OK class, tell your Professor Cappy Cap what Erin's real mistakes were that led her to financial trouble. Anyone, anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Monday, April 30, 2012
What Could Have Been
So GDP is revised down to 2.2%.
Heh, that's a funny number. Why is it funny? Because it's .05% off from the 2.25% average growth rate we've experienced for the past 20 years. Regular readers are probably already familiar with this statistic in that I've constantly highlighted one of my favorite charts - rolling 20 year average RGDP growth. In other words, what is the long term average economic growth rate?
Again, the reason why this chart is so interesting AND important is that it shows the decline and decay in America's ability to produce, grow and progress. We were once growing at 4% per year on average, now we're down to 2.25%. It also brings a cold, harsh and brutal reality to previous generations who voted themselves in a whole bunch of entitlement goodies in making it quite black and white that the economy is simply not going to be able to produce the wealth necessary to make good on those promises (so sorry BB's. You're going to have very cheap nursing homes, despite what Jim Morrison and LSD told you).
However, while I was putting together a seminar titled "How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly and Totally Screwed," this chart got me thinking:
"What would our GDP or "income per capita" be if we had continued to grow at 4%?"
My brain, knowing the power of compounding roughly estimated it to be around $100,000 (click it, see if I was lying) per person per year vs. our $45,000 today. But I hadn't calculated it out...until now.
Had we continued our traditional, old school, EVIL and OPPRESSIVE 1950's economic growth, our GDP would NOT be the paltry $14 trillion it is today (in 2005 numbers), it would be closer to $26 trillion.
We take the roughly 310 million Americans in the country today and that translates into a real GDP per capita of about $84,500. However, that figure is in 2005 dollars. I was surprised to find out based on the CPI how much inflation has occurred since then (despite what the government tells us) and apparently the US dollar has inflated by about 18%. You adjust for that and what do you get?
$99,832.
Did I say $100,000 as just a guess?
Yes ladies, yes I did. But then again, what do you expect when you have patented and god-given "Super Awesome Economic Genius (TM)?"
Now I'm not going to go into a long tirade here because, well, I've learned to enjoy the decline.
All I'm going to point out is one simple thing.
All these economic problems we have with debt and social security and economic growth and student loans, etc. etc. - All these problems would be washed away if we had maintained our previous economy growth rate.
But we didn't, did we?
Why?
Well because starting with the baby boomers and passing this philosophy on to successive generations we started ridiculing, mocking, criminalizing and villainizing that things that gave us such a luxurious standard of living - Capitalism, freedom, liberty and all that is America.
You wanted social programs and "The Great Society"
You got it.
You wanted to help out the losers of society?
You got it.
You wanted to reward people for their idiotic mistakes?
You got it.
You wanted to lower standards so to save people's feelings?
You got it.
And let's not forget blaming the evil corporations for all of our problems as well as constantly telling ourselves and our children "money isn't everything." And hey, let's make up some commie BS about combustion engines contributing to global warming!
Well, you got it.
And what's the result of all this hokey pokey, kumbya, socialist commie bullshit? A country that is no longer growing or prospering, but is stagnant and on the derivative value of 0, entering into decay (if you don't know the calculus joke, then don't feel bad, you're just the average American liberal arts graduate).
Worse than that is you have a country that is so ignorant, uneducated and (frankly) brainwashed, that the above chart and its simplicity of GROWING ourselves out of our problems is completely lost on you idiots. Instead, you're so obsessed with stealing other people's wealth for your own, the thought of producing your own freaking wealth, even to the point you'd have more wealth than others, has never entered your mind. The only sad, pathetic, LOSER of a solution you can come up with is to take other people's money which makes you the epitome of a parasite.
So while you sit there and protest, and bitch and whine and complain, and vote in politicians who promise to take from other people simply to give it to you, you'll forgive me as I laugh my ass off at all of you. Because in the end, there is only ONE SOLUTION to this problem. And that is pursuing PRO GROWTH economic policies and NOT the redistributive bullshit that got us into the problems we have in the first place.
Enjoy the decline, because I know I will.
(Would somebody tell Zero Hedge? I think the chart showing potential RGDP per capita is Zero Hedge worthy).
Heh, that's a funny number. Why is it funny? Because it's .05% off from the 2.25% average growth rate we've experienced for the past 20 years. Regular readers are probably already familiar with this statistic in that I've constantly highlighted one of my favorite charts - rolling 20 year average RGDP growth. In other words, what is the long term average economic growth rate?
Again, the reason why this chart is so interesting AND important is that it shows the decline and decay in America's ability to produce, grow and progress. We were once growing at 4% per year on average, now we're down to 2.25%. It also brings a cold, harsh and brutal reality to previous generations who voted themselves in a whole bunch of entitlement goodies in making it quite black and white that the economy is simply not going to be able to produce the wealth necessary to make good on those promises (so sorry BB's. You're going to have very cheap nursing homes, despite what Jim Morrison and LSD told you).
However, while I was putting together a seminar titled "How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly and Totally Screwed," this chart got me thinking:
"What would our GDP or "income per capita" be if we had continued to grow at 4%?"
My brain, knowing the power of compounding roughly estimated it to be around $100,000 (click it, see if I was lying) per person per year vs. our $45,000 today. But I hadn't calculated it out...until now.
Had we continued our traditional, old school, EVIL and OPPRESSIVE 1950's economic growth, our GDP would NOT be the paltry $14 trillion it is today (in 2005 numbers), it would be closer to $26 trillion.
We take the roughly 310 million Americans in the country today and that translates into a real GDP per capita of about $84,500. However, that figure is in 2005 dollars. I was surprised to find out based on the CPI how much inflation has occurred since then (despite what the government tells us) and apparently the US dollar has inflated by about 18%. You adjust for that and what do you get?
$99,832.
Did I say $100,000 as just a guess?
Yes ladies, yes I did. But then again, what do you expect when you have patented and god-given "Super Awesome Economic Genius (TM)?"
Now I'm not going to go into a long tirade here because, well, I've learned to enjoy the decline.
All I'm going to point out is one simple thing.
All these economic problems we have with debt and social security and economic growth and student loans, etc. etc. - All these problems would be washed away if we had maintained our previous economy growth rate.
But we didn't, did we?
Why?
Well because starting with the baby boomers and passing this philosophy on to successive generations we started ridiculing, mocking, criminalizing and villainizing that things that gave us such a luxurious standard of living - Capitalism, freedom, liberty and all that is America.
You wanted social programs and "The Great Society"
You got it.
You wanted to help out the losers of society?
You got it.
You wanted to reward people for their idiotic mistakes?
You got it.
You wanted to lower standards so to save people's feelings?
You got it.
And let's not forget blaming the evil corporations for all of our problems as well as constantly telling ourselves and our children "money isn't everything." And hey, let's make up some commie BS about combustion engines contributing to global warming!
Well, you got it.
And what's the result of all this hokey pokey, kumbya, socialist commie bullshit? A country that is no longer growing or prospering, but is stagnant and on the derivative value of 0, entering into decay (if you don't know the calculus joke, then don't feel bad, you're just the average American liberal arts graduate).
Worse than that is you have a country that is so ignorant, uneducated and (frankly) brainwashed, that the above chart and its simplicity of GROWING ourselves out of our problems is completely lost on you idiots. Instead, you're so obsessed with stealing other people's wealth for your own, the thought of producing your own freaking wealth, even to the point you'd have more wealth than others, has never entered your mind. The only sad, pathetic, LOSER of a solution you can come up with is to take other people's money which makes you the epitome of a parasite.
So while you sit there and protest, and bitch and whine and complain, and vote in politicians who promise to take from other people simply to give it to you, you'll forgive me as I laugh my ass off at all of you. Because in the end, there is only ONE SOLUTION to this problem. And that is pursuing PRO GROWTH economic policies and NOT the redistributive bullshit that got us into the problems we have in the first place.
Enjoy the decline, because I know I will.
(Would somebody tell Zero Hedge? I think the chart showing potential RGDP per capita is Zero Hedge worthy).
Rehka Basu: Labor Market Realities Should Never Stand in the Way of Some Spoiled Suburbanite Brat's Desire to Never Work for a Living
$185,000 for a degree in Catholic Studies (with an INDIAN emphasis).
Heck, EVEN MPR is starting to realize the worthlessness of worthless degrees!
You can e-mail Ms. Basu here and thank her for the laugh, or perhaps mail her a copy of Worthless
hat tip
Heck, EVEN MPR is starting to realize the worthlessness of worthless degrees!
You can e-mail Ms. Basu here and thank her for the laugh, or perhaps mail her a copy of Worthless
hat tip
Rapid Weight Loss Tanks Metabolism? The TBL Study
Thanks to Yoni Freedhoff of Weighty Matters blog for providing me with the full text of this one. Check out his take on the results. Update 11/11/13: Full text now available free HERE.
