Here is a quote that expresses one of the big picture, long term problems with automaker bailouts:
“A government bailout of the Big Three keeps huge amounts of productive inputs in firms that can’t use them efficiently. Forcing taxpayers to subsidize the continued employment of gargantuan quantities of raw materials, labor and capital goods in unproductive pursuits is a recipe for economic stagnation. The popular and politically convenient myth has matters backwards: The bigger the unprofitable firm, the more vital it is that it be allowed to fail.”
From an opinion article in the Wall Street Journal.
I just read this article on 10 things to do when you visit Boston.
I found the information actually pretty unhelpful as an actual Boston resident. So, for my fellow Bostonfolk, here are some additional notes to make the list a bit more useful.
1 ) Harbor Cruise: Skip if it isn’t a booze cruise.
2 ) Museum of Science: Only if you’re nine years old.
3 ) Walk through Beacon Hill: Walking up hills sucks, just go have dinner on Charles St.
4 ) Show at the Wang: Only if it is a concert, and bring 10s for the bar.
5 ) Walk down Newbury: And buy clothes and eat dinner. Repeat once or twice a month.
6 ) Cappuccino in a North End Cafe: Or get pissed that there is no parking and do something else.
7 ) Wander through the Emerald Necklace: That shit has a name?
8 ) Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum: If your family is visiting.
9 ) Skywalk Observatory: If someone from outside the country is visiting.
10 ) See the Skyline from a Bridge: If you don’t already see it twice a day while commuting.
Well, that was it. Today was the first time Microsoft ever distributed a new operating system for free. I spent some time this morning playing with the new Xbox interface.
Initial thoughts: Much better. Way faster to get around. Pretty. Going to do some more exploring after work.
Barack Obama in the neighborhood he grew up in:
These three items with this smudge style really stood out to me. Will be hitting up the Diesel store to see them in person. Found on diesel.com.
The Rules of the Meme:
Take a picture of yourself right now.
Don’t change your clothes, don’t fix your hair…just take a picture.
Post that picture with NO editing.
Post these instructions with your picture.
Politically, I am pretty far into liberal territory. One thing I’ve noticed among liberals is a common notion that conservatives hold their beliefs because they have been tricked or misinformed. Worse, some suggest they are simply stupid. This is nonsense. Most conservatives don’t believe what they believe for these reasons.
Of course, this goes both ways. Living in Boston I don’t meet a lot of conservatives but I have gotten a gist of a similar feeling on their end. Liberals are amoral crazies who follow inspiring leaders like sheep. This, too, is nonsense. Most liberals don’t believe what they do for these reasons.
How did this happen? How did we get so many people on both sides of the political landscape that simply do not understand the other side at all?
I don’t know. But I do know why both liberals and conservatives think the way they do. Fundamentally, both groups support a different model for social order. A super liberal society focuses only on fairness and preventing people from hurting each other. A super conservative society, in addition to doing those two things, also promotes loyalty, respect for authority, and sanctity. These are also powerful ways of maintaining social order and keeping people from harming one another, but require compromise in the virtues that liberals hold most important. Both models are imperfect, but both are functional.
This article goes into more detail. Read it. Go on.
So, let’s stop thinking that the the other 50% of the country is simply stupid or misinformed. Let’s talk about issues, and let’s talk about what kind of society we want the government to promote, and why.
Here is a great way to make your political party look awesome:
Sure, it is an interesting approximation of the American political landscape. But as a piece of propaganda it is brilliant. It says “Not only are we the exact opposite of those Bad guys (populist is often replaced by totalitarian or authoritarian) but also we are even further away from them than those other guys.”
As a crazy hippie and professed Libertarian I can’t help but love it.
