Is "Misunderestimate" A Word?

I thought I've heard everything there is to hear about our seven days left President and his unique take on the English Language until yesterday when he gifted me with another "Bushism" in his final press conference. The said word is "misunderestimate."

What in the world is that? I know of "underestimate" and "mis-quote, understood," but "misunderestimate?" Seriously, does this guy keep inventing words as he goes along? There are just too many Bushisms that have left me at a loss for words but let me oblige you a few:

• The ground keeps me grounded (at his Texas Ranch in one of his many vacations)
• Too many OB-GYNS are not able to practice their love on women (as a woman, I say EEEWW)
• Families can't put food on their children (it's food on the table Mr. President)
• Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, you can't get fooled again. (It's fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me).

I just don't get it. In a nation of great communicators (there were many before Ronald Reagan was nicknamed "the great communicator") who founded our constitution, wrote great speeches and books we get Dubya. I truly believe Dubya fulfils the scripture "He uses foolish things to confound the wise." I've had headaches of different sorts if I had to be subjected to another speech. These days I see the speeches as some sort of amusement. Like with this video here:


There is joy in my heart because ONE MORE WEEK, I get a new President who understands syntax and agreement. Who will not give different folks on the Press Corp and his Administration weird nicknames. Obama will actually talk to me like I went to school and was raised to speak "the Queens English" . . . what a day and term(s) that will be.

Blagosphere and Other Stuff

I've ignored my "political" side for a reason - it's a jungle out there! But I've got a few things on my mind about the whole "Blagosphere" (a pun for all things about Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich) and some other things happening in our political world:

Blago's Tangled Web: Oh not to be caught in Blago's (Blagojevich) web. I thought Florida's political world was corrupt but according to a survey, Illinois upped Florida by two spots (number 6 to Florida's number 8). Who would have thunk it? The Land of Lincoln (Honest Abe) himself; gosh he must be rolling over in his grave. Any political figure from Illinois has been denouncing Blago left and right from Rahmbo (Rahm Emmanuel) to our President-Elect, Barack Obama.

But none gave me a kick in the guts than the so-called "Candidate No. 5," Jesse Jackson Jr. Not him! As readers of this blog know, I recommended Jackson for Obama's former senate seat. Now seeing him all entangled in Blago's web, I doubt he will get the seat. It will be better for a special election to be held than Blago appointing him - too much cloud over his head. Well, Jackson gave his press conference but I thought his sit-down interview with CNN's Don Lemon was more revealing:



SNL's Spoof of Gov. David Paterson: Let me be clear, I LOVE New York Gov. Paterson. I love his razor-sharp mind and wit. But most of all I love his honesty. I find his candor refreshing for a politician in an age where most of his counterparts choose to be politically-correct or Clintonesque ("It depends what is, is"). The fact that he's legally blind is just an afterthought. Seriously! Is Stevie Wonder less genius because he's blind?

So imagine my surprise when I saw the SNL spoof Saturday night:


I like SNL and I say nobody is off-limits! After all, Eddie Murphy was brilliant in his spoof of Stevie Wonder on SNL in the eighties. At the time, it was considered edgy and later, Wonder came in to SNL to show he could take a joke by singing along with Murphy.

But I thought SNL went about five minutes too far into joke for it not to be no longer funny. It's like a good movie that forgot to be edited thirty minutes after. Yeah Paterson is blind. SNL couldn't spoof him without that fact but he's no bumbling fool - that's where (I think) SNL crossed the line.

This is more like the Paterson I know on the Colbert Report:

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

David Paterson

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

President Bush Gets Shown The Shoes:



What can I say? The President really fulfils the term "lame-duck." I mean excellent reflexes; working out pays off :-)

Tags: Jesse Jackson Jr., SNL Spoof of Gov. David Paterson

$700 Billion To The Rescue

Caught your President's speech last night? Is it only me who feels that this is the doom and gloom speech all over again circa 2002 which led us to the Iraq war. You know, the one to get you scared out of your mind and just approve anything Washington is selling.

Here's what I believe: I do think the Financial markets need some government intervention right about now. This is what is called the Keynesian Theory in my profession. That is why I think it was a big mistake (huge) to deregulate the financial markets to little or no government intervention in the first place. And I'm saying that as the logical business-trained professional.

Now emotionally, as an American citizen, I think the decision of $700 billion sucks. According to estimators, that decision will cost each American $7,000 in tax cost especially at a time when two-thirds of Americans are struggling.

Also, where were all these folks when people were screaming recession, which technically means an economic downtown for two consecutive quarters. Hmm, do you feel we have been in this high inflation, high unemployment and low wages for over six months? If you said yes, you're right! That means you know what a recession means. Too bad your government kept calling it an "adjustment," "a rough patch," "a small downtown in the economy," everything but the R-word.

Now they are quick to call out the D-word, Depression just in case the $700 billion doesn't go through. Anyway, here's the deal I will propose with my years of business school and the school of hard knocks: You could give the $700 billion but it won't be a blank check. That means you need to put some oversight and stipulations on that bill. For example, why not contract them $700 billion but paid out in pro-rated sums based on "performance-related" benchmarks?

