News

It's always delightful when the news reports that stocks fell based on the government's financial rescue plan. Not that I believe it, since the news (and most everyone else) believe in the post hoc ergo propter hoc theory of events, but it did play to a suspicion of mine, to wit: no one really understands how to make the economy perform. They understand lots about its components, they can model the hell out of it, and as a result they knows that in broad terms if you do A in situation B you'll probably get result C, but they don't really know for sure, and they're certainly not willing to guarantee it. As I said to my wife while we were on our walk this morning (slow, because I have the knee brace on and I was using the cane, but still, it was nice) "These people are demonstrating why central planning failed in Russia -- you can't force people to do what they just don't want to do." It's one thing for people with deep pockets to say Oh well, we lost that money, there will be more, but for most of us, that's not true - there won't be more, at least not quickly, better hang on to what we've got until we're more confident. Once this is all over, you just know people will write books to say how things would have been much better if they'd only done it this way. Heck, the Republicans are saying it now!

Valentine's Day soon. Never been much of a believer in that, as I think it's just another manufactured gifting opportunity. If you love someone, you show it all the time; if you have to have a special day to note it, choose one that's meaningful to them, not the American Florists Association.

Another visit with the oral surgeon today. Oh, joy. Can't wait for him to make another well, everything looks great... I think this will probably work comment. Hmmm... come to think of it, that's how I feel about the things the Fed et al have been saying lately!