May 5, 2010
More Bubbles
And the hits just keep rollin'. What level of disaster will it take to get us to understand some things?
Ten Years Of Hell
Plutocracy: government by the wealthy
Plutonomy: a term that combines plutocracy and economy, refers to an economy in which growth is confined to people at the very top of the wealth pyramid. The term was coined by investment and marketing advisers to characterize the U.S. economy, as an ostensible guide to framing profitable investment and marketing strategies. Critics assert that this usage is one of the many indicators of the moral corruption of the system.
Plutonomy stands at the opposite end of the continuum from economic democracy, a system in which every person has an ownership stake in the means of production on which their livelihood depends. Economic democracy is an essential foundation of political democracy. Plutonomy and political democracy are mutually exclusive, as the current U.S. experience demonstrates so clearly.
Plutonomy: a term that combines plutocracy and economy, refers to an economy in which growth is confined to people at the very top of the wealth pyramid. The term was coined by investment and marketing advisers to characterize the U.S. economy, as an ostensible guide to framing profitable investment and marketing strategies. Critics assert that this usage is one of the many indicators of the moral corruption of the system.
Plutonomy stands at the opposite end of the continuum from economic democracy, a system in which every person has an ownership stake in the means of production on which their livelihood depends. Economic democracy is an essential foundation of political democracy. Plutonomy and political democracy are mutually exclusive, as the current U.S. experience demonstrates so clearly.
This sounds a little "too left" for me, but it also seems there's a pretty strong sentiment in favor of it right now.
Economic Justice is something we're used to hearing about from guys like Al Sharpton or Spike Lee - and of course, we've generally dismissed it as some coded message about Race-based Politics, but maybe now we're seeing a move toward the rhetorical framing that makes the concept of greater economic equality sound more acceptable emotionally - which in turn will make that equality more achievable politically.
The pendulum swings.
May 4, 2010
Another Day, Another Spill
From Reddit by way of HuffPo:
Breaking News: Large air spill at wind farm! No threats reported. Some claim to enjoy the breeze.
Wouldn't it be nice.
Breaking News: Large air spill at wind farm! No threats reported. Some claim to enjoy the breeze.
Wouldn't it be nice.
May 3, 2010
Lacrosse Backstop
As usual, the project looks pretty easy and cheap, and then costs a lot more and takes a lot longer than I figured. At least we get to do something together.
Apr 29, 2010
Cause Marketing
I love this kinda stuff. I love selling because I love the feeling that I can turn NO into YES; that I can turn words into money.
When you get good at anything, you gain a certain power over others. You get called first for a job interview, or the cabinets you build show up in the best kitchens or the people you work with come to you for help and guidance. Whatever. The better you are at what you do, the more power you have because of it. But power is a dangerous thing. You have to be wise and circumspect about how you use it because what happens when power is misused always turns out to be really really bad.
Here's one illustration (one of my all-time fave movies)
And here's a story from the real world.
Emotional manipulation works. That is why so many entities are using it against us at every turn. Pinkwashing, greenwashing, cause-related marketing, industry-funded front groups with deceptive names spewing extreme political claims, politicians making weird, baseless statements about proposed legislation -- they all get the desired results. Some legislators still try to use facts, reason and truth in public discourse, but there are now so many strident, paid corporate and political messaging efforts going on that stimulate people to react from their gut and not think, that reason, truth and facts are now weak public voices by comparison.
When you get good at anything, you gain a certain power over others. You get called first for a job interview, or the cabinets you build show up in the best kitchens or the people you work with come to you for help and guidance. Whatever. The better you are at what you do, the more power you have because of it. But power is a dangerous thing. You have to be wise and circumspect about how you use it because what happens when power is misused always turns out to be really really bad.
Here's one illustration (one of my all-time fave movies)
And here's a story from the real world.
Emotional manipulation works. That is why so many entities are using it against us at every turn. Pinkwashing, greenwashing, cause-related marketing, industry-funded front groups with deceptive names spewing extreme political claims, politicians making weird, baseless statements about proposed legislation -- they all get the desired results. Some legislators still try to use facts, reason and truth in public discourse, but there are now so many strident, paid corporate and political messaging efforts going on that stimulate people to react from their gut and not think, that reason, truth and facts are now weak public voices by comparison.
Apr 28, 2010
More On Arizona
Maybe that should be Moron Arizona. Too much of a cold shot?
Now that the backlash has a lot of people whipped up into a mild Anti-Arizona frenzy, the Op-Ed editors are jumping into it with an attitude of "what they did was dead wrong, but understandable". (Editorial Roundup)
Sorry, Arizona, but fuck you. Sorry, Minutemen, but fuck you. Sorry, "Conservative Values Voters", but fuck you. For 30 years, you guys have been voting for an agenda that drains government resources away from providing services like border security, and now you're all pissed off because your borders aren't secure? You've pissed and moaned for 30 years about Intrusive Government or Incompetent Government or whatever, and you've stayed home on election day or you've voted for these assholes; but now you're acting surprised about what actually happens as a result of getting what you said you wanted!?! I repeat: fuck you.