Also, all these struggling firms with access to this money should put some grace period to home owners who are struggling or re-write their contracts from balloon rates to today's interest rates. Just a thought!

Tags: Economy, $700 Billion Bailout

Too Fit To Be President?

Here we go again with the "dumb it down" era for Americans. This time it's coming from a respectable (at least up till now) journal, which has confirmed my worst fears about the former family-owned Wall Street Journal sold to conservative mogul, Rupert Mudoch. Imagine my surprise when I read this missive "too fit for President" on Friday's WSJ.

The WSJ report is to highlight why some Americans might not vote for Sen. Barack Obama; he's too skinny and worse, athletic. Seriously! Do these folks know much about history? Arguably, one of our greatest Presidents, Abraham Lincoln was skinny to the point of being gaunt. According to WSJ, that is too far back since in comparison to Dubya (who's also known to be fit), Obama is taller and weighs less. And don't get me started on our nicknamed "fast food President" Bubba who's an inch taller than Obama but 50 pounds heavier.

Note to WSJ: Bubba had a triple heart by-pass surgery due to his penchant for Sylvia's and all things fried. And just because two-thirds of Americans are overweight doesn't mean they have to stay in such plight. But not so according to WSJ: Americans would rather have company in their overweight misery. So why not elect somebody who is fat or struggling with his weight?

My skin is crawling as I type these words because I can't believe a journal I was mandated to subscribe to in college as a business student has resort stooped this low in lazy reporting. It never mentioned anything about Gerald Ford - that wasn't far back as Lincoln who lived into his 90s and was considered our most athletic since he was a star athlete and captain of his then high school football team and led his college team to two national titles.

Gosh! What is this election season coming to? So now folks want Obama to pander to the people and eat corndogs on the campaign trails - just makes me wanna holla!

Tags: Wall Street Journal, Too Fit To be President, Amy Chozick, Overweight, Skinny

Oh Dubya

I feel justified on my last week's post on Dubya. I couldn't believe my ears from the President's economy speech last week. I guess he couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth either since he later admitted to supporters behind "closed doors" what he really thought of the economy and the drunks on Wall Street in the embedded video.

This administration never fails to surprise me when I think there's nothing left. But seriously, how in this age of camera phones and YouTube could Dubya think he wasn't being recorded even when he said all cameras should be turned off.

How many gaffes have we caught politicians in from Nixon to now, this? And yet they never learn. As I watched this video last night, I was reminded of a Presidential Historian on Meet the Press about all his findings about our past leaders. The one that struck me most was about Bill Clinton, who I affectionately call "Bubba."

This historian had a meeting with Bubba while he was still in office and as he kept interviewing the former President in the oval office, he stopped and asked Bubba: "are we being recorded?" And Bubba laughed and said "are you kidding me." In other words, I cover my butt. You gotta love "Slick Willie." This is the guy who said when grilled on his relation with Monica: It depends what is (sex), is?

Tags: Economy, Wall Street Drunks, Bill Clinton

It's The Economy Stupid

I can't wait for this guy to get out of office. I'm like millions of Americans waiting for a new era (hopefully, my Candidate of choice gets in after eight years). Did anyone catch Dubya's sorry speech on the state of the economy yesterday? OMG!

According to Dubya, the economy is growing and we all just need to adjust - says old oil money baby! What kind of Jedi mind trick was Dubya trying to play on us especially when the Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke was giving an opposite (gloomy) view of the economy at the same time? But Dubya intercepted the major networks while the chairman gave his speech on C-Span (how many Americans watch that channel?) Check out one of my favorite guys, Jon Stewart making it plain with video:


Seriously! Who do you think I believe? Just forget I ever went to business school but as an everyday citizen, who do you think I'm leaning towards? Clue: It ain't Dubya! How insensitive for Dubya to think if I could balance my checkbook (note to Dubya, not everyone could accomplish such feat), I could adjust my lifestyle with the "working" economy.

Ok, Dubya, I know the English language is not your forte but "adjustment" have to do with making a few tactital moves like if the gas price goes up 20 cents, I make an adjustment. When it goes up 200 percent since you've being in office, that is not an adjustment but making an overhaul of my lifestyle.

Perhaps Math and English is not your thing. You used to own a sports team as Governor of Texas. Let me break it down for you in sports terminology. See, in playoff games, the coach makes an adjustment when the team loses one game to counteract what the other team might bring in the next game. If the team gets swept in all games, that means the team was no match for the other team in the first place.

So how does this relate to the American people? I'm glad you asked! The American people are being swept in gas prices, which is affecting all kinds of transportations (heard the crazy stuff U.S. Airways is accused of?), which is affecting the price of groceries. Not only that, their shelters is giving way because of subprime mess, increase in rental properties and their banks are closing down (IndyMac should ring a bell).

Now Dubya, how's that an adjustment?

Tags: Economy, Ben S. Bernanke, The Daily Show, Jon Stewart