What a Week

Well, it was an interesting week.

There was all the fall out about the AIG bonuses, the figure has risen from $165 million to $215 million and who knows what the final figure will be when its all over. Congress is making all kind of threats but we'll have to wait and see what really comes out of it.

Chris Dodd, head of the banking and finance committee in the Senate evidently did not understand the documents he had been given, not to mention the fact that he has gotten some nice contributions from the Wall street gang over the years. Had to tone down his outrage because the truth of the matter is he is either stupid or a crook. Which do you think?

Banks are still holding onto their money, even though some of them now have commercials about how they want to help with debt consolidation and refinance. They just are keeping the fine print very fine so the consumer won't know just what it will all cost.

President Obama went on the Jay Leno show and hemmed and hawed his way through questions about how one minute he is telling the people to be calm and the next minute he is telling the people its okay to be angry and outraged. He better be careful. When all the details of his budget plan come out, that anger and outrage could be pointed at him.

The President also shared his hopes for March Madness with ESPN. The country is going to hell in a handbag and he is worried about college basketball. Go figure.

Pope Benedict is touring Africa and causing controversy by saying that condoms aren't the answer to AIDS. He's right. I understand his point that the Catholic Church has always taught against contraception and that people should not be promiscuous and wait til marriage. A good moral teaching, but what do we do with the reality? Unfortunately, the Catholic Church never moves quickly when it comes to change. Education is needed, both regarding the spread and prevention of AIDS, as well as Catholic Church teaching on moral issues. As I have mentioned in the past, all Catholic should take the time to read Pope Paul VI encyclical "Humane Vitae". That is the best guide for the moral decisions that the Catholic Church has ever released.

Finally, I had a birthday this week and am now closer to sixty than fifty-five. Which means I am closer to retirement, which am eagerly awaiting, but also closer to the time when I will need to make some serious decisions about the course of my future.

The current financial situation in the world will probably force me to rethink some of my plans.

Speaking of retirement and crooks, I was glad to see the court decided Bernie Madoff can continue his retirement years in jail up until when he gets his formal sentence. I hope that he will shortly be joined by his wife and the rest of his family. What a bunch of crooks.

Keep up to date on what is happening. Write your legislators and demand actions that protect and help us, not just actions that spend our money on nothing.

Its our life and our country, we are the ones who have to make things better.

Its Common Sense!