Consumerism Failing...

The present situation index, which looks at current conditions, slumped from 104.0 in February to 89.2 in March, its lowest reading since December 1973 when it registered 45.2 amid the Arab oil embargo and Watergate scandal, the Board said.

And a great 20 minute video about why consumerism does not work (or at least why and how many parts of it are broken).

Charge it and all is well, at least for today.

Nice overwrite here by the NYT...they write an article with this quote

Mr. Cheney, who arrived in the Iraqi capital with his wife and daughter on an unannounced trip Monday morning, will meet with top officials including the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a Shiite, and the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd.

According to a pool report of comments made by a senior administration official who was flying with Mr. Cheney, the vice president plans, among other things, to push Iraqi officials to pass petroleum legislation that would help bring international oil companies to Iraq.

The official described it as being about Iraqi leaders “figuring out how they really begin to exploit” the country’s resources, according to the pool report.

Original content here. A related funny video is right here

Millions murdered
And you wait in a room
For your chance
To make things right

Exit poles show
They should be overthrown
Unless, of course,
They are our own

This is really about
Figuring out
How to exploit resources
Please don't call me

Like cattle
Learning justice
Watching a calf go to the butcher
The outcome to be determined
On one side
Sits a sharp knife and a club
The other offers
The best free can provide
Who will win?
The jury is out