Super Deluxe Jam Packed Sunday Edition

This is the New York Times of blogs today. Get yourself a cup of coffee, make sure you’re in a comfortable chair, pack a light snack, and get ready to read.

I provided links, pictures, and everything. And the links, by the way, go right back to noted historian, bon vivant, and all around nice guy, me. So you know they are trustworthy, and more or less honest.

Today, I need to ranttalk about a very serious subject, economics. I promise to not be as boring as your high school teacher or college professor.

The reason I need to explain economics is our economy is going into the dumper, because the overwhelming majority of people have their eyes glaze over when the subject comes up.
First, you have been lied to by every person who ever explained economics to you. Except me, because I don’t lie. Ok, maybe that one time, but I swear I won’t do it again unless it suits my needs.

This entire economic epiphany hit me last year, around November, when my toaster broke. That small event turned into ToasterQuest 2007.

I love my toaster

You can relive the drama here:
http://crotchety-old-man-yells-at-cars.blogspot.com/2007/10/one-mans-quest.html

But this isn’t about toast, which is one of my favorite subjects. It’s about economics, which is one of my hobbies. Ok, I do have geek tendencies.

A few years ago, some big economics lying sack of crap expert announced that we were moving towards a service economy, and that this was a good thing.
Everyone rejoiced, imagining that they would remain a small cog in the giant economic machine, but now would be a cog with clean hands and a tie. Maybe even an ascot for the more nattily attired. Yes, life would be grand.

But the economic theory reminded me of the South Park Underpants Gnomes. Their economic plan was as logical as turning us into a service economy.



Here’s the problem: as we send production jobs overseas, we now have more of our neighbors seeking work in the service economy. Rather than have X factory workers, and Y service workers, we now have X+Y seeking service positions. Just spend 5 minutes studying economics and it is obvious that supply and demand controls price. Which means, simply put, more workers than jobs means lower wages for each of them. Sure, that means lower prices, but if one doesn’t have the ability to earn a wage, how can one buy all the cheaper crap available? And, thanks to technology, even service jobs are being sent overseas.

For those algebraically inclined, the formula would be X+Y-Z=


We ship raw goods overseas, and they come back as finished products. Doesn’t sound like a big deal until one understands that we get a dollar, and send back 5. This will eventually cause cataclysmic economic problems.
Economics is much simpler than it seems. Truly. Spend a little time and think it through and study it before voting in November. Listen to the candidates, especially the local ones. Test them. Make sure they know your concerns, and when they give you poop for answers, call them on it. Hey, if they say anything to you, mull it over.

The average politician will try to convince everyone he’s


When he’s really


Disclaimer: No slimeball politicians were injured in the making of this post. Sorry.