I'll drink to that! Note who is #2 in world beer consumption. God made alcohol so the Irish don't rule the world!

http://www.livescience.com/18493-global-alcohol-consumption-top-countries.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Livesciencecom+%28LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed%29

Do we have a new trend in long-run growth? Is this recovery as good as it gets?

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/are-the-good-times-never-coming-back/

Macro Corner for 2012

http://www.funnyeconomist.com/Macro%20Corner%202012.docx

Did the bailouts work? Yep.

http://www.igmchicago.org/igm-economic-experts-panel/poll-results?SurveyID=SV_a4WFSSCbjqpjWW8

Remember this posting? The sign is still on the door.

This was posted on the door of a local restaurant I go to when I am chasing ducks. I asked "what gives"? They indicated they had recently been robbed and had a gun stuck to their temple by some dude all covered up in a hoodie. They indicated to me they were not going through it again without a fight, as in The OK Corral. Sure am glad I had my duck coat on.

Here is an example of some folks who, I guarantee you, would have their hand on their pistols if someone in a hoodie walked through the door. This frightens the hell out of me.

More dumb stuff with the tax code.

http://dmarron.com/2012/02/24/playing-favorites-in-the-corporate-tax-code/?utm_source=feedburner

The world according to Dieng...and it is true wisdom from the Louisville Cardinal basketball player from Senegal.

Go to the site below and click the play arrow.



http://ericcrawford.tumblr.com/post/19806348722/university-of-louisville-center-gorgui-dieng-spent

Proponents of higher bank capital need not apply. This is troubling.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/23/opening-up-the-fed/

The key to winning at the track.

http://www.funnyeconomist.com/CRIST%20ON%20VALUE.doc

School choice fights crime!

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/school-choice-lowers-crime/

Now vs. then. Great article.

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/7696

When economics and psychology meet...it is ugly. Chairman Bernanke meet Sigmund Ball.

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/7673


Here is a bit more charitable reading of Dr. Ball's psycho analysis.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2012/02/monetary-policy-4

The government perpetuates poverty. Throw in a total disregard for the responsibilites of fatherhood and you have most of your answer.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-28/cash-better-than-food-stamps-in-helping-poor-commentary-by-edward-glaeser.html

Greece: Corrupt, incompetent, in trouble.

http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/7737

Half of our problems remain in housing.

At the height of the housing bubble (not boom) 6% of GDP was in housing construction. Compare that to Ireland which had 27% of its economy in construction. Now you know why Irish eyes are not smiling.

We have had a bigger drop in housing prices than there was in the Great Depression. Median housing price to income for housing buyers in the US was 5.5 at the height of the boom. Historically it has been 3. Asset bubbles and leverage...and it ends the same way every time.


http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/measuring-housings-drag-on-the-economy/

This is kinda what I am thinking....

Here's something to think about. .. . . .

I recently picked a new primary care doctor.. After two visits and exhaustive lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age. (I just turned 60.)

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him,
'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you drink beer or wine?'

'Oh no,' I replied.. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?

'I said, 'Not much...
My former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'

'No, I don't,' I said.
He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'

'No,' I said.
He looked at me and said,... 'Then, why do give a crap?'

These are funny....

THESE ARE ACTUAL QUOTES TAKEN FROM AN AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS.

1) "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock-bottom and has started to dig."

2) "I would not allow this employee to breed."

3) "This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definite won't be."

4) "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap."

5) "When she opens her mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet."

6) "He would be out of his depth in a parking lot puddle."

7) "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."

8) "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."

9) "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

10) "This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts the better."

11) "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together."

12) "A gross ignoramus...144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus."

13) "He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier..."

14) "I would like to go hunting with him sometime."

15) "He's been working with glue too much."

16) "He would argue with a signpost."

17) "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room."

18) "When their IQ reaches 50, they should sell."

19) "If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he's the other one."

20) "A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on."

21) "A prime candidate for natural de-selection..."

22) "Donated his brain to science before he was through using it."

23) "Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn’t coming."

24) "He's got two brains; one is lost and the other is out looking for it."

25) "If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week."

26) "If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change."

27) "If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean."

28) "It's hard to believe he beat off 15,000,000 other sperm."

29) "One neuron short of a synapse."

30) "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled."

31) "Takes him 2 hours to watch '60 minutes'."

32) "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead."

Jim Hamilton and a Bloomberg podcast.

Scroll down a bit and listen to this for 14 minutes or so.



http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2012/03/links_for_20120_2.html

The 9th annual Advancement Council/Alumni golf tournament is just 5 weeks away......

This has become the Department of Economics "Homecoming" if you will. A good time is had by all. I am hoping you will come and join us this year.

They still study this battle at West Point by the way...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/us/george-kerchner-led-a-d-day-maneuver-dies-at-93.html?_r=2

Hope for Europe? Maybe.

I have recently heard that Greece has now been declared in "Structural Default" after the hair cuts the private sector took on Greek debt. What do you think the chances are of the Euros making it out without inflation? I don't put it very high. When the French are courting the Socialist candidate for president who wishes to impose a 75% tax on all persons making over one million euros, the Europeans deserve everything they get.


http://johnhcochrane.blogspot.com/2012/02/hope-for-europe.html?utm_source=feedburner

I did not realize that in the Yom Kippur war of 1973, Portugal was the only European country that would let US planes land for refuleing.

What will they do if Iran comes to blows?

Dodd-Frank is a big mess.

Could Hayek's quote above be any more germane to what you are aobut to read? I don't think so.....


http://johnhcochrane.blogspot.com/2012/03/too-big-not-to-fail.html

Now that is a Greek bond haircut!

I hope oil does not see new highs.

http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2012/03/oil_prices_and_3.htmlhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

"The Bernank" and gas prices.

What may be...

http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2012/01/iranian_oil_emb.html

Out of gas and into oil. See how markets work?

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2012/02/responding-to-high-oil-prices-and-low.html

By the numbers. What we are moving toward is NOT insurance. Insurance is for catastrophe, not 1st dollar coverage.

This probably will not surprise you.....

There are actually two messages here. The first is very interesting, but the second is absolutely astounding - and explains a lot.

A recent "Investor's Business Daily" article provided very
interesting statistics from a survey by the United Nations International
Health Organization.

Percentage of men and women who survived a cancer five years
after diagnosis:

U.S. 65%

England 46%

Canada 42%


Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received
treatment within six months:

U.S. 93%

England 15%

Canada 43%


Percentage of seniors needing hip replacement who received it
within six months:

U.S. 90%

England 15%

Canada 43%


Percentage referred to a medical specialist who see one within
one month:

U.S. 77%

England 40%

Canada 43%


Number of MRI scanners (a prime diagnostic tool) per million
people:

U.S. 71

England 14

Canada 18


Percentage of seniors (65+), with low income, who say they are
in "excellent health":

U.S. 12%

England 2%

Canada 6%


And now for the last statistic:


National Health Insurance?

U.S. NO

England YES

Canada YES

This is maddeningly stupid.

Senator Gramm said "the best social program in the world is a W2 form". Apparently we need to add some elementary computer skills too.




http://stevenallenblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/labor-shortages-in-manufacturing.html

Are you a giver or a taker? Look at West Virginia...and in 2008 they had an income $2000 higher than the average citizen of the EU.

Ahhhh HAAAAHAAAAHAAA!

One cool bird.

Looks like housing prices may have finally gottten back to where they belong.

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2012/02/real-house-prices-and-price-to-rent.html?utm_source=feedburner