Context: An important goal during weight loss is to maximize fat loss while preserving metabolically active fat-free mass (FFM). Massive weight loss typically results in substantial loss of FFM potentially slowing metabolic rate.Objective: Our objective was to determine whether a weight loss program consisting of diet restriction and vigorous exercise helped to preserve FFM and maintain resting metabolic rate (RMR).Participants and Intervention: We measured body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, RMR by indirect calorimetry, and total energy expenditure by doubly labeled water at baseline (n = 16), wk 6 (n = 11), and wk 30 (n = 16).Results: At baseline, participants were severely obese (×± sd; body mass index 49.4 ± 9.4 kg/m2) with 49 ± 5% body fat. At wk 30, more than one third of initial body weight was lost (−38 ± 9%) and consisted of 17 ± 8% from FFM and 83 ± 8% from fat. RMR declined out of proportion to the decrease in body mass, demonstrating a substantial metabolic adaptation (−244 ± 231 and −504 ± 171 kcal/d at wk 6 and 30, respectively, P < 0.01). Energy expenditure attributed to physical activity increased by 10.2 ± 5.1 kcal/kg·d at wk 6 and 6.0 ± 4.1 kcal/kg·d at wk 30 (P < 0.001 vs. zero).Conclusions: Despite relative preservation of FFM, exercise did not prevent dramatic slowing of resting metabolism out of proportion to weight loss. This metabolic adaptation may persist during weight maintenance and predispose to weight regain unless high levels of physical activity or caloric restriction are maintained.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
"Interview With the Captain"
It's just like "Interview With the Vampire" but:
1. It's not as gay.
2. There are no vampires
3. I'm waaay hotter than Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
1. It's not as gay.
2. There are no vampires
3. I'm waaay hotter than Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise.
Why "Barrrrristas" Will Not Save the World
Effing hilarious.
Oh, it's so fun to make fun of you liberal arts majors. Especially those of you who still insist you chose the right major and are proud of it.
Oh, it's so fun to make fun of you liberal arts majors. Especially those of you who still insist you chose the right major and are proud of it.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Save The Last Pint For Me Boys
"Armed and Dangerous" was one of the BEST video games EVER.
Wish there was a sequel.
But Tim the Timtones shall forever be remembered.
Wish there was a sequel.
But Tim the Timtones shall forever be remembered.
Leptin Man's TEDx Nashville Talk
Can't seem to imbed yet: LINK
I haven't seen the whole thing yet so won't comment. But thought I'd let my readers know the MRSA talk is up.
Edit - Classic Kruse-ism at the end:
I haven't seen the whole thing yet so won't comment. But thought I'd let my readers know the MRSA talk is up.
Edit - Classic Kruse-ism at the end:
Ideation without execution leads to deletion.
Do Not Try
Very important post here for the boys (if you can get past the Chris Rock quote and move onto the article). It explains the phenomenon where, for the most part, you had to work, slave, beg, plead, etc., to essentially trick a girl into going out with you. However, there was that occasional girl that made it almost seem like she WANTED to go out with you. She made it easy. She presented herself to you, gave you a clear opportunity to ask her out, and not only said "yes" but also showed up for the date.
The simple answer? She was physically attracted to you, and the other girls weren't.
When I realized this, that if a girl likes you, she'll let you know, and if they don't, you're merely wasting time (not to mention money on cover charges at clubs), my strategy changed from one of pursuit to one of indifference. I believe I was about 19 at the time, and good thing I realized this that early on. From that point on I spent a mere fraction of resources most college boys did and most men do today AND had the same, if not better, results. Boys, do the same.
The simple answer? She was physically attracted to you, and the other girls weren't.
When I realized this, that if a girl likes you, she'll let you know, and if they don't, you're merely wasting time (not to mention money on cover charges at clubs), my strategy changed from one of pursuit to one of indifference. I believe I was about 19 at the time, and good thing I realized this that early on. From that point on I spent a mere fraction of resources most college boys did and most men do today AND had the same, if not better, results. Boys, do the same.
The Science Code
From Matt Metzgar
Scientific habits of mind, or the scientific process, can be succinctly summarized as the use of evidence and reason to arrive at conclusions. This sounds simple but it’s a demanding code: Take nothing for granted, form conclusions on the basis of careful observation and honest thinking, and be willing to modify those conclusions in the light of new experience.
Art Hobson, Professor Emeritus of Physics, University of Arkansas
I copied this here because I think this is a far better description of what science is, or should be, than the black swanning meme I keep hearing. By that I mean I get pretty tired of hearing the various versions of the "a good scientist tries to disprove their hypothesis" nonsense. Any research scientists in my audience believe that? This is why I've said all along that there was never a need for an alternate hypothesis to explain the obesity epidemic, and further that the alternate hypothesis put forth anyway was never formulated based on observations. Hobson continues:
In other words: Trust the universe, rather than tradition, emotion, authority figures, ancient texts, or popular vote. It’s a code that has worked surprisingly well for science. It might be science’s most important benefit.
I really like this part because it even takes a poke at so-called conventional wisdom. However many seem to have taken countering conventional wisdom for countering's sake to the level of Olympic sport. The "popular vote" rings true with me and can be seen in the comments sections of most posts by the likes of Eades circa 2008-2009. I don't think I need bother with the appeal to authority, only to point out the double standard with which this activity is often engaged in. Speaking of authority figures, however, the anti-establishmentarianism (is that a word?) rampant in the greater community continues to astound me. Lastly his admonishment of trusting emotion is quite fitting. Many seem to have way too much emotion invested when analyzing or discussing the science. How you feel about a study, or how the results of a study make you feel, should have no bearing on your consideration of the evidence as presented. In this regard, the whole n=1 thing is useful to finding what works for you, useful to share so that others might try it and it might work for them too, but totally irrelevant -- especially when unverified -- to discussions of science.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Does insulin block leptin in the brain?
I'm asking my great audience for help answering this. Does anyone know of any evidence that high circulating insulin blocks leptin action in the brain (hypothalamus)?
Carnie Wilson: Undergoing second WLS
With all the recent discussion on losing weight, exercise, bariatric surgery etc. here at the Asylum, I was reminded of this short post I intended to make on Carnie Wilson. I had seen her on Fox & Friends with Wilson Philips promoting their new album. Her's is a cautionary tale but also goes to show there's more to this obesity thing than many folks seem to want to acknowledge or talk about.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
carbsmart??
You've probably all seen it somewhere perusing the low carb web ... the carbsmart affiliate logo, or even that yellow and blue CS. Carbsmart is ... err was ... an online retailer of low carb foodstuffs -- mostly the stuff we'd call junk foods. For over a decade low carbers could order up their favorite goods from this outfit. As many low carbers do still depend on some of these "frankenfoods", I actually have no problem with outfits like the former CS filling their needs. In my opinion this is "honest business" whether the founder and CEO weighs 180 lbs or 380 lbs. CS was a "middle man" in such potential low carb frauds as Dreamfields pasta and similar products, and I hold DF's makers responsible for that fiasco. I also have no problem with CS advertising on websites and blogs with subject matter likely to attract potential customers. I'm a bit more critical of same-said bloggers and website owners, especially more recently when these folks are making $$ off these affiliations, posting reviews that at least infer endorsement, but having long since altered their personal diets to avoid the very "candy cigarettes" they make money from. It's a step up from making money from Google Ads for Medifast and Jillian Michaels, but not a large step in my book.More Random Thoughts: Obesity, Weight loss, Exercise & Moving like a Thin Person
I get the feeling from the comments on my last Random Thoughts post and the NEAT post that folks think I'm pretty down on HIT resistance training or HIIT "cardio". Not true. But it would be fair to say I am pretty down on the "culture" surrounding these minimalist-time protocols. I know, I know, telling people that they'll have to walk for an hour a day every day to stave off weight gain is so old school conventional wisdom and downright unsexy. OTOH, it's highly appealing to us to get all the benefits of any thing doing it slightly differently in less time! So it's not the merits of the methods themselves that I have an issue with, it's the whole "be super fit and buff in 10 minutes a week!" ... implied: and you can sit on your butt the rest of the time. There's a distinct tone of discouraging good old fashioned "cardio" that frequently skirts close to putting down those who engage in it as stupid drones and needlessly stressing folks concerning overtraining. So complete with calorie denial for how what you're eating impacts weight, you're also required to deny that a sedentary lifestyle has anything to do with it, complete with promises that you really only need like 6 seconds a day of exercise to accomplish the body of Mark Sisson. It's the ONLY that is something the obese want to hear but will likely fail them in the end. As I've said before, it's possible to reduce one's obesity and maintain it with a sedentary lifestyle, but the deck is stacked massively against you.
