Tuesday 12 July 2005

Cheney Says Rehnquist is in "Final Throes"

Everybody Swears "Today Is The Day" Resignation Comes

Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview yesterday that Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist is in his "final throes".

Washington has been steeped in speculation on the pending retirement of Rehnquist, with administration sources, pundits like Robert Novak and Russ Limbaugh, all offering daily predictions that the Chief Justice was retiring "today".

Novak had Rehnquist standing on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base last week, resignation letter in-hand, to give to President Bush as he returned from the G8 Summit.

Instead, what the mob got was the retirement announcement of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Cheney, himself rumored to be a candidate for the high court (See The Garlic 6 July - Cheney Emerging As Next Justice Pick By Bush Feared), was blunt in his assessment of Rehnquist being in his "final throes"

"We've set up an panel and there's a constitutional process in place now. Later this year there'll be a vote. I think the months immediately ahead will be difficult months. We're making progress".

Cheney believes the democrats will "do everything they can to disrupt that process, but I think we're strong enough to defeat them."

Rehnquist has given no indication of his plans.

By mid-day yesterday, there were 17 different reports on the retirement of Rehnquist, all saying it would be conducted before the end of the day.

Cheney denied all reports that his chief of staff, I. Lewis Libby, leaked any speculation on the judge's retirement.

"No, Lewis wouldn't do that", said the Vice President. "He only leaks classified information"


Did You Mean Low Market Share and Worse Prospects?

Google Goes For Hot Red Star Searching But Beijing Cool To New Money System

Along with censorship issues, being forced to set up a local office, and having the country's hottest search company about to go public, Google's venture into China may be as tall and long as the Great Wall.

Sources close to Google say the Chinese government has rejected Google's new monetary system of 'Googlets' (See The Garlic - 21 June - Google Drops Bombshell - Will Compete With U.S. Treasury ).

Google had high hopes of establishing the 'Googlet' in China, believing the huge Chinese marketplace of billions would accelerate the acceptance of the 'Googlet' throughout Asia and into Europe.

The San Jose Mercury News reports that Google won't exactly say what they are doing in China, quoting Google spokeswoman Debbie Frost on Google's strategy;

``Google is interested in China and is working to learn more about the Chinese market,'' she said.

Frost wouldn't comment on Google's purchase of a 4% stake in Baidu, the leading search engine among seven others in China and has been rebuffed from gaining a larger stake in the company. Baidu's offers an interactive search platform, known as zhidao.baidu.com.

Recently, the Chinese government would not let Google take its portion of advertising revenue unless Google had a local office. Last May, Google obtained a license to operate in China and also set up a local office in Shanghai.

After overcoming these hurdles, Google learned that the Chinese Government rejected the Google Monetary System, leaving in doubt if Google will force the issue and stay in China, or pull out and look for another landing spot in Asia.

One observer of business in China suggests a solution to Google's troubles.

"Since Disney caved in and won't serve it, perhaps Google can offer Shark Fin Soup with their searches."