Barry Ritholtz Big Picture blog headed "Video: Pete Peterson, David Walker on Oil, Health Care, Economy, Equities"- http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2008/05/pete-peterson-d.html - has two CNBC videos with Pete Peterson, the Blackstone Group billionaire, and David Walker, the former US Comptroller.

The videos are embedded at the blog permalink. The first video is on private equities which rely on leverage for their buyouts- http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=751583439 The second one - http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=751573252 - takes on the issue of entitlements and the reason for the Pete Peterson Foundation's billion dollar mission. In the very last seconds of that interview Peterson calls out the media and their coverage of earthquakes and floods and ask "How do we make the future a subject really worth discussing?"

Also in the last minute of that second video, David Walker brings up the Medicare Prescription drug benefit, that squeaked through Congress with the most heavy handed means of the pill industry and not in overwhelming fashion as Peterson alludes. That benefit was pegged at $400 billion over 10 years and anyone that knew anything knew it was a lie. Anyway, Walker puts the number of dollars at $8 trillion for this provision written for industry and by industry.

but I certainly see no hope for a better world. Things are going from FUBAR to worse.

I would have answered you and said that with an attitude like that, your world can't possibly get better. So I've been the perky little optimist, thinking positive and working hard to improve whatever I can. And things just keep getting worse, and worse, and worse. So, I don't know anymore, either. For the longest time I thought I had tinnitus because I could hear this swirly sound. Now I know what that really is. :flush:

I've just witnessed things over the last 8 years that demonstrate to me that things aren't getting better. Sure, I can act locally, and I will, to make things a little better, but in terms of making positive change happen on a larger scale, I don't think there's much potential for personal influence, much beyond fluttering my butterfly wings and hoping that chaos theory eventually leads to something definite.

Occult (hidden) things overturned the appearance of 100% bush support after the
911 engineered catastrophe. Hidden things are one individual who dares make decision
for themself; taking moral responsibility and all for our degenerate planet of the apes.

So, sweetheart, are you saying that the evil kings and sorcerers of today can be overturned
through sorcery... yes. Precisely. Get to it.

It will always be vague and ambiguous. But on behalf of death, forever,
time, enlightenment and thatness - intellect is an imperfect mirror.

Its open season on republicans for the next 100 years. Use maccain's barbeque
recipe to roast yours up once you finnish the skinnin'. ;-) "bush tricked me"
I'm not really a bad asshole - bush tricked me in to being an asshole... i'm
just a victem; a mean, petty, stupid asshole of a victem.... all of us sheeple
victems bleat our stupid pain... baaaaaaa baaaaaa

Oh where is the ghillie who will return the status quo. Where o' where.. ?