So Barack Obama has really high approval ratings, at 63 percent. Republicans, of course, like him less and less, with only 22 percent giving him high marks, down from 44 in February. But what’s interesting is that there’s a big gap, ten or 20 points sometimes, between that approval rating and people’s assessment of how he’s handled some of the bigger initiatives of his term, such as saving GM (thanks, BTW) and closing Guantanamo Bay.

Maybe people will like this: Obama yesterday announced major changes to the regulation of the financial industry, including creating a new agency for consumer protection and requiring the Federal Reserve to watch over companies deemed “too big to fail.” People who know what they are talking about (I am not one) say this essentially prepares the feds to “fight the last war,” but maybe trying to fix what’s already been broken is not the worst idea.

Luckily most people approve of Obama’s foreign policy, because things are getting a little terrifying over in Iran. Today is supposed to be a day of mourning for those killed in the protests and the government continues to crack down.

And on a more light note – Eddie Bauer filed for bankruptcy yesterday! I hope they come out of it, because where are we to get our Momish cargo capris and soft comfy fleeces if they disappear? Their stuff wears like iron, too, and is pretty, um, trend-resistant? So you can buy them once and wear them for a long time. Best wishes, Mr. Bauer!

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Some folks are saying that gas prices, already averaging close to three bucks a gallon, may hit that number soon. Actually, some places are there already. The L.A. Times reports that “a Mobil station in Goleta, near Santa Barbara, was charging $3.69 a gallon and a Chevron in Shoshone, near Death Valley National Park, was posting $3.66.” Ouch. Granted, gas prices are lower than they were last year. But as this Weather Channel video points out, the summer is nearly upon us, and perhaps some families were planning to take vacations that involved driving rather than other more expensive options. (One thing for sure — we’ll all be bombarded by the term “stay-cation” for the next few months. Oh joy.) Some folks feel that if gas prices hit the big tres, that could drive (no pun intended) consumers towards hybrid cars. Of course, I found that little tidbit at HybridCars.com. I’m just sayin’. My take: Continue reading »

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Man, what is going on over there in Iran? Here are a few headlines:

• “Biden expresses ‘doubts’ about Iranian election”: doubts about its “validity,” according to CNN. I like how he says he has doubts about the election results but, you know, doesn’t want to comment. Um, dude? Mr. Veep guy? That is a comment.
• “Iran’s president declines to guarantee safety of defeated rival Mir Hossein Moussavi” (CNN)
• “Canada says it is worried about reports of irregularities in Iran’s election”: OH! Well if CANADA is worried, that’s very serious! (also CNN) Continue reading »

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