Full Disclosure

Important fact that I didn't mention in my rants below - my company is highly regulated which explains why things aren't totally off the rails at the moment. I don't have to worry that my paycheck won't arrive - at least this month.

I was so irritated yesterday that I tried to email my congressman and find a way not to use the words "moron", "ineffective" , "incompetent", etc. The house website wasn't working (wonder why?). So I went ahead and donated $50 to his opponent.

Barney Frank explains it better

And reminds the minority leadership what they are supposed to do.

Not enough time for full rant

House Republicans are bunch of morons!!!! Plus stop saying bailout - if you're a stockholder of AIG, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Bear Sterns, Merrill Lynch, Wachovia, WaMu (too many to name), you're getting screwed by crappy management. (I will admit to bias cause I work for a conservative firm that understands mark to market accounting, risk management and setting reserves)

Lowering capital gains taxes won't help credit markets - which impact "main street"! Neither will idiot phrases like "It took the Lord seven days to make the world, we can take that time to review the bill" - WTF were you doing last week?

The latest bill has more accountability than the previous - yes Paulson is a biz guy and didn't understand how to write govt request - Dems helped him fix that.

My Friday/ Saturday

So been quiet since went to pal's house to help out with her 2 month old twins. She (MM) needed a well deserved day out shopping so I stayed with her husband - primarily to help with feedings. I was there from Friday night through Sat @11pm. Watched the debate in between feedings and getting updates from MM.

The babies are adorable, Ainsley (@13 lbs) and Keaton (@11 lbs)(with pacifer). They are good sizes since they were almost full term when she delivered. Pretty easy going - though when Ainsley is hungry, she's quite the drama queen - how else can she maintain those cheeks? Keaton just likes to be held, he has the funniest expressions. I think her husband now appreciates how little you can get done even with 2 people there. He was missing the extra help his mother & mother in law had provided when they visited. (Their family is all in Canada) It takes 2 to feed them and there were only a few hours where both were sleeping or relaxing quietly. I can see with early days you do need at least 3 people. I had a full night's sleep so I was more rested. Of course by 9am I smelled like formula.

I won't go through all details though by the time MM came back we were on last feeding of the day and Ainsley passed out while eating. She had been fussy in the afternoon/ evening not wanting to rest as much. As I said above - Keaton would wake up, start fussing/crying - I pick him up, he'd give me a little crooked smile- then he'd fall dead asleep on my shoulder. Definitly knows how to work it, his sister just calls out for what she wants. Nice to see determined little girl - she's quite feisty. I just hope they slept well through the night for their mum. This was one of the first times she's been able to get away - it was hard to do though she needed it.

Anyway - sort of working vacation for me - fun to focus on them and really crying wasn't too bad. (Of course I wasn't sleep deprived so was mentally wasn't as tired).

Hair cut

Are there libertarians in foxholes?

Variation of what Paul Krugman said on Bill Maher's show this week. "There are no atheists in foxholes, no libertarians during an economic crisis".

First the W. told us to spend, spend, spend, encourage big Al G to keep interest rates too low to make saving appealing. Now it's a crisis and we should let Sec of Treasury have absolute authority over $700 billion? No oversight, nothing!

I work for an extremely large company and it takes many people to administrate & approve sums significantly less. Not to mention, if the govt has controlling interest of AIG, who represents taxpayer interests on the board - serve on audit committee, compensation for executives? I agree with the intervention, just typical high-handedness of administration. Paulson is not incompetent.

Then McCain is suspending campaign to focus only on one thing? What's the point of having a woman VP, we do multi-task better. They are keeping her locked up (See Campbell Brown's commentary)

So my day: Arrived at office, checked email, walked down greeted visiting consultants, discussed plans for day with them while picking up breakfast, responded to project team (my biz folks) questions while making sure they were on time & prepared for consultants, ran data quality report while responding to IMs, reviewed materials for conference call, participated on same conference call (Credit/Risk issues) and worked email, ate lunch with consultants, reassured my "co" project manager that we will figure out accounting objections if he would just document the issue (day 2 of project that will last 4 months!), answered Admin Asst's questions about consultant access while reviewing compliance reports, prepared materials/job aids for consultants, attended 2 interview sessions, checked in with boss and IT staff about other projects, had quick phone call with pal with 2 month old twins asking for help this weekend (excited about that!), responded to crazy credit IT folks on system inquiry, answered sales rep question about Chinese wall (public/private), followed up with programmer on different project request from other business, checked in with COO and CFO (sponsors) on status of big project at different times, answered phone call from my mom about financial question, wrapped up day with consultants and set agenda for tomorrow, finished emails including update to all stakeholders of project reminding them on data privacy, started Op Risk analysis review that's due next month and reviewed schedule for tomorrow (which includes picking up donuts for co-worker's bday!)

Maybe I should just blow everyone off and pretend to look concerned about the economy? I have only one car and rent one apartment, no children or pets either, though wouldn't mind a trophy husband?

Smokey - a portrait