Popular Posts

Friday, March 6, 2009

for March 06, 2009

Paradox = counterintuitive outcomes of economic theory.

I have to believe that things will get better economically, even if it takes a long time.

Have you ever used Microsoft Excel? I have used it on a daily basis for nearly 13 years; some days all my work is doing stuff on Excel...a lot of pretty handy mathematic functions available in that spreadsheet.

I used to do a lot of statistical analysis for work, and so I got the idea to plot the major ups and downs of the stock market, looking for cyclical data trends, as a means to reassure myself the future won’t be so bad. Problem is, there are a lot of variables

Random thoughts

Do you ever read someone else’s blog, and wonder why the hell you can't write like that? Some people have the ability to let their ideas flow directly onto a page; in years past a private diary or journal, but now onto an electronic billboard.

A billboard posted on an avenue in cyberspace, or if you are lucky a highway. Unfortunately, my blog here seems to be on a side road in rural cyber land, frequented by a select few who travel these lanes.

Ever wonder why someone whose blog is less than six months old has over 100,000 hits, and yours going into year 3 is still under 12,000? Who knows...i dont. I have some ideas, but they dont test out to well, since people writing on blogger may have huge audience and other have nil. I would be in the later group.

My life

I drive around today doing the usual shopping chores- grocery, bought a couple of spring time tops and a light fleece pullover on sale, went to check on a piece of furniture we ordered in January that apparently is on the slowest truck west from North Carolina ever.

Where i work voted on a new union contract, results to come. No salary increase, instead a 4.62% pay cut. 2 holidays taken away. The letter from the union tells employees they should vote yes, and be glad they still have a job...and if you vote no, look forward to massive layoffs, and pay cuts.

Lets see, 20% lay off of 93500 employees is 18700 families without a income, in a state already at over 10% unemployment. Since pay cuts are part of the deal either way, how can it be fair to vote no, and have people canned ?

Global warming

Is global warming just a rehash of the environmental movement from the 1970's? Isn't air, water and soil pollution the basis for what is called global warming?

How are we going to generate the massive amounts of electrical energy the future requires? I mean computers, LCD or plasma flat screen TV, and electric only cars need electricity from somewhere, right?

Politics (Warning-I have been a political junkie all my life, well since age 17 anyway)

Why is the administration working so hard to convince America Rush Limbaugh is the voice of the Republican Party? Michael Steele was right to call the windbag a entertainer, and should never have apologized. Not that I care about Rush. I think the republicans are in massive disarray, and have not demonstrated any leadership. Saying no without counter proposals is not what the founders had in mind with a participatory republic.

Partisan bickering has escalated to a fever pitch and stayed there for so long that many younger Americans think that’s the way our government is supposed to be.

So it was a pleasant surprise to see a former Congressman and former Secretary of State on a panel speaking amicably about various issues, not always in agreement, and then when asked what they would be doing next, the Congressman says “Why, I think James and I are going to lunch”. (Thanks CSPAN)

How come Bill Maher on HBO can call Obama the Chocolate Messiah and not get in trouble?

Ever think about how Obama said he would send more troops from Iraq to Afghanistan?

Obama promises 10,000 more troops for Afghanistan (Tuesday 15 July 2008 )

Barack Obama yesterday pledged to increase US troops in Afghanistan by a third if he becomes president, sending 10,000 more to reinforce the 33,000 already there.

President Obama did much more

February 17, 2009

President Barack Obama approved adding some 17,000 U.S. troops for the flagging war in Afghanistan…and a promise to send as many as 30,000 additional U.S. troops to counter the resurgence of the Taliban militants and protect Afghan civilians.

"There is no more solemn duty as president than the decision to deploy our armed forces into harm's way," Obama said. "I do it today mindful that the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan demands urgent attention and swift action."

30,000 would nearly double American troops in Afghanistan to 62,000.

This slow trickling of increased troops reminds me to how President Johnson ramped up the Viet Nam war. Under President Kennedy, we had about 16,000 troops there in 1963, and under Johnson it peaked at 553,000 in 1968.

OK, enough of my thoughts for today…

No comments:

Post a Comment