Things to Stay the Same in World Affairs... For Now

After Castro stepped down and Raul, who if was a beer would be Fidel Light, took over... there has been no change. Meanwhile over in Pakistan... there will be no change. Musharraf’s spokesman Rashid Qureshi said Tuesday "the president intends to work with the new government and will serve out his term, which expires in 2012." However, by 2012, Musharraf expects to declare emergency rule again or just change the style of elections to be more like those held in Cuba.

Over in Iraq... Radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has threatened to lift a six-month cease-fire. Well... not really. In fact, Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, a spokesman for al-Sadr, said that if the cleric failed to issue a statement by Saturday saying that the cease-fire was extended "then that means the freeze is over." How exactly does that work? Is he just going to wake up in the morning and flip a coin... ehh... maybe I feel like ending the cease-fire... maybe not. One Iraqi legislator was quoted by the Associated Press as saying "No one can predict what decision will be taken." Gee, thanks for the insight.

In another region of the world most American's don't care about... President Bush has announced that there would be no new U.S. military bases in Africa. In fact, Bush said, "That's baloney. As they say in Texas, that's bull." Regardless of what the President says, and perhaps without his knowledge, the Pentagon has been reorganizing for the last year to instate Africom, to "more effectively reorganize U.S. military efforts in Africa to strengthen African nations' peacekeeping, trafficking and anti-terror efforts." In other words, no new bases now... but likely in the future.

A New Type of Foreign Investment

Outsourcing to India, first made infamous by providing amazing technical support that most American's could not understand, is now growing to include wombs. In the United States, a couple would expect to pay about "$80,000 for a surrogate pregnancy. In India, they will pay about $30,000, with $7,000 going to the surrogate and the rest to doctors and travel." While the practice has only been legal in India for about five years, "it has grown into an industry estimated to be worth nearly $500 million."

It's Your Money

Meanwhile, here in the United States, the government has made its first assessment of the more than $5 billion invested over the last six years on preparing the country for public health emergencies. The CDC and public health officials say we get an 'A' for effort. Just to put $5 billion in today's perspective: Boeing netted that much in aircraft sales in one day, it is how much the MGM Grand Atlantic City will cost, and it's more money than Choice Point is worth. It's also the going cost for a Nimitz class aircraft carrier.

In Personal News

"It just seemed like the fiscal conservative thing to do." Thats right, no money will be wasted on a razor, shaving cream or excessive water use from February 19th until March 4th. Alan Steinberg has started growing his annual Primary Victory Beard. Right now it looks like this and current CIA estimates expect this by March 4th.