Category Archives: inthenews

Presidential Preparedness: Who has been Tested?

As I’ve been reviewing past presidents’ experience prior to becoming president, the topic has come up a few times in the media recently. As we head for a Tuesday penultimate in its Superness, it’s been in some of the political coverage.

The question was raised directly by George Will on This Week: Does that experience count for anything? Of course he had to do it such a was as to attempt to show himself to be the smartest Ass in the room. Who was the most “experienced and prepared” president? James Bucannan, generally judged one of the worst. Because it was such an obviously researched and prepared fact and delivered with much smugness, it failed at making Will seem superior. Not that it’s not an interesting data point.

Also in Slate.com this week, John Dickerson broached the subject in Tough Call, Will Clinton or Obama Protect Your Children.

… the essential question the ad asks is a fair one: Which of the candidates do you trust to keep his or her head when everyone around them is lighting theirs on fire, and at a time when your kid’s safety could be on the line?

The answer touches on the elements of experience as we’ve batted them around so far this election—who has broader exposure to the world, who has dealt with more foreign leaders, and who knows more about the military. But the ad also raises a new question the Clinton campaign has been stressing over the last few days: Who has been tested?

Gasoline: Up, Economy: Down

A friend and financial analyst was over last night for some socializing. On his way out the door he quipped, “better trade in that car soon; $4 gasoline is a month away”.

My dislike of staring at tail lights has almost led me to study the bus schedule, this could be the last straw. 34 to the 65 (or the 2): bus routes.

And Ben Bernanke – new chairman of the Federal Reserve – said the Economy is worse than previously stated. Surprise, surprise. Perhaps he and the Bush administration have successfully extracted their long necks from the sand.

Beelzebufo – the Devil Frog

beelzebufo.jpgDescribed in an article this week, the Beelzebufo, or Devil Frog is the largest currently known frog to have existed.

It totally makes me want to support the reanimation of extinct creatures from DNA. I want a frog from hell as a pet!

They were predatory. He could live under my house and eat the neighborhood rats.

It also wins for best scientific name of the week.