Yeetle Box - George W. Bush's Economic Analysis

President Bush said Thursday that the country is not headed into a recession and, despite expressing concern about slowing economic growth, rejected for now any additional stimulus efforts.

“We’ve acted robustly,” he said. "This is a robust administration. The country is NOT headed into a recession. Our country is strong. I said that in my last seven states of the unions speeches. Weren't you listening?"

“We’ll observe the effects of this...this..pro-growth package,” Bush told reporters at a White House news conference. “I know there’s a lot of, here in Washington people are trying to — stimulus package two — and all that stuff. Why don’t we let stimulus package one, which seemed like a good idea at the time, have a chance to kick in?”

Bush’s view of the economy was decidedly rosier than that of many economists, who say the country is nearing recession or may already be there. "Some economists do not support democracy. We will hunt them down, capture them, and place their naked bodies in a pyramid-type pile...! I mean, we need more patriotic economists to raise the flag of democracy across this land. These rogue economists will do whatever it takes to bring down freedom or to let freedom not ring."

His comments came after another round of reports Thursday that point to a struggling U.S. economy. The Commerce Department reported that the gross domestic product increased at a scant 0.6 percent pace in the October-to-December quarter. In another report, the Labor Department said weekly jobless claims rose sharply to 373,000. However, The Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (CFBCI) at the U.S. Department of Labor disagreed. "Based on all economic indicators," said Secretary Elaine L. Chao, "I believe that the stimulus package will send a cascade of faith across the United States, and, then, the Lord will provide."

Bush then announced that the Commerce Department and the Labor Department were folded into the Homeland Security Department overnight by vice-presidential order. Dick Cheney, who once shot a man in the face while hunting for quail, was unavailable for intelligible comment. His office issued the following statement:

"QUACK! QUACK, QUACK, QUACK! QUACK!!!"

The centerpiece of government efforts to brace the wobbly economy is a package Congress passed and Bush signed last month that will rush rebates ranging from $300 to $1,200 to millions of people and give tax incentives to businesses. "That outta shut people up," muttered Bush. "Stop complaining. We're a free people. A good people. Go by a toaster and leave me alone."

One issue particularly worrisome to American consumers are indications that paying $4 for a gallon of gasoline is not out of the question once the summer driving season arrives. Asked about that, Bush said "That's interesting. I hadn't heard that. ... I know it's high now. Is that regular or premium? Or that one in the middle between regular and premium?"

Finally tipping his hand as to the real reason for the press conference, Bush pressed Congress to give telecommunications companies legal immunity for helping the government eavesdrop on ordinary citizens. Or are they just ordinary citizens?

"If this initiative does not pass, we are prepared to fold all telecommunications companies into the Department of Homeland Security," said a clearly agitated Bush.

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Yeetle Box - Critic's Choice: Campaign 2008: The Ohio Debate

The 2008 Ohio Debate (Spike Lee) is a tense and often tender exploration of the foibles and often heartwarming behind-the-scenes moments of two political primary candidates trying to make the other candidate's point. Clinton, played by Camero Diaz , is superb as the believed-to-be heir apparent Democratic nominee for president in the future foiled by the upstart Obama, played by Denzel Washington - a two time Academy Award and Golden Globe winner for best actor. Ms. Diaz , actress and former fashion model is best known for her roles in popular blockbuster movies such as The Mask, There's Something About Mary, My Best Friend's Wedding, and Schrek. She also co-starred in Charlie's Angles: Full Throttle.

The story is set in Cleveland, Ohio where the two square off in a 90-minute debate over the all too familiar real-life ground of political tactics, policy, and making sure the audience knows what the other candidate said about what issues.

Early in the film, Clinton and Obama are introduced by two moderators, Brian Williams, played by Robin Williams, and Tim Russert, played by Sylvester Stallone. Both should win awards as best supporting actors as the hard-hitting journalist who seek the truth and have grown weary of politics as usual in the United States.

After the usual formalities we have come to expect from political debates, Clinton sets the tone early when she draws the first question: "You know," she says, I have been portrayed on “Saturday Night Live” as a bitch while Obama has been portrayed as a media darling. I'm here, not to change that portrayal, but to complain about it." This line resonates with American movie goers / voters as it brings about the familiar theme of the media's role in determining candidate success.

Neither Obama, nor the moderators take the bait, and from that point on the film follows a fledgling once-was/now wannabe presidential candidate into the depths of incoherence while her opponents, reminiscent of Chauncer Gardener (aka Chance) in the 1979 film Being There merely looks on with an innocent idiocy, allowing the audience to read him like a Rorschach test - favorably! Denzel Washington is brilliant in this role and should receive a nomination for best actor later this year.

For most of 90 minutes, Clinton whines and grovels about Obama’s foreign policy credentials, misleading campaign mailings, his failure to reject explicitly the endorsement of his candidacy by Louis Farrakhan - played off screen by Laurence Fishburne, who in spite of having no appearance in the movie nor any lines, and is only shown briefly in a newspaper report, carries out this yeoman's task with much aplomb.

Diaz mixes a warm smile with a sharp attack — stern and tense through most of the film, delivering her lines with a fatigued monotone that is strangely poetic. By contrast, Washington, mostly silent, but kudos to his physical performance, makes certain his campaign message does not stray. He is low-key and often unsmiling, calm and unruffled, hands crossed, as Clinton deteriorates into madness.

Washington proves a brilliant foil to Diaz's tight and grim demeanor.

Yet by the end of the movie, the audience senses little evidence that Clinton had produced the kind of ground-moving moment she needed that might shift the course of a campaign that polls suggest has been moving inexorably in Obama’s direction for weeks. This is done tenderly, however, and does not leave the audience feeling anger or hatred toward the Diaz character, but, rather empathy and pity.

This film might very well be the standard by which other political films will be measured - and, perhaps, as the director, Spike Lee's most successful film within the themes he has explored in his past films, including Do the Right Thing, 4 Little Girls, She Hate Me, Bamboozled, He Got Game, Jungle Fever, Mo' Better Blues, and She's Gotta Have It.

A special congratulatory note to the set designers and make-up artists for their work in presenting an absolutely believable tone with their work.

Rating: 5 Stars

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Yeetle Box - Robot With A Cause

A downtown Atlanta bar owner has constructed a remote-controlled robot to patrol the neighborhood around his business late at night.

Rufus Terrill, proprietor of O'Terrills bar, built the machine out of an old meat smoker, a three-wheeled scooter, an infrared camera, a water cannon and a loudspeaker.

Terrill said he got the idea for the remote-controlled vigilante after he became fed up with the drug dealers, thieves and vandals who frequent his neighborhood. He said he sends his robot to patrol the area surrounding a nearby daycare center, and uses the attached loudspeaker to address loiterers.

"I tell them they are trespassing, it's private property, and they have to leave," he said. "They throw bottles and cans at it. That's when I shoot the water cannon. They just scatter like roaches. Then the robot bellows, 'Danger, Will Robinson!'"

He said the water cannon is set to low pressure so as not to cause injury to those in its path. "Just tryin' to spook em," he says to himself.

Police spokeswoman Lisa Keyes said the robot has not yet been the subject of any complaints, but she warned that Terrill could be charged with assault if he intentionally sprays someone with the machine's water cannon. Said Ms. Keyes, "I mean, it's one thing to have a hunk of metal roaming around at night; it's quite another to spray someone with water."

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