For months now, we've been feeling the effects of a meltdown in our financial markets, considered by most reasonable people to be the root cause of our current economic woes, both nationally, and globally. Our financial markets remain in pretty bad shape, with little (it seems) being done to improve the situation other than throw money at financial institutions (much of it with zero oversight or accountability). Lots of money is being thrown into the economy, generally, via the stimulus package, too, of course-- lots and lots of it. And it has been claimed that all this will work....

You'd have had to be hiding under a rock over the past few months to have missed the on-running drama surrounding President Obama's old Senate seat, beginning with revelations that my personal pick for America's Dodgiest Politician, ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, (allegedly) wanted to sell the thing, and culminating recently in speculation that its current occupant, US Sen. Roland Burris (who Blago appointed), was involved in illegal and/or unethical shenangigans aimed at securing it for himself.

But you might have missed the latest bit of dismaying news surrounding this particular public office, which was reported by the Politico on Friday night:

Alexi Giannoulias, Illinois' state treasurer, plans to announce Monday that he'll run next year for the Democratic nomination for the state's Senate seat, according to two sources familiar with the plans.

Why is this dismaying news, you ask? Well, sure, Giannoulias is close to the President, but he's also got connections to some more dubious individuals and organizations including, oh... the mob. Seriously. Read what Ross Kaminsky wrote for the Denver Post's Politics West site about Giannoulias during the Democratic Convention, at which Giannoulias spoke, last year (choice excerpt):

The NY Post story references the many questions about Giannoulias’ ties to organized crime through Broadway Bank, a Chicago bank that his family owns and where Alexi Giannoulias listed himself both as President and as Chairman of the Board on FEC filings surrounding the campaign contributions mentioned above. ...

I missed the Ireland v England rugby match in the Six Nations this weekend because I was at CPAC.  But it appears that Ireland beat England by one point: 14-13.

This is not, obviously, quite as good as Scotland beating England (maybe we'll pull that off later this month).  However, in many Scots' (and Scottish-descended folks') book, no matter who it is beating the English, so long as the English do in fact lose, it's a net win for us (this is where I mentally recall Scots samba'ing in Brazil football jerseys in a variety of Brazilian clubs in Soho during a recent World Cup match, in which England faced off against the purveyors of the Beautiful Game).  As someone who certainly prefers Ireland over England (definitely where rugby is concerned), I can say I'm pleased with this weekend's result... though probably not quite as pleased as the Brazil-supporting types.  It's hard to hold a candle to those guys.

In separate sports news, I note that Arsenal drew with Fulham today, 0-0.  This is intensely disappointing, especially after the recent solid result against Roma.  We should be capable of beating teams like Fulham, who have never won on our turf.  I can only hope that we're storing up energy for another victory when we meet Roma at home-- but I'm sure not counting on that, the way things are looking just now. [intro]