One can't help but write a post like this without mentioning the physiques of many of those putting forth the theories. Is there a single post-obese person out there with a blog or website or FB page or whatever who just maintains a lean mean fighting machine physique through diet and less than 15 minutes deliberate exercise per week? With all the talk of slow lifting to failure, I couldn't help being reminded of Fred Hahn, and with being reminded of Hahn comes flashbacks from the abomination that was The 6 Week Cure for the Middle Aged Middle by the Drs. Eades. I mean think about this folks. These two co-authored a book with Fred Hahn in 2003 called The Slow Burn Fitness Revolution. On page 76 of my Sony e-book version of 6WC the Eades' write:
Read more »
Ladies Night at Cappy's Club
Just so you know, we don't let no average ladies in at the Cappy Cap Club. We let only the most beeeyooteeeful, INTELLIGENT ladies in. Our standards are very high. So boys, you damn well BETTER click on EVERY SINGLE LINK! Because every one of these ladies deserves your undivided attention! Beside, lord knows you might learn a thing or two.
Sometimes I worry that if the Manosphere does its job too well, then we will get men and women to be true to themselves, admit and CELEBRATE (read - hot greasy monkey sex) our differences, and then, sadly, like the veterans of WWII we leave Europe, happy to go home, but kind of sad to lose the comradery. But then again, it looks like this war is going to last at LEAST another generation. Lock and load boys.
ADHD, ADD, DHADHDD, Adult DHDD, Autism, OR, is it just "I'm a crappy parent and blame my child's behavior on whatever fad disease the public schools concoct this week." In my day we had a remedy for that. It was my father's boot and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than a government social worker paid $250,000/yr and a pension that would make a UAW worker..um..well...work.
Even the black community I think would agree with this one.
"I am pro-Boobies, and have been pro-boobies during my entire political career, senator. I will CONTINUE to be pro-boobies, and will continue to vote pro-boobies, not because it is a political move, but because I am an honest man, a real man, and a statesman. Let it be clear I shall not waiver from this platform."
Kids, listen to me. There is a SCAM for your precious little tuition dollars. They don't care about you, they care about your money. Listen up, wise up, and make sure these "elders" that are supposed to be caring for you don't screw you over instead.
Your kindness, support and love does NOT go unnoticed. All we men ask is you wonderful women that choose to SUPPORT us instead of NAG/BERATE/LECTURE/....oh hell.... I would come up with a million other adjectives, just keep doing it. You'll be the ones we protect when the sh$t hits the fan. Not Mzzzz. Hyphen-Ated Named chicky babe with a Masters in Liberalartscrapthatwillgetusnowherewithoutagovernmentsubsidytogiveusmakeworkjobswhilstwelorditoverotherpeopleandclaimwe'reindependentwhenwe'rereallynotandjustrelyingonthetaxpayertopayforourmakeworkjob.
Is there anything hotter than a motorcycle riding, champion dog showing, conservative gun owning babe, that knows her bond ratings? I think not.
A billion people sent this to me. She will get credit for it, because she is beeeyoootiful.
IMPORTANT- These are the ladies that were forefront in my mind. If I excluded you, it was NOT on purpose. I also DEMAND you e-mail me and let me know if you were left out of the club. The Captain refuses no pretty ladies of the conservative, libertarian or Manosphere stripe.
Sometimes I worry that if the Manosphere does its job too well, then we will get men and women to be true to themselves, admit and CELEBRATE (read - hot greasy monkey sex) our differences, and then, sadly, like the veterans of WWII we leave Europe, happy to go home, but kind of sad to lose the comradery. But then again, it looks like this war is going to last at LEAST another generation. Lock and load boys.
ADHD, ADD, DHADHDD, Adult DHDD, Autism, OR, is it just "I'm a crappy parent and blame my child's behavior on whatever fad disease the public schools concoct this week." In my day we had a remedy for that. It was my father's boot and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than a government social worker paid $250,000/yr and a pension that would make a UAW worker..um..well...work.
Even the black community I think would agree with this one.
"I am pro-Boobies, and have been pro-boobies during my entire political career, senator. I will CONTINUE to be pro-boobies, and will continue to vote pro-boobies, not because it is a political move, but because I am an honest man, a real man, and a statesman. Let it be clear I shall not waiver from this platform."
Kids, listen to me. There is a SCAM for your precious little tuition dollars. They don't care about you, they care about your money. Listen up, wise up, and make sure these "elders" that are supposed to be caring for you don't screw you over instead.
Your kindness, support and love does NOT go unnoticed. All we men ask is you wonderful women that choose to SUPPORT us instead of NAG/BERATE/LECTURE/....oh hell.... I would come up with a million other adjectives, just keep doing it. You'll be the ones we protect when the sh$t hits the fan. Not Mzzzz. Hyphen-Ated Named chicky babe with a Masters in Liberalartscrapthatwillgetusnowherewithoutagovernmentsubsidytogiveusmakeworkjobswhilstwelorditoverotherpeopleandclaimwe'reindependentwhenwe'rereallynotandjustrelyingonthetaxpayertopayforourmakeworkjob.
Is there anything hotter than a motorcycle riding, champion dog showing, conservative gun owning babe, that knows her bond ratings? I think not.
A billion people sent this to me. She will get credit for it, because she is beeeyoootiful.
IMPORTANT- These are the ladies that were forefront in my mind. If I excluded you, it was NOT on purpose. I also DEMAND you e-mail me and let me know if you were left out of the club. The Captain refuses no pretty ladies of the conservative, libertarian or Manosphere stripe.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
They Are Coming for Your IRA and 401k
They did it in Argentina, Bolivia, Bulgaria and they will do it here.
Unless we get a balanced budget and huge economic growth.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!
I have a question, are 401k's and IRA's in the SWPL site? It sounds very SWPL.
Unless we get a balanced budget and huge economic growth.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!!!
I have a question, are 401k's and IRA's in the SWPL site? It sounds very SWPL.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Captain's Scary Bedtime Story!
I remember as a kid watching Poltergeist and not being able to sleep for about ohhhhhh....7 months.
Scared the living hell out of me.
Since then, about 30 years has passed and I was OK going back to bed without my blue Cookie Monster doll who served as a security blanket.
Until I saw this.
My mom has reliably informed me she threw out my Cookie Monster doll and I am going to have to go to bed on my own and deal with the ungodly nightmares that will no doubt ensue.
Scared the living hell out of me.
Since then, about 30 years has passed and I was OK going back to bed without my blue Cookie Monster doll who served as a security blanket.
Until I saw this.
My mom has reliably informed me she threw out my Cookie Monster doll and I am going to have to go to bed on my own and deal with the ungodly nightmares that will no doubt ensue.
Women Still Like Men
despite the best efforts of feminism.
The question is whether women will wake up and realize that feminism took away the best thing that could ever happen to them, and yes, ladies, that would be a good man.
Of course, I'm sure government checks, cats, day care and a MA in "Public Administration" were worth the trade.
The question is whether women will wake up and realize that feminism took away the best thing that could ever happen to them, and yes, ladies, that would be a good man.
Of course, I'm sure government checks, cats, day care and a MA in "Public Administration" were worth the trade.
Random Thoughts: Obesity, Weight loss, Metabolism, Diet & Exercise
In the interests of saving a bit of time and gathering thoughts, I thought I'd jot down some would-be comment replies in a blog post instead. First, so we're all (newer readers especially) on the same page, I did no formal exercise during the active weight loss phase and long plateau from sometime summer 2007 through spring 2009. This was not really by design, but more out of fear as the last time I low carbed I experienced the racing heart mostly when doing rather short periods of pilates and such. So I kept meaning to up the activity level a bit but never really managed to get around to it. In 2009 I did start doing concerted cardio -- walking and biking -- and later some more cardio-like exercise DVD's. As for strength training, the only formal training I have done was that 100 pushups thing that was popular in 2010. I got to 100 "girlie" pushups and was on my way with the regular ones when I pulled something in my side that made rolling over in bed painful! So for me personally, regular exercise is a sporadic thing at best ... something I am trying to dedicate myself to just never seems to stick. That said, I am very active. Initially this was just doing the "parking far away at work" thing and such, but has progressed to deliberate short bouts of exercise like walking around the yard when I bring the garbage out, always running up stairs, just going up and down stairs for the heck of it, etc.etc. Additionally, we go through a lot of wood with our fireplace to heat part of our home and I do pretty regular "workouts" transporting/stacking, chainsawing, etc. wood.
Read more »
I Officially Endorse Welfare
A bit of a philosophical debate I've been having in my little mind for a couple years and that is one of the morality of collecting a government check.
