Reset button "gift"

Oh this story is so cringeworthy. So first Obama gives Gordon Brown a boxed set of 25 DVDs. And now Clinton gives Lavrov a craft project? I mean, I get the symbolism, but it is soooo cheesy. I mean, who came up with that idea, and I feel bad for Clinton having to go through with presenting it:

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with a red "reset button" to symbolise improved ties, but the gift drew smiles as the word "reset" was mistranslated into the Russian for "overcharge"."I would like to present you with a little gift that represents what President Obama and Vice President Biden and I have been saying and that is: 'We want to reset our relationship and so we will do it together," said Clinton, presenting Lavrov with a palm-sized yellow box with a red button.

So, I wonder exactly how Russio-American relations will improve? I mean, it's not like Obama is looking to be so strikingly different from Bush with regards to Russia.

Economy over environment

Interesting article about how states are repealing environmental protections in the name of jobs...even California!