Promises promises........

From a 1936 Social Security pamphlet (thanks to Walter Williams):

"After the first 3 years - that is to say, beginning in 1940 - you will pay, and your employer will pay, 1.5 cents for each dollar you earn up to $3000 a year ... beginning in 1943, you will pay 2 cents, and so will your employer, for every dollar you earn for the next 3 years...And finally, beginning in 1949, twelve years from now, you and your employer will each pay 3 cents on each dollar you earn, up to $3000 a year. That is the most you will ever pay."

Funny how it goes isn't it?

This is just too good to miss.

Moussa and Erroyl.

Here is an old picture of two of the greatest basketball players in ECU history: Moussa Badiane and Erroyl Bing. They were students so Mrs. Parker and I were able to draw close to them as friends. We had them over for dinner at The Chateau Parker many times. They are two of the finest young men I have ever had the pleasure of being associated with. Both are now in Europe playing basketball. God I miss them still.

Randy Parker Hall of Fame: Greg Mankiw

http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2009/02/mixed-messages.html

Greg Mankiw is one of the finest macroeconomists walking on the face of the earth. You gotta love this guy even more when he points out stuff like this.

Here is a really neat visual on today's economy vs. the past.

Click on the series you want to see and then go up to the gray-shaded areas and click on the recession from the past you wish to see. It will chart all of these important indicators as they have unfolded through history.


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123574078772194361.html#articleTabs%3Dinteractive

I've heard of hot pants, but these are boiling over!

God help us.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123604419092515347.html

Shoot straight and be quiet.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1064852.html

Hey buddy, that's what the meter says....Pay up sucker.

The meter keeps running. I dare you to click on the link below. Are you talking to me?

http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/11/26/business/20081126_FED_graph1.html

The fallout...economists call this a negative shock to permanent income. Consumption, which is 70% of GDP, will be affected for years.

Most economists do not pay any attention to stories such as this. I guess because they are stories and not science. But there is something to be learned here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/us/01survival.html?_r=1&th&emc=th