economists | Existential Ennui

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economists, economy, environment, global warming, Humor, Koch Brothers, marriage, personal relationships, political humor, psychology

I used to like clowns. Until they became evil. Now I don’t like them.

Anyway, have a happy Halloween. We don’t get trick or treaters back here in the hollow. So I don’t carve pumpkins. I eat pumpkin instead.

The candidates all were invited to go to a Halloween party I’m told. They all chose to go as clowns.

Campaign managers across the board suggested that might be dressing too close to the mark.

So they are going as statesmen and women, something none of them need worry that they will ever be confused as.

♦

The poor Northeast is getting smacked with a very early year snow storm. I feel for them. Not enough however to wish it were here instead. Here it’s sunny. And seasonable. And the leaves are falling still. I don’t think they can keep that up much longer without become bereft of foliage. Oh as to that October Nor’easter, that’s not climate change. In case you were wondering.

Just ask the Koch brothers. They funded a climate change skeptic to prove that the data was all wrong. Except he didn’t. He said it was true. Funny how the MSM, you know, the media that is supposed to be squarely in the lap of progressives, hasn’t much mentioned that. But the Koch brothers and their minions will continue to deny climate change because it suits their interests.

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There is a long but very interesting article at The Atlantic about the changing ideas about romantic relationships. Kate Bolick’s experiences as a child were not at all like mine. Her mother urged her to find herself as a woman and not “settle” for domesticity until she found an emotionally satisfying relationship. My mother, never understood my independence nor could she get why I wasn’t married. I married on the verge of middle age, 49. (Yes, as you age, you push middle age further and further down the road kiddies.)

Where are all the good men? They were there in her 20’s and 30’s. Now they seem to have disappeared from the landscape, leaving only the failures and the predators. But are women looking for the wrong things? The 50’s model of marriage might well be nothing more than a blip on the screen, and not at all what has been normal throughout history.

It’s a long read, but a really interesting and informative one. It’s Saturday. Relax. Or mark it for tomorrow and some lazy day reading.

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If you want to engage in some more serious reading, I recommend this one from The Nation. Entitled, How the Austerity Class Rules Washington, it documents the long history of how a minority economic theory has gained control of not only the Republican party, but has controlled the dialogue in Washington. Deficit hawks have gained ascendency and “cut taxes, cut programs”, plays well to the great uneducated masses who think it makes sense. After all, who doesn’t get–“You are in debt? Stop spending so much.”

The fact that this is not the way to end a recession has been lost in a howling of cut, cut, cut. Very worth the read.

♦

And since it’s Saturday.

And since I like ya.

Romney puts the “R” in relative. As in “my opinion is relative.”

As in “My opinion is relative as to whether it helps or hurts me with the voters.’

As in “My opinion is relative as to whether it helps or hurts me with the voters. . ., today.”

As in “Tell me what my opinion should be, today.”

As in “I barely have an opinion that I am alive.”

Gingrich puts the G in “go look up the word Grifter.

Or in the word “getting”.

As in “I’m getting your money and giving nothing back in return except more bills.”

As in, “I’m getting to enjoy making a living by funneling off ‘expenses’ from all of my bogus organizations that I set up for the collection of donations to my lifestyle.

As in, “I’m glad you people are this stupid. I might have to actual find a job otherwise.”

As in, ” I never met a scam I didn’t like.”

Cain puts the C in “Can I interest you in this fine used car.”