Today I heard a great definition of sin.
Incurvatus in se.
To be turned solely inward on one's self, solipsistically.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Sunday, December 21, 2008
the albatross of desperation
Saw "Slumdog Millionaire."
Tough to take, perhaps a bit contrived, but powerful, powerful, powerful. With heart.
Reminds one that our systemic comfort can often be at the harrowing expense of others, thousands of miles away.
Tough to take, perhaps a bit contrived, but powerful, powerful, powerful. With heart.
Reminds one that our systemic comfort can often be at the harrowing expense of others, thousands of miles away.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
The Albatross of Deflation
Deflation.
It's a downer, in't?
It weighs one down like an albatross around one's neck, especially if one is an economy.
Deflation.
Who'd have thought?
The price of gas goes below US$2 per gallon, and it scares me.
Oh, I've heard some people exalt over this development, but after all is said and done it's hardly cause for rejoicing. Come to think of it, just ask yourself: Are we better off now than a mere four months ago (when gas was over US$4)?
I think we know the answer.
Who'd have thought?
It's a downer, in't?
It weighs one down like an albatross around one's neck, especially if one is an economy.
Deflation.
Who'd have thought?
The price of gas goes below US$2 per gallon, and it scares me.
Oh, I've heard some people exalt over this development, but after all is said and done it's hardly cause for rejoicing. Come to think of it, just ask yourself: Are we better off now than a mere four months ago (when gas was over US$4)?
I think we know the answer.
Who'd have thought?
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Albatross of Semantics
Commonweal (a three-sentence drama)
[manservant] "Would you like some socialism with your tea, sir?"
[man in smoking jacket, sitting in leather chair, sipping claret] "No, thanks; I like my capitalism straight up, even if it kills me -- as well as the body politic."
"Good night, sir."
[manservant] "Would you like some socialism with your tea, sir?"
[man in smoking jacket, sitting in leather chair, sipping claret] "No, thanks; I like my capitalism straight up, even if it kills me -- as well as the body politic."
"Good night, sir."
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Albatross of Risk
Is it possible it takes just one man to crash the party?
Is it possible one individual can send the financial system tumbling like a heavy albatross around a dove's neck while in flight? Like a bowling ball on your wrist whle you try to drive your car? (How many bad analogies does it take to ruin a Street?)
Google "Joseph J. Cassano" and get back to me on that, will you?
(I know. One person would need help, would need complicit partners and those in denial and naysayers and factotums and toadies and accomplices and yes men and yes women and obsequious superiors and ambitious underlings and all of us to look the other way now and then -- just as history's notorious ones always have had, yes?)
Is it possible one individual can send the financial system tumbling like a heavy albatross around a dove's neck while in flight? Like a bowling ball on your wrist whle you try to drive your car? (How many bad analogies does it take to ruin a Street?)
Google "Joseph J. Cassano" and get back to me on that, will you?
(I know. One person would need help, would need complicit partners and those in denial and naysayers and factotums and toadies and accomplices and yes men and yes women and obsequious superiors and ambitious underlings and all of us to look the other way now and then -- just as history's notorious ones always have had, yes?)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
What Comes Around . . .
In a subterranean sense, a pulsing undercurrent sense, this blog anticipated the financial upheaval in its inaugural post.
Abundance and greed and unsatiated want for more and more were but symptoms of a malaise gurgling underneath us like the rumblings of an apocalyptic volcano.
Eh?
Abundance and greed and unsatiated want for more and more were but symptoms of a malaise gurgling underneath us like the rumblings of an apocalyptic volcano.
Eh?
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
S&L, Anyone?
This financial crisis reminds me of the S&L (savings and loan) crisis of the 1980s and '90s.
We hear talk of greed, greed, greed from the McCain camp.
But the traditional champions of the free market (unfetered free market) have traditionally clamored for a policy of government hands off.
Starting with their hero, Ronald Reagan, the conservatves ushered in an era of deregulation.
Hands off.
Certainly, as a small-business owner myself (the preceding hyphen is needed; otherwise, you are speaking about my physical height) I see the value of cutting through red tape.
This isn't about red tape, though.
It's about the proper role of government and its need to protect us from the worst among us.
It's a classic case of the need for prudent regulation.
The Democrats should be saying "I told you so," but I have a sneaky suspicion they abandoned their calling and their "liberal" (it ain't a bad word now) principles long ago and went along for the Deregulatory Ride.
We hear talk of greed, greed, greed from the McCain camp.
But the traditional champions of the free market (unfetered free market) have traditionally clamored for a policy of government hands off.
Starting with their hero, Ronald Reagan, the conservatves ushered in an era of deregulation.
Hands off.
Certainly, as a small-business owner myself (the preceding hyphen is needed; otherwise, you are speaking about my physical height) I see the value of cutting through red tape.
This isn't about red tape, though.
It's about the proper role of government and its need to protect us from the worst among us.
It's a classic case of the need for prudent regulation.
The Democrats should be saying "I told you so," but I have a sneaky suspicion they abandoned their calling and their "liberal" (it ain't a bad word now) principles long ago and went along for the Deregulatory Ride.
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