Oil as Utility

Hey Barry:

Its time to open the discussion bout makin oil a national utility.

Itsa simple idea - when sumthin gets so big that evybody jes gotta have it, then is time for the govment to step in. An thas where we is bout oil today.

If'n the guvment dont step up, then the folks wot runs that bizness gonna screw us - thas totally predictable.

Here da solution - make a National Oil Public Utility Commission [NOPUC] that reglates the oil corps. Da goal is to keep the oil weasels from screwin us.

The method is this: the corps can set they prices so dat they get a reasonable return on investment, but they gotta show the NOPUC they profits and returns before they can change prices.

An, NOPUC can make sure they don do stupid thangs like they done in the Gulf.

Wattya say Barry - bout time for dat.

Good thang is jes talking bout it may scare them suckers inta betta behavin - could happen.

Your pal,

Bank Weasels Win Delay

Hey Barry:

Them bank weasels is still at it.

They'd sooner see us all rot than lose a nickel. Makes me wanna - you know.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6532B620100604

UPDATE - G20 still talkin tough: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100605-701338.html?mod=WSJ_latestheadlines

Mebbe they make sum good happen - we'll see.


Your pal,

Blood, Tears, (T)oil and Sweat

Hey Barry:

Sum of da pundits sayin that the oil thing is your make or break; read Carolyn Lochead here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/03/MNFE1DOLPC.DTL

They aint right, Barry, but seems ta me that y'all gotta get in front of it, big time.

Y'all been tryin, but yo aint there yet.

Y'all lives in a 'gimme NOW' world an y'all dealin wid a complex mess. So far, seems y'all is behind the complainin when yo needs to be in front.

Jes like Churchill in WW2. He inherited a mess and hadda get in front of it. Thas when he pulled out his blood and tears thing:'I have nothing to promise you but blood, tears, toil and sweat. We will fight them on the beaches, we will fight them in the fields and we will fight them in the streets. We will never surrender.'

Thas a pretty po rememberin of that speech, but Barry, mebbe it has sum lesson for y'all there.

Your pal,

Kyrgyzstan - More of the Same?

Hey Barry:

Here's a downbeat view of events in Kyrgyzstan - more of the same according to BORUT GRGIC in the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/01/opinion/01iht-edgrgic.html.

Is he right?

Time will tell, but we gotta keep our eyes open.

If he's right it'll mean more of the same old. An, that'll mean nuther revolution in bout 5 years.

Your pal,

Ship Turnin

Hey Barry:

Y'all up there is gettin that big boat to turn round.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/30/EDS81D45T8.DTL

DefiNITEly the big FDR thang. Good on y'all.

Your pal,

Hillary: Tax the Rich

Hey Barry:

Been talkin bout a Prince tax - even Hillary says itsa good idea.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/28/clinton-rich-paying-fair-share-taxes/

Its where we gotta be, Barry.

Check it out.

Your pal,

Savin Face - North Korea

Hey Barry:

We're talkin punishin the NK's for sinkin a ship.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/05/27/MN7P1DKSA5.DTL&type=politics

Why we doin that?

Coulda been an old forgotten mine, or mebbe some drunk non-com pushed the wrong button.

Don matter if thas true or not - we surely do not need another war.

Les give the NK's some wiggle room and git outa this mess. Aint nobuddy doubtin yo 'resolve' - y'all showin it well in Ghanistan.

Whatta ya say Barry - keep us out of this'un.

Your Pal,

Flyin Safely

Hey Barry:

Y'all keepin us safer by requirin GPS on planes.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/05/27/national/w060727D75.DTL

Thank you.

Your Pal,

Mama Deals

Hey Barry:

Mama Sox says it all for us:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGt5bjf31o4

Update: Crystal didn't win the prize, but she won lotta fans. You go girl!


Your pal,

Whackin Citizens

Hey Barry:

I read the other day that y'all still got some American on the whack list.

An I ain't happy bout it, Barry.

Here da ting: how's I gonna know when I gets on the whack list? An, here nuther ting: it jes aint American to be whacking citizens.

I got dat dis guy seriously bad - aint arguin there.

