Who Rates the Raters?

Although it takes no genius to see U.S. finances are in a mess

the downgrade confuses me I must confess.

When Standard and Poor announced the drop

many asked whether President Deven Sharma had blown his top.

He admitted to what he called a trivial mistake

of the kind, he claimed, anyone could make.

It was only a $2 trillion error and should not cause a fuss

just because someone wrote a minus instead of a plus.

London Riots

This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.

Poor Shakespeare. He must be spinning in his grave.