Blog @ MoreWhat.com

One has to turn attention to matters other than public affairs, politics or current events these days simply to maintain sanity. Conditions in the economy as well as legislative and policy decisions being considered at all levels of government take a toll on mere mortals. A little diversion from time to time provides some needed respite.

So another story that has been languishing in the bookmark file is released here on its own recognizance. Whether your preferences lean toward history or science or stories of adventure this recent (02/05/2010) report contains a little something for just about anyone.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) – Five crates of whisky and brandy belonging to polar explorer Ernest Shackleton have been recovered after being buried for more than 100 years under the Antarctic ice, explorers said Friday.

If you have ever been in a liquor store and observed prices of aged whiskey or other such products as compared to the uncivilized offerings you may have uttered the word ‘ouch.’ And if you indulge in a libation from time to time you may not find the superior product worth the superior price. But it’s hard to argue the more expensive alternative is not impressive.

Rather than the typical 12 or 21 year old examples how about 100 year old whiskey? If nothing else you should be curious about how it would taste after all that time. But then, being buried in polar ice is probably not the best way to store it. As the article states those involved believe they can extract the recipe for these liquors that have since been lost but no date has been set for sampling the find.

Which raises the obvious question as to why Shackletons’ expedition chose to transport five cases of liquor on a voyage that may otherwise be looking for ways to shed weight? C’mon, at one point during the voyage the crew had not stepped foot on solid ground for 497 days. So they shouldn’t tip one now and then? JUst like this post one has to have a diversion from time to time. And of course there’s always the excuse it was for medicinal purposes.

You may want to watch the news for an announcement of a new product based on the previously lost recipe for this historic beverage(s). You know someone must be thinking about it.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

A billboard getting some attention was erected at the direction of some as yet unknown sponsors. There’s nothing like a little humor for this troubling political climate. And yes, this blogger laments the departure of Bush 43. Certainly not perfect but a preferred option over current conditions. And like most, the author of this brief post is anxiously awaiting November 2010. After that it will be anxiously awaiting November 2012.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

How’s this for a sexy teaser?

OMG! ‘Gossip Girl’ star Blake Lively flaunts her assets with a plunging neckline on the red carpet

A successful stint on what appears to be a popular television program. A girl whose appearance is visually pleasing. Or put another way, yes, this qualifies as eye candy. OMG, sex, exploitation, perhaps a political agenda and the masses will rebel. NOT

No need to discuss all the possibilities for debate on what is presented here. Just ignore the natural inclination to weigh in and enjoy the view.

Speaking of views provides a handy transition to the next related item. OMG, controversy over one person’s, correction, two persons’ decision to make a statement about a topic apparently important to them. The piece below is spot on in its analysis.

Tim Tebow chose to take a stand about his beliefs.

It’s certainly his right. He and his mother, Pam, are scheduled to star in a Super Bowl commercial next Sunday night that advocates an anti-abortion message. It has created a firestorm among special-interest groups believing that the national communal experience that has become Super Sunday should be independent of political infiltration.

Those who disagree with their position can choose to take their television remote in hand when the ad appears on CBS and change the channel.

And finally let’s consider a story from a member of the Palin family that is not an attack piece from the MSM or lefty blogosphere.

Bristol Palin vows no more pre-marital sex - and says other women should follow her lead

Here’s a kid dealing with accepting consequences for her decisions. As they say, she chose life. And even with a great deal of support from family and friends that is no easy path. Some may continue to criticize, attack and bash the Palin’s including Bristol. But her ‘goal’ is not something to diss. In addition to what she faces for years to come, if using the media attraction to promote responsible living also comes from it she should get applause not criticism.

So that about wraps up this presentation of three sex stories. A story about an attractive young woman and her apparel which may seem tame these days. A young man and his Mom taking a stand on what they believe at some personal risk. And another attractive young woman dealing with the reality of life’s serious consequences. All of them deal with sex in some way. A topic that can use both serious and light-hearted attention. But one that we must give proper consideration to avoid serious damage and unnecessary setbacks.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Since Obama pledged a zero tolerance policy toward invasive species in the Great Lakes, Cox said the president has left the door to the lakes wide open, potentially hurting Michigan jobs and the economy. “His indifference is stunning,” Cox said.