But Barry, y'all need betta solution. So here it is.

Before y'all whacks im, ya gotta take away his citizenship - make im stateless.

Do that, then whack away.

Keep us American Barry - don go down the King road. We don want it.

Your pal,

Incompetent Drillers

Hey Barry:

Leastways we knows why they's oil all over the Gulf - cheap, stupid and sloppy drillers.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/05/23/national/a210203D04.DTL

Jes don ever call them guys when y'all needs a good job at sumthin.

Your pal,

Costin the Goodies

Hey Barry:

I is a big time supporter of more benefits for Americans - we gotta have em cuz it's jes right and we don got very much. And, cuz more benefits mean us reglar folks can spend mo money.

But, here's da ting, them benefits cost big bucks. Now the EU is findin out its benefits is costin too much.

Read Steven Erlanger here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/world/europe/23europe.html?src=linkedin

Here's how USA different - we got lot less benefits here than they got there. And, we don tax our rich folks near as much as they do.

So, Barry, keep pushin out the benefits. But, member that y'all gotta up the taxes on Princes to pay for it.

Taxin them Princes is a good idea anyways. Keep on that one too.

Y'all gonna be FDR II real soon.

Your pal,

Ya Gotta Have Friends

Hey Barry:

Wow!

We can't be alone and be safe.

What an idea.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5juui7didNwh_vzBmJyrbjxkeF-IgD9FS2PN80

More FDR - keep em comin.

Your pal,

'Y'all Gonna Save Gas'

Hey Barry:

OK, even nuther FDR thang.

Keep em comin.

Put the gas limits on cars - no need to wait on Comgress.

Read it here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/21/business/energy-environment/21fuel.html?src=busln

Your pal,

Senate Passes Regulation

Hey Barry:

Nuther FDR thang.

Read it here in the WAPO:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/20/AR2010052003503.html

Good on y'all.

Now, y'all gotta git on the git on the conference committee and git a law y'all can sign.

Jes member the main thing - don let them commercial banks sell no BS stock and no surance or we is all doomed.

Your pal,

Shia LaBeouf - Economist

Hey Barry:

Even actors have figgered out the bank thang:


"You can make the marketplace more transparent. If people had known who was paying for the mortgages instead of having to rely on Moody's triple-A (bull) rating -- transparency would have helped. The triple A rating thing is ridiculous. That's like Oliver [Stone] paying you for a review. The people who were bundling this toxic crap were paying Moody's for the review of their crap. That's ridiculous. You can't have bank holding companies acting as hedge funds. You can't have them taking a million-dollar pension plan for Joe Schmo the bus driver and treat it with the same risk appetite that you treat George Soros' pocket money. It's fundamentally ridiculous. And it hasn't gotten better very recently, actually. They went from bundling mortgages that were crap to bundling life insurance policies and betting on people's deaths. And you can't blame it all on the Street.... People's mentality needs to change. If the Greece contagion thing takes off and it goes from Spain to Ireland to Portugal things are going to change drastically for the world. Soup kitchens, it won't be that type of change. You won't get a depression that way. But it'll be very difficult. I think, my generation, it's hard to have hope when you got a $700-trillion derivatives debt to pay and a bubble about to explode and $500 trillion worth of GDP. You took all the money in the world and put it in a pot, you're $200 trillion short. It's scary, man. You know the average person born today owes $8,000? The average person getting out of college owes $75,000 with no job. I mean it's scary. My generation, it's a scary situation."

link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/05/shia-labeouf-wall-street-2-indiana-jones-steven-spielberg.html

No mystery there.

They is some good news: the Senate is goin to vote.

Will wonders never cease?

Your pal,

Mama Sox Rocks

Hey Barry:

She got soul.

Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhvigY_n2wQ

Your pal,

Greeks Dog Banks

Hey Barry:

The Greeks are really PO'd at them bank weasels and are comin after 'em.

Read it here: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE64F0BB20100516

Les give the Greeks some help, sounds like a neighborly thang.

Your pal,

Go Crystal

Wowsers.

Sing it girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UQi6hy31Gk

Ima big fan.

