Zombies?

How Well is Your State Prepared?Yesterday I posted a video that describes one theory about the coming crisis and Monday I will post a video where it is claimed that America has ceased to exist. While I think it is obvious that a crisis is coming, I do not think it will be the zombie apocalypse nor do I think it will happen soon. 

Instead I agree with the following quote from a LA Times article: 

Lawrence Summers, president emeritus of Harvard University and President Obama's economic advisor in 2009-10, has warned of "secular stagnation," the risk of the U.S. falling into a Japan-style funk marked by weak consumer spending, anemic economic growth, minimal inflation and low interest rates.

Summers' scenario is a more dire version of the "new normal" that investment giant Pimco in Newport Beach described beginning in 2009. The firm, led by bond guru Bill Gross, foresaw a long period of struggle for the debt-saddled global economy instead of the usual rapid post-recession rebound in growth.

Pimco was mostly on target. The U.S. economy grew at an average annual rate of just 2.3% from 2010 through 2013, compared with an annual average of 3.7% from the 1950s through the 1990s. 

So no, the zombie apocalypse is not coming. Things will decline slowly until sometime around 2017 President Hilarity will have to deal with a crisis similar to 2008. Are you ready for our stagnation nation? 

Is the Dollar Doomed?

I think that a lot of "hard money types" do not properly evaluate the state of the dollar. While the outlook is bad, the catastrophic school forgets that the outlook is even worse elsewhere. As one wag put it, American has the cleanest dirty shirt. 

So while I do not expect the dollar to "end" in the next 6 years, I do expect a crisis worse than the one in 2008. 

Here is an interview with a hard money type that expects the dollar to "end." 

The Whole Truth About Iraq

A World of Stupid

We went to see X-Men and found it very enjoyable, but a lot of odd events occurred on that day. 

First we went to Red Robin. While it is still a premium burger establishment, it has added a lot to its menu since the last time I was there. Gluten free is now an option. My chili burger was outstanding. However, when I went to the bathroom I noticed a sign,"Employees Must Wash Hands." I waited for ten minutes but no employee showed up to wash my hands. It ruined my whole dining experience. 

In the theater they announced that I had to turn off my cell phone. I am an obedient kind of guy, so I had to go to my car to get my cell phone, and turn my cell phone off. Why Regal Theaters had to be so picky was beyond my comprehension. It was 104 in Palm Desert. 

My Jeep was even overcome with stupidity. It kept telling me that "my door is a jar." No, my door is not a jar, my door is a door. 

While I would recommend the movie, I can not recommend Red Robin, Regal theaters or Jeep. 

Talk about Stupid!

Iraq in Chaos

It is interesting to watch the chaos in Iraq. The US spends millions to destabilize Syria, and then wonders why the whole area is weaker. When will the US learn that, to quote the old cliché, if you lie down with dogs you rise up with fleas. These fleas bite. My guess is that the US will throw enough air power to help the Shia Iraqi government survive. This will mean that ultimately the US is supplying both sides in this war. Irony thy name is Obama.  

The US is supplying support and Russian weapons to the insurgents. Why would it then be wrong for Russia to support and supply weapons to insurgents in East Ukraine? (Interestingly the insurgents in Ukraine use Russian weapons. This is stated to prove that Russia supports them. Maybe Russia does, but the presence of Russian weapons proves nothing, they are used everywhere because of their durability. This is why the US choose them.) 

Watch this PBS documentary about the training that the Syrian rebels have received from the US. It is also ironic that government, (and viewer!), supports this type of program that you seldom see on TV anymore.