Good Morning! Monday, March 09

Stimulus package, the early years:

"1858: The legislature approves an amendment to Minnesota's constitution that legalizes the loan of the state's credit in an issue of bonds "up to but not exceeding $5,000,000," with the idea of exchanging state bonds for railroad-company bonds and thus stimulating the building of railroads and their subsequent benefits to land sales and the state economy. "

And just to show how nothing changes, they were trying to ban things way back then:

"1848: Schoolteacher Harriet E. Bishop forms Minnesota's first temperance society. Temperance societies opposed drunkenness."

Well, that didn’t work out so well. It makes you wonder if the failure of temperance led to abolition, no?  Telling them to cut down didn’t work; time to slap the glass out of their hands. But temperance wasn’t just about not getting drunk; the Women’s Christian Temperance Union preached  abstention from Demon Beer and its cohort of intoxicating spirits, and later went after tobacco as well.

Fine; free country, and all that, but what madness this must have seemed like to someone who enjoyed a fine wine with supper, or a cold lager after a day on the line. It would be a Minnesotan who crafted the Volstead Act, a fact that might have warmed Harriet Bishop’s heart, but it ended up a spectacular failure of social policy that taught everyone the Constitution carries the full majestic weight of the people right up until the moment you pass another amendment that says NEVER MIND.

It’s NATIONAL PANIC DAY. Really. International Panic Day isn’t until June 18th. (Really.) I’m going to find a variety of local stories that indicate panic is not a wise response; back with a full accounting around noon. Until then - post your own ideas about signs that indicate Calm is the proper response. Graveyard-whistling & sarcasm encouraged, of course. See you in a bit.


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Travel and non-holiday milestones

I am working in Switzerland for a month. So far I have missed the U.S. daylight savings switch and now Panic Day (good thing it's not Panic Week, or it would be exhausting), while I will be back home in the DC area in time to miss both European daylight savings time and International Panic Day. I could not have planned it better. Except for having to schlep to the airport so early on my way back.


We're All Going to Die!

We have a reporter at our local CBS affiliate whom they like to send to Wall Street for the morning Economy in the Crapper story. The other day someone walked by him muttering "Fear and gloom," and the reporter thought it was about the stock market.

I've posted before about the pause before the last three words that TV reporters use just before going to the tape. How about:

"Last night markets closed down on the news that one day every single one of us will be dead. Leading investment analysts are saying that this news from the CDC has killed any chance of a rally today, just as death itself...kills us all."


I'm waiting

I'm waiting for the first Baby Boomer to sue the government for not insuring that he/she will live forever. "Hey, man, the Constitution, like, says that we've got the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of whatever. I'm like, gonna die here, and what's the government doin' about it? Nothin' I can see."


Don't Panic!

(NSFW)


Dagnabit !

Once again it's National Panic Day and I completely forgot about it!! I didn't even get anyone a card about it!!! And it's too late to get any now!!!!


Fear and Loathing on the Trading Floor

"yes, and now it's time for the ether. soak up a big towel full of it and throw under the news desk so it rises in your face."

"thank you for that report. back after this message. maybe."

those who care to study the economy know there are shares and bonds... and then there are businesses on the street that affect our daily lives. we shop there. or we run them.

or we drive by quivering. and that's what has been going on overall. THAT is the news that is panic on Wail Street... that and the big bankers bought 1/3 kerappe and 2/3 silly loans from too many slicks.

those pairs of numbers ride into the tank, and Wail Street shorts start crashing companies' net worth. and the circle grows tighter as some pioneers shoot their horses to hide behind them. well short of the free land on the frontier.

there's your lesson on panic for today. if you're sitting on a pile, periodically check to see what it's made of.

better yet, get out and do something.

--
if this is a new economy, how come everybody wants my old-fashioned money?


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