Banker Style

Hey Barry:

Jes in case y'all have any doubts bout them bank weasels, here's what they sayin bout votin in Congress: 'Lobbyists for the wounded but formidable banking industry made clear to some senators that this decision would affect future campaign donations, according to people who participated in those conversations.'

Read it here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/15/business/15credit.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

No more Mr.Nice Guy, gloves off.

Your pal,

Iceland Jails Bankers

Hey Barry:

Here's what the Icelanders are doin http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hkg5VhwETJHWaiIqxwwj_PsHQ2Dg

Not a bad idea.

Your pal,

Halliburton - Please Go Away

Hey Barry:

Holy mackeral. Why can't we git ridda these guys?

They's everywhere an everywhere they is we gotta mess.

Turns out, Halliburton screw ups caused the BP oil disaster.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/05/13/national/w001151D90.DTL

I aint speechless very often, but dis takes the cake.

Your pal,

Organizin

Hey Barry:

Good on ya.

Y'all lettin it be easier to get unions, read it here:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/05/10/national/w060540D83.DTL

Onliest way outta the mess is to git mo money to folks so's they can buy stuff. One way is unions so's folks can git better wages.

But, here's da ting Barry, if'n y'all don git us a tariff, the employers will go broke.

But, itsa first step, nuther FDR thang.

Keep em comin.

Your pal,

Greedy Fat Cats Warned by Gates

Hey Barry

Wassup when the defense Secretary has to warn the fat cats about a 2% possible cut in the budget?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/09/gates.defense/

Holy cow, talk about Daddy Warbucks.

Them guys supposed to be Americans.

Makes me wanna puke.

Your pal,

Killin Me Chemically

Hey Barry:

It's official - them chemicals is killin us. Read it here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/06/AR2010050603813.html

Don need no more cancer from food, air or water and better Federal regs would help us.

Itsa potential FDR thang, Barry, if'n y'all git on it.

Your pal

Bi-Partisan

Hey Barry:

Couple things:

Another FDR moment when y'all asks for a law to keep corps outa the elections. This is a good'un - keep on it.

And, I hears y'all calling for more civilized process in makin laws. An, I'll do what lil bit I can, but looky Barry, sumtimes them Reps is jes effin outrageous. But, Ima suppose callin em out ain't gonna make em feel better. An ifn they feels bad, they gonna make us pay even more. Sounds like a threat to me, but I'll cut em some slack on your say so.

Here's an idea - why not do a real FDR by goin over they heads an direct to us voters. Course, y'all been doin that alreddy, but mebbe is time to ramp it up.

How bout sumthin like this: Les say Rep Zpqrs from the great red state of North Bgfopmst is bad mouthin sum law we gotta have to prevent the good ol USA from implodin.

Here's wot y'all can do: Travel to his district and maka bunch speeches where y'all says that the esteemed Rep Zpqrs is a fine gentleman who is kind to his dogs and children and he is really trying to do the best for the country, but he's jes a little misguided. W'all gotta help him out with sum wisdom cuz he surely does not understand the effects of what he's sayin on you real folks out there.

F'rexample, he is sayin that this here new law we workin on will kill babies and install socialism. Now of course thas jes ridiculus - an mebbe even he knows it - but is jes politics.

So folks, here's wot we gotta do - we gotta pass this law in Congress because if'n we don't pass it, there is a good chance that our country, the Great USA, will decline so that your grandchildren will have to live on the street. Now of course we don want that, so here's what you can do - call the Rep's office at this phone number on the card I am handing you now and tell his staff that your president says this law is important to our country and our way of life.

Mebbe if enuf of y'all calls that neumber, Rep Zpqrs may jes have a change of heart and let us in DC pass that new law we needs so much.

Well Barry, I thinks y'all gets the idea - put the voters on the Reps an let us work on him. An, do that on a case by case basis on jes the law that he is stallin. No need ta go after his entire being or office - jes his vote on that one law.

OK, Barry, thas bout as bipartisan as I can git. I only gots one party, the USA party.

Your pal,

Rep Shell Game

Hey Barry:

Its oficial: the Reps gonna lie to us cuz they thinks they can.

