Saturday's News Items and Opinions

Here is some news items that caught my eye in the last few days and what I think about them.


A. McCain or Hegel: Whom to choose?

Two US Senators from the West, John McCain of Arizona and Charles "Chuck" Hegel of Nebraska, offer two contrasting views of the war in Iraq from the insights and experiences of their military service in Vietnam a generation and a half ago. While Hegel is not yet officially a candidate in '08 for the Presidency, he offers a powerful argument against our presence in Iraq. McCain, one of the GOP frontrunners, puts forth a striking, compelling position as well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/washington/18vietnam.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

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B. Economic Hard Times Ahead?

There is little argument that the US economy is headed for a recession before year's end. How deep and long this economic slowdown will be is still up for debate. I think it will start by July and carry into early to mid '08-- a period of about 9-14 months.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/3077/productivity_is_the_boom_over/

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C. If only this was realistic...

This nation really needs to look at where it is at from a constitutional perspective and it would fantastic for a constitutional convention to occur in spite of the dangers that it may present. But we will never see 38 states make the call for one as would be required.

http://civillibertarian.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-about-little-democracy-for-change.html

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D. Blackwater Incorporated, America's Shadow Army in Iraq, and soon in Iran also...

The rise of this corporation and what it is doing is frightening and bodes ill for our nation and our relations with other nations.

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070402/scahill

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E. The Disappearing Bees

It is now being reported that widespread incidences of disappearing bees and bee colonies are occuring throughout America and elsewhere around the planet. There are numerous troubling ramifications of this growing problem, particularly with our food supply.

http://www.earthfiles.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1223&category=Environment

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F. The Housing Bubble Burst has Arrived

As forecast by many, the housing price bubble burst is well under way, particularly in Florida and California and it will spread up the coasts and inland as the year continues. Housing prices and values will decline any where from ten to forty percent, perhaps more, across most urban and metropolitan areas across the nation with the possible exception of some of the states in the High Plains. It is projected over 2.25 million homes will foreclose this year and this will significantly contribute to the coming economic downturn along with other factors.

http://www.thehousingbubbleblog.com

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogslot.com

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G. NCAA Basketball Tournament Shortcomings

Once again, the national hysteria of March Madness is upon us. This "non-professional" sporting event has serious shortcomings. It is weighted too greatly towards money conferences and large population areas. I say put only colleges from the West in the West Region for example instead of filling with schools from outside that physical region. Also, the tourney needs to be expanded with at-large schools from big six conferences having to participate in "play-in" games with 72 or 76 schools in the field. These games could be played on the Wednesday and Thursday of the tourney's opening week with the rounds of 64 and 32 being pushed back one day into Monday. More schools from the Big West, Mountain West, Western Athletic, West Coast Athletic, and other lower profile conferences need to be represented in the tourney than usually are.

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H. Summer is Here Far Too Early in the Southwest with Record Heat

It is only the middle of March and yet it is over 100 degrees or real close across Arizona and the Southwest already. Phoenix has hit record highs of 99 degrees the last two days; Tucson has been at 95 degrees; and places like Gila Bend, Yuma, Mesa, Palm Springs, and Death Valley have exceeded the century mark, which is about two to three weeks earlier than expected at worst as in prior years. Records have been set across the West the last two weeks and this month is shaping up as much warmer and drier than usual. 21 cities set records on Saturday and, here in Cheyenne, we had our fourth record high temperature this month.

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