SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:22 P.M. ET: 

NOT THIS FORD IN MY FUTURE – Ford's CEO tells us that the cost of a battery pack for a an electric Ford Focus is $12,000 to $15,000 dollars.  By contrast, a complete, comparable gasoline-powered car costs about $22,000.  Do you get the feeling that some of this technology isn't quite ready for prime time?  I have the sense that the automotive battery business is still the equivalent of 8-track tapes.

CALLING AL GORE – There is a great deal of rough weather in Britain.  After a bitter winter, the exact opposite of what we had here, some forecasters are saying that part of Britain is in store for the coldest or near coldest May in 100 years.   Of course, this is all due to global warming, as was our unnaturally warm winter.  And if icebergs form off the coast of Florida, that's global warming, too.  Igloos in France?   Global warming.  The moral of the story is that, each day, more and more questions arise about the "science" of climate change.  We need a Challenger-like commission to look into all the contradictory claims.

YES, CRY FOR ME, ARGENTINA –  We noted this morning that President Obama refuses to side with our closest ally, Great Britain, in its dispute with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.  Obama's appeasement of the Argentinians has, as appeasement usually does, produced no useful benefit for the U.S.  This week the militantly left-wing government in Buenos Aires nationalized its biggest oil firm, Hugo Chavez style.  This resulted in major international condemnation.  But, apparently believing there was no downside, the government has now nationalized a major gas company and declared it a public utility.  Argentina is drifting further and further toward the Cuba/Venezuela model.

YOUTH FOR ROMNEY? – Obama owned the youth vote in 2008, getting 68% of the 18-24-year-olds, to John McCain's 30%.  But a new poll shows a very different picture for this year, with Obama up only 7% over a "generic" Republican candidate.  It also shows that 45% of these young voters are independents, 13% greater than the general population.  Obama cannot afford to do poorly among the young, but if the numbers in this poll hold up, he will face a major political meltdown.

April 19, 2012