Here's 'Let them eat cake' McConnell: "You know, what happens on Monday or Tuesday versus what happens later is something largely lost on the general public," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/26/national/w043849D01.DTL#ixzz0mP3Tl0BB

Call em on it Barry. Git sumbudy to track they speeches an call em on it.

Your pal

Old Time Bankin

Hey Barry:

I knows lotta work went inta the bank laws an we needs em passed.

But I was jes thinkin on how good ol FDR did it and here's my memory.

Now I knows that thangs have changed a little and even mentioning this old stuff will cause bankers an their water boys, the Grand Auld Guy Rep Party [GAGREP], to puke a lot, but is worth memberin how things were in the 'good ol days' which sum of us even remember today. What follows ain't xactly suited to today, but mebbe can work as guideposts.

Rule was to separate different things inta different banks with an absolute wall so's one type bank couldn't do another bank's business.

Commercial banks - take deposits for checking accounts and make business loans - no loan longer than 10 years - and consumer loans shorter than 5 years. Commercial property loans no longer than 15 years. All loans held by originating bank until paid off. Bank subject to reserve requirements, deposits protected by FDIC. Reserves are cash and T bills only - no BS stocks or derivitaves.

Savings and loans - take savings deposits, issue no checking accounts, and make long term loans only on residential real estate - houses and apartments. Subject to reserve requirements and depositers have FDIC protection. Must retain ownership of each loan for minimum of five years.

Investment banks - make investments; can NOT make loans or issue checking or savings accounts. No reserve requirements, no help.

Surance companies - are not banks. They cannot make loans or issue checking accounts and are NOT protected from stupid decisions. Insurance products are highly regulated.

Y'all wonderin where all the money gonna come from ta make loans since this type rules ties them weasels hands. Well Barry, ya gotta know that they is a LOT of money floatin round. All the money that workin folks don't earn in wages gits cumulated inta them Prince accounts. An them Princes gotta lotta money to make new investments. Won be no trouble ta git the money to start new banks. No trouble at all.

Here's whas good bout them old rules - we, the Good Ol USA, had 50 years of prosperity, zero bank failures and a solid middle class.

Here's whas bad - it's BORING. Them gamblin bank weasels wants excitement and they won be gittin none.

OK, Fine. Let em go to the track and buy fast cars an kill theirselves in a hunnert ways. But, here's da ting: I DON WANNA PAY FOR THAT NO MORE.

Them weasels hate those rules and they'll squirm and burrow and bribe til they gits em changed. We knows that.

But, ever time we breaks down the walls tween these things and let the bank weasels do all type business, they gonna screw us. Seen it before and we'll see it again.

As for me, Ima sick of it.

So Barry - put them weasels on a short leash, if'n you don't they's gonna eat us for lunch and we can kiss the good ol USA bye bye.

Your pal,

Queen Meg

Hey Barry:

Ya gotta see this - itsa about satirical Queen Meg who's doggin Meg Whitman who's runnin for guviner of the Golden State.

See it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nov05election/detail?entry_id=62072&tsp=1

Queen Meg's motto: 'Health care for the nobility, prison for the rest; The economy's too bad for jobs, so let's have a monarchy'

The real Queen Meg jes wants to buy the job - she won't meet with press or real people or even debate the plebes.

Your pal,

Foot Shooting By US Spies

Hey Barry:

Looks like mebbe the US spy guys done shot themselves in the foot in KYRGYZSTAN.

Read Jeff Stein's musings here: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2010/04/ex-army_intelligence_officer_f.html

Don tell the Hillster - she'll be real pissed.

Your pal,

Pulitzer Cartoonist Nails Banks

Hey Barry:

Y'all gotta watch this mebbe 60 second cartoon:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/04/21/fioreborn.DTL

Hard to laugh cuz it's true.

For more, y'all can read wot happened to Greece after the Golden Sox crooks 'helped' them folks: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/22/national/w072918D11.DTL

Your pal,

KYRGYZSTAN Anarchy

Hey Barry:

Gettin worse over there and turnin to anarchy.