A crisis the Obama administration is letting go to waste much to the chagrin of other liberals like Governor Granholm in the third world state of Michigan.  Maybe Rahmbo ‘deadfish’ Emanuel should be the point man on the carp crisis. Invasive species are a problem but they may also be an example of larger problems in the US.  POLS and public officials appear to be clueless on how to handle problem solving.  The recurring theme is the nanny state mantra demanding someone else make the problem go away.

Yo, Governor Granholm, besides destroying your state’s economy was there no way you could solve your fish problem before this?  What did you do to address the problem before this news item put it out there for all to read?

Gee, maybe anthropogenic global warming is not the biggest eco problem for liberals.  Perhaps it comes in the form of a big fish that eats a lot.  The growth of government, spending and deficits does not appear to have been the great problem solving tool liberals suggest.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Battle of the network late TV hosts was caused by the network, one network, NBC. And scandal ridden David Letterman is not involved. It seems the whole thing was started by affiliate gripes about NBC’s time slot arrangement as indicated below.

Feeling pressure from affiliates, who have been griping for months about how Leno’s 10 p.m performance is hurting their late news and bottom line, NBC is scrambling to put together a strategy to appease them and keep Leno on the payroll.

Now it seems Conan O’Brien will jump ship over the situation.

“For 60 years, The Tonight Show has aired immediately following the late local news,” O’Brien said. “I sincerely believe that delaying The Tonight Show into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The Tonight Show at 12:05 simply isn’t The Tonight Show.”

The part O’Brien omits from the excerpt above and possibly any statement he has made is how the ‘franchise’ was built with the likes of Paar and Carson. That was the Tonight Show. This is not.

The opinion that no one will care about is offered here. In reverse order, O’Brien may be a capable TV host but nothing about his version of the show lives up to the history of it. Jay Leno is also quite capable. And he’s more likeable than O’Brien. While he maintained some aspects of the ‘franchise’ it appeared he had a tendency to inject a bathroom humor style of jokes as his episode progressed.

Steve Allen was first. Carson was King. Allen was impeccable and a ground breaker as were Paar and Carson. The same cannot be said of what followed. Putting Leno and O’Brien back where they were would probably be a good idea but won’t likely happen.

Let it die just like NBC has done with anything they touched over a number of years.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

For a sports fan born and raised in northeast Wisconsin a special event took place this week. The University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Phoenix Men’s Basketball team (Horizon League) defeated their counterpart from the Big Ten, the Wisconsin Badgers. You can read the rest of the story at the link below.

Phoenix Drops Badgers, 88-84, in Overtime Thriller

Bryquis Perine (Milwaukee, Wis.) scored a career-high 22 points as Green Bay beat Wisconsin (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) 88-84 in overtime on Wednesday night in front of a sellout crowd at the Resch Center. It was the second straight victory against a top-25 team (No. 11 Butler on Feb. 2, 2009) for the Phoenix and just the fourth ever for the Green Bay program.

It is interesting that in the past one had to attend a Phoenix game to watch one. It is reasonable to state former coach Dick Bennett put the Phoenix on the map. During those years it was difficult to acquire tickets as they sold out regularly. On the flip side, one could view the Badgers on public TV until the inception of the Big Ten network. Unless you are amenable to the purchase of cable TV or satellite offerings your viewing options in this regard are limited.

This week’s victory by the Phoenix over the Badgers presents something of a payback beyond the local loyalty involved. Am I a Badger fan, yes.. Am I a Phoenix fan, absolutely!! Has my loyalty to the Badgers suffered from the greed of top tier college sports, yes. Has my loyalty to the Phoenix been bolstered, yes. And is all this angst trivial? No!!! Why?

It is again reminiscent of a program from HBO in years past entitled ‘ When It Was a Game.’ The title suggests what is important. Similar to ‘Field of Dreams.’ the sentiment is the same. There is a fundamental attribute to the competition of sports that engages the best of human qualities. Participants in the game itself aspire to reach their highest potential. The sense of community is reinforced for spectators who naturally support the local favorite. Positive outcomes are promoted by this activity. To render it a mere entertainment commodity through commercial deals destroys its purity.

