Our mantra here is simple: “Everything is a Business Model” or an AoG (Act of God).
Back in the days of real news, the AoG’s ran about 10 percent of new channel capacity. But with too much capacity, and God taking a break (it’s easy when society is going God-less) the AoG content is down to5 percent, or less.
“The Weather” for example, is an AoG. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling aside, which is almost always wrong, anyway at the macro level, the global ecosphere does not lend itself to simple understanding. Were that not so, the models forecasting “New York City under 20-feet of seawater by 2020” would be generating a few headlines by now. But they are not.
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What IS true, however, is that the projected AoG’s that would flood Gotham, have been taken as fact, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.
Here’s the ugly truth: If I were a climate researcher, I would be screaming at the top of my lungs “Climate change is real!” Reason? Economics. More money in my field would mean more money for me. Moreover, more money in the field means more employment, and since I was here first, I can gain power and authority over others which is what the icon-tapping ego apes have been bred to do…
More importantly, if 95 percent of people employed in climate research are smart enough to figure that “Job-creation and money follows fear-mongering” than we would expect no less than 95% of climate discussion to talk about how dire the outlook is.
How, then, doe EBM apply to politics?
Let us begin with the proposed revisions to Obamacare – which the Trump administration is eyeing. One idea floated is that plans should be available for purchase across state lines.
A typical blow-back piece goes something like this: “Health plans, regulators pan Trump’s plan to allow purchase of insurance across state lines ” And who are the regulators?”
A spokes for an industry association is cited. Yet, upon reflection, we see how the regulators who are supposed to be “clean hands” have a mixed-relationship with the industry they are supposed to evenly regulate.
I’ve seen it before covering a state insurance commissioner, years ago. I said “Let’s go have a beer and talk about this...”
The commissioner (who just about a new 280Z tossed me the keys and said “Want to drive?: Sure. So we went up to the old Nifty’s Restaurant on Spokane Street and it was there the young reporter had it explained how everything really worked. I’ll paraphrase because this was in ;71 or ’72 and that was how many years ago?
“I don’t get much money from the insurance companies directly,” he explained. “But a lot comes in to the Party, and they in turn help with electing me. ” And yes, some of the big-wigs in the industry ‘gave generously’ that’s just how this whole thing works.
Forward to present day: The Insurance Industry doesn’t like the idea of plans that cross state lines. It might be argued that they made sure such efforts and experiments failed in the past because, my what a coincidence, they have examples at the ready to say it’s a bad idea.
So while they get to maintain a nice, semi-monopolistic national landscape – they have every incentive to a) not only scuttle anything the Trump administration wants to do, but b) they also have a financial indentive to throw in with the anti-Trump folks. Money, supports, yada, yada.
That, dear reader, is the real game and how it works.
Today’s kids in media don’t generally report this aspect of how real politics works. I spent hours, consuming uncountable martinis with a buddy back then who was a republican strategist and represented some serious interests in the energy sector. I learned where the money went and how the “special interests” move things around just so in order to maintain the public illusion of clean politics.
Which is a myth. It’s like unicorns, my friend.
With this in mind, will the proposal for a “tax cut” work out any differently?
No, of course not.
EBM or Free Lunch Breakthrough
While it sounds good – as bread and circuses usually do – to read how “Trump Proposes the Most Sweeping Tax Overhaul in Decades,” a personal reality check comes to mind:
Math still works.
We have a country with a $20-trillion dollar federal debt. which pencils out to a long-term debt of $133,333 per employed worker in America, how do you “cut” taxes?
You might gain a few nickels, but the long-term debt will likely go up as a result.
Think of it like trying to refi a house or car you can’t afford. Sure, you can get the short term payments down. But on the long-end of the deal, you are just locking yourself into a longer payback or pay-down period.
Math is funny that way. There is no “free lunch.” Just the real lunch and you can “Pay me now, or pay me later.”
Later is the stuff of which kicking cans is made.
The real story is that with the SJW and Hilloser break-up of the democrats, and the RINO’s, Washington is collapsing in on itself. We can’t have a one-party system, so stand by for someone to announce a replacement Party.
We hope this time, we get once that doesn’t lie so directly and measures its actual versus promised performance before each election.
Solving the same freaking problems for 200 years means two things: We lie to our selves and we lie to our children.
Economic Data
Just out
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 3.1 percent in the second quarter of 2017 (table 1), according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the
first quarter, real GDP increased 1.2 percent.
The GDP estimate released today is based on more complete source data than were available for the “second” estimate issued last month. In the second estimate, the increase in real GDP was 3.0 percent.