Y'all can watch an RT video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7vNuNFIJ6Y&feature=player_embedded

Medvedev has tasked his Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov with protecting Russian citizens and their base.

Mebbe we ask the Kyrgyz government if we can help, then work with the Russians and send in some troops to restore order.

Them folks gotta have a bill of rights, workin police and courts and buncha other stuff.

We care cuz we gotta base there an a war goin on.

Like Mickey Mouse's Uncle Walt said: It's a small world after all.

Your pal,

After Them Weasels

Hey Barry:

I guess y'all goin to the Apple an sellin yo bank regulations.

Caint hurt nuthin - jes don expect too much.

Jes remember, the banks done bought and paid for the Reps and y'all aint gonna git nuthin from them thas real or actually works.

Your pal,

Taxin the Princes

Hey Barry:

Good on ya that y'all is keepin the Prince Tax, leastways thas what Timmy says.

Read it here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/04/18/national/w050646D03.DTL

Thas another FDR moment.

Keep em comin.

Your pal,

Fixin Them Banks

Hey Barry:

Y'all on it! Ima lovin it.

Caught your talk on reform here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-KtZDi7pcY&feature=channel

Couple things, one, fuggit bout bipartisanship. Them reps jes carryin the bank weasels water - git this done soon as ya can.

Two, sure as God made little green apples, we gonna be screwed again unless banks wot take deposits and make loans can NOT sell stocks or insurance.

Please fix that one Barry,

An, jes in case y'all have any tears for them bank weasels, read bout Golden Sox bettin against the deals they was sellin here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/17/BU2S1D01BG.DTL&type=business

Makes ya wanna puke.


Your pal,

Namin Names an Kickin Coal

OK Barry!

Namin names and shakin it up. Read it here: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63E1ZG20100415

A fittin tribute to the dead.

Your pal,

Student Finance

Hey Barry:

Good on y'all for helpin the kids git to college: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/04/15/MN941CU6VQ.DTL

Thas helpin our future.

Nuther FDR thang.

Ima lovin it.

Your pal,

Banks - Again

Hey Barry:

Keep workin the bill an git it passed.

Them Reps all mouthy bout bipartisanship, but is all show. They jes wanna make y'all look bad. Don pay em no mind.

For me I'd jes as soon see the banks fail - any of em that is stupid. In other words, no public help at all.

But, Ima takin y'all at your word that they is no real bail out in the fund.

But Barry, please, please make sure that banks wot take deposits and make loans can NOT buy stocks or sell surance. If'n y'all don do that, then we'll be back here in five years, guaranteed.

Your pal,

KYRGYZSTAN

Hey Barry:

We gotta bunch planes and troops there so we gotta be concerned.

The Kyrgyz were sick an tired bein pissed on an they threw out them bastards wot done the deeds. Y'all can read bout the situation before here: http://www.mkeever.com/kyrgyzstan.html

Well the report by Alina Walker is from 2002, but nuthin changed wid the 2005 new bunch.

Thang is, we wuz supportin the bastards in power. So it'd serve us if'n they throws us out.

Wot's the lesson for us anyways?

Our lesson given by Peter Lavelle on RT television - he's an American livin in Moscow an he gots a different view. Y'all needs to watch this. Y'all can see the lesson on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQff64L-p5s

Moral here is simple - our national security rests on the freedom of the folks in the little countries where we goes to fight. No Bill of Rights for the Kyrgyz, no national security for the USA.

Kinda simple when y'all thinks bout it. And Barry, we better be thinkin on it.

Your pal,

Slippery Slope To Whackin

Hey Barry:

Mostly we with y'all, but I gotta question.

Sounds like y'all are gonna whack a US citizen. Y'all can watch Keith Olberman here: http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/04/08/olbermann/index.html

Dunno if'n is true, but Barry, we gotta be real carful here. Y'all aint no king. We gotta have process and debate and evidence and all fore we whacks sumbody.

Question is - is it true?

If so, then how did we git here, anyways.

Dis guy probly a bad guy, but we got bad guys all over. But, even they gits a trial and a prison an it takes years before we whacks em.

If'n is true, then y'all gotta do some work on this one, Barry.

Your pal,