The point here is this. At one time the Badgers were minus the serious contender status for men’s college basketball. No one watched then. When they became a contender one could watch their games on broadcast television. After being a contender for a time along with the rest of the Big Ten the money boys moved them to what is essentially pay TV.

The Phoenix have followed a similar trend but the time line lags. Once unattractive, later elevated and for some time on local broadcast. Will the Horizon League at some time go the way of the Big Ten and others. Just like professional sports will everything move to pay-per-view? And does it somehow diminish the best of what sports has to offer?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

update to the broader theme of this post….

An interference call for college football by George F Will

Another slight departure for typical posting on this blog courtesy of a story one simply cannot ignore. There are serious and dangerous implications in this bit of news. And there is the entertainment value from the fact that the scenario is so stupid as to be categorized under stranger than fiction. In other words, you cannot make this stuff up. Well, certainly you could. But would it be believable? Would it provide the suspension of disbelief most fiction writing requires? The sad truth is conditions on this planet have deminished to a point where this kind of story is all to common.

The man who oversees Texas’ criminal justice system called Wednesday for a shake-up as authorities searched for a prisoner in a wheelchair who escaped on foot Monday from two armed guards as he was being transferred between prisons.

That’s right! An inmate escaped on foot from a wheelchair. The report suggests this may have been a hoax conjured by the inmate relating to the claim he had a stroke and needed the wheelchair for mobility. Oh yes, mobile he is.

Now for the serious part. The 6-foot, 200-pound Comeaux was serving a life sentence for aggravated sexual assault and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Now for the strange part. This is what his Mom had to say. “I’m trying to find out what the heck happened,” she said from her home in Houston. “How did my son come in contact with a gun inside the prison? I know he didn’t leave and go shopping. I’m looking at a corrupt system here.”

And there’s more.“His record is bad, and I admit that. I’m not hiding that.”

She said she hopes he returns to his parents’ house “so that I can talk to him, give him a good meal, a good bath, and send him back where he come from.”

She is also concerned that this may be a state conspiracy to set up her son for execution during the ensuing manhunt.

Wow, we actually have more problems to solve than those they are creating in Washington. Who’d a thunk it?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Are you simply being a voyeur or surrendering to morbid curiosity by following the current Tiger Woods saga? Maybe. The real question that seems to be ignored in this story as well as those of John Edwards, Mark Sanford, Elliot Spitzer and others in similar situations is the other element in the equation. It takes two to tango. And the secondary consideration of ‘the other person’ rarely rates much commentary.

Understandably, a tryst involving well-known personalities or a ‘celebrity’ is rich fodder for all media sources. Especially when the celeb is married to someone else. Then comes the role model discussion and the righteous indignation from some corners of the public mindset. Whether Joanna Jagoda, Rachel Uchitel, Jaimee Grubbs or someone else in the Tiger story or the co-conspirator in other such stories the ‘other woman’ in these scandals is ‘exposed’ to little downside.

In Jaimee Grubbs Tiger is it a simple case of a gold digger of sorts exploiting the celebrity of Tiger Woods? No doubt Tiger Woods regrets this publicity. Who knows if he regrets the choices that brought it to bear? One thing seems certain. Someone like Jaimee Grubbs stands to benefit financially from the story. Some media sources pay well for the details. It feeds the frenzy. It prolongs the agony. And it really serves no worthwhile purpose.

The debate will continue on whether or not ‘celebs’ should be held to a different standard. How much privacy is a celeb entitled to after choosing the public spotlight as a career choice? But what about the creepy crawler whose only intention from the start may have been the chance for fame, fortune or other benefits at someone else’s expense? Not the least of which may be Tiger’s wife, children or other family members.

Save the righteous indignation. If it were someone obligated to honor the public trust as in elected or appointed officials in government the outrage is warranted. If you cheat on your spouse it raises other ethical questions about a public official. Perhaps that is the only time the standard should be applied. Celeb scandals may be propped up by this foolish notion that it matters only to serve the profit incentive of those who stand to gain by it.

