Babble-On 15

A mid-week look at a few items floating through the ether ...

Bonus Babies - Oh the horror!  AIG, beneficiary of public largesse to the tune of 170 billion (or so), paid bonuses to some of its executives. About 165 million (or so). The company claimed the bonus payments were regrettable but legally required.  A contract is a contract, after all.  The ensuing furor in the halls of government, gleefully reported by a press scared by the recent trend towards a little more positivity in the public mood, has consumed the media outlets to the near exclusion of all else.  The latest news reports that some of the bonuses were being returned.  If true, this might catch on.  Perhaps we could get some of the Bush Administration to return a little of their pay...

Rocket Bat - On Sunday a humble little bat became the fastest winged mammal in history.  That is, it did if it was able to hang on to the Shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank long enough.  NASA's technical boffins noted the Free-tail Bat on the tank before the launch but thought it might just fly away.  They should let those boffins watch more nature programming, because they were wrong - it didn't.  Sadly, more bat-savvy specialists consulted after the fact believe the bat couldn't have survived the ride.  Personally, I'd like to think the little guy (or gal) had The Right Stuff, and not only survived, but flew higher, farther, and faster than any bat had flown before...

The Waters of Baghdad - Are not so good, according to a story posted on Yahoo News today.  Apparently, the drinking water pulled from the Tigris river has been polluted for a long time, and it hasn't improved since the US invasion and occupation.  Six years after the US entered Baghdad the water supply is no safer and the people who can afford it resort to bottled water to avoid the risk of disease.  I wonder if Haliburton has the bottled water concession?  Probably a no-bid contract.

Enjoy the rest of your week.  If you run into any difficulties you can take a tip from that little bat gamely hanging on to the Space Shuttle.  Whatever your problem is, get a grip and hang on for dear life...