Monday, June 13, 2011

When you are in a hole ...

... stop digging.

The hole is the deficit.  The digging is Obamacare and subsidies.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Big Business and Wall Street

I think most people, including myself, tend to confuse these.  Wall Street is stock traders.  Big Business is the issuers of the stock they trade.  They are different people.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Three Markets

I would like to see a competant economist (not an oxymoron) analyze what has happened and may happen in three markets, namely housing, higher education, and medical care.  They have several things in common including being important parts of the economy which have experienced periods of major price increases and are subject to significant government meddling.  In the case of housing a culprit was subprime loans and the bubble has burst.  Higher education is affected by government-guaranteed loans, grants, and state budgets.  Medical costs ballooned as a result of Medicare and Medicaid.  Admittedly technology also had an effect.

Easy credit increases demand and supply cannot keep up.  Each has unique features.  Higher Education is something of a sacred cow with various degrees lumped together.  Everyone believes they are entitled to the best medical care regardless of their ability to pay and there isn't enough best medical care to go around.  Housing was something of a Ponzi scheme.

There is a fourth major growing market, namely government service.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Sitting in the park.
Keeping the beat.
Feeling sorry for myself.

Planning my happiness.
Eating too much.
Planning my health.

Sleeping late.
Working puzzles in the night.
Dreaming strange dreams.

Hoping against hope.
Improving my chances.
Giving up.

People watching.
Longing for company.
Reminiscing.

Feeling my age.
Checking the mirror.
Playing old songs.

Reading the news.
Wishing for better.
Making no difference.

Eating chicken soup.
Playing solitaire.
Walking the mall.

Listening to birds.
Photographing flowers.
Mounting pictures.

Remembering the lake.
Where we fed the ducks.
And times were good.