Hats Off To Mish

Mish Shedlock proves his worth once again.

If my obscure corner of the avalanche of opinion serves to direct a few more people to his page, then I've performed a public service.

He documents unemployment numbers that the 'official' reports don't mention.

The truth is ugly, but we need the truth told in order to make our way out of this mess.

His final paragraph bears quoting here:

Look at the average age of baggers in grocery stores or greeters at Walmart. These people are not working because they want to; they are working because they have to. Demand for jobs is at an all time high while the number of available jobs and the pay scales of those jobs have both collapsed. The employment situation is not only an unmitigated disaster, things are about to get even worse with pending state cutbacks.

What I've noticed here, anecdotally: I make deposits at two banks at least once a week. Often, mine seems to be the only customer car in the parking lot. The employees, who by the way are lovely folks, seem to be looking for things to do.

My little town was hit hard in the wake of 9/11, and began to climb back out. A major fire subsequently hit the downtown business block, and the lot now stands vacant, as the insurer has gone to the wall to avoid paying any claim on the loss. The local radio station ceased broadcasting last fall. The local paper seems to be shrinking in both size and scope of coverage. The district congressman sends in op-eds to tell us that voting for massive spending will cure the massive federal deficit.

So, we're in for a long ride. Let's work on the culture in the meantime.

And, let's listen to Mish.

Where Words Fail, Pictures Illuminate

Calculated Risk, in my humble opinion, is the best of the blogs documenting events in the economy. Accurate, insightful, no axe to grind, no hysteria, and to the point.

Today's notice about the GM bankruptcy is typical of the spare and factual style found at CR.

But, from a more colorful corner, the UK Libertarian Party, comes the perfect image to portray the 'New GM', aka 'Guv'mint Motors'.

Now, all we lack is a name for this creature.

Your suggestions welcomed below.

It Doesn't Take Billions to Transform Lives--Kenyan Boys Choir

Another green shoot: The Kenyan Boys Choir

Now, if this can be done in backwaters like Kenya, or South Africa (I had the joy of hearing the Drakenburg Boy's Choir perform!), or in the Fens of Ely, England...

What might happen here?

The answers to our cultural and economic quandries do not reside with the politicians and bankers.

They reside with us.

Another Pair of Obits: Steve McNair and Karl Malden

Sometimes, I think Providence schedules earthly departures in pairs, just to make a point. Remember how the funerals of Mother Teresa and Princess Di occurred back-to-back? I'm to the point that I almost expect these dual departures.

This first one makes no sense.

Dead at 36, with a lifetime of achievement behind him, at least as many years ahead of him, financially secure, and a local hero in two states, just for good measure.

Found dead in a murder/suicide, where he was the party murdered, and the girlfriend appears to be the suicide--usually the roles are reversed between the parties.

The grisly, sordid, Jerry-Springer-stuff will all be published, humiliating his wife and children (yes, he left behind the wife and kids by getting shot by the 20-year-old girlfriend).

And to quote Jerry Springer, as he says at the end of each televised melee:

'So, what have we learned here?'

Not really certain yet...

But, perhaps a comparative obit from the same week might provide food for thought--another kid from hard-scrabble America, who played football, and ended well.

Karl Malden, requiescat in pace.