Friday, June 19, 2015

He Is Not the Problem, But He Is a Symptom

June 18, 2015
Billionaire sees opportunities in asset bubbles

Greene—who became a billionaire betting against the housing market during the financial crisis...

It is not his fault that some entity generates financial asset bubbles by dwelling on consumer price inflation.

"People like me have been just able to accumulate wealth at a pace that's unprecedented in history," he said.

It is not his fault that he accumulated wealth at an unprecedented pace. It would be fair to say that nearly everyone makes the attempt.

"Not only do you have zero interest rates and central banks printing money everywhere, but on top of that we have historically low tax rates."

It is not his fault that we have zero interest rates. It is not his fault that we have historically low tax rates, especially for the wealthy.

And lastly, it is not his fault that the long-term trend in the unemployment rate looks like an exercise in tank slapping, as opposed to a flat line of unemployment stability.

If only [monetary policy] we [Fed] knew [fiscal policy] who [Congress] to blame?

19 comments:

mab said...

Blame? Nonsense. We should all be grateful for the current system.

Look, eternally creating money through the multiplication of interest is a far better system than creating money through the multiplication of ..... say....... actual value.

Speaking of "actual" the Fed's actual mandate is bullsh%t! Not that more than five people or so have ever actually read it. It's completely unreasonable. And we should be grateful that the Fed rightfully ignores said mandate.

Just imagine how horrible things would be if we weren't lorded over by parasites!

And don't forget to vote for a fully vetted and previously bought-off candidate!



Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

I offer a mountain of votes for the Candy-date with the one true corn (unicorn)!

Got kidney inflation?

P.S. Attempting to imagine life without parasitic overlords is like trying to imagine Candy Mountain without all that free candy!

mab said...

If only [monetary policy] we [Fed] knew [fiscal policy] who [Congress] to blame?

Just playing devil's advocate here. I think we both have very little faith in the MSM. And much of the non-msm is way off the reservation - bat-sh%t crazy some would say.


So here's the thing. If the MSM (and much of the non-MSM) continually blames the Fed, fiscal policy and Congress, we can rule those out as the root problem(s).

So "who" is really to blame. It must be terrifying to actually know, because nobody is breaking ranks.

I'm not saying the world is flat, but it ain't as advertised in the MSM either.

mab said...

Speaking of bat-sh%t crazy, check out this quotation from H.L. Mencken:

“The most erroneous assumption is to the effect that the aim of public education is to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence, and so make them fit to discharge the duties of citizenship in an enlightened and independent manner. Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all; it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States, whatever the pretensions of politicians, pedagogues and other such mountebanks, and that is its aim everywhere else.”

No worries, one can become "self" "educated" by reading the newspapers!

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

So here's the thing. If the MSM (and much of the non-MSM) continually blames the Fed, fiscal policy and Congress, we can rule those out as the root problem(s).

Scary thought.

If the enemy of my enemy is my friend, then it also stands to reason that the bats^*t crazy of my bats^*t crazy is my sanity.

And who taught me to be sane? Well, one person was a certain high school home economics teacher who, when introduced to a new microwave oven, opted to cook a roast in it for 90 minutes unattended. Melted the frickin' bone to the point the school was temporarily evacuated. That's who. ;)

True story. It was the most impressive food experiment I have ever witnessed. The roast became super tiny. The pyrex style pan it was in instantly shattered when removed and placed on the cool countertop, but that is such a small subplot in the grand story, lol.

Fortunately, I have a unique opportunity to becone reeducated at the Tacoma Dome this July. Some really nice people dropped by the house today to hand me a brochure for an all day free event based on one simple question.

"Why did Jesus come to earth?"

Hey, I like science and I like free things. Win win. Do you think I will miss an opportunity to learn more about space travel? Not my style!

mab said...

Tacoma? I've been watching the U.S. Open Golf this week on tv. It's being hosted on a newer (and public!) course named "Chambers Bay" near Tacoma. The place looks awesome - right on Puget Sound.

I figured the course would be spectacular, but expected lots of dreary weather. So far it's been bright blue skies and gentle breezes - ideal golf conditions.

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

The place might look awesome, but...

Aroma of Tacoma

The Aroma of Tacoma has been cited as the reason behind jokes about Tacoma frequently made by residents elsewhere in Western Washington.

Nothing like a warm and sunny Pacific Northwest day to bring out the very best in that "rotten eggs" smell, lol. Sigh.

We are hitting summer here now, and contrary to popular opinion, the area is just like the rest of the country. Not much rain. Plenty of sun.

The winters are another story. Only one day in five is sunny, and they tend not to be spread out that well. Makes the summers that much more awesome though!

That's assuming you aren't in Tacoma, of "course" (pun intended).

Seriously? Tacoma? I guess they figure you can't smell it on TV. Hahaha! :)

mab said...

So, as a matter of course, it really stinks to live in Tacoma.

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

Yeah, no matter how you slice it, it's just not on par with typical Pacific Northwest living. Any plan that involves living in Tacoma has at least a few holes in it. Sweet spot? Only if you're building a bunker (with good air filtration). You can certainly drive down there, but you'd best cart yourself out. It's a trap and I've seen more than a few come out swinging.

mab said...

In Tacoma, your slice of the American dream has a distinct aroma to it. I don't wan't to draw conclusions, but I'll hazard a guess that odor is a bit of a handicap when trying to sell your house. It's like an albatross around your neck.

What if one lives on the fringe of Tacoma? Is that still rough? Or am I out of bounds asking?

