Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
2008.12.22
Hi. Hello? Still there? Wow... for a second (or more like 3 months), I thought you had left.
I know I know... it's been a while since I've added anything new to this corner of cyberspace, and although some of you may have been eagerly waiting to get your hands on more of Bho's nonsensical ramblings, I cannot promise any quality to this long-awaited entry.
I'm going to skip the diary-like recap of the past 3 months. I think that's what Facebook is best used for. It provides a fairly frequent update of status messages and photos that succinctly capture my mood and the happenings in my life. I insist that this blog should be kept to insights and musings not about me. In such, I'm contemplating changing the name of this blog, and would like to solicite your suggestions.
First though, here's the obligatory eye candy I found online (sorry I forget the source and so can't cite it... would appreciate if you could help me out here):
Yes, it's not beautiful in the classical sense, and especially not beautiful in my fellow architects' eyes, ones that have been thoroughly trained to be judges of beauty. It could also be refined and made clearer. However, I like the fact that it is messy and adequately effective, allowing a LOT of people to read and to understand it quickly and thoroughly. More so, it characterizes the way that most people who aren't trained graphic designers can process information. I don't endorse messy, but heck, a lot of times messy works.
As I have spent the past 3 months studiously immersed in my studies of the elegant Chinese language (as well as other stuff like accounting, corporate finance, marketing, etc.), I guess I should at least write a bit about my thoughts on studying a language. But then I thought about an even better idea. I could kill two birds with one stone if I wrote in Chinese on this blog instead. I would be adding content and practicing my Chinese at the same time. And so for all of you without Big5 encoding (or don't know what that is), I've Google-translated a version below for you to muse over and guess its butchered meaning.
But... before I begin, just one thought on something I read in my Econ textbook the other day. A sample problem in the book illustrated a simple supply and demand calculation, pointing out what are the equilibrium price and quantity ($10 and 28 million tons) given the supply and demand curves. Simple math; no sweat. Then the problem proceeded to ask what would the new equilibrium price and quantity be if demand increased from by 15 million tons. The mathematical solution was also quite easy to understand, giving a new price and quantity at $13 and 37 million tons. But doesn't it seem fishy that the new equilibrium quantity is less than what the increase in quantity suggests? Why 37 million tons if someone explicitly said quantity will increase to 28 + 15 = 43 million tons? Anyone who has studied Econ knows that the academic answer, of course, has to do with the elasticity of demand. Namely, some people who are more flexible in their product demand might get priced out, and therefore the new equilibrium quantity is less than stated / forecasted. Yet even though I understand both the theory and the math, the sample problem (a fairly typical one I'm sure) does not sit well with me. Why would anyone forecast a figure greater than they know will exist? And how should both the theory and the math be corrected to solve for this accurate demand rather than an inflated figure? I'm sure there's a simple answer to this, and for all you Econ / Finance buffs, please tell me.
And now... onto the Chinese language portion...
在中国学中文已经有三个多月. 可以说, 进展还好, 但是当然可以更好的了. 对我来说, 学中文最容易的地方就是拼音系统. 最难的地方是记得每个字的声调. 特别对我来说, 我是一个比较用视觉学东西的人, 不是一个有很强听觉得人. 所以一般来说, 别人说话的时候, 我是较难听得出每个字的声调. 如果写下来的话, 那就比较容易很多了.
还有另外的问题就是我的一半广东口音, 一半北美口音. 很多时候我和别人说话时, 他们立即知道我不是本地人. 再困难的一方面是北京是一个很多元化的城市. 有北京人是理所当然, 但还有很多从外省来的人. 例如从四川, 河北, 东北等等. 每个地方的人也有他们的口音. 这方面是和学英文有分别的. 英国, 美国, 澳大利亚每个国家都有自己的口音. 但是在每一个国家内, 口音的变化虽然有, 但是并不大. 不像在北京, 和每一个人说话都可能会遇到听不懂的口音.