Anyone can make a mistake. Anyone can have character less stellar than we perceive. We are all human and subject to failures. In this case, it may be righteous to give Tiger and his family a break. The same could not be said for Edwards, Sanford or Spitzer. Their professional lives involved a public trust beyond any personal obligations to others. That is a significant difference. Enough said.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Tiger Woods is an idiot (Michelle Malkin)

Does this inspire you to ask any questions?

“I do realize that those types of things shouldn’t happen,” Adams said in that statement. “I need to specifically apologize to the Bills, their fans, our fans and the NFL.

That may be. But the goofy NFL makes little sense in handing down this fine. $250,000 from an owner for flippin’ the bird. At least two players have been fined for the same ‘offense.’ One at $7,500 and one at $10,000.

The NFL fined former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo $1 million after he pleaded guilty to a felony and suspended him for the 1999 season.

Since then, the biggest fine handed down by the NFL to an individual was $500,000 to New England coach Bill Belichick for the Spygate scandal. The league also fined the New York Jets and former coach Eric Mangini $125,000 in September for violating its rules on injury reporting with Brett Favre last season.

NFL logic apparently dictates one million for a felony, half a million for elaborate cheating, a quarter mil for flippin’ someone off and half that for breaking reporting rules.

This strategy does not seem to be working given all the ‘infractions.’ But then it’s just about the money. Nevermind the ‘bird’ infraction should not equal half of that for cheating or a quarter of what a felony raises for the league.

How much should the league be penalized for extorting the public for stadiums, overcharging for tickets and limiting viewing as they move to pay per view everything? And the college ranks are following suit. Unless you do it their way, you can watch any team but your own on traditional network broadcasts.

None of your tax dollars go to the schools featuring the college football teams, right?

The trends in sports programming combined with the feeble offerings in television overall allow one to drastically reduce if not eliminate old viewing habits. Eventually, only true couch potatoes who would watch anything as long as food and drink are available will be the revenue for the industry. But they probably know that already. Which is why they offer what they do…. too little for too much.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Powers of observation may be a bit lacking with Somali pirates. Ya think? Brings to mind a minor quip, ’sucks to be you’. Had to be a large collective ‘oops’ from the pirates upon realizing their error in a recent target selection. But after all it was a ‘French warship’ (okay, refueling vessel) so you can understand the confusion. Do you suppose this story has any effect on the warship deal the French are offering the Russians?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

France says its navy has captured five Somali pirates who attacked a French naval vessel, after apparently mistaking it for a commercial boat.

Military spokesman Christophe Prazuck says pirates on speedboats attacked the La Somme, a refueling ship, off the Somali coast early Wednesday.

He says crew members repelled the attack and then chased the pirates, seizing one boat and taking five men into custody.

French officials say no one was injured in the incident.

France is a key member of Operation Atlanta, the European Union’s anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.

Somali pirates have made tens of millions of dollars over the past two years hijacking ships and holding them for ransom. The number of hijackings has dropped in recent months as foreign navies patrol the coast and provide protection to commercial vessels.

The video above from local TV in Green Bay provides a reasonably balanced albeit timid account of fan reaction to Brett Favre facing his former team of 16 years wearing the uniform of a division rival. The Packer/Favre saga has been adequately documented in print and broadcast accounts but often fails to present the fact this one player is responsible for delivering more quality football in Green Bay, Wisconsin than had occurred in several decades before his arrival.

Mowed Down in the Showdown: Packers 23, Vikings 30
Aaron Rodgers was sacked eight times by the Vikings defense, while Brett Favre makes history as the only player to win against all 32 NFL teams.

Protecting the pocket is sure to be a major project for the Packers during the bye week, and so may be pressuring the quarterback. There were many times Favre wasn’t pressured at all. He was calm, cool, and exceedingly efficient.

In the first half of his last game before turning 40, Favre had a quarterback rating of 143.8 — 14-for-17, 154 yards, and two touchdowns. In the third quarter he was absolutely perfect, a QB rating of 158.3.