With this third estimate for the second quarter, private inventory investment increased more than previously estimated, but the general picture of economic growth remains the same.
Stock futures show the Dow down about 40 at the open. But did you notice how the market obligingly closed Tuesday RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of our forecast?
We’re casting pearls before swine, I tell yah.
Hef Dead
Sorry to see him go, but Hugh Hefner has passed on at age 91. Bunnies never had a better rep.
Perhaps Playboy can add a new column to supplement Playboy After Dark. We’d call the new column Playboy After Death and it could be a collection of tongue-in-cheek channeled notes from the hereafter.
Most seriously, this is a fine time to observe the Hollywood hype machinery running full-tilt: When you read a story about Hef’s moving to the Big Mansion in the Sky, avoid the stories that are BLATANT attempts by the greedsters types to “cash-in” on his name and reputation.
Oh, how convenient. An example story! “Kim Kardashian, Jesse Jackson, Jenny McCarthy and More Mourn the Death of Hugh Hefner.”
I don’t recall Kim or Jesse being bunnies…but we do miss a thing or two. Ca-ching. Cashing in time! Name recognition…and it’s embarrassing when news organizations participate in the monetization efforts.
Yea, verily, brethren: Everything IS a Business Model. Why just look who’s cashing in on Hef’s demise! Let us bow our heads and count the ways…
UFOlogy: The 37th Parallel Paradox
“Alien hunters discover ‘UFO highway’ across America.”
There is just one small problem with the data: If you were to take UFO’s out of the picture, and instead were to pick a parallel where people spend the most time outside it might be the 37th.
Get much further south and it gets too damn hot (and did we mention buggy?) to spend much time outside in the heat of summer? And much more north and get’s chilly…
So while it’s great research to read.
Besides, the underground base some miles from Dulce, NM (36°56?22?N 106°59?23?W) is within spitting distance of the 37th parallel. But you already knew that, we presume?
Ure: So Cynical
News that the “Worst traffic spot in US found on I-95 in northern Virginia” won’t keep people from moving there. Most of the traffic relates to government employment in the district of corruption. And you’re on the hook for all those government worker pension plans…
Sanctuary City note: Feds: Every legal Mexican immigrant sponsors six more to US/ Anyone in Denmark of Scotland need a sponsor? Drop us a note, lol.
Another Climate Change Miss! Yeah – remember all those climateers who were claiming Vanuatu would be underwater by now from rising oceans? With work that This Entire Island Has to Evacuate Because a Volcano Is About to Blow, we have to wonder where the apology for the spectacularly wrong bullsheet is. Volcano, not sea level, capish?
Airline roulette? Ryanair Cancels More Flights, Affecting 400,000 More Passengers/
And this: People don’t go to pro sports events to see national symbols disrespected. And the Left will be shocked when they learn people don’t go to music events to bash Trump. Or to be dissed. Or “shamed.” SJW is another business model effort from the (same-old lefty) people who brought you socialism. Which only works until the money runs out.
As it will be for pro sports, thanks to the SJW bulldozer of shame, lol.
Please excuse us as we pass on things like “Spike Lee erupts: Kaepernick should have a job in the NFL” being touted the collapsing news networks.
Instead, stick with the data. Here’s a Google search. featuring 3.7 million stories related to the word “Knee”
Courtesy of Google Trends, this dear reader is a portrait of a country obsessing.
Who, us?
On tax cuts: Why is adding $5 trillion more to the national debt beneficial? Mike
Stop sleeping in Class. Make up money, make up jobs, for crimminnee sakes.
It’s what they are do. I’m gonna go to the catlick supply store and buy a ruler and start beating knuckles if this kind of question comes up…
I prefer you to lick 2 fingers and slap the back of my calf. It worked for me at 9 when the headmaster had enough of my chatter.
Oops. Silly me. When I heard all that gnashing of teeth over the deficit, I believed it. So now I find out that deficits adding to the national debt are actually a good thing. Sorry. Just trying to keep up here. Mike.
“Russian Internet trolls are trying to gin up even more controversy over NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem, a senator said Wednesday — warning that the United States should expect such divisive efforts to escalate in the next election.
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) made the assertion in a hearing with the heads of the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the National Counterterrorism Center.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/lawmaker-russian-trolls-trying-to-sow-discord-in-nfl-kneeling-debate/2017/09/27/5f46dce0-a3b0-11e7-ade1-76d061d56efa_story.html
Don’t be a tool of Russian misinformation.
