I start my day by glancing at the headlines for today's news. This week is unusual because absolutely nothing happened, at least anything really important. Washington and the East Coast are blanketed with an oppressive heat wave reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 C). This is really unusual and makes for a long hot summer.

BP seems to have stopped the flow of oil, along with the flow of cash to residents and small business owners affected by the spill. It was inevitable that the funds would dry up...

I don't follow the technical details of the spill. I don't understand any of it. How hard can it be to stick a giant industrial cork in a hole in the ocean floor.

BP faces a fine based on the total barrels of oil spilled. This could run into the billions and could see an end to this Corporation. BP has deep financial pockets, but there is a limit.

Republicans have taken the position that BP is being over regulated and that tax payers should foot the clean-up bill, with BP being encouraged to continue off shore drilling.

Not surprisingly, the initial startup funding for Republican Campaigns in November of one million dollars, came from an oil company in Texas. This is part of a fifty two million dollar goal which will likely come from major corporations.

An ailing Fidel Castro appeared on Cubavision Nacional TV this past week. Just like the "Duracell Bunny", Castro just keeps going and going...

I have always admired Castro as he stood up to a super power and refused to join the other puppet regimes in S. America and the Caribbean. Castro started his revolutionary government by kicking out mafia casino operators, drug dealers and getting rid of the opposition.

Life in Cuba remains harsh and they are one of the poorest people in this part of the world. It is still a crime to travel there, conduct business or buy any goods from Cuba. The US embargo has been in place for over forty years and hasn't accomplished anything, except keeping Cuba poor.

There is an ongoing debate here in DC to consider whether the Cuban embargo should be lifted. There aren't too many excuses left as to why we should still isolate the Island.

The Cuban people are better off under Castro than the previous Batista Government. Cubans enjoy better health care, education and social programmes. What may seem odd to us, Cubans are now permitted mobile phones and TV antennae.

Socialism comes at a price of course and they enjoy very little freedom. Lifting the embargo would help both our economies.

I also get a legal supply of Cuban Cohiba cigars.

1,500 National Guard Troops headed to the US/Mexican border wall this week to keep the Latino hordes out of Arizona and the Southern States. In between tours in Afghanistan and Iraq these troops have to sit on the border and stare at Mexico.

Because of the 'Posse Commitus Act' the military can't be used for law enforcement. This prevents us from waking up one day and having a General as President. Too late for the people of Arizona who already have an El Presidente.

I have no idea how these troops plan on enforcing border security as they have no police powers.

If the Republicans win this November, we may need this wall to keep US citizens from moving to Mexico.

Across the Pond