Oh, no! Not another conspiracy theory.

By on May 3, 2012 in Economics, General Discussion, Politics

Well, yes; I have another conspiracy theory. It is that those giants of industry who are supporting the Republicans in the coming elections will use their control of major employers to force a basically growing economy into retreat. They can do this through sudden layoffs, inventory reductions, reduction in advertising, shifting operations offshore, constraining resource [...]

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How are you preparing for retirement?

By on May 2, 2012 in Economics, General Discussion, Human Behavior

I know what my wife and I did, but that was then and this is now. We were both able to build up future income in non-contributary (mostly) defined benefit pensions. Of course, we both paid into Social Security and Medicare for decades. My wife now receives my spousal benefit rather than her own because [...]

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A Simple Email to Another Blogger on the Issues of Today’s Labor Market

By on May 1, 2012 in Economics, General Discussion

Daniel: I believe  you are understanding it and this is what I go round and round with economists such as Thoma and Spencer who believe the free (sigh) market will correct it and itself in the next generation. It will not and this is a global economics war we are in today. Yves Smith understands the [...]

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Richard S Lindzen and climate change.

By on May 1, 2012 in General Discussion, Science

From The NYTimes, a piece about how one researched Richard S. Lindzen believes that cloud activity will work to counteract the effects of global warming. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/science/earth/clouds-effect-on-climate-change-is-last-bastion-for-dissenters.html?ref=globalwarming Some quotes from the article by Justin Gillis, published in the 4/30/12 edition of the Times. “They acknowledge that the human release of greenhouse gases will cause the planet [...]

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Fun boson video.

By on May 1, 2012 in General Discussion, Science
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Recent Letter to The Editor in Michigan

By on April 29, 2012 in Economics, General Discussion

“Sleight of Hand” Vince Kasprzak in his editorial comment uses sleight of hand when he quotes from the Tax Policy Center and adds his own comment: “This year households that make more than $1 million will pay 29.1% of their income in federal taxes.” and then Vince adds: “Forty-seven percent of households pay no income [...]

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The psychological impact of GDP rates.

By on April 29, 2012 in Economics, General Discussion

The preliminary GDP numbers are our for first quarter 2012 and the same story we have heard lately is being re-played, personal expenditures are up but government spending is down. The early number for Q1 is 2.2% Now my question is what number do we need to sustain to take away the psychological funk created [...]

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Social media and Christianity.

By on April 29, 2012 in General Discussion, Human Behavior

I am not a big Facebook person. I use it mainly to share photographs with far flung family members, but one thing I have noticed in my time spent there, and from talking to others who use the site, is that it has seemed to cause a lot of Christians to come out of the [...]

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Vessels

By on April 27, 2012 in General Discussion, Human Behavior

There was recently a lawsuit which was brought that requested that men who take viagra or cialis be subjected to the same treatment that women are who seek abortions, that they should have to watch the same videos, hear the same spiel. Now I do think that is over reach, most men who take these [...]

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Rock bits.

By on April 27, 2012 in General Discussion, Human Behavior

The Beatles are widely considered to be the best rock and roll group ever, but really if you take all the radio stations that play big bands of that era, or shortly after, which of these bands do you think gets the most airplay, The Beatles, Led Zepplin, The Rolling Stones, or The Who? My guess [...]

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