有很多时候, 别人会问我喜欢北京或是香港或是美国. 这个是廷难回答的问题, 因为不是苹果对苹果的比较. 北京有很多要改善的地方, 但是它最使人们瞩目的是可以看见历史在改写的过程. 世界上没有很多地方的发展可以和北京比较. 就像一个在成长中的孩子一样, 一定有得有失. 但是这个是一生难以目击的机会. 那么怎样可以不参与呢?
说到历史的题目, 2008 年真的是难忘记的一年. 个人来说, 最大的改变当然是毕业和找新的事业方向. 国际上也发生很多值得重温的事情. 其中三件特别特出的是北京奥运会, Obama在大选获胜, 和今年的经济低迷困境. 每件事情都深深影响到世界上的很多人. 但是, 影响和参与是两个事情. 很多人, 包括我在内, 都是旁观者, 不是参与者. 但是今年 Obama 的胜利真的让全球市民觉得自己也有一个责任对世界作出贡献和制做改变. 但是怎样我们才可以做历史的参与者, 不只是旁观者呢?
有时候我觉得我的这一辈, 就是80年代之后出生的人, 实在有一点 complacency. 可能因为我们想得到的东西并不是太难得到, 也使我们的要求也比较低了. 也可能因为我们很小要面对困境. 但是我们是活在一个特殊的环境下. 我们要拿到的资源差不多是无限的. 如果我们可以拿起多一点动力, 对自己和对别人的要求也提高的话, 我们作出的贡献和留下的脚印就会更有意思. 当然, 不是每个人都追求同一些东西,同一种生活方式. 也不是每个人都 complacent. 但是在中国生活就必会目击到这儿的人对生活或生存的动力和期望. 一般来说, 已发展的国家是比不上的.
写到这儿就好了. 也是时候我吃饭了. 希望下次不要再等三个月才再写博客吧.
(And as promised, the Google-translation version. This is awesome in its hilarity!)
Learning Chinese in China have more than three months. It can be said that good progress, but, of course, can be better. For me, learning Chinese is the easiest place Pinyin system. Is the most difficult to remember every word Tone. To me, in particular, I use a more visual learning things, instead of listening to feel a very strong person. Therefore, in general, others say, I find it more difficult to hear every word out of tone. If you write it down, then it becomes a lot easier.
The problem is that there is another half of my Cantonese accent, half of the North American accent. I have a lot of time and others say, they immediately know I am not a local. On the one hand, is no longer difficult to Beijing is a very diverse city. Beijingers have Is a matter of course, but there are many people who come from other provinces. For example, from Sichuan, Hebei, north-east, and so on. Each of the local people have their own accent. This is science and English are different. Britain, the United States, Australia each The country has its own accent. But in every country, although there are changes in the accent, but not great. Unlike in Beijing, and everyone will encounter the words did not understand the accent.
There are a lot of time, other people would ask me like Beijing or Hong Kong or the United States. Ting is the difficult question to answer, because Apple is not a comparison of apples. Beijing, many areas to improve, but most people's attention is To see to rewrite history in the process. Not many places in the world, the development of Beijing and can be compared. Just like a growing child, you win some and lose some. But this is a difficult life witnessed. Then how can it not take part ?
Talking about the history of the subject, in 2008 it is really hard to forget a year. Personally, the biggest change is, of course, graduation and find a new career direction. The international community has a lot of merit review. One of three special special The Beijing Olympics is out, Obama won the general election, and this year's economic predicament. Everything deeply affected many people in the world. However, the influence and participation are the two things. A lot of people, including myself, Are spectators, not participants. But this year, Obama's victory in the world do the people feel that they have a responsibility to contribute to the world and making change. But what we can do the history of the participants, not just a spectator this ?
Sometimes I think my generation is born after the 80s, is a little complacency. Because we may think of things not to be too difficult, but also to our relatively low. May also be because we are Small to face difficulties. But we live in a special environment. We have to get the resources are almost limitless. If we can pick up a little more momentum on its own and other people's demands to improve, we made And contribute to the footprints left behind will be more interesting. Of course, not everyone with the pursuit of something with a way of life. Everyone is not complacent. But in China there must be witnessed to the life of the people living here or The driving force for survival and expectations. Generally speaking, the developed countries is less than the.
