Monday, October 29, 2012

World Series Game 3

My Dad and I were lucky enough to get hooked up with tickets to World Series Game 3 on Saturday night in Detroit. I figured, hey, we might not get to this point in the postseason again for a while, so we better get to one of these games. The game obviously left something to be desired but we had a great time regardless, including seeing one of my favorite former Tigers:
 
 
Maggs! Former Tigers' rightfielder Magglio Ordonez.

 
1/2 of the Tigers' broadcast team on Fox Sports, Rod Allen.

 
Big flag! (Along with creepy Dad face on bottom left of pic)

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

UM 12, MSU 10

 
 
 
A bunch of buddies, from CA, LA, NYC, DC, NJ, among other places, back in town for the big game.

 
Postgame - a lovely shade of yellow.
 
 
A more panoramic view.

 
#10 in your programs, #1 in your hearts: Jeremy Gallon made an appearance at our celebration.
 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Do Tax Cuts Lead To Economic Growth?

The short answer appears to be...sometimes, but not as often as you'd think. The long answer is more complex, and more interesting, especially in the context of an election campaign in which tax cuts are claimed to be either the ambrosia our $14 trillion economy is lacking or a useless pander to millionaires and billionaires.

The chart outlines the relationship between tax cuts and the annual growth rate of GDP, starting in 1987. The steep upward, then downward trajectories of the graph appear to be screaming that tax rates and the GDP growth rate actually have a directly proportional relationship, instead of the inversely proportional relationship that seems to be more logical (and is posited ad nauseum every presidential race. To boost job growth, I'll cut taxes! To cut the deficit, I'll cut taxes! To cure cancer, I'll cut taxes!). Yet the data doesn't support the conventional wisdom, of tax cuts corresponding to quick and guaranteed economic growth.

In reality, after tax hikes in both 1990 and 1993, growth rates went up, while after the twin Bush tax cuts of '01 and '03, growth rates crashed spectacularly.

Of course, the top marginal tax rates in the '50s and '60s were north of 90% for a time, and were systematically lowered over time and were greeted by a generally steadily increasing rate of GDP growth. Perhaps these boom years are responsible for the unshakeable dogma that tax cuts, no matter what, will lead America out of the economic wilderness and straight to the oasis of GDP growth.

From the article I link to above:
The defining economic policy of the last decade, of course, was the Bush tax cuts. President George W. Bush and Congress, including Mr. Ryan, passed a large tax cut in 2001, sped up its implementation in 2003 and predicted that prosperity would follow.
The economic growth that actually followed — indeed, the whole history of the last 20 years — offers one of the most serious challenges to modern conservatism. Bill Clinton and the elder George Bush both raised taxes in the early 1990s, and conservatives predicted disaster. Instead, the economy boomed, and incomes grew at their fastest pace since the 1960s. Then came the younger Mr. Bush, the tax cuts, the disappointing expansion and the worst downturn since the Depression. 
So why didn't these tax cuts lead to boom times like the people in charge predicted? Who knows. History's largest economy can be fickle like that. Should even more tax cuts be a presidency-winning campaign argument, if they come along with 12 million jobs over the next 8 years? If you believe that, I've got some magic weight loss pills to sell you...



Ben Stein cleared up his dry eyes long enough to go on Fox & Friends and speak some sense to the crazies. Notable quote from the Reagan-era speechwriter:
"I do not think they just have a spending problem. I think they also have a too-low taxes problem. And while all due respect to Fox, whom I love like brothers and sisters, the taxes are too low."

Friday, October 19, 2012

Baby Elephant...Rescued!



I love this...at the 4:00 mark, the baby pachyderm is finally sprung from her predicament and the subsequent reunion can take place. Watching her sprint (more like rumble actually) across the landscape back to her family is pretty cool.

Thousands of these creatures are killed each year for their ivory tusks, mostly by poachers who then ship the tusks to quell massive demand from the nouveau riche middle class of China. Don't buy ivory if you go to the Far East - it only exacerbates the problem!

Instead, get your ivory from Grizzly Bear penises, like the Geezer does. True story.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Space Jump



In case you missed the record-breaking jump...

Monday, October 8, 2012

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Quiz of the Day!

Quiz of the Day: Guess the political party!



Which political party does the speaker in the video above belng to? Three guesses...oh just need one? Yup, he's actually a top ranking member of the United States House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Science. Technology. And he thinks evolution is a lie straight from the pits of hell.

Thank goodness for Bill Nye, The Science Guy. Oh, and don't ask this man about dinosaurs...

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Michigan Prop 6: The Bridge



Observations:

1. Rick Snyder has a very nerdy speaking voice.

2. Vote NO on Prop 6.