Just FYI...

Just to pass along a clarification of a term that may be confusing to some:  a "double-dip" recession takes its name from the up-down-up-down shape of the graph of economic growth; it is not a reference to Obama and Biden.

Not yet, anyway.

Comments

[Clarice]

You get wickeder by the day.

[PD]

And to our everlasting shame, we enjoy it.

[RichatUF]

Must have missed something.

[Army of Davids]

Waiting for Superman.

We are losing a generation of Americans.

Not just because of a horrible economy.

We have a public education K-12 that is not getting the job done.

There will be a cost to this...and it will be huge.

[Thomas Collins]

I don't look at it as a double dip recession. Since early 2008, the world's financial system has been in de facto bankruptcy reorganization. The view that has prevailed so far is that it is better to cover that up by propping up zombie financial institutions. The pain for regular Janes and Joes is most likely going to be greater than if the zombies were allowed into regular bankruptcies (bankruptcy courts are the experts at cleaning up financial messes). Adding to the problem has been an American Administration that viewed the de facto bankruptcy reorganization of the world's financial system as an opportunity to increase the power of the bureaucratic state including increasing nationalization of health care. Look for the word "unexpected" when describing financial system setbacks to be used with an even greater frequency than it has been so far.

My proposed definition of "unexpected" in this context is "surprising to those who haven't studied Menger, Hayek and the other Austrian Schoolers." For the Austrian Schoolers and their followers, I suspect what has happened so far and what will happen if the currrent course is continued evokes a ho-hum reaction because it is so predictable.

[Thomas Collins]

Also not surprised are the Casablanca School of Economics devotees, who understand that as time goes by, the fundamental things of finance apply.

[ThomasD]

In comedy timing is everything.

[sbw]

Army: We have a public education K-12 that is not getting the job done.

Take back education

New York is floating the idea of charging $5.93 each for students to take Regents exams. . . . What to do? Rather than charge students . . . let’s de-fund the ENTIRE State Education Department to remove the mandated curricula and overreach of rules and regulations. Give those who teach the tools to teach well, but remove the educationist hoop-jumping required to certify teachers and administrators in the state. Certification is no guarantee of success in the classroom — some poor teachers are certified and other excellent ones can teach without it. Teachers are certified because certified teachers say teacher certification is a "good thing" even when they are unsure what to teach.
. . .
This is a dream for today, but Albany and Washington need re-education because schooling cannot succeed run at the state and national level as a bureaucratic empire. Education happens one student at a time, guided by people who have a vested interest in success.

Education bubble? Time to pop. Tipping point, meet bloated bureaucracy. It’s time to take back responsibility — along with our initiative, our wallets, and our lives.

[Gmax]

Double dip and fat lip are a very formidably team. Who knew we were electing a comedy team instead of the chief executive office?

[Thomas Collins]

Things now looking up for the Browns, Captain Hate.

[Thomas Collins]

Phil Dawson hits a 24 yard field goal after a late Browns interception of a Chad Henne pass. Final score: Browns 13, Dolphins 10.

[Captain Hate]

TC, I got some bad news this morning when Jay Glazer said that Mangini's job isn't safe. I've always had the impression that he's not Holmgren's ideal head coach but I think he's gotten the most out of the available talent. If we enter the coaching demolition derby again we run the risk of grabbing another Chris Palmer, Romeo Crennell or Botch Davis ::vomit::

[Thomas Collins]

I agree, Captain Hate. I don't automatically assume that a Belichick pupil will be a good head coach. Belichick has yet to prove that he is a Jim Lee Howell in terms of spawning great coaches. However, I think Mangini has made great strides with the Browns. I worked in Cleveland in the Brian Sipe days, so I have a fond spot in my heart for the Browns. I hope Holmgren thinks long and hard before replacing Mangini.

[centralcal]

TM: Are you sure?

[macphisto]

shouldn't we add Geithner and call it a deluxe Baskin-Robbins triple-dip sugar-cone recession with the pointy bits at the bottom?

[Captain Hate]

TC, I think Mangini was in a rough position in NY and the owners sticking him with Favre didn't do him any favors. He also could be like Belichick in that he had to fail at his first job (if I could ever fill Belichick with sodium pentathol, I'd ask him to name the mistakes in Cleveland he learned from) before attaining success.

Sipe and the team caught lightning in a bottle for one season but they were put together with bubble gum and chicken wire and fell apart pretty quickly.

[I R A Darth Aggie]

And here I thought it was a reference to Biden's ice cream fetish.

[Are you trying to tell me you didn't renew AAA?]

Tell those ditch artists that that one of those double dipsticks is for ATF not Ten Dubya.
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[I dare ya'.]

Double that!
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[americancheese]

staples

[Thomas Collins]

Northwestern v. Texas Tech in the Ticket City Bowl on January 1st in Dallas. Get ready for a Wildcat invasion, Red Raiders! See LUN.

[Danube of Thought]

Bolts stunk the joint up today and can all but kiss the playoffs goodbye. Norv must go.

The streets are jammed with taxicabs driven by Belechick disciples who have disappointed as head coaches. Not a one has succeeded.

Back from Los Barriles to a chilly 66 in Coronado. Oh, the humanity...

[Thomas Collins]

See LUN for matchups in some of the lesser bowls that will serve as background music to the Ticket City Bowl. Apparently Auburn and Oregon have been relegated to some minor bowl on January 10th, which is appropriate since the national championship will be decided on January 1st in Dallas.

[Thomas Collins]

Lest anyone think the regular college football season is over, Army and Navy don't play until next Saturday, and the season doesn't end until the traditional Army-Navy game takes place.

[Army of Davids]

thanks for the link sbw,

Not saying I have the answers. Though teacher's unions seem to be a barrier to those who do.

here in LA...LAUSD is batting around 40% to 50% on graduation rate. 10% go to college.

We have over 12% state unemployment and it is not improving.

These kids have no future. This is a time bomb of all kinds of social problems we are backing up on the unemployment lines.

[Gmax]

Did anyone see that Dallas ISD named a program after Obama and managed to misspell the President name? DISD is a dismal place that has very high drop out rates and more than a couple low performing campuses. Apparently the administration is filled with some dimbulbs as well. It would be funny if the impact on our youth was not so tragic.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

SBW, did you see my Cosmopolitan One Room School stuff?

It even got picked up (plagiarized, really, but they were nice about putting giving me credit when I complained) by the Country School Association

[Neo]

Now they can't even print the money fast enough

[sbw]

Charlie, thanks for the pointer. I like the analysis and the intent. I'll share the pointer with my English teacher and literacy coach wife.

The lessons I have learned to value overlap many of yours. It's going to happen. It has to, because people care too much about their future.