You wanted "common sense" and "straight talk" and "leaders who're just like me". You spent an awful long time listening to and nodding at and forwarding emails that spouted racist and eliminationist bullshit. Well now that bullshit has been made into law, and you're gonna cry about it? One more time: fuck you.
As usual, the really good reporting on the background and history of this crappy law is being done by the loonies on the left.
Now that the backlash has a lot of people whipped up into a mild Anti-Arizona frenzy, the Op-Ed editors are jumping into it with an attitude of "what they did was dead wrong, but understandable". (Editorial Roundup)
Sorry, Arizona, but fuck you. Sorry, Minutemen, but fuck you. Sorry, "Conservative Values Voters", but fuck you. For 30 years, you guys have been voting for an agenda that drains government resources away from providing services like border security, and now you're all pissed off because your borders aren't secure? You've pissed and moaned for 30 years about Intrusive Government or Incompetent Government or whatever, and you've stayed home on election day or you've voted for these assholes; but now you're acting surprised about what actually happens as a result of getting what you said you wanted!?! I repeat: fuck you.
You wanted "common sense" and "straight talk" and "leaders who're just like me". You spent an awful long time listening to and nodding at and forwarding emails that spouted racist and eliminationist bullshit. Well now that bullshit has been made into law, and you're gonna cry about it? One more time: fuck you.
As usual, the really good reporting on the background and history of this crappy law is being done by the loonies on the left.
Ten Years Of Hell
Posted today at Balloon Juice:
I’ll Tell You When Chinese Bubble Is About to Burst: Andy Xie
Check out these facts from economist Andy Xie:
1) Housing prices are up 50% in the past year in some parts of the country.
2) Housemaids are asking for time off so they can return to their village to buy an
apartment before it is too late.
3) Sales girl urges: Buy two! In a few years time prices will rise so much it will be
like getting the other apartment for free.
4) Banks offer unlimited credit for real estate purchases because the central bank is
flooding the market with stimulus money.
5) Local governments are addicted to the revenues from the property sales tax and will
do whatever it takes to keep the bubble going.
6) One local official caught owning 24 apartments. Wonder where he got the money?
7) Real estate mania has now spread beyond the cities to dusty rural towns.
8) Government works to free up as much land as possible for development.
9) In some markets land is so valuable it is worth more than the improvements.
10) Foreign money is flooding into China to participate in the bubble and the yuan
appreciation against the dollar that everybody says is sure to come.
1) Housing prices are up 50% in the past year in some parts of the country.
2) Housemaids are asking for time off so they can return to their village to buy an
apartment before it is too late.
3) Sales girl urges: Buy two! In a few years time prices will rise so much it will be
like getting the other apartment for free.
4) Banks offer unlimited credit for real estate purchases because the central bank is
flooding the market with stimulus money.
5) Local governments are addicted to the revenues from the property sales tax and will
do whatever it takes to keep the bubble going.
6) One local official caught owning 24 apartments. Wonder where he got the money?
7) Real estate mania has now spread beyond the cities to dusty rural towns.
8) Government works to free up as much land as possible for development.
9) In some markets land is so valuable it is worth more than the improvements.
10) Foreign money is flooding into China to participate in the bubble and the yuan
appreciation against the dollar that everybody says is sure to come.
Apr 24, 2010
Quote Of The Day
"Anyone who stops learning is old; whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." - Henry Ford
Bring The Stoopid
OKLAHOMA CITY, April 24 (UPI) — Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry said he vetoed a bill that would require women to go through ultrasound examinations before abortions to avoid a court fight.
Henry Friday also vetoed a measure that would have banned wrongful birth lawsuits, The Oklahoman reported Saturday. Such suits are brought by parents of children born with Down’s syndrome and other congenital problems that were not diagnosed during pregnancy.
Henry, a Democrat, said the first bill was likely to involve the state in expensive litigation. He also described the bill as too sweeping because there are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
“State policymakers should never mandate that a citizen be forced to undergo any medical procedure against his or her will, especially when such a procedure could cause physical or mental trauma,” Henry said.
Henry Friday also vetoed a measure that would have banned wrongful birth lawsuits, The Oklahoman reported Saturday. Such suits are brought by parents of children born with Down’s syndrome and other congenital problems that were not diagnosed during pregnancy.
Henry, a Democrat, said the first bill was likely to involve the state in expensive litigation. He also described the bill as too sweeping because there are no exceptions for victims of rape or incest.
“State policymakers should never mandate that a citizen be forced to undergo any medical procedure against his or her will, especially when such a procedure could cause physical or mental trauma,” Henry said.
For the wingnuts who are in favor of these intrusive extra procedures: How do you square this with your steadfast opposition to Government-mandated Healthcare?
Bring The Stupid
We spent a whole year arguing and campaigning and angsting over Healthcare Insurance Reform, just to find out that there's already a brilliant and simple way to solve the problem?
As usual, a Republican has the answer for us. "Sue Lowden is running for Harry Reid's senate seat in Nevada, and she knows exactly what we need to do.
You go, girl.
Apr 23, 2010
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