House approves 90% tax on bonuses after bailouts

This is it? This is the best you can do? Talk about playing to the stereotype (tax and spend, anyone?). The House democrats are the new Bush Republicans, spelled S-T-U-P-I-D.

These newly elected officials and this administration's folks are supposed to be smart, in tune with the electorate. I agree with Forest Gump's mom: smart is as smart does. This ain't smart.

90% tax? Is this a joke? Doesn't anyone find this scary?

Investment bankers, elephant seals, great white sharks

The money quote:

If you’re still having trouble understanding big-time bankers’ huge paychecks — and who isn’t? — try thinking of the problem in more primitive terms. Like, say, the lives of elephant seals.

via NYTimes

1 of 31 folks in US are in prison, on probation or on parole. Cost $47B in 2008!

The headline here says it all. This is totally nuts. It would be much cheaper for everyone to buy a baseball bat and a dog and then let about half the people of out prison. I figure a huge number of people are in prison for either low grade drug offenses—or for just not being white middle class.

Japan’s Crisis of the Mind

An stunningly honest article, straight from the heart of a concerned countryman.

RECENT events mark Japan’s return to the world’s stage, or at least so it seems. Tokyo was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s inaugural overseas destination. Last week, Prime Minister Taro Aso was the first foreign leader to visit the Obama White House. All this suggests that Washington sees Japan, the world’s second-largest economy, as a powerful nation. If only we saw ourselves the same way.

via NYTimes