A lone artist puts the finishing strokes on the replacement setting for US presidential wannabe Barack Obama’s “photo-op” in Berlin.
Barack Obama wanted to give a keynote address on transatlantic relations at the Brandenburg Gate during his visit to Germany today, however, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said “nein,” reasoning that the site should only be reserved for very special occasion addresses by politicians, and only by elected American presidents.
I say, bravo, and props to the Chancellor! Seriously, this “stunt” attempt by Obama pretty much finished him for me. I mean, what happened to the guy who claims to be all about “change,” and finding new breath apart from the status quo? Obama needs to make his own place in history by dealing with the present. The time has never been better.
At the papal Mass at Washington, D.C.’s Nationals Park this morning, 46,000 were in attendance, and to partake of Holy Communion, including Senators John Kerry, Chris Dodd, and Ted Kennedy.
Kennedy, a Catholic, conspicuously remained seated as his row was called for Communion, whilst Senate brethren Kerry and Todd showed no reservation.
“Blasphemy, Sacrilege!” Or…better, “Scandal – Kennedy loses taste for alcohol!”
Before anybody blows a Catechism, sorry, none of the above. Turns out, only Kennedy did the right (hmm) thing. Surprised? Read on…
Ranking authorities in the Vatican, and indeed the Pope himself, have insisted that pro-abortion politicians be denied Holy Communion. Kennedy, Kerry, and Dodd each hold public stances favoring abortion.
Francis Cardinal Arinze, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, speaking at a Catholic family conference in Ohio last November confirmed that pro-abortion politicians must be denied communion. He referenced a 2004 letter on the subject sent by then-Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, who said that such politicians “must” be refused Communion.
Several prominent US bishops with the leading of now-retired Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick have refused to follow such direction from Rome.
Paris Hilton was not observed among the faithful, and Britney Spears was not contacted for comment.
If you are a “I’m between Jobs” mortgage banker and are searching for work in the industry, well, you better be good at what you do – damn good.
A buddy with many years mortgage lending experience in the “A paper” stuff, non-subprime, is caught up in this mess with a vanquished career, replete with all the requisite perks – AKA he’s SOL, screwed, just as badly as the growing population of millions of now homeless “American dreamers.”
Nobody knows how big this mortgage problem is, and the reasons “why not” are many, but, $trillions is a safe working figure. So, in trying to help my bud in his hour, I’m brain-storming, “one man’s misery is another’s gain,” or such, and surely the beleagured banks need experienced people in work-out or turn-around roles, and who better to fill this niche than the very people who actually know the mortgage business? “Great thought, been there, pitched that,” my friend said. His job search has resulted in only rejections and no, zero interest from the banks and/or head-hunters, short of lip-service to what one would think is an obvious first course solution. The banks, are simply not hiring.
Hmm. Banks not interested in hiring well qualified people to protect assets and serve customers, this I had to see for myself. I surfed over to the employment pages of Bank of America and Countrywide Home Loans, and found thousands of jobs at both sites, all over the United States. I picked these two, as my friend had been rejected for various jobs applied for by both, and as they say, might as well start at the top, go to the mountain.
After all, talking big, Bank of America holds more of American’s money than any other bank, and Countrywide is/was/might still be, the nation’s #1 mortgage lender. Now, with all these advertised jobs and choice locations all over the country, I just had to test this, but knew my resume wouldn’t get past the mail room shredder.
What I did next was admittedly cheesy, and please know I am not a tit-for-tat kind of guy, but necessity commanded this “science experiment” continue. Gentle readers, I am far from being alone in realizing we are on the ledge of the worst economic abyss ever seen, so criticize my methodology, if desired, after all, in the end, it’s only money.
Here it is. I applied for various positions at both of the afore-mentioned in locations throughout the land using my real name, supplemented with the cirriculum vitale of Ken Lewis and Angelo Mozilo, Chairmen of Bank of America and Countrywide respectively. Sure, I left out details of Ken’s days selling True Grit magazine and shoes door-to-door, and Angelo’s uncanny ability to keep a Cote d’Azur tan in such gloomy fiscal weather, but the rest is just as factual as they themselves publicly share.
It didn’t take long, usually less than 24 hours from time of application to learn my fate. Surprisingly, to me anyhow, what I got, repeatedly, was exactly the same result as my friend – no, zero interest from either “employer.” No phone calls, no “snail-mail,” no interviews, only somewhat polite email rejections, such as this, to wit:
Countrywide received your application for the position of 1st VP, Foreclosure-10060916. We appreciate your interest in Countrywide, however, at this time we have chosen to pursue other candidates whose experience more closely aligns with the requirements for the position.
We will retain your candidate profile in our applicant database. If you have chosen to be updated via e-mail, you will be informed of new Countrywide opportunities that match the criteria you selected.
Again, I’m not a banker, so if my mental process is incorrect, I’ll accept that. It’s just that it seems to me that if a guy with the qualities of the Chairman of the Board is good enough to get into such a cluster headache, he ought to be good enough to…well, you know. Whatever, it’s only money.
