Are we experiencing a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis? The New York Times explores the question. It’s a good overview; I encourage you to read the whole thing. I am inclined to side with the pessimists, but I hope I’m wrong. More broadly, I fear we’ll look back at 2010 as a “dead cat bounce” rather than a genuine… Read more »
We interrupt the Everything Seemingly Is Spinning Out of Control Watch — STOCKS CRASHING! ECONOMY CRATERING! DEBT SOARING! OBAMA FLAILING! ENGLAND BURNING! BACHMANN’S EYES BULGING! — to bring you something else to #PANIC about… in the world of college sports! With bonus Rick Perry secessionist action! (No, not that kind of secession.) The Texas A&M Aggies, a.k.a. the Brett Favre… Read more »
Hey, I needed a different title than #PANIC. Already used that one. And I’m saving #DOOM for a plunge of 800 points / 8% or more. (Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow!) Anyway… I have a pet theory about this. Sometimes, I think Wall Street gets what it wants from politicians, expecting to feel reassured by it — but instead,… Read more »
As if recent events haven’t created enough cause for #PANIC already, I’ve recently seen a couple of charts of economic data that really put things into (scary) perspective. One is the “real” monthly employment picture since 2009, subtracting out the 150,000 jobs that must be added per month just to keep up with population growth: Yikes. The other requires a… Read more »
Some photos from my weekend in Beaver Creek: That last one was an unintentional snapshot as I moving the phone into or out of my pocket. I think it turned into a rather cool abstract photo. More photos here.
Doug Mataconis’s post on the infuriating FAA situation got me all fired up, and inspired me to do something I rarely do: write to my congressperson. Congresswoman DeGette, I am writing to express my absolute disgust with the ongoing situation surrounding the FAA’s lack of funding. I do not know your position on the issue, and thus do not presume… Read more »
Blah blah, debt ceiling, extortion, default, blah blah. Enough! It’s over! Look, a rainbow! Taken in our neighborhood yesterday. (Would’ve been prettier, if not for the Tea Party! … Sorry.) P.S. Also… 30 days till college football starts! YAY!!!
“One of the most important things about this piece of legislation is that never again will any president, of either party, be able to raise the debt ceiling without being held accountable for it by the American people.” –Mitch McConnell, just now. Translation: henceforth, members of Congress, of both parties, will feel even more freedom to pass irresponsible budgets, pretending… Read more »
President Obama, Speaker Boehner and Senate leaders in both parties have agreed to a deal that would effectively raise the debt ceiling through 2012 while enacting a mostly Republican-friendly package of spending cuts (and no new revenues). It would also set up a likely showdown in December over a second wave of deficit-reduction measures as recommended by a bipartisan congressional… Read more »