Unions.

British Petrol: The end?

This oil spill fiasco in the Gulf may be the end of BP. The company has run through over $1B of it's $20B reserves with no end of liabilities in sight. Some commentators have mentioned there are thousands of Americans employed by BP and suggested it would be better if the company stayed together. There are other options,though.

BP took over Amoco back some years ago. It wasn't long afterwards that the Amoco executive crew left or were forced out. Then the trouble started; first with a discovery that BP was neglecting maintenance on the North Slope oil pipline. Other incidents followed over the years. BP management developed a history of taking risky shortcuts.

Which suggests an alternative to the present corporation, namely, spin off the American operation as Amoco with Americans as executives. Leave the remainder of BP under British management with that new British company inheriting the total of liabilities accrued under their management.

A former neighbor worked for Amoco back when it was taken over by BP. He posed this riddle to me one day: How do you pronounce BP Amoco? It's Bee-Pee. The Amoco is silent.

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Update-June 10, 2010:  The idea of spinning Amoco off from BP was mentioned on CNBC this morning.