Monday, September 29, 2008
Don't Panic!
..to quote Douglas Adams.
News just came by email that the House of Representatives did not pass the economic bailout package. Don't panic. There is nothing the US government can do for you that you can't do better for yourself. Have confidence in your own abilities along with those of your friends family, and neighbors. This will undoubtedly be a difficult time for many if not most people. But the innate value of the work we do, the food we eat, and the land that we live on will not change. The speculation in the financial industry on fictional money has no direct relation to the supply and demand of the necessities of life. Merchants, manufacturers, workers and consumers can all choose not to be discouraged by the vain, abstract efforts of those who choose to tinker with fictional money instead of engaging in real, positive, constructive work. Do your best to look after yourself, your family and even your neighbors and you can not only endure this time but help to prove to the world that traditional American, constitutional values are alive and well and work better than any government effort ever could.
posted by JTC 3:18 PM
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Home now after an early day of flying. Saw a group of WWII vets in the St. Louis airport (maybe I should be retro and call it Lambert Field). The vets were going on an Honor Flight to DC. My first response was to get a bit misty and think of my Grandfather. I'm not sure Grandpa would ever have done such a thing himself. He rarely spoke of the war, at least not until the last years of his life. It's hard to imagine him wearing a bright T-Shirt emblazoned with flags. I had another thought as I watched the group though (one skinny, spunky old fella with a fancy new camera really amused me)and that's that all these vets, men AND women, ere somehow my grandparents. I'm not really sure where that leads. Part of me resists the urge to idealize their generation. They accomplished the greatest task ever put before this nation as a whole. Yet, would any other generation have failed to do so? They certainly bear the responsibility for much that came after they returned home. Their drive for success in civilian life left us the world we have now. But, then again, who could blame them? After The War wouldn't any of us have sought nothing more than a nice house and some comfort with our families? I remember hearing stories growing up about the last Civil War vets. The sense that their chapter of history passed as they did. We live in such a time now. That generation that lived life more fully in a few years than we ever will is rapidly disappearing. What will we have lost when they are gone? When I was growing up if any one mentioned "The War" we new exactly what they were talking about. You might hear mention of "Korea" or "Vietnam" but "The War" could only mean one thing. Ask anyone under 30 today what they know of "The War" , I'm not sure you'll get answers that make any sense. All of this is just melancholy rambling on my part, I know. Tonight though, I feel a deep sadness for those that are gone and those we are about to lose.
posted by JTC 9:55 PM
Monday, September 15, 2008
A poor man's economic plan
Well, the market dropped hundreds of points today. Big investment banks are disappearing. As all the talk spews out on the news channels I can't help but return to thoughts that I've had for a long time. It's time for a radical reform of government and economic system. A change rooted in the simple hard working principles of our ancestors. Founders like John Adams who's father taught him that the only true value was in land and his hard work. Adams had the opportunity to become quite wealthy when the first national bank was created. He declined, preferring not to speculate on wealth made from shuffling other people's money around. Among the changes that need to happen if we are to avoid ending up in Soviet style poverty (in no particular order):
1. Return to the gold standard. Give our citizens a solid currency based on a tangible asset rather than one whose value is based only on the perception of market value created by mass media.
2. Encourage barter (direct exchange of goods and services)
3. Abolish the Federal Reserve.
4. Abolish the IRS.
5. Establish a truly flat income tax that treats all taxpayers as equal citizens of this nation. Cap that income tax (constitutionally if necessary) at 10% except in time of congressionally DECLARED war. BTW: This is not the Forbes flat tax that allowed all sorts of exemptions for big corporations.
6. Establish truly fair trade. Tariff for tariff. No nation should be allowed free access to our markets without granting us the same.
7. Regulate foreign investment as clearly and simply as possible to prevent market issues from going beyond economic consequence to strategic consequence.
8. Wipe out and start fresh with all domestic market regulation. We need as little regulation as possible but the regulation we need must have teeth. Particular attention ought to be paid to speculative markets such as commodity futures and financial instruments. If necessary particular markets should be banned rather than attempting to regulate them in minute detail.
9. Under no circumstances should government (federal or state) bail out failed businesses no matter how much it stings the market. Business is risky, those are the breaks. Investment is risky, those are the breaks. Americans need to grow up and accept the realities of life. Work hard, scrimp, save and grow wealth slowly. It may take generations but it is a guaranteed recipe.
10. Fraud must be prosecuted vigorously. If you cheat people you must pay the price. Not the orange jumpsuit on a golf cart price, the Attica or Leavenworth price.
11. Insurance companies should be insurance companies not service providers. they must be held accountable but not regulated to the point that government is dictating what products they can offer in detail. they ought not to have the excuse of government regulation for the giant, sinister, deceptive bureaucracies they create.
12. Americans must take responsibility for themselves and their families. Frankly, that includes having more babies who can take care of their parents and grandparents when the time comes. Government must not be asked to do that which individuals, families, neighborhoods, churches and communities are capable of doing for themselves.
We've been granted the greatest opportunity for prosperity and peace in this nation that history of the world has ever seen. We have squandered it in greed and selfishness. I believe that opportunity can be recovered but only if the truth is spoken loudly and clearly.Labels: economy, flat tax, gold standard, government, market, taxes
posted by JTC 8:16 PM
Watching Love With The Perfect Stranger on the bus. Natalie Wood breaks my heart just looking at her. Guy sigh.....
posted by JTC 4:11 PM
Saturday, September 13, 2008
We're sorry...
I'm afraid we did all we could, used all our capabilities, but we couldn't save it..
However, we were able to save the baby...
My faithful old Vaio has finally bitten the dust. After five years on the road, countless shows being used for audio measurement, recording & playback, Plus being my primary personal computer, it began to cry like a sick cat a few nights ago. The culprit a shot cooling fan. I attempted a repair (I've done it before) but the result was flat line, no boot. I'm still hoping to resurrect it as a spare (my last spare was lost in the Monastery fire).
So there is a new baby in my gear family, a shiny new Sony Vaio FW170J. I'm already thoroughly frustrated with Windows Vista but I shall overcome!
posted by JTC 1:33 PM
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Obama and socialist art...
Anybody else see a pattern here? If this is the cultural influence that they wish parade in public; what more can we expect from them?Labels: art, barack, communist, obama, propaganda, socialist
posted by JTC 12:43 PM
