10 Boxing Day Reads
Some reads for your Boxing Day pleasure:
• Ending the Year With a Bewildering Bang (Barron’s) see also S&P Turns Positive for 2011 (AP News)
• Simon Johnson: Why do we keep bailing out bankers while demanding austerity for everyone else? (Slate)
• Yes, Ben Bernanke is Still Bending the Bond Market to His Will (WSJ)
• The Great Economic Divide Makes Everyone Poorer (Fiscal Times) see also No One Is Above the Law (Economix)
• Why your business needs humor (CBS)
• A Dispute Over Who Owns a Twitter Account Goes to Court (NYT)
• The Coal Age Is Nearer to Its End (WSJ)
• WikiLeaks And The Future Of Journalism: An Interview With New York Times’ Scott Shane (Neon Tommy) see also News as a process: How journalism works in the age of Twitter (Gigaom)
• Private Actions Are Not Precluded Under Martin Act, Panel Decides (New York Law Journal)
• Fascinating long form article: Navigating Love and Autism (NYT)
What are you obsessing over?
>
Estimates are $8 billion worth of Gift Cards go unredeemed annually
Source: Real Time Economics
Tweet
Facebook
Reddit
Digg this!
December 26th, 2011 at 9:20 am
Gift cards are nuts! “I don’t care enough about you as a person to think about what you will like, so I’ll give you money. But I’ll tell you where you have to spend it.” They are an a’hole gift. I bet a large percentage of the universally accepted cards are rebates and such, where the “gifter” is trying to ensure the lowest possible redemption rate. I’m OK with accounts and arithmetic, but it’s a major pain to keep track of what’s on the card and to redeem it. If you are giving cash to someone you know, how about cash (or check). But then you won’t get your own rebate or free gas or discount card on the back of you nephew’s present.
The rant is over. We never stop finding new ways to become more corrupt.
December 26th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Brazil economy overtakes UK, says CEBR
Samba tops Stiff upper lips.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16332115
December 26th, 2011 at 11:54 am
“Game times for the Chicago Bears-Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers-New Orleans Saints afternoon games on FOX will be announced following results of the Week 16 Sunday and Monday night games.”
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/12/24/cowboys-giants-flexed-to-sunday-night-football-on-new-years-day-plus-more-nfl-schedule-changes-for-week-17/114670
How DARE they tinker with the Original Schedule! The Schedule is the Schedule and should be interpreted according to its ORIGINAL intent!
December 26th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I give and get gift cards with equal glee.
Too busy, too lacking in insoght, a card or check is my way.
Just used a part of last years’ gift card to a very nice restaurant on Dec 23, the remains will go with this years’ card for the same place………………………………
Spa visits, too!!
December 26th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
The myth of Japan’s lost decade
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2011/02/the-myth-of-japans-lost-decades/71741/
Thoma: the great divide makes us all poorer
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2011/12/20/The-Great-Economic-Divide-Makes-Everyone-Poorer.aspx
December 26th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
Will China go down and take all your investments with it? From Seeking Alpha:
http://seekingalpha.com/article/315952-why-investments-in-china-will-eventually-be-worthless
December 26th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
The Coal Age is nearer to it’s end.
But, Natural Gas, is NO Solution, it’s almost as damaging to the local environment.
- Poisoned cattle and people.
- Polluted fresh water sources.
- Polluted State Judges Stop all Economic Recourse of the tracking pollution.
But also,
the Arctic Methane Release has begun, with a US Media BLACKOUT.
The nightmare scenario is now a possibility:
A Lightning Strike in the melting Permafrost fields could set off a Methane Fueled Firestorm.
This is what your Tea Party has delivered to America.
Failure.
December 26th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
The franking sites will be CO2 sources, even after their capped, they will leak out methane.
Methane is 20x stronger in global warming effect.
It’s time we get Corporations OUT of Politics, or we Die.
December 26th, 2011 at 1:11 pm
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2011/12/tim_allen_s_last_man_standing_defending_the_last_sad_man_sitcom_.html
“…mangst.” Last Man Standing has toned down the male rage that characterized its early episodes and has transformed itself into a comedy of compromise. In the early episodes, the writers tried to shortcut characterization by having Mike spout reactionary buzzwords as if he had Tea Party Tourette’s—Obamacare! Soccer! Socialism! The more he learns to think before he speaks, and the more he listens to his wife and daughters, the more interesting Mike—and the show—has become…”
Tea Party Tourette’s… ROFL
December 26th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
My grand kids like those green gift certificates with the pictures of ugly old men on the front. They especially like the fact that they can be used anywhere and never expire.
December 26th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Barry, as 2011 comes to a close, we readers want to thank you for all the information links and informative articles. And thanks also for being honest in a less than honest society. My only wish is that more people would make the time to read the eye-opening info you generously provide.
All the best in the upcoming year.
December 26th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
Getting a jump on the Mayan prediction:
http://susiemadrak.com/2011/12/26/2nd-amendment-christmas/
Soldier shot and paralyzed at homecoming party.
A 7-year-old boy shot in the head from shots fired outside.
Seven people shot dead. They were opening Christmas presents.
A 3-year-old shoots and kills 5-year-old.
A 58-year-old woman shot from stray bullet while sleeping in bed.
sheesh!
December 26th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
Goddady Tries To Recover After SOPA PR Nightmare
http://www.ghacks.net/2011/12/26/goddady-tries-to-recover-after-sopa-pr-nightmare/
December 26th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Borrowers will pay the price of payroll tax cut
SFGate | Kathleen Pender
Sunday, December 25, 2011
…
Democrats had proposed paying for a one-year extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits with an income tax surcharge on income over $1 million, among other things. Republicans wanted to pay for it by cutting the federal workforce and freezing its pay.
Short extension
Unable to agree on either of those measures and in a hurry to head home for the holidays, Congress agreed to pay for a two-month extension by sticking it to people who buy or refinance a home.
Although the bill’s benefits will come entirely in January and February, the money to pay for it – roughly $37.5 billion – will be spread over 10 years, with more than half of that coming in years six through 10, according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate. Fannie and Freddie have two years to phase in the higher fees.
…
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/12/25/BUSC1MGD32.DTL
December 26th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Scientific American competes with USA Today and other tripe-peddling MSM for “Most brain cells killed per article published”:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/2011/12/26/killing-environmentalism-to-save-it-two-greens-call-for-postenvironmentalism/