August 2008 - Irish American News

20 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS August 2008Boyle the KettleWe’ll Have A Sup Of TeaTom Boyleboylethekettle@irishamericannews.comJesseJesse blew it again! Rememberhis “hymietown” remark in 1984?Senator Obama’s speech scoldingabsentee fathers obviously upsetJesse Jackson. Following an interviewon Fox News, not realizing themike was still live, Jesse said hewanted to cut Senator Obama’s nutsoff for talking down to his people.The crux of the matter being, SenatorObama’s remarks on “parentalresponsibility” — is that not openfor discussion? Maybe Jesse has ataste for Rocky Mountain Oysters,the culinary name for buffalo, boaror bull testicles. Peeled, dipped inflour, then seasoned with salt andpepper; often pounded flat anddeep fried. They are called “PrairieOysters” in Canada, in Mexico,Huevos del Toro “bull’s eggs,”or “Cowboy Caviar” in Montana,“tendergroins” or “swinging beef.”That remark could tighten up yourscrotum. Of course, the perfunctoryapology followed.Jesse Jackson, Sr., will be in linefor an ambassadorship to Zimbabwe.Jesse Jackson, Jr., reprimanded hisfather for his remarks as he is SenatorObama’s National CampaignManager and desperately wantsto be appointed to his Senate seat,which is probably the only wayhe’ll ever get to the Senate. Thenhis wife, Sandi, can take his seatin the House of Representatives!Whatever happened to the JacksonFive? Why not treat to yourself tosome bridge mix?IAHC ElectionsThe IAHC has elected new officers:Bob McNamara, President;Alan Duggan, Vice President; ClarkCallan, M.D., Treasurer; and KathyMahoney, Secretary.Bob McNamara had this tosay: “I am looking forward to anexciting year for the Center. TheIrish American Heritage Centeris a real gem for the city of Chicago.Our founding members andlong-time volunteers have builtan outstanding organization. Weneed to celebrate their successesand begin to bring that same senseof community and home to othergenerations and to the wider Irishcommunity in Chicago.”“Our focus for the next year willbe to expand our programming andincrease the quality and quantity ofevents, to strengthen the administrativeand financial structure ofthe organization, and to widen ouraudience. All the pieces are in placefor success—we have an excellentBoard of Directors, outstandingvolunteers and a new CEO, ColinMoore. Look for bigger and betterthings from the Center real soon.”Trip the SodA number of Irish film shortswere shown during the IAHCannual festival. There was oneAmerican contribution. Trip theSod: A Portrait of a Young IrishStep Dancer, is an 8-minute biographicaldocumentary aboutDierdre, a 9-year old girl who’s acompetitive Irish Step Dancer inChicago. Through Dierdre’s story,the film celebrates Irish heritageand demonstrates how engagingyour ancestral culture fosters asense of identity of a person duringtheir formative years. Directedand produced by Dierdre Lee, MFACandidate, Film & Video, ColumbiaCollege Chicago. The filmwas a pure delight. The star of thefilm is Dierdre Kozici, daughter ofChris and Siobhan Kozici.Big OilCommodities traders are gettingrich and the price at the pump keepson climbing. There are many factorsthat contribute to this dilemma.James B. Sloan, a prominent antitrustattorney, has filed a suit againstOPEC for price fixing.The major oil producers and refinersare lining up in opposition tothis law suit, including the UnitedStates Chamber of Commerce whohas filed an amicus brief in oppositionto the “refined petroleumproducts anti-trust litigation”Their argument centers on “TheAct of State” and “Political QuestionDoctrines” claiming constitutionalunderpinnings and the separationof powers between the threebranches of government, Executive,Judicial, and Legislative. On thispremise, they seek to dismiss thecase which was filed in the U.S.District for the Southern Districtof Texas, Houston Division.I do not claim to fully understandthe complexities of this issue, however,the argument is that the anti-trustlitigation interferes with the Executivebranch of government, conductof diplomacy, in other words, foreignpolicy. It seems to me our foreignpolicy over the last 7-1/2 years hasbeen totally dysfunctional.Foreign countries, like Saudi Arabia,have an enormous presence inour markets. They own 50% of ShellOil, Venezuela owns Citgo, Russiaowns Getty Oil (Lukoil), etc.Now, at long last, new refinerycapacity is coming online in 2010at Port Arthur, TX, Motiva Enterprises,owned by Shell Oil and SaudiRefining. We desperately neededadditional refining capacity but it’snot exactly a free market enterprise.These are integrated companies thatcontrol the oil from the well head tothe gas pump.Even the Supreme Court ruled infavor of Exxon Mobil, reducing thepunitive damages for the disastrousExxon Valdez super tanker oil spillin 1989. A jury originally awarded$5 billion in punitive damages in1989 against Exxon Mobil. In 2006the Federal Appeals Court cut theaward in half. Now the SupremeCourt has ruled 5-3 to cut the punitivedamages to $507.5 million, anaverage of $15,000 per victim. “BigOil” wins again! Exxon Mobil’sprofit for 2007 was $40.6 billion.Time to start shopping for a goodhorse, or in the case of we Irish, and“ass and cart.” We can produce methanegas from the manure.I contacted the Media RelationsDept. of United Airlines to find outwhether or not they were a memberif the US Chamber of Commerceas the CEO of United Airlines andthe CEO’s of most major airlinessent out an email to all the frequentflyers asking them to contact theircongressman and ask them to reestablishmore stringent controls onenergy resources and conservation.Subsequently I contacted the AirTransport Association who hasput out a five-point plan, of whichwe will list only the titles here.Full info can be obtained at www.stopoilspeculationnow.com/site/page/the_solution.1. Re-establish strict position limitson energy commodities.2. Close the London Loophole.3. Regulate “swap trades.”4. Fully close the “Enron loophole.”5. Bring transparency to all energytrading.Where?This came to me via email froma good friend in Pensacola, FL. Theunstated comparison of the floodsin Iowa and Hurricane Katrina inNew Orleans. Draw your own conclusions.“Where are all of the Hollywoodcelebrities holding telethons askingfor help in restoring Iowa andhelping the folks affected by thefloods?Where is all the media asking thetough questions about why the federalgovernment hasn’t solved the problem?Asking where the FEMA trucks(and trailers) are?Why isn’t the Federal Governmentrelocating Iowa people to free hotelsin Chicago?When will Spike Lee say the FederalGovernment blew up the leveesthat failed in Des Moines?Where are Sean Penn and theDixie Chicks?Where are all the looters stealinghigh-end tennis shoes and big screentelevision sets?When will we hear GovernorChet Culver say he wants to rebuilda “vanilla” Iowa, because that’s theway God wants it?Where are the people declaringthat George Bush hates white, ruralpeople?How come in two weeks, you maynot hear about the Iowa floodingever again?”Irish FestShamrock StarsFormerly known as the IrishIdol Contest, this year’s winnerswere: in the 13-18 yr. old group,Ashley Davy, who sang “TheLast Rose of Summer.” Winnerin the 4-12 yr. old group wasMikala Walsh, who sang “Carrickfergus.”