President Bush addresses Congress and Americans tonight (pre-empting "Dark Angel" and therefore upsetting teenagers all across this great land of ours :).

According to a NY Times article, Bush has rethought the budget approach and will now say it'll be possible to clear $2 trillion of the federal debt (leaving $1.2 trillion) in the next 10 years. He'll say that the remainder of the debt cannot be paid-down during this time, as it would cost too much and be upsetting to bondholders (whoever they might be).

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday, 28-Feb) at 9:30 a.m. is the next scheduled court appearance for "the Mattoon 19", folks accused of scamming lots of investors in many countries via a "scheme" known as Omega Trust & Trading.

Most "deep back channel" sources are saying OT&T was never, and is not now, "a scam". Rumors are saying participants in this (and another 67 similar programs) will shortly be receiving payouts considerably in excess of the $5100 per unit mentioned in news articles as "what was promised".

Based on rumor alone and no "hard facts", amounts represented by the total 68 programs could be (very conservatively) $1.2 trillion, or (possibly) $12 trillion or more.

One wonders if there is any connection between courtroom events in the tiny town of Mattoon, and President Bush's change of direction on the matter of paying down the federal debt. One wonders to whom that debt is owed. (gigi - any ideas...?)