Wrote here just fine. I also had to eat. I hope next time will not wait another three months to write your blog.
I know I know... it's been a while since I've added anything new to this corner of cyberspace, and although some of you may have been eagerly waiting to get your hands on more of Bho's nonsensical ramblings, I cannot promise any quality to this long-awaited entry.
I'm going to skip the diary-like recap of the past 3 months. I think that's what Facebook is best used for. It provides a fairly frequent update of status messages and photos that succinctly capture my mood and the happenings in my life. I insist that this blog should be kept to insights and musings not about me. In such, I'm contemplating changing the name of this blog, and would like to solicite your suggestions.
First though, here's the obligatory eye candy I found online (sorry I forget the source and so can't cite it... would appreciate if you could help me out here):
Yes, it's not beautiful in the classical sense, and especially not beautiful in my fellow architects' eyes, ones that have been thoroughly trained to be judges of beauty. It could also be refined and made clearer. However, I like the fact that it is messy and adequately effective, allowing a LOT of people to read and to understand it quickly and thoroughly. More so, it characterizes the way that most people who aren't trained graphic designers can process information. I don't endorse messy, but heck, a lot of times messy works.
As I have spent the past 3 months studiously immersed in my studies of the elegant Chinese language (as well as other stuff like accounting, corporate finance, marketing, etc.), I guess I should at least write a bit about my thoughts on studying a language. But then I thought about an even better idea. I could kill two birds with one stone if I wrote in Chinese on this blog instead. I would be adding content and practicing my Chinese at the same time. And so for all of you without Big5 encoding (or don't know what that is), I've Google-translated a version below for you to muse over and guess its butchered meaning.
But... before I begin, just one thought on something I read in my Econ textbook the other day. A sample problem in the book illustrated a simple supply and demand calculation, pointing out what are the equilibrium price and quantity ($10 and 28 million tons) given the supply and demand curves. Simple math; no sweat. Then the problem proceeded to ask what would the new equilibrium price and quantity be if demand increased from by 15 million tons. The mathematical solution was also quite easy to understand, giving a new price and quantity at $13 and 37 million tons. But doesn't it seem fishy that the new equilibrium quantity is less than what the increase in quantity suggests? Why 37 million tons if someone explicitly said quantity will increase to 28 + 15 = 43 million tons? Anyone who has studied Econ knows that the academic answer, of course, has to do with the elasticity of demand. Namely, some people who are more flexible in their product demand might get priced out, and therefore the new equilibrium quantity is less than stated / forecasted. Yet even though I understand both the theory and the math, the sample problem (a fairly typical one I'm sure) does not sit well with me. Why would anyone forecast a figure greater than they know will exist? And how should both the theory and the math be corrected to solve for this accurate demand rather than an inflated figure? I'm sure there's a simple answer to this, and for all you Econ / Finance buffs, please tell me.
And now... onto the Chinese language portion...
在中国学中文已经有三个多月. 可以说, 进展还好, 但是当然可以更好的了. 对我来说, 学中文最容易的地方就是拼音系统. 最难的地方是记得每个字的声调. 特别对我来说, 我是一个比较用视觉学东西的人, 不是一个有很强听觉得人. 所以一般来说, 别人说话的时候, 我是较难听得出每个字的声调. 如果写下来的话, 那就比较容易很多了.
还有另外的问题就是我的一半广东口音, 一半北美口音. 很多时候我和别人说话时, 他们立即知道我不是本地人. 再困难的一方面是北京是一个很多元化的城市. 有北京人是理所当然, 但还有很多从外省来的人. 例如从四川, 河北, 东北等等. 每个地方的人也有他们的口音. 这方面是和学英文有分别的. 英国, 美国, 澳大利亚每个国家都有自己的口音. 但是在每一个国家内, 口音的变化虽然有, 但是并不大. 不像在北京, 和每一个人说话都可能会遇到听不懂的口音.
