Sunday morning, comin' down

How high's the water mamma?

Perhaps you saw the news that Greenland's glaciers are melting twice as fast as previously thought. If all the ice there were to melt and run into the sea, the Earth's oceans would rise 21 feet. The elevation of our nation's capital stands at 25 feet.

If your first reaction is like mine, "Shit!" relax. Antarctica's ice is also melting faster and faster and that will inevitably contribute to the rising waters. Alarming as the meltdown is, I don't know it will be fast enough to save the Earth from the destructive forces now being unleashed in Washington.


Sinking feelings.

Our Secretary of State, Chevron Oil Tanker Rice, assured us this past week conditions in war-torn Iraq are improving. This was in response to a few senators expressing their frustration at the billions of dollars given the administration to repair Iraqi infrastructure which continues to deteriorate in the post-Saddam era.

A couple of examples cited by ABC World News:

Hours per day of Sadam electricity in Baghdad: 16
Hours per day of Bush electricity: 4

The total Iraqi demand for electricity stands at 7,000 megawatts.

Total Saddam electricity generated = 4,500 megawatts.
Total Bush electricity generated = 3,995 megawatts.

Well, in the masculine dominated world of testosterone and its resultant machismo, if there's any correlation between sexual prowess and dominance, it's obvious from these stats that in Iraq, Bush isn't the man his predecessor, Saddam, was.

However, in fairness to Bush, it should be noted Saddam gave of his electricity freely, it was "a virtual state gift" as ABC noted. Bush, however, charges for his. This makes meeting increased demand with Bush's diminished ability to supply it even more difficult because Iraqis still operate under the old paradigm of free electricy with little incentive to conserve.

And our shaky voiced Chevron Oil Tanker assured senators, what the above statistics don't reflect is the fact Bush has actually increased power generating capacity. This seems to contradict ABC's figures showing an actual decline. But giving her the benefit of the doubt, The Oil Tanker said:

"I think this may be an issue of whether we are talking about delivery or capacity."

As with electricity, the same holds true for water and sewage. Bush has increased clean water capacity for several million Iraqis Oil Tanker said, he just can't deliver it to 'em. This confirmed reports Iraqis must rely on a lack of adequate sewage disposal and unsafe drinking water, as she drenched her parched throat with a bottle of Yuzu Perrier.

Here I'm thinking maybe if we put the Iraqi situation in proper context, we'd better understand. If we were to look at Bush domestic policies, it's easy to draw comparisons to the plight of Iraqis. If we just apply the discussion of Iraq's energy, safe water, and sewage to Bush America's wealth, growth and prosperity, we can use The Oil Tanker's words here as well:

"I think this may be an issue of whether we are talking about delivery or capacity." See, Tanker Rice could just as well be talking about the economic health of Bush's America. There's no question, under Bush, the wealth of the nation has increased, i.e., it's capacity is greater for a few, he just can't deliver it to the many. If anything, under Bush, while there's more of it, there's less to go around, just like Iraq. Makes sense to me!

Is it just me....

....or is anyone else bothered by The Chevron Oil Tanker's shaky voice when, in testimony before senators, she serves up stats that seem to contradict ABC's? That when calling for democracy in Iran by requesting congress give her the money to achieve it (ignore Iranians had an election just last summer, ok?) or, upset with the democratically elected Hamas, she suggests foreign governments cut Hamas aid, that her voice is quivery?

I know I'm being petty. I shouldn't pick on how the Tanker's apparent discomfort manifests itself as a nervousness tic when speaking publicly. But I can't help seeing it as inner self- awareness of her apparent hypocrisy. Of her outright lying.

It's just how I interpret Rice's demeanor from my extensive background in pyschology, which came in a junior college "Psych 1A" class many years ago. But I can't help daydreaming of The Chevron Oil Tanker being hooked up to a lie detector as she speaks before Americans, the congress or world leaders. I wonder if its jumping needle would generate more electricity than the lie detector uses?