Understand one of the primary reasons I have the energetic, cynical, rage-filled, bombastic personality you've all come to know and love harkens from arguably the darkest days of my life - college.
They were dark because of the sheer amount of work I foisted upon myself, not out of self-discipline, but because if I didn't, I would not have succeeded. I had no help, parental, government, familial, nor friends, and this resulted in me working full time and going to school full time. The years of sleep-deprivation, weight loss (I went from 147 to 118) and mental strain took its toll, but it forged a viciously independent person, incapable of empathy as it was very likely what I went through was worse than whoever was complaining about life being tough. Because of this the single largest thing I prided myself on was my independence. I didn't need my parents, I didn't need a government hand out. I graduated, top of my class, 6 months early, with no debt and cash to spare. Nobody else I knew did that.
However, times have changed and whereas I was very judgmental about people collecting a government check, living off of the government or just not carrying their load, I'm not quite sure about that anymore. ie-the playing field and the rules have become so warped and so illogical, perhaps my old school beliefs are no longer obsolete, but just outright wrong.
For example, a big complaint in the "manosphere" is how traditional roles between men and women have changed. A large part of the men (and the women, I might add) lament this change and pine for the good old days of the 1950's to return. Men in the divorce community are desperate for a traditional woman to love and care for them, just as women howl "where have all the good men gone?" However, the forces that be are making such a return impossible. Plus society has been so brainwashed to ignore factual differences between men and women (going so far as to villainize the mentioning of these differences), deprogramming this communist brainwashing is going to take longer than most people have remaining in life expectancy. Therefore, the healthy or rational choice is not to lament this change, but to accept it as fact (which it is) and change your behavior to take advantage of it. Ergo, the rise of the "pick up artist."
"OK, you ladies want to be everything and do it all and have grrrrrl power and get divorce on a whim. You want to eschew traditional marriage and courting. You want to eschew traditional roles and go on slut walks or be the bread winner and be like guys. You want to jack up my taxes to effectively have the government replace men? Fine, we'll adapt. We'll become Man-Children, we'll never grow up, we'll just play our video games, we won't get married, we'll get vasectomies, we won't trust you, we'll use you, we'll tell you what you want to hear just so we can get what we want."
Is it disagreeable?
My idealistic, idiotic, "white knight," "uber beta," old school, youthful moral self would have said yes.
Is it reality?
My experienced, older and much-wiser self today says "damn right it is."
And guess which one I live in.
Sadly, this same logic has to be applied to today's economic reality as it pertains to self-supportation, independence and relying on the government.
Understand over time, government spending as a percent of GDP has gone from about 5% to 45% today. This includes state, local and federal spending. With government spending accounting for such a large percent of the population, it almost is impossible to live 100% of the time without being reliant upon the government at some point in your life. Additionally, with the private sector, production, wealth, excellence, progress and achievement being punished in the form of regulation, taxation and outright political and social derision, it becomes progressively harder to simply find private-sector employment (let alone a place where you can excel). So whereas our younger, more idealistic selves would be focusing on the shame of collecting a government check or taking a cushy government job, we do our modern day selves a disservice in ignoring the economic realities more or less forcing you to.
Much as I would like to stand here and say collecting a government check is bad, shameful and wrong, and champion the traditional American way of manly independence, if society is so hell bent on socialism and is stupid enough to put a guy like Barack Obama into office, not to mention equally hell bent on punishing individualism, profit and excellence, then in the end we're the suckers for slaving away anyway, trying to find jobs, merely to pay more in taxes for the slackers. And therefore, disagreeable as it may be to collect a government check, and disagreeable as it may be to "neg" women as a player, unfortunately that is the reality society has placed upon us.
Now, does this mean I fully endorse everybody going on the dole and stopping the fight against socialism? No, not at all. However, what I am trying to point out is that during these times of harsh economic conditions it is OK to collect a government check or go on unemployment. It is OK for those of you truly, psychologically independent people who love freedom and liberty to take from the government coffers. Of all people that deserve it, it's those of us who loathe and hate collecting a government check. And therefore you should have no shame in doing so. Better yet, if you can psychologically reprogram yourself, you might even be able to enjoy a much needed respite from a progressively decaying corporate world.
Really try to enjoy the decline.
(On a related note)
Understand one of the primary reasons I have the energetic, cynical, rage-filled, bombastic personality you've all come to know and love harkens from arguably the darkest days of my life - college.
They were dark because of the sheer amount of work I foisted upon myself, not out of self-discipline, but because if I didn't, I would not have succeeded. I had no help, parental, government, familial, nor friends, and this resulted in me working full time and going to school full time. The years of sleep-deprivation, weight loss (I went from 147 to 118) and mental strain took its toll, but it forged a viciously independent person, incapable of empathy as it was very likely what I went through was worse than whoever was complaining about life being tough. Because of this the single largest thing I prided myself on was my independence. I didn't need my parents, I didn't need a government hand out. I graduated, top of my class, 6 months early, with no debt and cash to spare. Nobody else I knew did that.
However, times have changed and whereas I was very judgmental about people collecting a government check, living off of the government or just not carrying their load, I'm not quite sure about that anymore. ie-the playing field and the rules have become so warped and so illogical, perhaps my old school beliefs are no longer obsolete, but just outright wrong.
For example, a big complaint in the "manosphere" is how traditional roles between men and women have changed. A large part of the men (and the women, I might add) lament this change and pine for the good old days of the 1950's to return. Men in the divorce community are desperate for a traditional woman to love and care for them, just as women howl "where have all the good men gone?" However, the forces that be are making such a return impossible. Plus society has been so brainwashed to ignore factual differences between men and women (going so far as to villainize the mentioning of these differences), deprogramming this communist brainwashing is going to take longer than most people have remaining in life expectancy. Therefore, the healthy or rational choice is not to lament this change, but to accept it as fact (which it is) and change your behavior to take advantage of it. Ergo, the rise of the "pick up artist."
"OK, you ladies want to be everything and do it all and have grrrrrl power and get divorce on a whim. You want to eschew traditional marriage and courting. You want to eschew traditional roles and go on slut walks or be the bread winner and be like guys. You want to jack up my taxes to effectively have the government replace men? Fine, we'll adapt. We'll become Man-Children, we'll never grow up, we'll just play our video games, we won't get married, we'll get vasectomies, we won't trust you, we'll use you, we'll tell you what you want to hear just so we can get what we want."
Is it disagreeable?
My idealistic, idiotic, "white knight," "uber beta," old school, youthful moral self would have said yes.
Is it reality?
My experienced, older and much-wiser self today says "damn right it is."
And guess which one I live in.
Sadly, this same logic has to be applied to today's economic reality as it pertains to self-supportation, independence and relying on the government.
Understand over time, government spending as a percent of GDP has gone from about 5% to 45% today. This includes state, local and federal spending. With government spending accounting for such a large percent of the population, it almost is impossible to live 100% of the time without being reliant upon the government at some point in your life. Additionally, with the private sector, production, wealth, excellence, progress and achievement being punished in the form of regulation, taxation and outright political and social derision, it becomes progressively harder to simply find private-sector employment (let alone a place where you can excel). So whereas our younger, more idealistic selves would be focusing on the shame of collecting a government check or taking a cushy government job, we do our modern day selves a disservice in ignoring the economic realities more or less forcing you to.
Much as I would like to stand here and say collecting a government check is bad, shameful and wrong, and champion the traditional American way of manly independence, if society is so hell bent on socialism and is stupid enough to put a guy like Barack Obama into office, not to mention equally hell bent on punishing individualism, profit and excellence, then in the end we're the suckers for slaving away anyway, trying to find jobs, merely to pay more in taxes for the slackers. And therefore, disagreeable as it may be to collect a government check, and disagreeable as it may be to "neg" women as a player, unfortunately that is the reality society has placed upon us.
Now, does this mean I fully endorse everybody going on the dole and stopping the fight against socialism? No, not at all. However, what I am trying to point out is that during these times of harsh economic conditions it is OK to collect a government check or go on unemployment. It is OK for those of you truly, psychologically independent people who love freedom and liberty to take from the government coffers. Of all people that deserve it, it's those of us who loathe and hate collecting a government check. And therefore you should have no shame in doing so. Better yet, if you can psychologically reprogram yourself, you might even be able to enjoy a much needed respite from a progressively decaying corporate world.
Really try to enjoy the decline.
(On a related note)
You Youth Paying Attention?
OK, boys and girls. You paying attention? What can we learn from this valuable experience about employment relations today in corporate America?
The hell if I will ever become a team player.
The hell if I will ever become a team player.
