Jeff, Thanks for the thoughtful and insightful e-mails. I felt compelled to add a couple of my own thoughts to this very interesting off-topic discussion. > > FACTS: > > > > U.S. unemployment rate for June: 5.9%; the May > figure of 5.8% was the > > highest in eight years. > It's been higher. For example, in 1982, it surpassed > 10%. In the 1930s, it was 25%. My point -- 5.9% sounds > like a lot unless you consider that since 1970 the > average U.S. unemployment rate is 5%. > + http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/bus/A0850018.html The unemployment rate in Canada is much higher than the rate in the USA. Could be something to do with the socialist authoritarian heavy-taxation tax-and-spend government here. It could be that the taxes (used to fund the socialist programs and policies) have something to do with it. Did I mention the taxes on business/industry and productivity? The unemployment rate in June 2002 was 7.5% averaged across Canada. The unemployment rate exceeded 15% in miserable places like Newfoundland and Labrador, according to StatsCan. http://www.statcan.ca/english/Subjects/Labour/LFS/lfs-en.htm You should be happy you live in a place with low unemployment and taxes. > Actually, on CNBC last night, I learned there are only > 18 large companies under investigation by the SEC. 11 > of those are / were clients of Arthur Anderson. How > many other companies are not under investication? Our > friend the Convicted Monopolist (MSFT) has not yet come > under the spectre of accounting fraud. Neither has > Oracle, IBM, RHAT, etc. I read in the paper the other day that the SEC forced MSFT to restate earnings for some period in the recent past. They under-reported their earnings and had to restate them UP. > > Iraq is evil and we need to bring about for > a "regime change," despite > > the opposition of most of the world, including--AHEM- > -Saudi Arabia and > > other OPEC countries. That's OPEC, O-P-E-C, as in > the 1973 oil > > crisis--and back then they were just playing. Okay, Of course we could always reduce our dependence on foreign oil, which would be a Good Thing. First step is to reduce consumption where it's not needed, and second step should be to buy domestic (US, Canada, Mexico) oil, the profits from which don't generally go to fund Islamic militant radicals or Saddam, nor do they go to fund the spread of Islam, nor do they go to fund any Jihads against Western culture. Domestic oil & gas companies keep their profits right here in the Americas. ('Course I work for an oil-related company in Alberta, the Oil & Gas capital of Canada, so you shouldn't believe a word I say.) "An oil well a day keeps OPEC away." -- bumper sticker seen in "the oilpatch" > I doubt we have seen the end of it. But IMHO, this is > the way of the world. Restrictions were loosened during > the Clinton administration and companies took advantage > of it. Now they (and we the pawns) are paying by > extension. The U.S. Government will respond with a > tightening of restrictions and things will turn around. I'm glad you've recognized the lag effect of administration policies. The full effect of the damage to the USA inflicted by Clinton and her/his administration is only now coming to fruition. I saw a graph once that clearly showed the 6-8 year lag between an administration and its policies and the effects those administrations brought on the economy. You can also safely conclude that Clinton had nothing to do with the economic boom that blessed most of his time in office. He had everything to do with the economic bust that started about a year before he left office and continues to this day. > term election will give G.W. a wake-up call. I didn't > vote for Bush because my rule to pick a President is > that he has to be smarter than me (Clinton didn't make > it either, BTW). Actually, I think that the record shows or should show that Clinton is very intelligent. He was undoubtedly one of the smartest presidents in recent past. Unfortunately, he was also a psychopathic liar and a cheat, and he knew how to manipulate people and the media to achieve his ends. You have to be pretty smart to pull off the things that Clinton did, and to be consistently consistent with your lies. (It's hard to lie, you have to keep track of who you told what, and when you told it to them. You have to be very smart to stay ahead of it all.) The "slick willie" label was not new when the Clintons entered the White House. Now having said that he's very smart, I think it's obvious that he has (and had) very poor judgement and was seriously lacking in character. > > Do you think war will be good for the economy? I > wouldn't bet on that. Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #34: war is good for business. Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #35: peace is good for business. > Unfortunately, some economists purport that the only > known cure for a Great Depression is a war. To me, it > is questionable claim of cause-and-effect. Of course, > we are far, far away from 25% global unemployment rate, > so any claim that a war with Iraq would 'be good for the > economy' is simply misguided. It would be good for the Oil producing sector of the economy, and for the defense contractors (the famous military-industrial complex). Probably not so good for the rest of the economy. > IMHO, there are also more basic problems such as hunger > and homelessness. Want to do something? Work at a soup- > kitchen. I did for about 6 months. I served Thursday > evening meals in a Catholic church on 6th avenue to > folks who really need help. Many of us cannot relate to > their life situations and are fearful of their plights. > Too fearful to do anything. Some folks cannot handle > working at a soup kitchen because it is painful to see > your fellow human in a bad place. However, after > experiencing it, I have a more positive outlook on media- > hyped economic crises. > Other ideas: > 1. Teach reading to illiterate adults. They will become > empowered. > 2. Join a coalition that works for economic reform. > 3. Volunteer at your children's school. > 4. Pray. Not a popular idea among in today's cynical / > literal world, but there's a reason my email name > is 'fabian' -- St Fabian is the Patron Saint of peace. > Something always in short supply. These are some outstanding ideas. There are lots of people who need help. For some, even just a little help is all they need to get them back on track (or on track for the first time.) Who will do it? -- Jim Ockers (ockers@ockers.net) Contact info: please see http://www.ockers.net/ Fight Spam! Join CAUCE (Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email) at http://www.cauce.org/ .