Sacking the current GB QB eight times sums up conditions in Titletown this season. In retrospect Favre’s departure from GB may be a blessing in disguise for the future Hall of Famer given his tenure and perhaps diminishing ability to absorb punishment from opposing defenses. But let’s not forget that Favre’s former protege did reasonably well given the lack of assistance he received from the team he was leading. Something Favre’s nemesis, Ted Thompson, may be hearing more about in the week(s) ahead.

Aaron Rodgers, who replaced Favre as Green Bay’s starting quarterback in 2008, threw for a career-best 384 yards. He went 26-of-37 with a pair of touchdowns and was picked off once.

Clay Matthews returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown and Jermichael Finley had six catches for 128 yards and a score for the Packers (2-2), who faltered thanks to Minnesota’s defense.

Jared Allen led the relentless attack with a career-high 4 1/2 sacks, one forced fumble and one safety. Minnesota had eight sacks of Rodgers, bringing the total times he’s been sacked to 20 this season.

Jared Allen, the one man wrecking crew, was absolutely on fire trashing the Packers’ hope to avoid embarrassment at the hands of their former field general who may have extracted extreme satisfaction to say the least with last night’s victory. Although it appeared the Vikings’ took the rest of the night off late in the game the Packers were unable get closer than 7 points by the end of regulation.

Minneapolis - After 16 years with the Packers and one with the New York Jets, Brett Favre got his wish and started the game tonight in Minneapolis for the Vikings against the Green Bay Packers, getting the 30-23 win.

After the Packers started with the football, and Aaron Rodgers completed five of his first six passes, the Packers current quarterback fumbled when sacked by the Vikings Jared Allen, bringing Brett Favre and the Vikings offense on the field. In a drive that included a fourth down conversion, Favre hit Visanthe Shiancoe from one yard out for the first score, giving the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

Above is the last excerpt presented from GB media sources and below is a regional account mirroring what seems the defacto conclusion in Packerland. Right now Brett Favre is doing better than those leading the Packers. There’s trouble in river city. And last night’s game makes a Viking/Packer rematch later this season more of a headache for some than others. At worst, Brett Favre insured the outcome will be no worse than a horse apiece. While his former team contemplates the consequence of a repeat result on their home turf.

Brett Favre extracted a smile this evening as the Vikings beat the Packers 30-23 but more importantly, Favre was brilliant. Revenge against Ted Thompson, according to Favre, it’s not about revenge but I’m sure Brett’s giggling inside at the thought of Ted and Mike McCarthy’s misery and the ire of the fans that they’re about to face.

There is no shortage of opinions either pro or con on matters involving Brett Favre especially those related to his departure from Green Bay. The view from here suggests the Packer organization is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct for their handling of regime change with Favre and Rodgers. Favre certainly could have selected a better course of action in response. But again, the view from here credits most of the blame on Thompson and McCarthy. With all Brett Favre contributed in more than a decade and a half for this franchise for which he was more than adequately compensated financially better business decisions were available.

This Wisconsin resident, for one, took great pleasure from the game last night. This is not an isolated reaction. Some of us recall the legacy in Titletown is littered with less than stellar performance from the brain trust behind the organization known as The Green Bay Packers. Maybe the occasional load of dirty laundry is what caused the last 29-year drought in Superbowl appearances. And then there was the follow up loss shortly thereafter. Brett Favre was present for those games.. And after all these years, he’s still got it.

The frosting on the cake last night was the fact that Adrian Peterson was not the story as would have been expected. It was number four. You could almost hear a voice calling out Ted Thompson…..’how do you like me now’?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Are you ready for some football? If yes, then you have to be ready for the whining, complaining, hype and tabloid treatment of teams and players usually reserved for the ‘celeb’ gossip columnists for Hollywood who make their living airing dirty laundry.

Two stories this week are on point. The continuing saga that is Brett Favre and a familiar episode from the college ranks illustrating ‘pro’ and ‘amateur’ are not that far apart.

This blogger’s viewpoint focuses on other topics in college and professional sports dealing with marketing and squeezing every last dollar out of the viewing public, otherwise known as fans, who seem to accept without even so much as a small debate, restricted viewing and the future of everything ‘pay=tv’ for their favorite venues. Sports programming, not unlike the ‘team’ organizations they present, have an obsession with the business model which largely ignores the primary purpose and loftier goals of athletic competition. For the purist as well as the ordinary spectator sport has lost some of its luster.