How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly, and Totally Screwed Part 8
Part 8 of this series focuses on avoiding Human Resources, progressive credentialism, and other brilliant career advice I give to the little kinder:
Does a "calorie not in" equal a "calorie out"?
Apparently not!
The Impact of Exercise Training Compared to Caloric Restriction on Hepatic and Peripheral Insulin Resistance in Obesity
Context: It has been difficult to distinguish the independent effects of caloric restriction versus exercise training on insulin resistance.
Objective: Utilizing metabolic feeding and supervised exercise training, we examined the influence of caloric restriction vs. exercise training with and without weight loss on hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance.
Design, Participants, and Intervention: Thirty-four obese, older subjects were randomized to: caloric restriction with weight loss (CR), exercise training with weight loss (EWL), exercise training without weight loss (EX), or controls. Based on an equivalent caloric deficit in EWL and CR, we induced matched weight loss. Subjects in the EX group received caloric compensation. Combined with [6,62H2]glucose, an octreotide, glucagon, multistage insulin infusion was performed to determine suppression of glucose production (SGP) and insulin-stimulated glucose disposal (ISGD). Computed tomography scans were performed to assess changes in fat distribution.
Results: Body weight decreased similarly in EWL and CR, and did not change in EX and controls. The reduction in visceral fat was significantly greater in EWL (−71 ± 15 cm2) compared to CR and EX. The increase in SGP was also almost 3-fold greater (27 ± 2%) in EWL. EWL and CR promoted similar improvements in ISGD [+2.5 ± 0.4 and 2.4 ± 0.9 mg · kg fat-free mass (FFM)−1 · min−1], respectively.
Conclusions: EWL promoted the most significant reduction in visceral fat and the greatest improvement in SGP. Equivalent increases in ISGD were noted in EWL and CR, whereas EX provided a modest improvement. Based on our results, EWL promoted the optimal intervention-based changes in body fat distribution and systemic insulin resistance.Read more »
Monday, April 23, 2012
MSM Finally Catches Up
Oh, you mean, men account for half the population? I thought we'd just ignore them and focus our efforts on women for 50 years. Oh, wait, you mean there's a backlash? Wow, how interesting. Maybe we should write about it.
Congrats to Dalrock!
Congrats to Dalrock!
Disposable Income - True Measure of the Recession
If you believe that "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is why you're on this planet (which I do), then you'll see why the chart below is representing your feelings of this economy probably better than any other chart has. Disposable income has taken its largest hit/decline since the data has been recorded. Even WORSE than the Volcker Recession, which is why (though in terms of GDP this recession is not quite as bad as the 1979-1983 recession) this one feels worse:
But then again, the founding fathers didn't want you to have fun. They wanted you to pay taxes, bloated health insurance premiums, and food, clothing and shelter for economic deadbeats and their children. So you should be happy that chart shows the worst decline in disposable income since the data has been recorded. Money is bad, which is why everybody is altruistic in wanting to take yours from you.
But then again, the founding fathers didn't want you to have fun. They wanted you to pay taxes, bloated health insurance premiums, and food, clothing and shelter for economic deadbeats and their children. So you should be happy that chart shows the worst decline in disposable income since the data has been recorded. Money is bad, which is why everybody is altruistic in wanting to take yours from you.
I Am The Peter Schiff for Gen Y?
I am also 33 years old. Damn, I am WAAAY better than I thought I was:
I too also feel shame for not speaking latin. Watch the whole thing, some freaking hilarious commentary
I too also feel shame for not speaking latin. Watch the whole thing, some freaking hilarious commentary
What was the point of Fat Head?
With all the reminiscing over childhood days I was reminded of a scene in Fat Head where Tom Naughton shows cars lined up to drop kids off at school. He contrasts this to how he used to walk to and from school often twice a day as he went home for lunch. That scene could have been shot in my neighborhood these days, and is a far cry from my childhood. I walked to school most days -- I'd like to exaggerate and say uphill both ways, but it was only uphill one way -- 3 hills to be exact. In milder weather I rode my bike. And, like Tom, after school spent several hours most days playing all manner of running games. It definitely seemed that Tom was making a case for less activity contributing to the obesity epidemic. If not, what am I missing?
Read more »
Sunday, April 22, 2012
He Didn't Do 7 Tours in Vietnam for You to Major in Shit
I won't go into detail (because he never gave me any), but my step-dad, who kicked my and my siblings asses into reality, didn't fight communists scumbags in a jungle in Vietnam and other unnamed SE Asian countries for you to get your freaking craptasic liberal arts degree in "women's studies."
He went there in the vain hopes of providing and protecting your pampered asses a genuine shot at the American dream.
So you can appreciate it when he looks at today's "kids" majoring in "shit" face an underemployment rate of 50% and laughs his freaking ass off.
Don't like it that he's mocking you? Tough, because he didn't take a shrapnel hit, suffer dysentery, become a POW, and earn more medals than he will tell me he's earned (because he's a sneaky bastard and won't show me his files) just so you spoiled suburbanite brats could bitch and whine at the local pompous OWS club. He suffered more than most people did because he cared about an ideal and this country.
I'm drunk now and I ain't got much left to say. Because, well, tell me if you have a better guy than my step dad.
He went there in the vain hopes of providing and protecting your pampered asses a genuine shot at the American dream.
So you can appreciate it when he looks at today's "kids" majoring in "shit" face an underemployment rate of 50% and laughs his freaking ass off.
Don't like it that he's mocking you? Tough, because he didn't take a shrapnel hit, suffer dysentery, become a POW, and earn more medals than he will tell me he's earned (because he's a sneaky bastard and won't show me his files) just so you spoiled suburbanite brats could bitch and whine at the local pompous OWS club. He suffered more than most people did because he cared about an ideal and this country.
I'm drunk now and I ain't got much left to say. Because, well, tell me if you have a better guy than my step dad.
How Boring Teachers Destroy Education
This is a very long piece, but of the many lessons to pull from it, one of the primary ones is that boring teachers should not be allowed to teach.
However, this is what happens when your primary source of labor for teachers are idiotic 23 year olds that managed to get a state certification to teach. NOT those professionals who have been in the field for 25 years who:
1. KNOW what they're talking about.
2. Have a PASSION for what they do and can therefore convey that passion into interest for the little kinder.
3. Are at the forefront of the discipline and can therefore teach it accurately.
4. CAN MAKE IT PRACTICAL to the little kinder.
I didn't realize it till later, but when I was a student the reason I was a "bad" student was because school was SOOOOO BORING! Not because school "is" boring, but because most teachers cannot make their subjects interesting or relevant to the young child.
Then again, education has never been about the chillllldreeeeeennnnn.
Oh, yeah, buy my book!
However, this is what happens when your primary source of labor for teachers are idiotic 23 year olds that managed to get a state certification to teach. NOT those professionals who have been in the field for 25 years who:
1. KNOW what they're talking about.
2. Have a PASSION for what they do and can therefore convey that passion into interest for the little kinder.
3. Are at the forefront of the discipline and can therefore teach it accurately.
4. CAN MAKE IT PRACTICAL to the little kinder.
I didn't realize it till later, but when I was a student the reason I was a "bad" student was because school was SOOOOO BORING! Not because school "is" boring, but because most teachers cannot make their subjects interesting or relevant to the young child.
Then again, education has never been about the chillllldreeeeeennnnn.
Oh, yeah, buy my book!
Saturday, April 21, 2012
A Nice Honor
RooshV of Manosphere fame did a review of "Worthless" over yonder. Kind of humbled actually I would be put up there with "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich."
Remember, if you bought Worthless from Amazon to write a review. They don't hurt book sales and allow the Captain to continue "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Rumpleminze."
In Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend. Postings will be sparse.
Remember, if you bought Worthless from Amazon to write a review. They don't hurt book sales and allow the Captain to continue "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Rumpleminze."
In Rocky Mountain National Park this weekend. Postings will be sparse.
Friday, April 20, 2012
School Is Prison for Intelligent Kids
Schools exist first and foremost to employ people (read teacher union members)
Schools exist second to employ support staff (the billions of other "social workers" "counselors" "assistant reserve vice principle" needed to support said teachers)
Schools exist third to act as effective day care operations for children, the parents of which had and completely underestimated how much it would take to raise a kid and just decided to make the taxpayer pay for baby sitting.
Schools exist lastly to educate those precious little pawns...errr...chilllllldreeeeen.
And so, it is nice to know that somebody came up with the exact same observation I did as a 2nd grader:
Schools are functionally similar to concentration camps for children. The relationship between students and teachers is therefore equivalent to that between concentration camp inmates and their guards and overseers.
Schools exist second to employ support staff (the billions of other "social workers" "counselors" "assistant reserve vice principle" needed to support said teachers)
Schools exist third to act as effective day care operations for children, the parents of which had and completely underestimated how much it would take to raise a kid and just decided to make the taxpayer pay for baby sitting.