To putt it mildly, these golf puns practically tee themselves up. We're going to need a scorecard.

A stroke of genius? GIve me a Big Break!



Stagflationary Mark said...

Man, I knew this wood turn into an Iron Club competition, where only the strongest puns with the most stamina could endure. I'll have to up my game. Only one of us can win the Titleist. It's worth shooting for, because the winner will have a ball.

Speaking of baseball... ouch... that has to be the world's worst segue. It's like I forced a pitching wedge in there. I deserve to be raked over the hot sand for that one, or thrown into a wood chipper.

The biggest problem with the Tacoma course is the risk of hunger. Some claim it has surf 'n' turf because it's on the water. I'm not buying it, no matter how much green I've got in my wallet.

We have four double dog legs and a Birdie in this house. That's two dogs and a parrot (named "Birdie"). My last dog was a "Bogi" though. Seriously. That's just how we swing.

Loose grips, sinks pips. Been that way since at least WW2. Beware the u-tube if you find yourself near a water trap. People will go to any depth to torpedo you on the Internet.

mab said...

You've made some nice links with your puns! I like the range too!

You seem hell bent (grass) on winning this match play competition. Right now I'd call it "all square", but I think victory for me is in the bag! You can bet I'll be taking a victory tour.

As a golfer, I know the game can drive some to drink. Maybe that golfer in the video should check into a half-way house. I guess he's lucky he didn't fall down a shaft.

"Bogi"??? That's a fore letter word! And If you fall off a horse, "bounce" back up and Ryder till she bucks you again. And who eight the snowman?

I'm in a "groove"!

True story:

I was golfing with two guys I didn't know in Florida about 20 years ago. The one guy was terrible. Before and after each shot, he would stretch his chest. After a few holes he made the comment "damn that air bag hurt". A few holes later he asked if I had any tips for him (I was playing well at the time). I replied "try tennis". I regretted it immediately.

Stagflationary Mark said...

Your puns bring dimples to my cheeks and make me bawl, which is good because I can go a bit further in life using better aerodynamics.

I'm not hell bent. I am a holy diver, but only if my last ball is the last in line. Dio, baby. That's what I'm talking about. Fishing for balls. Whatever.

Nothing worse than losing your balls in the course of playing. Speaking of which, I have used a ball washer in the past, but would not consider paying for it. The pleasure received is more of an OCD anal thing, if you know what I mean. Oops. Didn't mean to talk dirty. Golf. That's all I'm saying.

You can keep the bag, since I'm no bag holder. I've seen women act a bit caddy though, especially around other women they view as competitors. It makes them green with envy. Too bad. I just tend to fees like a deer caught in the cash register when it happens. "Fee lines" of credit, some women can be. Me ow. Painful when the dangling clause comes out. Just ask any dead english teacher and they will roll right up onto the green side. Grave situation.

The victory tour of duty reminds me of my time in Normandy. Or was it Norman's tee? I don't know for sure. It was just this little plastic thing that came flying at me after he swung. Could have poked my eye out. Ryan did the same thing. I saved his tee though. Wouldn't give it back. You are the first I have told. I tend to keep it private.

I love tennis, especially in groups of ten. Ten love, twenty love, thirty love, whatever it takes. Reminds me of Mr. Mom for some reason.

I can see why you would regret suggesting tennis. Both sports require hand-eye coordination. I'm guessing you would have preferred to suggest trying slot machines instead. Surely the guy could pull a lever. It doesn't even require timing. And even if he loses, that's what debt is for. It's the great equalizer, especially if the winner takes it all. ABBA cat double, down. Magic, man. Spoken from my Heart. You have to believe we are magic. Nothin' will stand in our way. And who is we? That would be the Central Golfing System.

Nobody goes out on the course with just one ball. You need reserves. And don't worry about the size of the balls. None are too big to fail. In times of crisis, we can simply make the holes bigger. Nothing says hole in one, like a hole that encompasses the whole.

mab said...

Tend the pun or is it pin! Right on (fes)cue! Catcher in the rye grass.

Starter? Or is it non-starter? Don't give me a sales "pitch" from the "rough". I have an "ace" up my "sleeve of balls".

Anyway, there's only eighteen "fairways" to end this. I'll choose one - you get the last shot at the nineteeth hole!

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

There are so many golf puns in this comment thread that I'm declaring the hole area to be a dangerfield.

Last time I saw a mouth like that, it had a hook in it. - Al Czervik, Caddyshack (1980)

Stagflationary Mark said...

Still hungry for golf puns?

Augusta National! Pine Valley! Cypress Point Club! Shinnecock Hills! Merion! Oakmont! Pebble Beach!

It's a seven course spiel!

Stagflationary Mark said...

My dad took me golfing when I was a kid. I somehow managed to break my driver on the very first hole. I told him that I was done with the sport and just wanted to go home. He said, "Son, I'll only take you home if you manage to break all of your clubs."

We had been playing for 18 hours straight. In that time, I managed to break all of my irons and the putter too. I started to cry. My dad asked me what was wrong. I said...

"After all of this playing, I'm still not out of the woods! There are two left!!"

mab said...

I'm still not out of the woods!

Nice! The double meaning even as a wee lad.

Stagflationary Mark said...

mab,

I put a lot of work into that joke. Glad to see that the punch line was not in vein.

Damn! Will the puns never cease? I Count another. No, make that two. This sucks. Oh, man. There goes a third.

I feel sorry for pun haters who stumble in here by accident, but deep down I can't help but think there may be a necks victim.

What would a cat ghost have to say about all of this?

Boo! Hiss! ;)