Monday, January 11, 2010

Sometimes You Have to Ask

Monday is always hard when your team loses on Sunday. It is even harder when it was a playoff game. Then sometimes a reader (C-T) kicks you when you are down and it hurts even more. Kidding!

All I have left to say is "Lets Go SAINTS!"

A bit short on time tonight so just a small post.

Sometimes You Have to Ask
As of late I have been asking myself just what would shock me in the financial world. At this point almost nothing could surprise me. I thought I would put together a list of unresolved questions I have. In no particular order;

-Has the government joined forces with HF traders to goose stock indices higher by futures gunning?
-If so, how exactly is the stock market a predictor of, well, anything?
-Is unemployment really only 10%?
-What if it was calculated using the criteria from say, 1950?
-If the financial system almost collapsed because two firms failed (Bear and Lehman) is it not a safe assumption that it will collapse at some point?
-What if 80% of the population understood that their money was not really at the bank but lent out 10X over?
-Lent out for mortgages?
-Is there ever a bad time to buy stocks according to CNBC?
-If the answer is no, doesn't that tell you something?
-If the FED rate is at 0% in 2015 and Quantitative Easing programs are still in effect would the FED admit they are failing?
-Has Japan admitted as much?
-Japans "Lost Decade" is touted as something to avoid (no matter the costs) but I have never seen Japanese refugees paddling to China to escape the extreme poverty a deflationary spiral must surely cause. Why?
-Why is it the government acts like Americans could not endure a recession?
-What do they know that makes them believe that?
-Can you really get anywhere by investing unless you have a ton of money to start off with?
-Kind of makes it hard, yes?
-At what point in the future will Social Security be jettisoned as to avoid the working young from strangling older retirees?
-Why do so many in the financial business hate gold so much?
-Don't we always hate what we do not understand?
-Will anyone else pull their 401k accounts should the government move to use them as a fund for treasury debt sales?
-If no, then why not?
-If Peak Oil is real and considering how easily panicked the world is, when do you think those in charge would tell us the oil is running out: years before or days before?
-Am I crazy to think that in the future say oil runs out on a Tuesday that by the next Tuesday there will be a new fusion process (discovered in the 1960's) that solves all our energy needs?
-If that happens would the response be (A) Wow! We are saved! or (B) You know how much I spent on gasoline in my lifetime? On plane tickets? On home heating oil? I am going to kill someone!
-If only 1-3% of all microbes in the world can be grown in a laboratory (and almost none from the Seas which may have 10X the microbial diversity as the land) but those bugs have furnished over 75% of all known antibiotics wouldn't focusing on that be a good idea?
-That would make a good investment, yes?
-How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and you had only half of your money but everything cost twice as much?
-Why is it the same 50 people or so are the Treasury Heads, FED Heads, and the heads of the biggest banks?
-Is that not a conflict of interest?
-How come nobody cares?
-Why am I being singled out for torture by reports filmmakers are remaking both "Red Dawn" and "The Highlander"?
-Why is it the answer to every problem (education, police, etc) is more money?
-How come the answer is never more money in every one's paycheck?
-Wouldn't that help more people?
-Why did the Grunge music movement end great rock and roll?
-Looks pretty stupid now, yes?
-How is it that the banks were bailed out and now are paying out record bonuses and nothing is being done about it?
-Is America totally devoid of dignity?
-Has it been systematically removed from the spirits of the people?
-Neat trick, huh?
-If you are so worried about today and maybe tomorrow can you even grasp a concept like 5 years from now?
-What's the unemployment rate again?
-Why are we not doing anything about how the economy is being run?
-Did I answer that with the last few questions?

Have a good night.

13 comments:

EconomicDisconnect said...

For a diversion try out this site:
http://theoatmeal.com/

Funny stuff!

watchtower said...

Why doesn't Stagflationary Mark just fess up to being the creator of 'Halo'?

This and all your questions that you posed GYSC are good ones, but it may be like trying to find out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop... the world may never know, especially "Why is it the same 50 people or so are the Treasury Heads, FED Heads, and the heads of the biggest banks?"
.

P.S. Can't wait till 'Mr Fusion' is available, that's gonna rule!

EconomicDisconnect said...

Flux Capacitor here we come!

Mark is under strict contract to never publicly admit his Halo genius, but we can mess with him all we like!

Anonymous said...

May I rant about football? The Packers 'lost' yesterday to the Cardinals in OT--BUT THERE WAS A FOUL!!!! Packers had the ball and some guy did a face mask on the QB as he was throwing. Some Card picked off the ball and voila--TD, game over.

IT WAS CLEAR AS DAY IN THE REPLAY!!! What is up with that?!?!?

I really like your questions, but I think the answers are down some black hole somewhere!

EconomicDisconnect said...

Sonic,
indeed there was a facemask and since the rule change they are all of the "major" variety. I think the refs let it go because of the drama of the game and the shocking ending. It would have been lame to overrule the play on that foul plus the stadium might have rioted.

Reminds me of the Giants drive during the Superbowl against the Patriots. The holding going on by the Giants O line was so blatant and so illegal I wanted to scream (I did) but the refs let it go in the heat of the moment.

Thnaks for stopping in, I see we share a like for "Outside the Box" and 80's music.

Who do you like in the playoffs now?

EconomicDisconnect said...

All,
if you have a spare $10 please consider donating to the Scott Brown Mass Senate race fund. He will not win, but at least we could scare some people.

You all know I am anti-any party so I just would like the mess it creates if he wins.

CT-Hilltopper said...

Why would anyone want to remake Red Dawn?

Wasn't it bad enough the first time?

Or is that just payback for saying that the Patriots defense play like Our Sisters of Mercy junior High? LOL

Chuck said...

Good stuff.

Lisa said...

"-At what point in the future will Social Security be jettisoned as to avoid the working young from strangling older retirees?"

This is what happens when you makes slaves out of producers to feed the "entitled."

"-Is America totally devoid of dignity?"

No.

"-Why are we not doing anything about how the economy is being run?"

We are. And thank you for helping Brown. I donated, too. He's not my favorite, but we have to stop the enemy from storming the hill first.

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you, been busy fighting commies. Love you!

Dave in Denver said...

hey gyc, what's the unemployment rate? LOL

i'm stoked for the playoff games this upcoming weekend. i think the only serious mismatch is Chargers/Jets.

Anonymous said...

Hi GYSC, I didn't realize relativism applied to football, too. Sad. I guess the only time is doesn't apply is tax time (haha).

I don't have any strong feelings about the rest of the teams, so I guess I'll go with the Saints for now. What the hey. ;)

PS--Thanks for those book recommendations--awesome!

Anonymous said...

Question about the facemask call. If Rogers had fumbled before the facemask, wouldnt the possession still have changed (albeit now PHX ball on the 20)?

EconomicDisconnect said...

C-T said:
"Why would anyone want to remake Red Dawn?
Wasn't it bad enough the first time?"
Now you are just outright attacking both my football team and favorite films! Big Meanie.

Lisa,
glad you stopped by! Maybe Mr. Brown can do it and cause a huge stir.

Sonic,
referee calls are very subject to change depending on situation. At least its not as bad as the NBA though. Those book are very good.

Anon,
I am not sure. I think IF they ruled the facemask was AFTER the strip then yes Cardinals ball on the 20 would be right with a 15 yard penalty marked off so call it the 35 yard line. If before or during then I am not 100% sure but I think Packers keep ball and get the 15 yards.

Chuck,
Thanks for stopping in!