Schools exist lastly to educate those precious little pawns...errr...chilllllldreeeeen.
And so, it is nice to know that somebody came up with the exact same observation I did as a 2nd grader:
Schools are functionally similar to concentration camps for children. The relationship between students and teachers is therefore equivalent to that between concentration camp inmates and their guards and overseers.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
A B-17 Over the Ruhr Would Catch Less Flak
than this poor woman. Note it is a WOMAN, not a guy. And it's not me, so don't be firing any flak over here. If you can't handle satire because society has brought you up in a bubble that you have such thin skin coupled with a hyper-victim mentality then go watch The View and they won't pop your precious little bubble. Otherwise if your up for some humor, as well as thought provoking observations, read on.
Attempting to define the "Damaged Metabolism"
Where reversing obesity is concerned, lots of excuse-making going on vis a vis the damaged metabolism. Usually when someone challenges this to clarify what they mean, they are met with silence. I've got four candidates based on various low carb theories and dieting truths. So just some thoughts: (OK a lot of thoughts - grin)
Read more »
What Did I Tell You About Horses!?
Evil!!! Pure evil and the SOLE cause of all of our economic problems!!!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Poetic Justice for Book Publishers
The book publishing industry, if you're unaware, is largely centered in New York. It may at one time had desired to seek out the best authors, provide the best books, and even have a nobler aim of contributing to the literary works of humanity, but now if you look at the profiles and bios of most of the people working in the publishing industry it's a bunch of spoiled brat suburb kids with connections, all with degrees in "Creative Writing" and "Philosophy." Like many other institutions in America is has decayed into a nepotistic, cronyistic, rent-seeking shell of its former self. And like all corrupted institutions it no longer serves its purpose.
It is useless.
So it is with a hearty laugh when I see a traditional publisher pout and stamp its feet when technology obsoletes their industry, allowing writers and readers to come to their own terms and prices, cutting out the publishers altogether. I'm specifically talking about Amazon.
Between Amazon's selling platform and it's self-publishing arm Createspace, the entire traditional publishing house industry just received a death sentence. Oh, it may be delayed or postponed, but those two little companies, combined with a dash of internet WILL wipe out the likes of Penguin, Simon and Schuster, Random House and all of their other "New York Publishing Echo Chamber" cousins. What's makes this better, though, is not that it's the technology that is solely to blame, but the arrogance, nepotism and elitism of the book publishing industry.
Like many people before, I had my first book shot down many times. So many times that I was more or less forced to self-publish because the point in time the housing market would crash was rapidly approaching and to avoid becoming a "Me Too" book, I had to get it out there to prove I knew it was going to happen before it did. It was an important lesson in that I realized I spent more time trying to find a publisher (or an agent, HA!) than I did writing the damn book. Adding insult to injury, my book was published in 2008. JUST 6 MONTHS AGO I RECEIVED A REJECTION LETTER FROM ONE OF THOSE PRECIOUS NY PUBLISHING HOUSES! In short, it wasn't that I was getting shot down that irked me (everybody gets shot down). It was realizing this was like applying to Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan. Didn't matter how good you were, you weren't from the right stock of family. You weren't from New York, you weren't "in the biz." And they were SO far from professional they would still send a rejection letter 4 years later after the book was inevitably published.
Why deal with these guys? The industry is dysfunctional.
And that is the whole point right there.
Understand if you are looking to publish, the single worst thing you can do is approach a traditional publisher. You will:
1. Waste more time on finding a publisher willing to accept your book than the time you spent writing it.
2. YOu will not get as favorable terms with them (about 5% commission) as you will online (35%-50% depending on how you structure it).
3. I can only imagine what the editorial process is and what kind of elitist snobs you'd have to deal with on the East Coast.
4. and with the demise of Border's Books (soon to be followed by Barnes and Noble!), you will face a dwindling market.
There's NO reason to go with a traditional publisher. If anything, write your own books and one may "pick you up," but I'd say in 20 years time, you won't even want to be picked up by one of them. If you are that popular and on their radar screen, you probably already have a decent following and therefore market to sell your book to.
But what is particularly precious about watching the publishing industry go down the toilet is the attitude within the industry. It's like watching an aging socialite who was used to being the center of attention being upstaged by a younger hotter socialite. Nobody is interested in her anymore, she's outdated and obsolete. But worse for the aged socialite, everybody remembers what an arrogant, condescending snob she used to be, and therefore have a personal interest in seeing her suffer.
But, like the aging socialite, what I particularly love about the publishing industry's attitude is how they're so arrogant, they're delusional. Borderline entitled. Randall White, EDC's CEO has a quote that says it all:
"Amazon is squeezing everyone out of business,” said Randall White, EDC’s chief executive. “I don’t like that. They’re a predator. We’re better off without them.”
No Randy, WE (the people who buy books) are better off without YOU. Amazon is merely a technological advance that, like the car wiping out horses, is wiping out you and the rest of your pompous, obsoleted asses. You bitching and whining about a technological advance lowering prices for everybody in the WORLD, thereby increasing their standards of living, just shows you'd rather stop general progress and advancement in the ENTIRE economy so you can keep your precious little job. ie- you're more important than everybody else in the world.
The article goes on to further prove the entitlement mentality (and it should be no shocker this comes from a New York Times writer):
*critics say* When traditional publishers, booksellers and wholesalers are destroyed, these opponents say, Amazon will be left with a monopoly that will be detrimental to the larger health of the culture.
Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this right.
Lower priced books
combined with
MORE books because people can now self-publish
results in something
detrimental to the larger health of the culture????
I mean, latte-sipping, self-absorbed, east coasters under the employ of their dad's publishing house might be delusional enough to fall for this, but NOBODY ELSE WILL! Yes, I can't wait for another drama-book about some 30 something female professional living in New York. We don't have enough of those, right? Who wants to read about, say, the education bubble, or a comic book, or the witty satire of Sinfest. No, please write "Eat Pray Love 2." And NEVER publish any of those other guys!
Additionally, by default, you're suggesting the rest of the country is supposed to just give up on a cheaper and MUCH WIDER selection of books all so you guys can keep your jobs? No doubt you all hate Wal-Mart too for their everyday low prices that has done more to eliminate poverty and improve people's standards of living? What evil entities Amazon and Wal-Mart are!
Well, pout, scream and stamp your little feet. Throw a tantrum or a hissy-fit. Do whatever it is your natural reaction tells you to do, in the end it won't matter. Publishers are going bye bye. If you were nice, professional and not elitists, you may have been able to extend the life of the industry by a couple decades, but now, people are cheering for the death of your industry.
Enjoy the decline! (and I can't mean that enough ;)
It is useless.
So it is with a hearty laugh when I see a traditional publisher pout and stamp its feet when technology obsoletes their industry, allowing writers and readers to come to their own terms and prices, cutting out the publishers altogether. I'm specifically talking about Amazon.
Between Amazon's selling platform and it's self-publishing arm Createspace, the entire traditional publishing house industry just received a death sentence. Oh, it may be delayed or postponed, but those two little companies, combined with a dash of internet WILL wipe out the likes of Penguin, Simon and Schuster, Random House and all of their other "New York Publishing Echo Chamber" cousins. What's makes this better, though, is not that it's the technology that is solely to blame, but the arrogance, nepotism and elitism of the book publishing industry.
Like many people before, I had my first book shot down many times. So many times that I was more or less forced to self-publish because the point in time the housing market would crash was rapidly approaching and to avoid becoming a "Me Too" book, I had to get it out there to prove I knew it was going to happen before it did. It was an important lesson in that I realized I spent more time trying to find a publisher (or an agent, HA!) than I did writing the damn book. Adding insult to injury, my book was published in 2008. JUST 6 MONTHS AGO I RECEIVED A REJECTION LETTER FROM ONE OF THOSE PRECIOUS NY PUBLISHING HOUSES! In short, it wasn't that I was getting shot down that irked me (everybody gets shot down). It was realizing this was like applying to Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan. Didn't matter how good you were, you weren't from the right stock of family. You weren't from New York, you weren't "in the biz." And they were SO far from professional they would still send a rejection letter 4 years later after the book was inevitably published.
Why deal with these guys? The industry is dysfunctional.
And that is the whole point right there.
Understand if you are looking to publish, the single worst thing you can do is approach a traditional publisher. You will:
1. Waste more time on finding a publisher willing to accept your book than the time you spent writing it.
2. YOu will not get as favorable terms with them (about 5% commission) as you will online (35%-50% depending on how you structure it).
3. I can only imagine what the editorial process is and what kind of elitist snobs you'd have to deal with on the East Coast.
