ODDS 'N ENDS

--Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daughter told a magazine she escaped to London to get some perspective on the scandal and divorce of her parents. "It isn't as big a story over here," Katherine Schwarzenegger said. She goes on to say, "...I've always been way closer to my mother." Ouch. No matter what he has been through so far, hearing comments like that has to be crushing. One of my biggest fears, was my actions would cause my children to disown or pull away from me out of anger and embarrassment. I was lucky. We are still close and love each other. I hope Arnold can repair this. To lose the love of one's children is a fate I wish for no one.

---Michele Bachman says she is a "submissive" wife. She is alluding to her brand of fundamentalist Christianity that quotes St. Paul telling wives to be submissive to their husbands. We already know she suffers from migraines which her staff says have rendered her unable to work for days on end and now we face a possible president who has to check with hubby to make sure he approves of her decisions. Too harsh or reason to worry?

---This is the hottest July and most probably August in Texas' history. They are in the middle of an historic draught. We have had the worst tornados in over 100 years wreaking havoc in the mid west and south to go along with floods of biblical proportions throughout the center of the country. Glaciers are melting at rates unseen in the last century and a Northwest Passage has opened for ships. Yet, 47% of Americans say they don't believe the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change.

---In San Francisco, Mayor Ed Lee became mayor because he promised not to run for a full term. Now, he says he changed his mind and is going to run. Are you surprised a pupil of Willie Brown would go back on his word? Does it matter? Did he lie or con the people who appointed him or the people in the City? Can you think of a politician who has ever been punished for going back on his word? Don't we get the elected officials we deserve?

---Is anyone watching Keith Olbermann on his new network? Is he increasing the ratings? Is the show better or worse?

---Obama takes a lot of heart over his lack of negotiating skills. Has anyone looked at Biden lately? Perhaps it's catching or they are two peas in a pod. He goes to Congress to negotiate on the debt ceiling and doesn't get tax increases. He talks Democrats into supporting an extension of the Bush tax cuts. He doesn't get any agreement to close tax loopholes and gives in on changing Medicare and yet somehow comes out of all this unscathed with Obama taking the blame. Did Biden find Reagan's Teflon suit?

---Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin proposed a budget plan, which the House passed with only Republican votes. The GOP cited it as proof they had ideas too and said it was a blueprint for what they wanted to do when they gain control of Congress and the White House. Among other things, Ryan's budget would privatize Medicare out of existence and shred the nation's social safety net. Yet, when nominees for the debt ceiling "super" committee were revealed, the fair-haired golden boy was conspicuously missing. Is his name and plan that toxic a political liability now for the GOP?

---If you go to the Iowa straw poll, GOP presidential hopefuls will pay the $30 entry fee, feed you, entertain you, even provide air conditioned tents to get you to vote for them. How is this not bribery or vote buying and is it legal? (Sorry, I tried to use legal and Republican in the same sentence. My bad.)

---In Britain, they are trying to figure out why people engaged in days of rioting and looting and stealing what they could not buy or get in any other way. In America, Goldman Sachs is trying to figure out how to recruit the best of the looters.