The Russia stock market is down 71% from its peak in May. The size of their bubble as well as their corruption, makes ours look small by comparison. Oligarchs who borrowed huge from western banks using stock as collateral are suddenly in serious trouble. But lest we forget, the LTCM collapse in 1998 that nearly took out the world financial system was triggered by a Russian government loan default. But this time, just a paltry $47.5 billion is at risk. Whew. I’m glad we’re not talking real money or anything like that.

Bank runs in Russia are escalating too.

Wikipedia has a sobering timeline of the current Russian financial crisis.

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Maybe it’s because I used to help organize antiwar and immigrant right rallies when I lived in L.A. that the videos of extremist racists at McCain-Palin rallies doesn’t faze me much. The lunatic fringe has always been there. The Republicans, in desperation, are now pandering to them. But here’s the key fact. Such events by definition, only bring out the hardcore. By now, most the moderates have heard what the rallies are like and are staying home. So, what you see in the videos is the fringe of the fringe, and not representative of Republicans at large, many of whom are moderates and not racist.

Sometimes in L.A., especially at immigrant rights events, rabid right wing counter-demonstrators showed up, and things got plenty tense. Screaming matches between the sides accomplish precisely nothing. Getting your point across in a understandable way to the media is what matters. Not screaming at a bozo with a stuffed chimp labelled “Obama.”

For those you may not have seen this, from my You Tube site, video of an unprovoked attack by LAPD clubbing a couple to the ground and continuing to beat them at a Minuteman-ANSWER LA confrontation in July 2006. Be careful out there folks, it can get crazy.

And here are some political cartoons to lighten up your day.

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New tape from 3M is specifically designed to put on the edges of wind turbine blades to prevent pitting and erosion, thus adding several years of life to the sometimes enormous blades.

“That pitting can affect the structural integrity of that blade. Wind turbine blades are not short or sleek – they range up to 120 feet in length, weigh 12 tons and cost an average of $100,000″

Tip: CleanTechnica

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From Margaret and Helen. Margaret does most of the blogging, she’s 82.

Joe the Plumber? Joe Six Pack?  The new McCain strategy seems to be banking on a lot of guys named Joe with a beer in one hand and a pipe wrench in the other. Is this a political campaign or a dating service for the Palin women?

And while I am talking about Governor Good Hair from the North I just want to say good for Sarah Palin that she has an interest in helping special needs children. They need all of our help and every child should come into this world being wanted and loved. Sarah you have my full support on this matter. It’s just too bad you also have to worry about a special needs Senator for a running mate.

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