Ok lots of things today. First of all, Rep Bud you have been asking me to talk about the Oil for Food scandal, well here you go, some actual news today.

Volcker panel accuses two UN oil-for-food figures of corruption

"An independent panel accused the ex-head of the UN oil-for-food program for Iraq of corruption and said questions remained about UN chief Kofi Annan's knowledge of the scandal, which has tarnished the world body.

An interim report released by the commission led by former US Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker said, 'On the basis of available evidence,' the report concluded that Benon Sevan 'corruptly benefited' from the scheme and recommended that his immunity be lifted."

Well immunity has been lifted on Sevan. Also Alexander Yakovlev, a UN procurement officer has been implicated and his immunity has been lifted. Yakovlev pleaded guilty to several charges today. Looks like Kofi Annan might be in some hot water, we will see how this pans out. I smell some serious stuff going down. And I just know that that will make all the anti-UN crowd, (read right wing anti-globalizationists), salivate. Yes I did just use that huge word, don't even know if it is a word. Oh well.

Ok as an Albuquerque-an I would be remiss to not mention the fact that shrub was in Albuquerque today to sign the massive energy bill.

Bush signs sweeping energy bill

"ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AFP) - US President George W. Bush signed a sweeping energy bill he said would strengthen the US economy and eventually help wean the United States from foreign sources of oil.
...
The US Congress passed the legislation just last month, about four years after the Bush administration proposed it, drawing an outcry from environmental groups who said it favored oil companies at the expense of conservation."

Well guess which side I come down on? Yeah I don't think overall this energy bill is a good thing. I don't see how giving tax breaks, what amounts to government subsidies to big oil and such makes us less dependent on foreign sources of energy. I really think the congress missed the boat on this one. It really is time to make a serious commitment to bring us real energy independence. It won't be easy, but we MUST start somewhere.

And lastly some sad news.

ABC News anchor Peter Jennings dies of cancer

"Peter Jennings, ...who rose to become prime-time anchorman for ABC News and whose career spanned five decades, has died of lung cancer at 67."

While I give the mainstream media alot of crap for basically being completely broken, it was not always this way. I give Jennings credit that he was around when the media actually functioned and served a purpose in this democracy. So Peter Jennings, I salute you, the country will surely miss your presence.

1938-2005