Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Thanksgiving and the economics of sharing

Dan here…this piece is originally published at Oxford University Press by Angry Bear Edward Lambert. by Edward Lambert Thanksgiving and the economics of sharing For this American, my favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving. Why? I have an image in my mind of Native Americans and colonists meeting and sharing food together; they share knowledge […]

Failure to deflate: flat consumer prices only slightly help real wages, sales

– by New Deal democrat     (from Bonddad blog) Failure to deflate: flat consumer prices only slightly help real wages, sales Usually changes in the inflation rate are all about the price of gasoline.  Not in October.  Although gas prices fell -6.4% (compared with a decline of -5.0% a year ago), unlike one year ago […]

Does fixing a mistake make it worse?

Dan here…Sometimes I don’t know the questions to ask.  Here is a note on water…. by David Zetland  (from Aguanomics) Does fixing a mistake make it worse? EC writes from Florida: One of the big questions staring me in the face is… as we reach the limits of sustainable use without “significant harm” to the […]

Mel Watt?

Via Naked Capitalism: Elizabeth Warren tore into FHFA director Mel Watt over his failure to develop a program for Fannie and Freddie to provide principal modifications to underwater borrowers at risk of foreclosure. She also got in a dig for his failure to stop the agencies from pursuing deficiency judgments. That means going after former […]

The Fournier Transform

Lifted from Robert’s Stochastic Thoughts: The Fournier Transform Near Stupidoclypse Alert Major meme #Fournierderp It looks as if Ron Fournier may sweep the left blogosphere. I read this by Joan McCarter at DailyKos The nation’s most stubborn and willfully ignorant pundit, Ron “why won’t Obama lead and make Republicans like him” Fournier, strikes again. On […]

Phrase of the Day: Fournier Transform

Dan here…hang on to this definition for examples.  It is also full of  Robert’s somewhat unique humor.  Lifted from Robert Waldmann’s Stochastic Thoughts. Phrase of the Day: Fournier Transform Fournier Transform: This phrase is a technical term which describes the process through which an urgently needed excellent moderate proposal supported by all very serious centrist […]

In which I compare Rand Paul, Jay Ackroyd, and David Dayan

Lifted from Robert Waldmann‘s StochasticThoughts In which I compare  Rand Paul, Jay Ackroyd, and David Dayan Jay Ackroyd notes DDay’s excellent policy proposals. I comment That is indeed an excellent list. I especially like point 3 (I think it is useful to ask people how much money Medicare Advantage saved the government if they object). […]