Today I worded a question to my twinster Jeanie Beanie in a stupid way. It sounded as though I doubted something she said. That was wrong of me, and I apologize.
A Dismal Scientist
Harvard economist Martin Feldstein (no relation I assume to MAD Magazine editor Al Feldstein) rode to influence in the Reagan administration on the coattails of the loony Milton Friedman’s unreal views about people becoming fashionable. Friedman’s the guy who, in a bit of silly mental jerking off, said a dollar is worth as much — has as much “marginal utility” — to a rich man as to a poor man.
You can blame Martin Feldstein for George Bush’s nonsensical insistence that Social Security needed a major overhaul. The idea was nonsensical because the arithmetic didn’t support the claim the system will inevitably collapse, and because the alternative was to go private.
People have 401K plans, so they’re already invested in the market for their retirement! It doesn’t make sense for people to put ALL of their retirement money into the stock market. Social Security is supposed to be a safety net. It works. Yes, it undoubtedly will need adjustments, but changing its very charter, and the way it operates, is simply wrong, wrong, wrong.
Most people can’t be professional money managers, and why should they be? It’s like saying everybody should do their own car repairs. Duh! NO! And even if somebody is very good at managing investments, or they hire somebody who is actually honest, there are times — like right now — when the market moves down and they lose money. And people much further down the economic ladder, who don’t have retirement plans, need a sure thing. Something to keep the wolf away from the door. That’s what Social Security is all about, Charlie Brown.
Privatizing Social Security was a very stupid idea from Martin Feldstein, a man who is supposed to be intelligent, but he sure doesn’t seem to think very clearly. Tuesday he proved that on the NPR program “On Point” with Tom Ashbrook, that originates at WBUR in Boston.
Did Feldstein say the tax cuts for the ultra-rich in Bush’s first term were a bad idea? No. Did he say the occupation in Iraq is draining America dry? No. Did he say the ideas of Milton Friedman needed to be retired? No. He said we’re in a recession and blamed the problems on Alan Greenspan’s final years as Federal Reserve chairman, and he said the recent incentive checks didn’t work because everybody salted them away in the bank. Talk about being out of touch. Fortunately, a caller named Judy was incensed by Feldstein’s informed yet idiotic academic blather and she got on the air to tell him a thing or two.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUL/OnPointFeldstein.mp3]Way to go, Judy.
Use The Force, Charlie Brown!
I’ve never been to the Comic-Con in San Diego, but they don’t need me there because it’s the biggest fanboy (and girl) convention anywhere. The fun includes everything from Charlie Brown to Star Wars, and Mark Evanier will be there, of course. If I were attending, on Friday I’d have to run from his panel with EC artist/writer/editor Al Feldstein over to this one:
4:45-5:45 It’s a Great Comic-Con, Charlie Brown — Together for the first time at Comic-Con, Warner Home Video, United Media and the Schulz Estate bring you a Peanuts voice cast reunion in celebration of several great holiday DVD releases this September and October. Featuring Chris DeFaria (Peppermint Patty), Gabrielle DeFaria Ritter (Pigpen), Lisa DeFaria (Peppermint Patty), Sally Dryer (Violet and Lucy), Robin Kohn Glazer (Lucy), Jason Mendelson, Hilary Momberger (Sally), executive producer Lee Mendelson, and Jeannie Schulz, the wife of Charles M. Schulz.
Wow! I’d love to be there. An hour devoted to celebrating the fun of Peanuts, and an opportunity to say hi to Jeannie Schulz and Lee Mendelson.
Happiness Is a Warm Gunty
Sorry for the bad pun, but I couldn’t resist. When I first saw the eBay auction for this Morty Gunty postcard from The Funny Company TV show, I thought it was just like the one I had way back in late ’64.
But looking at it now, I realize it’s not likely the same one. That postcard was printed in blue, including the autograph. Further, I don’t recall the words “Keep Smiling” being on the card, but my recollection could be faulty on that point.
So the mystery deepens. Based on my memory, there must have been at least two different printings, if not two different postcards.
Coming This Fall! Less Blogging?
It was back in January when I last mentioned the rumor that Netflix’s online movies would be available through the Xbox 360. The rumor is officially reality. No HD yet, and for that matter Netflix has one tenth the movies online that it has on DVD — 10,000 vs. 100,000, according to their Q&A page.
How many choices are available to watch via a Netflix ready device?
There are over 10,000 instant watching choices, but very few are new releases. So instant watching is a great supplement to our DVD catalog of 100,000 titles, but it is not a replacement. You will want to use both. Instant movies and TV episodes give you maximum spontaneity and DVDs give you maximum choice.
This is nevertheless a welcome development. It’s the direction that home video should and must take. How it will all shake out competing with video on demand from the cable operators will be interesting to see.
With all of these options maybe I should watch more movies and do less blogging? I can’t quit running, or I’d turn into a blubby hubby, sitting on the couch!
We’re Number #2!
Forbes Magazine rates Boston the #2 city in America for young professionals. That’s good, because a couple of years ago the talk was of a Boston brain drain, with more than half of recent college grads leaving the city because of the high cost of living. San Francisco, an even more expensive place to live, ranks #1 according to Forbes.