Banks...the new Houses of Worship...

I'll keep this one brief...The CEO of Goldman Sachs is claiming that he is "doing the work of GOD". I believe a Barclay's executive said something similar. Really...when exactly did the creator get into "flash trading" creating Derivatives & CDO's?!? Did things get sooooo bad that even GOD needed a TARP handout?!? I'm a big believer in Capitalism, a free market economy, & understand the role that the large bulge bracket firms & exchanges play to make this machine run. However to claim one is doing the work of GOD is a bit ridiculous. If anyone is doing the work of GOD it's Doctors, Teachers, Firefighters & the like. People who save lives, heal us, & help us grow. Growing our portfolio's is great...I'm all for it...but it's not the "work of GOD"...& if it is...when exactly did my Brother...my "Wealth Management Advisor" find GOD??? For the record...he's not an Atheist...he's Agnostic...in other words, he's hedging his bet...

Spies Like Us...

Our good friends in Tehran, Iran have been holding 3 American Hikers in captivity since July 31st. Yesterday 100 day vigils were held by friends, family, & hiking organizations. Their crimes against the state you ask...? They were hiking in the Northern Kurdistan territories in an area popular for a waterfall & grove of fruit trees. If this doesn't deserve the death penalty then what does?!? When I first heard this story a few months ago, while I didn't think they were spies I was kinda wondering what they were doing so close to the border. I guess it's safe to say that being in Kurdistan they felt safe (the Kurds love America...ask a Kurd about WMD's & you may get a different answer then one from certain news organizations...for the record I did...) & were in a area that was popular for hikers. I guess it's safe to say that the area isn't too well marked (I do wonder if they had a GPS on them) & they must have wandered into the wrong border patrol at the wrong time. I'm sure after questioning them & going through their stuff they could have just let them go..but why let go such a prize go knowing just how well they could use 3 stray hikers to leverage our foreign policy through the use of media & non-stop Internet chatter. I am all for doing everything we can to get these 3 back. I'm sure she of the "pant-suits" is doing what she can. Maybe if they worked for Gore, then Clinton (the one who wears & chases the skirts in the family) would have gone over & had them home already. Unfortunately, they were just 3 Americans who were out hiking...something many of do or at least have done. On Nov 4th Iran celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the Siege of the Us Embassy. This year they got a very low turn out, no major officials showed their faces & the opposition came out against them again calling for the current regime to step down. The Obama administration has been way too quiet about this. I think Obama needs to step up & have his "Reagan" moment. Reagan called for the Berlin Wall to come down...it did, not overnight, but it did 3 years later (most of his advisers were against him saying it because they believed it would stand for many more decades to come) Obama needs to find a way to show his support for the people of Iran & give them the Hope for Change that they crave. The current gov't in Iran has no use for us as their friend & uses us "the Great Satan" to define themselves. They need to go. Obama call on the people of Iran & the world to tear down their walls of oppression & aggression. Then maybe one day hikers can cross a border & be told by border guards where they are & given directions to the waterfall with a smile...