The RUSSIANS did it is the biggest victim excuse, since when??? Cry babies the lot of em. To think all the BIG people money can buy couldn’t find a Russian, in the dark, with their software tools open!
P.S. in front of the class mind you. It stung hard, but not half as bad as the shame I felt for disrespecting him. That is what is missing today, shame – there is only fame in high places.
REALLY?? ZZZZZZZZ…
Hef ,died with a smile on his face.
No extra cash no inflation cant push a wet noodle so tax cuts. My brain hurts politics
OK, so let’s step back and look at the big picture for a minute. Why is there such a concerted effort to destroy the value of the dollar ? Who benefits ? Who is controlling this and why ? Why does everything seem to be about stirring up a war in the population. Who benefits and why ? I believe a general depopulation of the world is being targeted, and those behind this will be well insulated from its effects somewhere in New Zealand !!
Oh If they would break up monopolies in pharma and medical and insurance peoples would more monies to send. Da politics. Da politicians makes me sick angry.
You should be happy. With your insistent support of a man unfit for the office — the KKK has a place for you. You are already their best spokesman!
Ban notice
We don’t play racist bullshit here. Move along Sell your shame to someone who’re dumber than the people here. No sale. Banned
Please let me apologize and say how sorry I am for writing such a poorly thought out thing. I never meant to call you a racist of any kind and I wholeheartedly agree that your columns are no place for racist rants. I was actually trying to point at the idea that pushing ones BELIEFS – no matter what they are about – politics, religion, sports, sex or whatever never seems to do much more good than to create fights of one kind or another. I don’t think any of us have life figured out but someone like you that has worked so hard and done so many terrific things through a lifetime — should certainly be admired. Instead of working like you to try and figure out life – I have relaxed and studied nothing but life for 71 years. I have managed to find a few gems — like 1. Moderation in ALL things works best. 2. When secrets abound – truth can seldom be found! Thanks for all your hard work and best to you and yours!!
Apology accepted – unbanned.
What’s more, this is a much more articulate answer to the problem…thank you!
When we don’t have the goods, we monetize beliefs…like the ring of that
“We’re casting pearls before swine, I tell yah.” I guess we’ll do what we have to do?
My 4th grade teacher really did beat student’s knuckles in class. My parents did not put up with it, but one of my friends still had scars in high school from her. Too bad we didn’t know to sue the school district back in those days. Maybe I would not have to work for a living.
I can email you an app to join the victims union….
Ure you really nailed it this morning.
Thank you…
I doubt Hef died as well as Nelson Rockefeller.
The 1986 Tax Reform Act slashed rates and eliminated almost every deduction except mortgage interest. Tax revenues doubled in 2 years, as economic activity rationalized. So the Dem. Congress doubled spending. The usual suspects spent the next 30 years putting their loopholes back, strangling the economy. Now pensions are not funded and the debt will not be repaid. We have spent enough on just the F-35 Turkey (being retired early) to fund basic nationalized health insurance. We have bailed out the banisters to the tune of $23 trillion. Yet we owe them $20 trillion. Others will be blamed, as always. Only a system crash will clean things up.
Just some food for thought, maybe we should think of it not as EBM but Everything is a Power Model, because that is what PTB are angling for, total power and control because at this juncture in time it is the only thing their money can’t buy outright………..just thinking out loud
No change. this issue is money (in the general sense) e.g. fungibility.
It remains as written.
George, Just wondering if you have looked into “weather modification” & Chem Trails? You seem to dig into important issues that affect us all. Please consider this conga line of severe hurricanes bashing Texas and the south east coast of the U.S. as well Puerto Rico. I hope you have not discounted the possibility of such “fringe” technology” HAARP is still functioning as far as I know. Lastly, I challenge you to look into this murky subject matter with an open mind!! Sully in San Diego
With all the feds ‘money printing not just digital deposits but actual printing…one would think that the epa and the liberals worried about ‘climate change’ would be all over this, since to print $$$ on paper kills TREES ( affecting co2 levels )….yet the tree huggers are not one bit concerned….wtf
Dear Mr. Ure,
I noted your mention that each employed American worker is burdened with approximately $133000 of long-term federal debt. Does your calculation include as among these employees the roughly 14% of the workforce according to 2008 OECD figures who are in the public sector? Hope I’m not perceived as nickel and diming, because what’s another $17000.
Where is Ross Perot? Remember he only wanted to clean out the barn?
What would you put on Hef’s tombstone?
How about:
“His death now ends the titillation
Of teen-aged boys throughout the nation.”