Posts Tagged ‘economy’

VDH at SISU

Posted: June 8, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news, personal
Tags: , , , ,

SISU points to Victor Davis Hanson’s article here concerning how talk is nice but it can’t compete with the reality of action:

So it is with foreign policy as well. Obama’s make-over will have positive short-term effects, as he reminds the world ad nauseam that he is black, sorta, kinda from a Muslim family, and the son of an African who is more like the world than he like most Americans-and not George Bush and not a thieving capitalist and not a warmongering imperialist and not (fill in the blanks). (My favorite Cairo line was the apology on Gitmo where inmates have laptops and Mediterranean food, spoken to millions whose societies kill and maim tens of thousands in Gulags on a yearly basis.)

But in the long run?

He hits against human nature. Most of you readers-in business, law, the professions-don’t continually praise your friends, competitors, and enemies (e.g., “Glad you got that job, Home Depot-we at Lowes didn’t really need it; what a wonderful bid you submitted, Hilton, much better than ours here at the Four Seasons; it was my fault here at Goldman Sachs that I didn’t match your better offer at Credit Suisse; I grew up working for the Royals, and can empathize why you Yankees don’t like us; it’s time we at Citibank apologized to Chase for our past cutthroat competition; we are just too arrogant over here at Delta and wanted to let you guys at United know that.”)

Sorry

The world sadly does not work that way. If one were to do that, we know the outcome: a group of rival execs would say “Hmmm, time to steal market share from Citibank, or Hilton isn’t really up to the arena anymore, let’s move in on its Western region, etc.”

Only someone who has not been in the real world, but only marketed rhetoric without consequences (e.g., if Obama had a bad day organizing, or legislating, was he fired?) could believe such things.

Like the farmer in the story all the talk in the world didn’t mean a thing but the reality of action made all the difference. Eventually both economically and militarily reality will set in. Our foes and competitors were always wary of President Bush, particularly after Iraq. They never quite knew what he would do. However they see president Obama and have a pretty good idea what they can get away with.

Reading both articles I can’t help but think of my father and this story… (more…)

How bad is unemployment in Massachusetts (part 2)

Posted: June 1, 2009 by datechguy in employment, personal
Tags:

…it’s so bad that when I called the extended benefits line at 888-998-8418 to get the ball rolling on extended benefits the automated phone message told me to call back on THURSDAY three days from today!

If I wasn’t waiting for a callback from a doctor over a broken wrist for a son of mine I’d hit the local office at once.

I do have an interview on Wednesday, so with luck all of this might be a moot point.

On the brighter side my son who just graduated high school has just gotten a job. He was laid off back in July of last year from the job he had since he was 14. (He started a week before his 15th birthday). He will be starting later this month. So maybe there is hope after all. He was laid off 4 months ahead of me. I hope that doesn’t mean I have to wait till November to find something.

Credit Card Winners and losers

Posted: May 20, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: ,

Well Michael Graham is going on about the changes and charges concerning credit cards.

Since I’m not one to pay fees it means that I’ll be using my card much less if I don’t cancel them. Lucky for me there is this wonderful invention called Cash and another innovation called checks I will be using these new things more often. The end result will be as follows:

The first loser is of course the credit card company. They lose the 3% on every purchase that they were making from the people who accepted cards. Every new purchase and every bill I don’t pay with those credit cards is 3% they don’t make.

Since I will need the cash etc that means less discretionary spending that means retailers and resturants that I would normally have spent money at won’t get it. They Lose.

Since I won’t be earning Amazon coupons I’ll be going there less, I invariablly spend more than the coupon so those purchases go.

And of course the Amazon coupons that I would give as gifts are gone too, that much less those guys get.

There are some winners. Providers of necessary items and utilities win since they aren’t paying the 3% to the companies.

However the gas station loses since it’s cash on hand I won’t be getting the car wash I would get with my fill-up.

And since I’m waiting on the paychecks rather than a time of the month no extra stuff to buy at the supermarket.

This also means that I’ll be paying bills with checks instead of credit cards too so the

Since there is this wonderful invention called Cash and another inovation called checks I will be using these new things more often.

Hey if they don’t want my money I have no problem keeping it.

Well the Mass senate has passed a bill that will raise state revenue…

Posted: May 20, 2009 by datechguy in local stuff
Tags: ,

…unfortunately the state they will raise the revenue is New Hampshire:

The Massachusetts Senate approved a 25 percent increase in the state sales tax by a veto-proof 29-10 vote on Tuesday.

and that’s not all!

On a voice vote, senators also agreed to lift an existing exemption from the sales tax on beer, wine and alcohol purchased in stores — a change that could bring an estimated $80 million for substance abuse programs.

One of those rare creatures in Massachusetts known as republican senators had this to say:

Opponents pointed out that, of the five states bordering
Massachusetts, only Rhode Island, at 7 percent, has a sales tax rate above 6.25 percent. Only eight states nationwide have a higher rate. They warned that the higher tax rate would hurt the state’s ability to recover from the recession.

“Maybe we should call this the New Hampshire economic stimulus
bill,” Senator Robert L. Hedlund, a Weymouth Republican, said with sarcasm.

Massachusetts isn’t a large state and New Hampshire is not more than 90 minutes from any point in the state. This is about as stupid as it gets.

There is a reason why New Hampshire has so much development just across the border.

I was reading the story to my son who starts college in the fall. He is an almost straight A student. He will make something of himself, but it won’t be in Massachusetts. He is exactly the type of person who is going to get out of here.

I’m nearing 50, my mother is 84 and has years ahead of her, I’ll be staying here but if this state doesn’t want my honor student boys then so be it.

And people wonder why there are tea parties…

Older Entries
Newer Entries