Bombs & Pieces (Wednesday Night Smack Talk)

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Kevin S. Willis

How do you drop bombs from an airplane?

It’s actually quite an interesting engineering problem.

“Gosh, that was loud!”

The British Air Force testing the UK’s first hydrogen bomb.

Miniature nuke set off on a table-top? No, it’s a trick. But good camera tracking.
There ya go! Merry Christmas, everybody!

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FOMC rate decision

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Brent Nyitray

Link to the Federal Reserve FOMC statement

The Fed has noted the increase in consumer spending that has become apparent in the economic data. This is new. They anticipate moderate economic growth with subdued inflation and slowly declining unemployment levels. The Fed reaffirmed its commitment to maintain low rates through 2013.

Operation Twist will continue, and the Fed intends to continue to maintain its overall exposure to the mortgage market by re-investing cash received from maturing paper. There was no mention of QEIII.

Interestingly, we had a dovish dissent. Charles Evans supported additional monetary policy accomodation at this time. I am sure Barney Frank is preparing a statement condemning dissent at the Fed. /sarcasm.

Overall, markets aren’t reacting to the statement at all. FWIW, I take the official statement that the consumer is returning as bullish for the equity markets.

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Is There Something Behind ABR?

Posted on November 2, 2011 by msjs0315

I’m a lib, so I need help understanding the Anyone But Romney (or Anti-Romney) commentary. Is it just talking heads trying to make a buck, or is there more to it?

A simple web search on ‘anti-Romney’ yields a huge number of articles and blogs. Pat Buchanan talks of a possible third party if Romney wins the GOP presidential nomination. Joe Scarborough claims that, “[c]onservative leaders, this week: it’s like a light switch has come on. And they say: you know what? We would rather lose [than elect Romney].” Margaret Carlson wonders whether Herman Cain is still afloat despite his campaign’s problems because of the strength of ABR sentiment. Ford O’Connell thinks if the Republicans who oppose Romney unite behind a candidate, Romney could well lose. And George Will moans, “Has conservatism come so far, surmounting so many obstacles, to settle, at a moment of economic crisis, for this?”

I view this as general grumping about a candidate whose nomination Republicans view as most likely, but that in the end the GOP will fall in line behind its standard bearer. Am I missing something more substantial?

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A Tribute to My Sister

Posted on November 2, 2011 by okiegirl

”[E]nd of life is where a huge chunk of our health care dollars are spent. We could probably take a big chunk out of our deficit if we made inroads there even if we left the rest of health care alone.” H/T NoVAHockey, et al.

What kinds of inroads? So why aren’t we doing something about this? What should we do about this? Is it in fact a slippery slope?

I know something about the personal reasons for end-of-life-decisions, as do others here, and they are not always against the economic interests of society. But sometimes they are and maybe should be. My sister is probably a classic example. After her diagnosis with a rare blood disorder, she far exceeded (by 5+ years) life expectation . . . with excellent quality of life but very high Medicare cost. Her last six months, as treatments became less effective and more debilitating in and of themselves, her quality of life decreased significantly and she made the decision to go with grace and dignity. She made that decision at the right time IMHO. I admire her both for her tenacity and survival instinct as well as her uncomplaining departure. And I agree with a comment by lms to the effect that many people facing such decisions at some point have no hesitation about refusing further treatment if their families do not influence (or outright make) the decision.

I don’t perceive my sister’s situation to be at all unique and maybe it’s quite common. So how does this work out? What are the documented economics of end-of-life health care costs in the overall scheme of things? I’ve got the “touchy feely” part of this, but the societal economics of it are waaaay far out of my area of expertise. Help! Can we in fact arrive at a solution that is both compassionate and economically feasible?

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Racism in the dark corners of one’s soul

Posted on November 2, 2011 by Arcanaut

Hi all,

This spins off of the recent megathread about the teleprompter and racism. There was a separate discussion amongst a few of us in which a liberal had described Herman Cain as a minstrel. I think that was an ugly comparison, but no more so than some of what I read when Obama was running himself. But that’s not what I’m posting about tonight.

I’d never considered myself to be a racist. I grew up in a proper liberal household. My dad was a professor at a small college (Hastings, Nebraska) and my mom was a speech pathologist. It would be accurate to say that I had a non-racial upbringing in that there wasn’t much racial diversity in Hastings, Nebraska (where I grew up) or Pocatello, Idaho (where I spent my teenage years). The only kid I remember spending time with who wasn’t white was Triet Huen (I’m going phonetic here–Tree-ET, Huyen). He was a Vietnamese immigrant. This would have been around 1976, so I’m guessing his parents left before the end. So, I’m just establishing that my interactions up to going to college were almost exclusively with other white kids.

I had an eye opener the summer after I graduated from college. I went to Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. I wound up renting an apartment for the summer after I graduated with three friends. Two of had just graduated and the other two were between junior and senior years. We rented a place on Marshall Avenue. There’s a striking shift in income within just a few blocks. Summit Avenue is mansions. Marshall, about a half mile to the north, is the “hood”.

Our place on Marshall was just off Victoria, about a half mile from Victoria Crossing, where Victoria crosses Grand Ave. It’s a place with some posh shopping and once had a great book store (Odegards). I particularly liked going to Chocolate & Bread as well as Coffee & Tea, Ltd. In order to get there, one walks about a half mile south on Victoria, past a youth center. Outside the youth center, there would often be a group of young, black men. I felt nervous every time I walked past. Know this. Up to that point, I’d never been assaulted by a black man. [I grew up before African American became proper usage, so I’ll stick with black and white for the purpose of this discussion.] I’d had virtually no interactions. And still, I felt nervous every time I walked by.

Without realizing it, I’d absorbed something in our culture. I know that had it been a dozen white teenagers hanging around outside the center, I wouldn’t have felt nervous. It was solely because of their race. It was an eye opening moment for me.

We all make judgements. We all react to race. I think that is equally true, regardless as to one’s ethnic background. That doesn’t make you or me a racist. In my case, I chose to keep walking past that place (corner of Victoria and Selby) as I refused to give into that visceral reaction. I don’t think that I’m a racist, but I am not immune to racial judgements. The struggle against those judgements is something that I face.

Many years later, I faced a little of what it feels like to be judged. I lived in England for four years as an American. Every so often, I’d be hanging out at the pub and someone would make a crack that made it clear to me that I wasn’t local. That’s only a shadow of what others must feel, but it was a valuable lesson.

Good night to all. And just ’cause….

BB

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