有很多时候, 别人会问我喜欢北京或是香港或是美国. 这个是廷难回答的问题, 因为不是苹果对苹果的比较. 北京有很多要改善的地方, 但是它最使人们瞩目的是可以看见历史在改写的过程. 世界上没有很多地方的发展可以和北京比较. 就像一个在成长中的孩子一样, 一定有得有失. 但是这个是一生难以目击的机会. 那么怎样可以不参与呢?
说到历史的题目, 2008 年真的是难忘记的一年. 个人来说, 最大的改变当然是毕业和找新的事业方向. 国际上也发生很多值得重温的事情. 其中三件特别特出的是北京奥运会, Obama在大选获胜, 和今年的经济低迷困境. 每件事情都深深影响到世界上的很多人. 但是, 影响和参与是两个事情. 很多人, 包括我在内, 都是旁观者, 不是参与者. 但是今年 Obama 的胜利真的让全球市民觉得自己也有一个责任对世界作出贡献和制做改变. 但是怎样我们才可以做历史的参与者, 不只是旁观者呢?
有时候我觉得我的这一辈, 就是80年代之后出生的人, 实在有一点 complacency. 可能因为我们想得到的东西并不是太难得到, 也使我们的要求也比较低了. 也可能因为我们很小要面对困境. 但是我们是活在一个特殊的环境下. 我们要拿到的资源差不多是无限的. 如果我们可以拿起多一点动力, 对自己和对别人的要求也提高的话, 我们作出的贡献和留下的脚印就会更有意思. 当然, 不是每个人都追求同一些东西,同一种生活方式. 也不是每个人都 complacent. 但是在中国生活就必会目击到这儿的人对生活或生存的动力和期望. 一般来说, 已发展的国家是比不上的.
写到这儿就好了. 也是时候我吃饭了. 希望下次不要再等三个月才再写博客吧.
(And as promised, the Google-translation version. This is awesome in its hilarity!)
Learning Chinese in China have more than three months. It can be said that good progress, but, of course, can be better. For me, learning Chinese is the easiest place Pinyin system. Is the most difficult to remember every word Tone. To me, in particular, I use a more visual learning things, instead of listening to feel a very strong person. Therefore, in general, others say, I find it more difficult to hear every word out of tone. If you write it down, then it becomes a lot easier.
The problem is that there is another half of my Cantonese accent, half of the North American accent. I have a lot of time and others say, they immediately know I am not a local. On the one hand, is no longer difficult to Beijing is a very diverse city. Beijingers have Is a matter of course, but there are many people who come from other provinces. For example, from Sichuan, Hebei, north-east, and so on. Each of the local people have their own accent. This is science and English are different. Britain, the United States, Australia each The country has its own accent. But in every country, although there are changes in the accent, but not great. Unlike in Beijing, and everyone will encounter the words did not understand the accent.
There are a lot of time, other people would ask me like Beijing or Hong Kong or the United States. Ting is the difficult question to answer, because Apple is not a comparison of apples. Beijing, many areas to improve, but most people's attention is To see to rewrite history in the process. Not many places in the world, the development of Beijing and can be compared. Just like a growing child, you win some and lose some. But this is a difficult life witnessed. Then how can it not take part ?
Talking about the history of the subject, in 2008 it is really hard to forget a year. Personally, the biggest change is, of course, graduation and find a new career direction. The international community has a lot of merit review. One of three special special The Beijing Olympics is out, Obama won the general election, and this year's economic predicament. Everything deeply affected many people in the world. However, the influence and participation are the two things. A lot of people, including myself, Are spectators, not participants. But this year, Obama's victory in the world do the people feel that they have a responsibility to contribute to the world and making change. But what we can do the history of the participants, not just a spectator this ?
