Something to Know - 11 January

1.  This Paul Krugman just points out how inane and silly (not to mention destructive) the Republicans are in their supposed debt ceiling confrontation.   We have been through this last year, and no need to do it again.  The president has enough work-arounds to keep the government going, and get the bills paid.   It will be precedent setting if he has to take this route, but the GOP is not going to come out very well after it is all over if they keep up their stupid games:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/opinion/krugman-coins-against-crazies.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

2.  KBR, a derivative of the Haliburton Corporation, engaged in a practice in Iraq that killed US servicemen.  After a finding that KBR was responsible for the deaths of 8 Army soldiers, they want the US Taxpayers to pay the bill, not them.  It is this arrogance, and ripping off of the public, along with the latest antics by AIG, that create the feeling that corporations exist to gouge and fleece the public when they do not want to bear any responsibility for their actions:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/kbr-guilty-iraq-negligence_n_2436115.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=010913&utm_medium=email&utm_content=FeatureTitle&utm_term=Daily%20Brief

3.  The make up of the President's Cabinet, and its purpose, is a focus of some attention.   (The Gun stuff is big, but more of that after it gets sorted out later).  Here is an interesting perspective on the Cabinet:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/opinion/make-the-cabinet-more-effective.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

4.  California has been the butt of a lot of jokes on out-of-control spending, and all the LALA land anecdotes.   However, it has a governor who has experience, cojones, and no-nonsense purpose.  He's pissed off a whole bunch of people and shut the doors on a lot of progressive programs, while cutting out a lot of nonsense.   it's going to take a while to fix it up permanently, but there have been signs that the state may even end up with a budget surplus.  California is a dynamic state, and when things are going well, they go real well.  Jerry seems to relish the fact that he is making progress and is spending his capital by pushing back on federal regulations that cramp his style and sense of purpose:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap-brown-20130110,0,3128567,print.column

--
Juan

"The thing I hate about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion."
       -- G. K. Chesterton

"Yes, we have to divide up our time like that, between our politics and our equations. But to me our equations are far more important, for politics are only a matter of present concern. A mathematical equation stands forever."
       -- Albert Einstein

"Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes."
       -- Henry David Thoreau

"A gentleman is a man who can play the accordion but doesn't."
       -- Unknown