Ilsm writes: You cannot rely on the US media. The media in general sustains the cultural mendacity engulfing the military industrial complex. April 23, 2008, Seattle Post-IntelligencerDicks, Tiahrt ‘Porkers Of The Month’ Over TankerBy Eric Rosenberg, P-I Washington Bureau “WASHINGTON — A government watchdog group gave its wry “Porkers of the Month” award Tuesday to […]
The other day Spencer posted a chart that Cactus had sent and then Cactus posted the link to the data. After looking at the data, and considering the question being asked: Are we seeing a recession? I thought, maybe looking at just median weeks of unemployment or number of unemployed is not going to capture […]
Cactus ran across this data and sent this chart along. It implies two things to me. One, the average duration of unemployment was much higher in this cycle then it was in the 1990s cycle. This is in line with all the other data showing the recent cycle to be weak by historic norms. Two, […]
Within the Leading Index report there are series on the concurrent and lagging index. One component within these releases is a monthly estimate of unit labor cost in manufacturing. It is not the most reliable economic indicator and is subject to major revisions, but right now it is sending some very interesting information. It implies […]
Reader T-bone states the theory well: (lifted from comments cactus style) The bottom 50% are seeing no increase in real income while the dollar falls and their costs rise. Fiscal policy of low fed rates and heavy borrowing are being used to stimulate growth, and the negatives are being deemed an acceptable sacrifice. I believe […]
The NYT reports: Behind the numbers in the Accountability Office study, experts say, is a dynamic of mutually re-enforcing deficiencies: ever-changing Pentagon design requirements; unrealistic cost estimates and production schedules abetted by companies eager to win contracts, and a fondness for commercial technologies that often, as with the ferry concept, prove unsuitable for specialized military […]
Derivatives predict further increase Naked Capitalism Ambac on suspicious transactions Calculated Risk. Eurotrib, a good site to catch news and economy for and about the many facets of European Union countries. (This is the first site to be added to our international links section for information and points of view from our global neighbors. Seemed […]
Spiegal Online International carries this article on Arctic research. I immediately thought of Global warming clearing house and methane production, with affection. Researchers have found alarming evidence that the frozen Arctic floor has started to thaw and release long-stored methane gas. The results could be a catastrophic warming of the earth, since methane is a […]
Ilsm continues his whittle the beak series: Professor Theodore Postol, MIT, is a continuing and outspoken critic of Missile Defense Agency, Star Wars and numerous related components such as Patriot and newer science projects. He made news in 1992 pointing out that 37 of 38 disintegrating SCUD missiles fired by Iraq during Gulf War II […]
With all the discussion of food and energy it helps sometimes to look at the data and put things in perspective. One reason that the rise in food and energy is having a smaller impact than in the 1970s is that they now account for a much smaller share of consumption. Food and energy fell […]