Sometimes I think my generation is born after the 80s, is a little complacency. Because we may think of things not to be too difficult, but also to our relatively low. May also be because we are Small to face difficulties. But we live in a special environment. We have to get the resources are almost limitless. If we can pick up a little more momentum on its own and other people's demands to improve, we made And contribute to the footprints left behind will be more interesting. Of course, not everyone with the pursuit of something with a way of life. Everyone is not complacent. But in China there must be witnessed to the life of the people living here or The driving force for survival and expectations. Generally speaking, the developed countries is less than the.
Wrote here just fine. I also had to eat. I hope next time will not wait another three months to write your blog.
Friday, September 26, 2008
2008.09.26 (ii)
You gotta read this, and find the youtube video too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us/politics/26watch.html?ex=1380168000&en=0cf10cc13dcffabd&ei=5124
Although difficult to fathom, there's a statistical chance that Sarah Palin could in fact be VP of the US, and potentially even leader of the free world should McCain step down. WOW! She's unbelievably incoherent and, well, dumb.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/26/us/politics/26watch.html?ex=1380168000&en=0cf10cc13dcffabd&ei=5124
Although difficult to fathom, there's a statistical chance that Sarah Palin could in fact be VP of the US, and potentially even leader of the free world should McCain step down. WOW! She's unbelievably incoherent and, well, dumb.
2008.09.26
On today's agenda: (not sure)
It's been exactly a month since my last post here. I've been lazy, and have had difficulty conceptualizing writing material. Topics have either been too trivial, too comical, or too serious. I simply haven't been able to set a direction for which this blog should follow, yet at the same time, cannot fathom my last entry here is my architecture obituary. How can I leave on such a solemn and ambiguous note? And so here is my attempt to resuscitate life into this dimming blog.
Frankly, not much has happened in the past month (personally at least), and I don't want to maintain an online diary here. I attended Cory and Leah's wedding in Vancouver, which was fabulous, and also had the chance to catch up with old friends - all the while finding out more about them and myself as well. I've also been busy planning for my imminent but temporary move to Beijing in an attempt to beefen up my Mandarin skills in preparation for my career ahead.
And oh, before I forget, here's an image from the end of July when I was in Shanghai:
The photo was taken abroad a Maglev train from the city to the airport, peaking at 430 km / h. The trip took less than 7 mintues, and at one instance, an identical train traveling the opposite direction passed by. As I was looking out the opposite window, I didn't see the train pass by at all, but rather only heard a loud "BOOM", and that was it. Two trains travelling at such speeds in opposite directions net a relative speed of ~ 860 km / h, or about 2/3 of supersonic speed. The "BOOM" was both startling and exhilirating.
With that aside, back to me.
In my inaugural post, the economy was one of the topics which I listed as an area of interest that would make its way into my entries. The past month in particular has provided no lack of news and commentary on which I could further add my 2 cents, but frankly, I'm not really in any position to offer intelligent insight onto the matters. I wish I was, but I won't pretend to be. Fannie, Freddie, Lehman, and effective today, WaMu are all gone, and countless others are probably only clinging to their last breaths of life. Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke are trying their best to convince Congress to pass a $700B bailout bill, but then still, both men lack powers of persuasion. The former, an ex-Goldman Sachs CEO, reportedly knelt on one knee and begged Nancy Pelosi not to withdraw Democratic support for the bill. As the NYTimes wrote,
In the Roosevelt Room after the session, the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., literally bent down on one knee as he pleaded with Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, not to “blow it up” by withdrawing her party’s support for the package over what Ms. Pelosi derided as a Republican betrayal.
It's hard to imagine a man of such fortune (reported $700 million in assets) and power to be such a poor leader and lacking in political tact. Kneeling? Really? And if you watched the Congressional hearings as I did, Paulson's political incompetence is even more evident. Repeatedly stating his claim that a $700B bailout was the only option, and offering no substantial and detailed rationale, he befriended and persuaded no one. He is Wall Street, not Main Street, and perhaps because he is blessed with Dubya's unfettered support, he feels no need to make his case to the public. If such is the case, maybe he's a more shrewd politician than I deem him to be.
