COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

The Country is Technically Insolvent

29 comments:

  1. I'll leave you with One thought. Right now, Inflation would be our friend. More than our friend. Right now, we should desire Inflation like a man dying of thirst desire water. Like separated lovers desire . . . . you know.

    I'll go even further. We desperately Need inflation. We Must have inflation. Without inflation We. Are. Doomed.


    One last thought + 1

    We Need to be Very, Very Careful how we intend to achieve that inflation. It's not going to be as easy as it might at first, sound. I think I'm starting to understand why the Bernanke is looking so stressed.

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  2. When I say inflation, of course, I mean "true" inflation. Goods, Services, and, most importantly, Wages. Without wage inflation we are screwed, blued, and tattooed.

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  3. I think the doctor back there, Rufus, was also saying he didn't want somebody in Washington telling him how to care for his patients.

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  4. We can start by closing down the selling of sovereign debt to anyone except American citizens and US corporations. If you can't borrow it, you can't spend it.

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  5. Well, yeah, Sam; but they do that already, anyway. I'm not knocking the guy. I'm just saying it's not all "cut and dried."

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  6. The US Dollar tough was quiet through European trade but the Chairman of the US Federal Reserve was speaking last night about the economic recovery. His view that the recovery was too inconsistent to warrant any change in interest rates or money supply left the US Dollar free to weaken a little through late US trade.

    ...

    Finally, students in Munich have done what all students do instead of going to lectures; they have been playing pool. However, they have also designed a robot which can beat them at the game.

    Poolbot can assess the table, plan a strategy and execute the shots with 80% accuracy. He obviously plays rubbish for the 1st three frames until people start putting money on the games but that’s hustling for you.


    European Trade

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  7. 3,000 Counties + 3,000 Ethanol plants - Some assembly required.

    2,000,000 Skilled Workers off unemployment, immediately.

    The U.S. off foreign oil, almost immediately.

    Twin Deficits virtually disappear.

    2 Million Families off Medicaid, and Food Stamps.

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  8. I'm headed for Hat Yai and Phuket for the first time next month.

    Anybody ever been?

    Any suggestions on what to do?

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  9. No more Guarding the oil fields, and the Strait of Hormuz.

    Mothball 3 Carrier Groups.

    Defense Budget shrinks by 30%.

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  10. :)

    I'm listening to "Here Comes The Sun" right at this very moment, Rufus. Your comments tie right in.

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  11. Have fun. If you notice the tide went way, way out don't go down to the beach to pick up those flopping fish. :)

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  12. Unemployment Claims: 427,000. Up a tisch.

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  13. Conflating the country, with the government, not always the correct posture to take.

    While the government may be technically insolvent, the country is not.

    No indeed, the country is ripe with under appreciated assets, many of which are controlled, and mismanaged, by the government.

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  14. .

    Take Me Away

    In the short time I was in the UK there were a number of these stories in the news. One of them was about an elderly woman with mental problems.

    When here daughter put here into the system she warned the people that her mother would be getting up in the night to go to the bathroom and that she would need help.

    She was told that the rules required that she be fitted with a diaper and kept in bed until she was fully evaluated by the right personell. The staff allowed no argument.

    The daughter felt she had no choice but warned them that her mother would still try to get up to go. She said they would have to watch her closely or restrain her.

    The next day the mother was found dead. She had attempted to get up, fell, and eventually died, alone on the floor.

    She had been laying there for hours.

    There were a couple other stories about abuse and one story about a women dying alone because staff didn't notify the relatives she was fading.

    The families complain that the system is impersonal when it comes to the elderly, that is is restricted by budget cuts and low funding, that there are not enough nurses and doctors, and that those who remain feel it is too menial for them to do things like cleaning up a person who is laying in the own offal.

    Thus goes healthcare in the UK?

    Of course, these could be isolated incidents but it seemed suspicious there were so many in the news over the short span I was there.

    .

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  15. As Governor I fought the Obama Administration’s plans to cut funds for missile defense in Alaska. So imagine how appalled and surprised I was to read this article by former Clinton CIA Director James Woolsey, appropriately titled “Giving Away the Farm,” concerning President Obama’s latest bizarre actions relating to missile defense.

    President Obama wants to give Russia our missile defense secrets because he believes that we can buy their friendship and cooperation with this taxpayer-funded gift. But giving military secrets and technologies to a rival or competitor like Russia is just plain . . . . . .


    Another WTF Moment for Obama Foreign Policy - Palin

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  16. Mrs Palin renounces Ronald Reagan, typical of the faux conservatives that make up the Republican Party, today.

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  17. She does? When did she do that?

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  18. Your post of
    Thu Jun 09, 10:29:00 AM EDT
    describes her rejection of Ronnie's vision for his Space Defense Initiative.

    He always envisioned "giving" it to the Soviets/Russians.

    Mutual Assured Defense.

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  19. :)

    Are you sure that is what he envisioned giving to the Russians? :)

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  20. As Mr Reagan said, in a radio broadcast, prior to the
    Geneva Summit with the Soviets ...

    If and when our research proves that a defensive shield against nuclear missiles is practical, I believe our two nations, and those others that have nuclear weapons, should come together and agree on how, gradually, to eliminate offensive nuclear weapons, as we make our defensive system available to all....

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  21. In Mr Reagan's whirled SDI was a step towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

    A worthy goal, one that has escaped the faux conservatives that now exemplify the Republicans in political office.

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  22. Share SDI instead of MAD

    The summit should focus, Reagan felt, not on arms control per se but on the madness of MAD, which led to nuclear stockpiling. Once that neurosis was taken care of, “the mountains of weapons to which you refer can shrink.”

    Reagan said, “I have an argument to share with you--our anti-missile shield. We don’t know if it is possible, but we are optimistic. If we come up with a solution, let us share it, make it available to everyone. Remove all fear of a nuclear strike.“

    No idea could have seemed more addled to Soviet perceptions than a universal defense against the ultimate offense, unless the President’s shield was the sort of defense that kills. Yet he was insisting, ”It’s not a weapon, it’s a system, a worthy dream.“

    Source: Dutch, by Edmund Morris, p.562 Nov 19, 1985

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  23. There was a a story recently which I can't track down about a woman high up in the British Health Service who died waiting for her operation, so I guess their system plays no favorites, at least. I think it's quite ironic that the British are trying to move away from their system while we are moving to institute something similar to theirs, here. The 11th Circuit looks like it may find the individual mandate unconstitutional and the Supreme Court probably will too, if none of the justices die. In their case it wouldn't be for lack of medical care, at least.

    dwr

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  24. We have approximately 100 sites. All sites have water,
    electric, and sewer hook-ups. Each has a poured
    concrete patio and many have a concrete slab for
    conveniently parking your RV on as well. We also offer
    cable TV and FREE WiFi. Fantasy Island Campground
    opens for the season on April 15th and close each
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    Fantasy Island Campground is your family friendly
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    Our heated in-ground swimming pool is a great place
    to relax or play a round of golf on our 9-hole miniature
    golf course. There is always something to keep every
    member of the family entertained!


    I hope Melody hasn't been eaten by the bears at Fantasy Island. She may have forgotten to take the food out of the tent and store it in a tree far away.

    It's tough out there.

    dwr

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