4. and with the demise of Border's Books (soon to be followed by Barnes and Noble!), you will face a dwindling market.
There's NO reason to go with a traditional publisher. If anything, write your own books and one may "pick you up," but I'd say in 20 years time, you won't even want to be picked up by one of them. If you are that popular and on their radar screen, you probably already have a decent following and therefore market to sell your book to.
But what is particularly precious about watching the publishing industry go down the toilet is the attitude within the industry. It's like watching an aging socialite who was used to being the center of attention being upstaged by a younger hotter socialite. Nobody is interested in her anymore, she's outdated and obsolete. But worse for the aged socialite, everybody remembers what an arrogant, condescending snob she used to be, and therefore have a personal interest in seeing her suffer.
But, like the aging socialite, what I particularly love about the publishing industry's attitude is how they're so arrogant, they're delusional. Borderline entitled. Randall White, EDC's CEO has a quote that says it all:
"Amazon is squeezing everyone out of business,” said Randall White, EDC’s chief executive. “I don’t like that. They’re a predator. We’re better off without them.”
No Randy, WE (the people who buy books) are better off without YOU. Amazon is merely a technological advance that, like the car wiping out horses, is wiping out you and the rest of your pompous, obsoleted asses. You bitching and whining about a technological advance lowering prices for everybody in the WORLD, thereby increasing their standards of living, just shows you'd rather stop general progress and advancement in the ENTIRE economy so you can keep your precious little job. ie- you're more important than everybody else in the world.
The article goes on to further prove the entitlement mentality (and it should be no shocker this comes from a New York Times writer):
*critics say* When traditional publishers, booksellers and wholesalers are destroyed, these opponents say, Amazon will be left with a monopoly that will be detrimental to the larger health of the culture.
Wait, wait, wait. Let me get this right.
Lower priced books
combined with
MORE books because people can now self-publish
results in something
detrimental to the larger health of the culture????
I mean, latte-sipping, self-absorbed, east coasters under the employ of their dad's publishing house might be delusional enough to fall for this, but NOBODY ELSE WILL! Yes, I can't wait for another drama-book about some 30 something female professional living in New York. We don't have enough of those, right? Who wants to read about, say, the education bubble, or a comic book, or the witty satire of Sinfest. No, please write "Eat Pray Love 2." And NEVER publish any of those other guys!
Additionally, by default, you're suggesting the rest of the country is supposed to just give up on a cheaper and MUCH WIDER selection of books all so you guys can keep your jobs? No doubt you all hate Wal-Mart too for their everyday low prices that has done more to eliminate poverty and improve people's standards of living? What evil entities Amazon and Wal-Mart are!
Well, pout, scream and stamp your little feet. Throw a tantrum or a hissy-fit. Do whatever it is your natural reaction tells you to do, in the end it won't matter. Publishers are going bye bye. If you were nice, professional and not elitists, you may have been able to extend the life of the industry by a couple decades, but now, people are cheering for the death of your industry.
Enjoy the decline! (and I can't mean that enough ;)
Graffiti, Men Going Galt and More!
On this episode of Cappy Cap Linkage!
Hipsters plagiarizing graffiti.
In addition to guns, bullets, and a crate of Rumpleminze (not to be drunken, drank? whatever the correct verb is), I also purchased about $500 in stamps. Looks like it's not a bad idea.
Help Dr. Helen come up with ways men have "gone Galt." Off hand I think of motorcycles, vasectomies, never marrying, outsourcing to foreign women, hanging out with friends, drinking, playing X-Box, watching sports, working less, minimalizing their expenses, minimalizing their assets, and just becoming players with no intention to commit.
You know how I like to go fossil hunting. You also know my dad was a pastor. Funny how he never talks to me about my fossil collection, where they came from and why I find inordinate amounts of ammonites (sea creatures from long ago) in high elevations. So large and so many that they couldn't have all grown in 40 days and 40 nights. Still, I wonder why we never talk about fossils.
We don't need no stiiiiiinking fathers!
A lengthy, thorough and thoughtful post on infidelity in the church. Thankfully that's not a problem because Jesus will forgive you, and btw, turn the other cheek. Joking aside, a serious post. I just have to get my PK jabs in there.
I just called it "changing the topic," but leftists do it when they're about to lose the argument.
Hipsters plagiarizing graffiti.
In addition to guns, bullets, and a crate of Rumpleminze (not to be drunken, drank? whatever the correct verb is), I also purchased about $500 in stamps. Looks like it's not a bad idea.
Help Dr. Helen come up with ways men have "gone Galt." Off hand I think of motorcycles, vasectomies, never marrying, outsourcing to foreign women, hanging out with friends, drinking, playing X-Box, watching sports, working less, minimalizing their expenses, minimalizing their assets, and just becoming players with no intention to commit.
You know how I like to go fossil hunting. You also know my dad was a pastor. Funny how he never talks to me about my fossil collection, where they came from and why I find inordinate amounts of ammonites (sea creatures from long ago) in high elevations. So large and so many that they couldn't have all grown in 40 days and 40 nights. Still, I wonder why we never talk about fossils.
We don't need no stiiiiiinking fathers!
A lengthy, thorough and thoughtful post on infidelity in the church. Thankfully that's not a problem because Jesus will forgive you, and btw, turn the other cheek. Joking aside, a serious post. I just have to get my PK jabs in there.
I just called it "changing the topic," but leftists do it when they're about to lose the argument.
How Gen Y Is Completely, Hopelessly, and Totally Screwed Part 6
John Marston of Red Dead Redemption fame has some commentary at the end of this presentation.
Starch ... What's with all the antagonism?
< RANT WARNING > This post is a compilation of several that have been lying in the draft bin. Consider it a response to a perfect storm of the arrogance and pitiful whining by staunch low carb advocates in past months. I've had enough of the absolute abomination that is Jimmy Moore orchestrating the rhetoric, but also many of the attendant hangers on. So yes, I'm going on a rant here folks. You've been forewarned. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride, or just hit that "X" button up there on the corner right of your browser. < /RANT WARNING >
Most readers are probably aware of Jimmy Moore's latest demonstration that he's LLVLClue to the hilt lately: Jimmy Moore’s n=1 Experiments: ‘Safe Starch’ Sweet Potato. I mean really, I cannot imagine that this experiment resembles in any way what Paul Jaminet would construct for someone adding starches back to a low carb diet. The pricking begins on day one of adding some sweet potato. It is never consumed in what would be a normal meal for most people. Let's look at the sweet potato -- on the first two days he eats 1/2 with 1 T of honey (fructose!), the remaining days with stevia except for the last day when he eats just a half of a sweet potato. Each day except the last he adds an unbelievable "copious" amount of butter: 3T!! Yes, to half a sweet potato he adds over 1/3rd stick of butter. Now let's add in the variable meals of mostly 2 brats with sauerkraut or chicken smothered in cheese. This is DISHONEST folks. If you're going to do self experiments and publish results, learn to do it right. And if you're testing the effect of starch on your body, you have to consume it as plainly as possible, or at least with a normal amount of added fat. Even sweet potato fries from a family restaurant don't hold a candle to that absolutely ridiculous added fat-to-whole food ratio!! With reservations stated, Jimmy soldiered on ...
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Yeah, DC Sucks Too
I rip on California and Detroit a lot, but don't forget DC where carrying gun SHELL CASINGS (not bullets, the casings) is illegal if they don't match the caliber of your gun.
Contrast to Wyoming where the state tendered legislation BANNING ANY CITY from making laws that restrict gun rights UNDER PENALTIES OR REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.
Contrast to Wyoming where the state tendered legislation BANNING ANY CITY from making laws that restrict gun rights UNDER PENALTIES OR REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.
Watering My Plant With Diet Red Bull
This is "Moose." It's a plant I received from a friend before I left Minnesota. He's grown a lot and I think that is in part because of my experimental watering habits. I figured he's a bachelor like me and therefore would like to drink the things I do.
Rumpleminze of course is out of the question, but he has responded quite well to old coffee. Figured I'd see if Moose likes Red Bull.
Rumpleminze of course is out of the question, but he has responded quite well to old coffee. Figured I'd see if Moose likes Red Bull.
Working for Baby Boomer Bosses
AKA "How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly and Totally Screwed" Part 5.
There are, however, some important observations about how the private sector and corporate America has become so impaired due to the people under it's employ that NOTHING can get done, and certainly, there's no hope it will "save" the country. Instead of productivity, we worry about "corporate social responsibility." Instead of efficiency and profit, we worry about the customer's feelings. And dare any of you young go getters come up with an idea or innovation that may make/save millions, you will be disciplined.
Enjoy the decline!
