When I was about two years old, that age when the universe existed to meet my wants, my father took me to his barber to get my shoulder length hair cut. Screaming,yelling and flailing about around sharp objects continued until Jerry the barber gave up and I went home intact.
I'm beginning to understand how the Kumbayamas feel and why the've been acting the way they have lately and by reaching back into my subconcious memory I can feel their pain and understand their reaction.
All of the powers in my universe were arrayed against me in the barbershop that day in a justifiable effort. Both of them had haircuts.
Barry and his dependants face the citizenry and business ( essentially anybody not employed by or dependant on government) who have already had serious haircuts.
They hope my approach works for them - if you try to give me a haircut we'll both get hurt and it will be your fault.
It's really not fair to say that they are like terrible twos.
Demanding ice cream and a later bedtime while fighting off the haircut is more advanced.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
He's pretty good...
Pres. Kumbayama has been getting some cheers with his last three speeches, even when he talks about raising taxes and not cutting spending while ignoring the unemployment numbers.
The speeches are the usual yadda yadda but what makes him clever is his choice of venue - college campuses ( campi?).
95% of the students pay no taxes and have no job.
At least half are stoned and many of them thought they would get to see Charlie Sheens' father.
Slick Barry, slick.
I still may run.
The speeches are the usual yadda yadda but what makes him clever is his choice of venue - college campuses ( campi?).
95% of the students pay no taxes and have no job.
At least half are stoned and many of them thought they would get to see Charlie Sheens' father.
Slick Barry, slick.
I still may run.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Not stupid enough...
Why won't the economy get moving again?
Why won't businesses borrow and invest or the consumer borrow and consume?
Why don't us small people respond to the policies of our government and get stimulated?
In DC, both parties and their academic enablers and think tankers agree that it's because we don't (and probably lack the capacity to) understand what they are doing for us. When they get the policies dumbed down and sound bited enough for us poor little citizens too grasp we'll respond.
Problem is that those of us who don't know the difference between fiscal and monetary policy are not collectively stupid enough to buy any of their crap.
Maybe we're hunkering down because we realize that we've just witnessed at least 20 years of federal government economic incompetence and that the current gang is raising it to a new level.
Willy balanced the budget on the tech bubble while denying and even encouraging the terrorist threat with breaks to play with cigars and Monica. Somewhere in there they decided they could legislate wealth via subprime mortgages.
W fought a necessary and expensive war poorly and naively. Then he and the GOP forgot to pay for it. Cheap money kept the party going.
When all of this hit the economic fan, we picked the smart,cool Kumbayama over the stiff,fiesty if slightly erratic tough guy. I can see why this seemed like a good choice to some of us at the time. Since then he's added a trillion bucks worth of pork to the deficit while babbling(glibly) about how it's not their fault. He failed at the one task he had the experience for, running errands for the Daly machine(although he may have got the Bronze).
Of course,We could draw confidence from the GOP which offers no detailed ideas but is currently fronted by the deep voiced , suntanned Sales Manager Boenher. Many of us unemtired are old enough to remember him coming out on the lot in a white belt and shoes to close the deal on the station wagon.
If only we were stupid enough to have confidence.
Why won't businesses borrow and invest or the consumer borrow and consume?
Why don't us small people respond to the policies of our government and get stimulated?
In DC, both parties and their academic enablers and think tankers agree that it's because we don't (and probably lack the capacity to) understand what they are doing for us. When they get the policies dumbed down and sound bited enough for us poor little citizens too grasp we'll respond.
Problem is that those of us who don't know the difference between fiscal and monetary policy are not collectively stupid enough to buy any of their crap.
Maybe we're hunkering down because we realize that we've just witnessed at least 20 years of federal government economic incompetence and that the current gang is raising it to a new level.
Willy balanced the budget on the tech bubble while denying and even encouraging the terrorist threat with breaks to play with cigars and Monica. Somewhere in there they decided they could legislate wealth via subprime mortgages.
W fought a necessary and expensive war poorly and naively. Then he and the GOP forgot to pay for it. Cheap money kept the party going.
When all of this hit the economic fan, we picked the smart,cool Kumbayama over the stiff,fiesty if slightly erratic tough guy. I can see why this seemed like a good choice to some of us at the time. Since then he's added a trillion bucks worth of pork to the deficit while babbling(glibly) about how it's not their fault. He failed at the one task he had the experience for, running errands for the Daly machine(although he may have got the Bronze).
Of course,We could draw confidence from the GOP which offers no detailed ideas but is currently fronted by the deep voiced , suntanned Sales Manager Boenher. Many of us unemtired are old enough to remember him coming out on the lot in a white belt and shoes to close the deal on the station wagon.
If only we were stupid enough to have confidence.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Each Party needs it's own Economists.
Economists have proven to be a pretty useless bunch lately - but only to us "small people".