It's difficult for me to come to grips with a $700B bailout plan, what it means, what it will do, and how the world economy will be affected. I'm not alone. I doubt many people (including Hank and Ben) are sure what will happen after pouring $700B into the market anyway. More liquidity and loosening of credit? Sure, maybe. Depreciation of the dollar and rising inflation? Likely. Stabilization of or even falling interest rates? Perhaps. My biggest question however, and one in which I invite your input, is what does the US government's interference with free markets mean for the greater economic system and America's long-standing stance on capitalism? Some have expressed their belief in the end of American capitalism and the dawn of socialism in the US, which I doubt, and perhaps the capital infusion and restructuring of the financial markets is an adjustment rather than an overhaul. I don't know.
One last note on the $700B bill is the air of urgency and fright that surrounds its reporting, most notably the constant references to "crisis" and "act now or else...". Dubya even says "... our entire economy is in danger... Without immediate action by Congress, America can slip into a major panic."(CNN report)
I believe the economy is doing poorly (duh!), and $700B is a relatively small price to pay to aquire assets, albeit poor ones (mind you, it's not just giving cash away). But relative to the US's $500B annual military budget, a $700B plan to hopefully restore credit and liquidity and prevent further home foreclosures seem acceptable. However, I am more concerned with the Bush administration's fright tactics, ones that inevitably echo previous strategies behind the WMD's, granting of unchecked powers, and the invasion of Iraq.
Moving on...
I'm sure you're familiar with the animal rights activist, PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. You've probably even come across one of their many ads featuring gracefully nude but not revealing actresses championing the slogan "I'd rather go naked than wear fur." Yes, I'm a carnivore and enjoy my steak cooked medium-rare, and even though I'm not an avid PETA supporter, I can sympathize to some extent with their mission. However, their latest report in the news is a demand on ice-creamery Ben and Jerry's to use human breast milk as a substitute for cow milk in ice-cream production (report). Sorry, but I just can't take that proposition seriously. Think about the logistics of that venture? I just see no reasonableness in it. Ironically, this report comes just as the China milk scandal is exploding. Don't we already have a breast milk shortage?
Lastly, if you've read through all of the above, I figure you deserve a reward. After all, you've just read a lot of nothing, and so in the spirit of any successful website, I offer you a piece of visual candy to conclude this post. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my new obsession - the Audi S5:
Be the first to buy me this sweet ride and I'll be your BFF. Really! And yes, friendship does have a price. =)
It's been exactly a month since my last post here. I've been lazy, and have had difficulty conceptualizing writing material. Topics have either been too trivial, too comical, or too serious. I simply haven't been able to set a direction for which this blog should follow, yet at the same time, cannot fathom my last entry here is my architecture obituary. How can I leave on such a solemn and ambiguous note? And so here is my attempt to resuscitate life into this dimming blog.
Frankly, not much has happened in the past month (personally at least), and I don't want to maintain an online diary here. I attended Cory and Leah's wedding in Vancouver, which was fabulous, and also had the chance to catch up with old friends - all the while finding out more about them and myself as well. I've also been busy planning for my imminent but temporary move to Beijing in an attempt to beefen up my Mandarin skills in preparation for my career ahead.
And oh, before I forget, here's an image from the end of July when I was in Shanghai:
The photo was taken abroad a Maglev train from the city to the airport, peaking at 430 km / h. The trip took less than 7 mintues, and at one instance, an identical train traveling the opposite direction passed by. As I was looking out the opposite window, I didn't see the train pass by at all, but rather only heard a loud "BOOM", and that was it. Two trains travelling at such speeds in opposite directions net a relative speed of ~ 860 km / h, or about 2/3 of supersonic speed. The "BOOM" was both startling and exhilirating.
With that aside, back to me.
