half year review

Well, we've made it this far, but towers of ilium isn't feeling too cheerful about events on the world stage for the year.

I'm doing pretty well on some of the predictions I made in January--except for the notable fact that energy prices have shown a marked degree of stability. The fracking boom continues--hooray. I still need to insulate my attic.

The Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are a shameful group of fools. Obama has been stumbling lately, but he's a far cry from Nixon (or Reagan, or Clinton). Our involvement in Syria will not end well--but maybe not as poorly as our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. The European Central Bank, along with George Osborne, is a testament to the stupidity and stubbornness of self-righteous, myopic idiocy when it comes to the management of money. Ben Bernanke is an over-optimistic clown, surrounded by jesters, who is on his way out. His replacement will still be better than anyone in Europe.

And what the hell is going on Brazil?

Architecture seems to be improving, but the "good" times will not ever be back.