All the talk surrounding the first sports topic mentioned above, the Brett Favre saga, is full of fan opinions and sports writer analysis which comes in two forms as one might guess. Those who support and those who oppose the future hall of fame QB and his choices over the last couple of years. A piece from the online presence of radio station WTMJ 620 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin does a respectable job putting the story or stories in perspective.

He may not lead the Minnesota Vikings to the promised land. At his age, there’s always the chance he may not even finish the season.

But judging from his first real work of the preseason, the old guy with the aching ribs might have been well worth the wait for both the Vikings and their long suffering fans.

As long as he doesn’t try to block anyone, that is. Turns out there are some things you can’t teach old quarterbacks.

That’s a representative snippet from the report that covers most salient points regarding the former Green Bay Packer star QB. Everyone has an opinion. And this blogger will not bore you with another one. But assuming all remains as it is right now watching the next meeting between Green Bay and Minnesota should be quite entertaining. That impression may be shared by many as ticket sales have been a popular subject as well.

The other story this week from the college ranks raises similar talking points as does the Favre story. The short version is one player punches another player and the one landing the punch faces an uncertain future regarding a career in college or professional sports. Seems pretty much small potatoes when one considers other examples like the recent Michael Vick or Plexico Burris ’sagas’. And rather than hop on the holier than thou bandwagon of those suggesting extreme consequences for such outbursts of unnecessary action, it is worthwhile to suggest that public displays like this one by LeGarrette Blount is a reflection of current society at large. Road rage would be the societal example rather than the hyped political examples from this year’s August recess of the US Congress.

So LeGarrette Blount landed a ‘devastating punch’ to the jaw of Byron Hout at a Ducks/Broncos game. Right at this moment Byron Hout may be regretting the episode more than LeGarrette Blount. Nonetheless, college or pro, the macho stuff flares up from time to time. But it certainly would be appreciated by fans everywhere if we could get back to the ‘business’ of sports for competing participants and spectators alike in a fashion that elevates athletics to a place in which it once resided. A little more respect for what is really at stake in sports would improve the experience.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

08/25/2009

Pelosi: Fiscal Discipline Must Be the Order of the Day

Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today on the updated deficit forecast:

“Today’s deficit projections are a legacy of Bush Administration fiscal policies that turned our surpluses into deficits and led the way toward an economic and financial crisis that has required historic short-term intervention. If pay-as-you-go principles had been in place for the last 8 years, this deficit would be $5 trillion smaller over the next decade.

“We are working with President Obama to restore fiscal responsibility and to ensure that statutory pay-go, already passed by the House, is signed into law. Under President Obama’s leadership, we have ended the Bush-era practice of hiding the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – gimmicks and accounting tricks that have no place in our budget process. And working with the President, Congress has laid out a budget blueprint that reduces our deficit, lays a new foundation for job creation and economic growth, and invests in more broadly shared prosperity for all Americans.

“But we cannot reduce the deficit in the long-term without getting health care costs under control. Nor can health care reform add to the challenge. That is why our health insurance reform is fully paid for and will not increase the deficit.

“These deficit projections send a clear message: fiscal discipline must be the order of the day as we come out of this recession. Our economic recovery efforts are starting to pay dividends for America’s families. Today’s announcement that consumer confidence and home prices are on the rise represent new signs that our economy is moving in the right direction. And now, we must remain on-track to tackle our fiscal challenges, advance policies to promote job growth, reinforce the foundation of our prosperity, and return the United States to the days of financial stability.”

from MoreWhat.com:

How much proof does one need to conclude Nancy Pelosi does not reside on planet Earth? Fiscal responsibility? Pay-go? Wow!

Trillions in debt, deficit and spending with no end in sight and Nutjob Nancy publishes a press release like this. Nancy, get back on your meds! The press release above should be grounds to have her adjudged incompetent in any court. No sane person could make such statements given commonly available financial data for the US, especially the government,  which Pelosi is a current elected official though she may not be aware of that.

Stanford Matthews