Many of us think that the leaders of our two great parties call on the best and the brightest economists ( many of whom they used to smoke dope with in the Ivy league)to help them direct the huge economy and make the SP feel bigger.
The leaders of the big 2 know that if you look long enough you can find an economist who will predict anything and will provide justification for just about any policy.( although there are a large number of economists who are now revealing that they knew what was going to happen prior to it happening).
The Dems,academics,Greenies and Kumbaya crowd love Keynes who I think said 'if things are bad- spend more money'. This means more vote buying ,dependancy creating,agency spawning,political debt paying,worthless research funding and other job creation for the faithful.Paul Krugman is the new bearded face for Keynes, and he hasn't ever said anything that I can believe.
The GOP,Wall Street,moneyed war monger crowd love the Supply side economists who I think say ' if things are bad, reduce my taxes, I'll spend the money and you guys can fight over it'. This theory supports more wealth and power for many and the hope of more wealth and power for the rest of the faithful(many now unemployed). Art Laffer is the leading supply sider although I have trouble believing someone with hair that has darkened since the Reagan administration.
I think the SP need their own economist.
Many of us think that the leaders of our two great parties call on the best and the brightest economists ( many of whom they used to smoke dope with in the Ivy league)to help them direct the huge economy and make the SP feel bigger.
The leaders of the big 2 know that if you look long enough you can find an economist who will predict anything and will provide justification for just about any policy.( although there are a large number of economists who are now revealing that they knew what was going to happen prior to it happening).
The Dems,academics,Greenies and Kumbaya crowd love Keynes who I think said 'if things are bad- spend more money'. This means more vote buying ,dependancy creating,agency spawning,political debt paying,worthless research funding and other job creation for the faithful.Paul Krugman is the new bearded face for Keynes, and he hasn't ever said anything that I can believe.
The GOP,Wall Street,moneyed war monger crowd love the Supply side economists who I think say ' if things are bad, reduce my taxes, I'll spend the money and you guys can fight over it'. This theory supports more wealth and power for many and the hope of more wealth and power for the rest of the faithful(many now unemployed). Art Laffer is the leading supply sider although I have trouble believing someone with hair that has darkened since the Reagan administration.
I think the SP need their own economist.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
5 figures versus 7 figures.
Too rainy to ride my bike and too early for a nap. Another day of too much CNBC.
I've got FINREG reform all figured out though...
The Wall Street guys want to be able to help advance the US and World economy by trading vast amounts of assets in creative and complicated ways at lightning speeds while earning 7 and 8 figure compensation. They propose this is good for all of us.
The government wants to create new agencies to protect us from the WS guys while creating more votes for big government.After all, look how well the SEC worked. These people will earn 5 figures and will promise not to look at porn. However, they will think about how to get to the other side and make 7 figures some day.
There are some provisions that may actually work like you have to show what you are doing and that you can only gamble with 20 times your reserves instead of 40.
If we want rely on the 5 figure guys to outwit and control the 7 figure guys who they consider heroes then all we have to do is find very smart people that are not at all greedy.
Damn.. back to the Ivy League again.
I've got FINREG reform all figured out though...
The Wall Street guys want to be able to help advance the US and World economy by trading vast amounts of assets in creative and complicated ways at lightning speeds while earning 7 and 8 figure compensation. They propose this is good for all of us.
The government wants to create new agencies to protect us from the WS guys while creating more votes for big government.After all, look how well the SEC worked. These people will earn 5 figures and will promise not to look at porn. However, they will think about how to get to the other side and make 7 figures some day.
There are some provisions that may actually work like you have to show what you are doing and that you can only gamble with 20 times your reserves instead of 40.
If we want rely on the 5 figure guys to outwit and control the 7 figure guys who they consider heroes then all we have to do is find very smart people that are not at all greedy.
Damn.. back to the Ivy League again.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Hammock time..
The new hammock is now fully tested and qualified - the loft is just right, the swing is perfect and the supporting trees are fully leafed out and let in just enough blue sky. The heat of the last few days evenly surrounds the body and mind.
Time to ride...
That's when I start to miss the old career and start thinking about warm afternoons in a conference room watching Powerpoints about issues,challenges,new products, new ideas,sales projections etc all the while focusing on the left over donuts in the back of the room.
Ooh - management is about to speak to us about our challenges using analogies. He's starting to speak and I wonder - are any of the creme filled left and can I get to one without..being..notic...
Time to ride...
That's when I start to miss the old career and start thinking about warm afternoons in a conference room watching Powerpoints about issues,challenges,new products, new ideas,sales projections etc all the while focusing on the left over donuts in the back of the room.
Ooh - management is about to speak to us about our challenges using analogies. He's starting to speak and I wonder - are any of the creme filled left and can I get to one without..being..notic...
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