Here We Go!

If anything, these are interesting times.  No one I know is completely happy with the budget, or what is termed the budget, that was passed by the legislators and governor here in California.  As long as there are some things that everyone likes, and some things that no one likes, we are probably ok.  What is most important is getting people back to work, and keeping them in work.  I don’t think it can be built on unrealistic housing expectations, at least not in the near future.  Sometime in the farther off future this whole thing will play out again, as human memory is a short lived thing.  It would be nice if we found more sustainable ways to build the economy.  It’s time for the entrepreneurs to get to work.  It could, and should, be quite interesting.  I’m looking forward to it.

Maybe, Just Maybe

The Great Insolvent State of California may be, but only may be, on the verge of having an actual budget.  Of course, this was supposed to happen last July.  Our legislators, being the politicians they are, stuck to ideological idiocy rather than working together to keep us out of the insolvency pit.  Imagine that, working together to pass a budget that works.  It is an amazing thought, one that is difficult to come to grips with, given the nature of our legislators and governors over the last few years.  In the meantime, together with the mess that the financial industry and everyday greedy people gleefully jumped into, our friends and neighbors across the state have been losing their jobs, or living in fear of losing their jobs.  One of the things that drives new jobs is older workers retiring.  As the Boomers head out to pasture, their jobs open up for the younger folks.  This would be in addition to actual new jobs being created in a normal economy.  The rush to retirement has, I think, slowed to a crawl.  The Boomer Generation is having to consider not only the loss of some investment dollars, but whether their children will be employed and able to carry on.  The Bank of Mom and Dad may have to stay open a bit longer because of all the financial turmoil that we are going through.  If we actually get a budget from the loons in Sacramento, we will at least be able to make some plans, from businesses, to schools, to household finances, for the near future.  While crystal balls are admittedly in short supply and questionable use, it would be nice to have an inkling as to what, exactly, we should be able to plan for.  As it stands now, the time-line to a new budget for the next fiscal year has been shortened quite a bit. Not a comforting thought, at least not to me.  Contact your legislators and encourage rational thought for the good of the whole, rather than whatever it is they did this year.  If you have a printable name for it, let me know.

Hope

I am looking forward to tomorrow, Jan. 20, 2009.  For the first time in 8 years I have hope that America will come out of the darkness, and once again take a place on the world stage as a leader, that we will once again stand for integrity, peace, and for the good of all.  Barack Obama has lit the fire of hope.  He will need help.  Visit this site to let him know what is important to you.  Thank you.

Heads In Dark Places

How is it possible, with all the connectedness of todays world, that the financial wizards of Washington  (and the great state of California) can’t quite get a grip on the plight of the normal person in the neighborhood? Even allowing for a very broad interpretation of normal, the wizards still think that they are on a completely different planet than I am. How about, instead of giving the big guys, who spent years working very hard to establish this mess, $25 billion, or $800 billion, or $0.10, we give each adult United States Citizen a paltry $1,000,000? Sounds crazy, right? Socialism you say. How can it be less crazy, or less socialistic, than giving the big 3, banks, creditcard companies, etc. so much of our money? If we passed out the $1million to all the adults, there would be an instant financial boost to the economy. Mortgages would get paid, shoppping would be done, savings put aside, cars bought, credit card bills paid, all, I think, very quickly. That would put an enormous amount of money into the system right away. By the way, this line of thinking came from a credit guy at an auto dealer I was speaking with. It is at least as good an idea as providing taxpayer welfare for all the financial firms that worked so hard to steal everything they could from everyone they could before the inevitable crash occured. Could you use the million? I could. Toto could probably find Kansas again, too. Happy Thanksgiving.

Still waiting:bail out

The Big 3 jet setters flew into Washington, D.C., wanting money from you and me. I don’t actually have a private jet to fly anywhere on, but I’d still like a bailout from the congress. Most amazingly, the big 3 CEO’s can’t quite conceive of the disconnect between private jets and begging for more money. The public outrage is only surpassed by the increduality of the entire scene. United Airlines filed chapter 11, turned things around, and came out stronger and better. If the congress were to bother to ask us about it, I’m willing to bet that GM et al would be directed straight to the chapter 11 counter. Perhaps there would then be a pretty good buying opportunity for at least 3 private jets. Maybe I could pick one up with the bailout money I’m hoping that I get. Toto, where’s Kansas?

education and finance, who knew?

Over at eduskeptic is an interesting post on school finance. Alice in Wonderland is cited. On a happier note, the big 3 auto makers want us to bail them out too. If I wanted to bail them out, I’d buy a car. Of course, I don’t think I buy a domestic one, as I prefer cars that work, for a long time, without much shop time involved. My biggest question right now is: when am I going to get a big bucks bail out?

Hello world!

Amazing. Last week I picked up the book “Clear Blogging” by Bob Walsh and here I am in the blogosphere. I am happy to be here and in the blog.