In my inaugural post, the economy was one of the topics which I listed as an area of interest that would make its way into my entries. The past month in particular has provided no lack of news and commentary on which I could further add my 2 cents, but frankly, I'm not really in any position to offer intelligent insight onto the matters. I wish I was, but I won't pretend to be. Fannie, Freddie, Lehman, and effective today, WaMu are all gone, and countless others are probably only clinging to their last breaths of life. Henry Paulson and Ben Bernanke are trying their best to convince Congress to pass a $700B bailout bill, but then still, both men lack powers of persuasion. The former, an ex-Goldman Sachs CEO, reportedly knelt on one knee and begged Nancy Pelosi not to withdraw Democratic support for the bill. As the NYTimes wrote,
In the Roosevelt Room after the session, the Treasury secretary, Henry M. Paulson Jr., literally bent down on one knee as he pleaded with Nancy Pelosi, the House Speaker, not to “blow it up” by withdrawing her party’s support for the package over what Ms. Pelosi derided as a Republican betrayal.
“I didn’t know you were Catholic,” Ms. Pelosi said, a wry reference to Mr. Paulson’s kneeling, according to someone who observed the exchange. She went on: “It’s not me blowing this up, it’s the Republicans.”
Mr. Paulson sighed. “I know. I know.”
(Full article here)It's hard to imagine a man of such fortune (reported $700 million in assets) and power to be such a poor leader and lacking in political tact. Kneeling? Really? And if you watched the Congressional hearings as I did, Paulson's political incompetence is even more evident. Repeatedly stating his claim that a $700B bailout was the only option, and offering no substantial and detailed rationale, he befriended and persuaded no one. He is Wall Street, not Main Street, and perhaps because he is blessed with Dubya's unfettered support, he feels no need to make his case to the public. If such is the case, maybe he's a more shrewd politician than I deem him to be.
It's difficult for me to come to grips with a $700B bailout plan, what it means, what it will do, and how the world economy will be affected. I'm not alone. I doubt many people (including Hank and Ben) are sure what will happen after pouring $700B into the market anyway. More liquidity and loosening of credit? Sure, maybe. Depreciation of the dollar and rising inflation? Likely. Stabilization of or even falling interest rates? Perhaps. My biggest question however, and one in which I invite your input, is what does the US government's interference with free markets mean for the greater economic system and America's long-standing stance on capitalism? Some have expressed their belief in the end of American capitalism and the dawn of socialism in the US, which I doubt, and perhaps the capital infusion and restructuring of the financial markets is an adjustment rather than an overhaul. I don't know.
One last note on the $700B bill is the air of urgency and fright that surrounds its reporting, most notably the constant references to "crisis" and "act now or else...". Dubya even says "... our entire economy is in danger... Without immediate action by Congress, America can slip into a major panic."(CNN report)
I believe the economy is doing poorly (duh!), and $700B is a relatively small price to pay to aquire assets, albeit poor ones (mind you, it's not just giving cash away). But relative to the US's $500B annual military budget, a $700B plan to hopefully restore credit and liquidity and prevent further home foreclosures seem acceptable. However, I am more concerned with the Bush administration's fright tactics, ones that inevitably echo previous strategies behind the WMD's, granting of unchecked powers, and the invasion of Iraq.
Moving on...
I'm sure you're familiar with the animal rights activist, PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. You've probably even come across one of their many ads featuring gracefully nude but not revealing actresses championing the slogan "I'd rather go naked than wear fur." Yes, I'm a carnivore and enjoy my steak cooked medium-rare, and even though I'm not an avid PETA supporter, I can sympathize to some extent with their mission. However, their latest report in the news is a demand on ice-creamery Ben and Jerry's to use human breast milk as a substitute for cow milk in ice-cream production (report). Sorry, but I just can't take that proposition seriously. Think about the logistics of that venture? I just see no reasonableness in it. Ironically, this report comes just as the China milk scandal is exploding. Don't we already have a breast milk shortage?
Lastly, if you've read through all of the above, I figure you deserve a reward. After all, you've just read a lot of nothing, and so in the spirit of any successful website, I offer you a piece of visual candy to conclude this post. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my new obsession - the Audi S5:
Be the first to buy me this sweet ride and I'll be your BFF. Really! And yes, friendship does have a price. =)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)