What Caught My Eye Today

Presidential Transition - It appears that we Americans aren't the only ones looking forward to Barack Obama taking office in January. Barack Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, predicted the new president would quickly be tested by a dangerous world. That test might come from anywhere, but attention has focused on North Korea, Iran, Russia and Venezuela, and the al-Qaida terror group. Since his election, Obama has filled his national security team with centrists and relative hawks — a possible warning not to underestimate him. Nothing wrong with a strategy of speaking softly and carrying a big stick (in the form of Robert Gates). It worked rather well for Teddy Roosevelt. Already there are signs that some of America's most strident foes are not eager for a fight. Plunging oil prices have slammed the economies of Russia, Venezuela and Iran; health issues surround Kim Jong Il, the reclusive leader of North Korea, and have forced the retirement of Cuba's Fidel Castro; Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is facing a stiff re-election fight in 2009 amid double-digit unemployment and 30 percent inflation. Ah yes. It's a amazing what a crap global economy can do to take the fight right out of you. Boy is Obama lucky or what. Hmmm. Maybe he's too lucky. Maybe, creating a global economic meltdown was all part of an elaborate plan for Obama to become President on his way to becoming "KING OF THE WORLD!". Or maybe not.

Zimbabwe - Zimbabwe accused the West of waging biological warfare to deliberately start a cholera epidemic that has killed hundreds of people and sickened thousands. Now, now, let's try to be objective about this. I'm thinking that this accusation is coming from Robert Mugabe rather than the entire Zimbabwean population. Those poor slobs have enough to deal with; they probably don't have much interest in participating in the lunatic rants of their incompetent president. The state-run newspaper said comments by the U.S. ambassador that the U.S. had been preparing for the cholera outbreak raised suspicions that it was responsible. After the first cholera cases, U.S. and other aid workers braced for the waterborne disease to spread quickly in an economically ravaged country where the sewage system and medical care have fallen apart. Zimbabwe also faces a hunger crisis, the world's highest inflation and shortages of both the most basic necessities and the cash to buy them. That that proves it. Obviously this was a Western plot. Why else would we be going through all this trouble the ramp up medical assistance for a nation wrecked by a cholera epidemic and widespread starvation. It's a classic diversionary tactic. We screw with the basic necessities of the people, blame the government--who we don't like much anyway--for the woes of the people, then position ourselves as the white knight; all the while keeping our fingers crossed that the people--who we messed with--rise up and kick the leadership out of office. I don't know. That seems like a bit of a stretch to me. Especially considering the fact that Zimbabwe has nothing that we want.

Central America - Central American countries agreed to form a common currenty and issue a common passport for their citizens. I wonder what they'll call the currency. Euro is already taken; plus it doesn't really fit. I know. How about the "cento"? Leaders from Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Nicaragua also pledged to create a a joint credit fund to help their region weather the global financial meltdown. The countries did not specify a timetable for implementing their common currency and passport. Well if memory serves me correctly, it took the European Union the better part of 40 years to take shape. Then again, we're talking about those zany Europeans who cannot agree on anything. I'm sure things will go much more smoothly for our friends south of the border.

Christmas - The Vatican's tallest Christmas tree is twinkling in St. Peter's Square.
The Vatican says the 109-foot red spruce from Austria's Piesting Valley is the tallest since Pope John Paul II started the tradition of setting up a tree in the square in 1982. Whatever happened to that often overlook virtue of temprance? Bigger isn't always better, you know. Oh sure, if you talking about sex, that's one thing. But this is the Catholic Church we're talking about. What do they need to compensate for? It is decorated with 2,000 gold and silver balls, white lights and a shining star. It stands next to a larger-than-life-sized Nativity scene which will be unveiled Christmas Eve.