Decentralize The Stock Market

When New York city is disabled, so is the U.S. stock market.

That is not a good thing.

They should have it set up so trading can continue without New York City.
I suspect it could be arranged without too much trouble. There is plenty of
trading nowadays that takes place in cyberspace.

It just illustrates how New York has a monopoly on this important
economic activity.

This is the 21st century. It is time for that monopoly to end.
Who knows what sort of event might cripple the New York exchange in the future.
We should not be vulnerable to this sort of thing in the age of the internet.

After 9/11 the markets were closed for an extended period. Now with a big storm called Sandy
the markets are closed again.

This hurts the entire economy. It spreads damage. We would benefit from a
better and more flexible system.

Pleasure In Gardening

I enjoyed watering my garden this morning.
Seems like an innocent occupation, caring for plants.
But I felt a little guilt....
living in Los Angeles we are always worried about water shortages
so it becomes somehow anti-social to water our gardens

sometimes they even make it illegal and threaten to fine you if you water
in the wrong way or at the wrong times

so even this pleasure, the pleasure of watering plants,  which seems totally innocent, is tinged with guilt

on the one hand we are supposed to consume big time in order to keep the wheels of industry turning
but on the other hand we are not supposed to consume because it hurts the environment or something

confusion

to consume or not to consume, that is the question

I plead not guilty

I would like to be able to live my life without fear of punishment
to live by my own lights
to follow my own conscience

live and let live

I can stop listening to all the contradictory voices screaming about how we are supposed to be

I can remember what we really are

2013 Recession

I keep hearing rumors of an impending recession. They point to the slowdown we have already seen
in 2012. Now company earning are coming in weak and we hear of slowdowns all over the
world.
Does this really mean there will be a new recession?
Say this and the answer will be- but we haven't had a full recovery yet!

And if there is a new recession it looks really bad for the government sector.
Tax receipts are already weak and expenses up.

There are three basic possibilites
more growth
no growth
shrinkage

and the growth or shrinkage could be fast or slow

One thing is certain, all these things will be happening some time in the future!

But what about the next 12 months?

I still see the muddle through. In my neighborhood homes are selling quickly and easily.
Restaurants are busy. Business goes on. There is lots of construction and prices are rising for many
things.
That sounds like a good economy.
I believe that the way they measure the economy is deeply flawed.

If I maintain my own home, doing repairs and maintenance, that is not measured as part of the economy.
If I hire someone to do it, that is measured. But the end result is similar.
When people become more efficient, that might look like a decline. But it is an improvement.
If I get sick and go in the hospital, that looks like growth, but it is not a good thing.
If we manufacture more bombs and guns and missiles, that looks like growth but it is just foolishness

Bottom line for me is no recession. Even the GREAT RECESSION is very suspect in my mind.
Mostly it was just revaluation of real estate. And revaluation of the price of labor. We have so much really
that taking away some of it (less than 5%) should not be such a big deal.

 

Losing Things

loss give one the chance to become more enlightened

to awaken
to wake up

to see the truth

one love

no loss

welcome loss as well as gain

we are the infinite already

Writing On The Wall

"Obamanomics
trickle up poverty"

This message was prominently on display on the 405 freeway in Los Angeles
signs of the times

Freedom

we are free

this is a great mystery

most people would not agree that we are free

we are free

not bound, not controlled, not opressed

but totally and really free

wake up and know the truth of total freedom

bad stuff

there is no bad stuff

but....
if we see it like that

where does it come from?

belief in justice, guilt, need for punishment.....that sort of stuff

and
desperate need for attention for strokes for love from other humans

and
mischief
teasing
laughter


sunrise   sunset