There are, however, some important observations about how the private sector and corporate America has become so impaired due to the people under it's employ that NOTHING can get done, and certainly, there's no hope it will "save" the country. Instead of productivity, we worry about "corporate social responsibility." Instead of efficiency and profit, we worry about the customer's feelings. And dare any of you young go getters come up with an idea or innovation that may make/save millions, you will be disciplined.
Enjoy the decline!
Another Reason Not to Move to Sweden
Mercy, they have a "Department of Culture."
What is sick and wrong is how everybody is smiling.
Oh well:
Njut av nedgången!
What is sick and wrong is how everybody is smiling.
Oh well:
Njut av nedgången!
Obama Is Doing This On Purpose
I learned about 3 years ago that arguing with people who are ignorant or misinformed is pointless, especially if they have a zealot like faith in their ideology. You're not going to get through to them because their belief comes FIRST, reality, fact and truth comes second, if not are to be ignored altogether.
So it's instances like this where I ask the left,
"Do you REALLY believe this is going to work better than allowing the Keystone Pipeline through?"
It forces them to take an untenable position to further defend their leader and their ideology to the point they look like complete idiots.
I now await the left's rationale/excuse/reasoning that is going to be nowhere near Realityville.
No, seriously, I am. I'm breaking out my lawn chair, going to get some popcorn and will be entertained to see how you socialist zealots lie-to-yourselves out of this one. Please, go ahead, I await your nonsensical drivel.
So it's instances like this where I ask the left,
"Do you REALLY believe this is going to work better than allowing the Keystone Pipeline through?"
It forces them to take an untenable position to further defend their leader and their ideology to the point they look like complete idiots.
I now await the left's rationale/excuse/reasoning that is going to be nowhere near Realityville.
No, seriously, I am. I'm breaking out my lawn chair, going to get some popcorn and will be entertained to see how you socialist zealots lie-to-yourselves out of this one. Please, go ahead, I await your nonsensical drivel.
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Captain's Jazz Lounge
From a reader! A relative of his is in the band. I'm not a big fan of Salsa music because of its repetitive nature, but this is certainly some of the better latin music I've heard:
$170,000 for a Bachelors in Photography
Whew! Dodged a HAYOOOOOOGE bullet there!
My favorite is how the liberal arts major will typically marry an engineer, spend the majority of the money, and have the gall to claim they're an "independent" person.
Perhaps he could have bought her "Worthless" as an engagement gift? Would have saved a lot of troubles and the romance.
My favorite is how the liberal arts major will typically marry an engineer, spend the majority of the money, and have the gall to claim they're an "independent" person.
Perhaps he could have bought her "Worthless" as an engagement gift? Would have saved a lot of troubles and the romance.
Argentinian Default v 2.0
Argentina defaulted on its debts back in 1999.
A socialist government came to power.
They nationalized private pensions.
Everybody in the west fawns over their impressive economic growth
Until....
it looks like they're going to default again DESPITE nationalizing foreign interests.
I'm still trying to figure out how Argentina not only got access to the capital markets after it stiffed its creditors 13 years ago, but how private western companies thought it would be a good idea to invest there.
Oh well, everybody enjoy that decline!
A socialist government came to power.
They nationalized private pensions.
Everybody in the west fawns over their impressive economic growth
Until....
it looks like they're going to default again DESPITE nationalizing foreign interests.
I'm still trying to figure out how Argentina not only got access to the capital markets after it stiffed its creditors 13 years ago, but how private western companies thought it would be a good idea to invest there.
Oh well, everybody enjoy that decline!
I Burned the Fish
The diet I must follow along with my workout routine recommends healthy meats such as fish and poultry. I bought a pan to cook these meats and learned that I get easily distracted by things and so it is usually when the fish is burning that I remembered I was in the middle of cooking.
It is because of my genetic predisposition to be a bad cook that I envy bachelors like this.
It also behooves the question:
Is cooking one of those skills that is akin to dancing that attracts the ladies? I would say no, in that there is no attention-begetting qualities for the women if the guy is a good cook. Just the utility that comes with eating great food. Dancing, however, does beget attention, however, there is no real consumptive utility.
On a related note! I want the moon one!
Dang, I love it with courting and economics collide.
It is because of my genetic predisposition to be a bad cook that I envy bachelors like this.
It also behooves the question:
Is cooking one of those skills that is akin to dancing that attracts the ladies? I would say no, in that there is no attention-begetting qualities for the women if the guy is a good cook. Just the utility that comes with eating great food. Dancing, however, does beget attention, however, there is no real consumptive utility.
On a related note! I want the moon one!
Dang, I love it with courting and economics collide.
From Our Brazilian Man in the Field
I forgot about this one a while ago. Sent in a by a reader. It's from (reddit) I believe - comments in regards to Worthless. Today's word is "delusional." The comments can also be called "priceless."
I guess, perhaps I was misled about the open-mindedness of the youngest generation when I spoke to those college kids in Dallas.
I guess, perhaps I was misled about the open-mindedness of the youngest generation when I spoke to those college kids in Dallas.
Why Young Boys Have Trouble Dating Girls
Because, if you're like me when I was that age, you overestimated them and their intelligence.
I think this earns a Double Palm Face Plant Award:
I think this earns a Double Palm Face Plant Award:
Maybe Glycation isn't so bad after all
Higher HbA1c levels predict better outcomes in advanced heart failure with diabetes (free registration required)
"We're finding that in heart failure [plus diabetes], higher HbA1C levels are associated not with worse outcomes, but with better outcomes," lead investigator Dr Tamara Horwich (University of California, Los Angeles) told heartwire. This suggests that for patients with both diseases, "the focus should not be on lowering the HbA1C levels to as low as possible," she said, adding that "aiming for a midrange of 7.2% to 8.2% may be very reasonable."OK, this is in people with established heart disease and diabetes, but lower is, apparently, not always better. And what is it we keep hearing about all these damaged metabolisms and all ...
How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly and Totally Screwed Part 4
Replete with post-seminar commentary from Jennifer Aniston!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Ooo...This One is PAINFUL
Oh don't worry dear. Once government funds start to run low and the Chinese won't lend us money anymore, all those social programs and cushy-make-work public sector jobs will go away. You won't be "out-earning" men for much longer. The rest of it is also equally painful, but laughably enjoyable when a feminist even admits she drank the kool-aid.
I Failed at Tornado Chasing
Epic failure, came nowhere NEAR the bleeping storms. But I think I know why the storms and tornadoes therein were so far to the east:
Reason #4,297 Not to Date a Feminist
Holy mercy. Look at the female-centric view of dating on this one. Forget rape, but look at how deluded and psychotic she is about how you (meaning, men) should consider her feelings about when you go in for an unwelcomed first kiss at the end of the date.
I can see a nervous Poindexter getting the gall to go in for that first kiss, only to get a lecture about how uncomfortable that made the little princess. Reminds me how I got yelled at after I took a girl to see "The Great Raid" because she was a pacifist and I should have known that!
ht
I can see a nervous Poindexter getting the gall to go in for that first kiss, only to get a lecture about how uncomfortable that made the little princess. Reminds me how I got yelled at after I took a girl to see "The Great Raid" because she was a pacifist and I should have known that!
ht
Saturday, April 14, 2012
How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly, and Totally Screwed Part 3
Hope and change kids! Hope and change!
Yes, What He Said
A thoughtful post that most people are thinking, but he was kind enough to take the time out of his life to articulate.
What if Kimmer was a real 100 lb weight loss success story?
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| direct image link |
For those not familiar with "Kimmer", allow me to fill in with a little background. Kimmer was the screen name used by one Heidi Diaz who started a subscription weight loss site KimKins.com. The website -- version 3.0 -- lives on. KimKins is essentially several low carb diets that are also low fat and low calorie. I think the most severe of them is around 300 cal/day. Kimmer used pictures of others for fake "after" pictures while remaining obese herself and promoting KK as a successful weight loss plan. You see, here is the before and apparently a real intermediate pic of Kimmer, and her "after" shot. Below that we have a montage of before/afters used by Heidi. It always amazed me that folks were apparently unquestioning of these shots, but maybe it's just me that would look at any of them and at least wonder whether this was the same person or not. Below right is a split screen of Heidi's before picture and the shot taken by a private detective.
Read more »
Friday, April 13, 2012
How Gen Y is Completely, Hopelessly and Totally Screwed Part 2
Just so all of you know, I just got back from Dallas about 20 minutes ago. But, VERY PROMISING storms are a-brewin' in the plains states, so it is very likely I will be leaving early tomorrow morn and chasing after some tornadoes. (who said being a childless bachelor didn't have it's advantages?)
This is part two of the series, but there are about 6-7 more parts to be published, though they will not all be published at once, just when I get the time.
Regardless, tell your friends, family and any Gen Y'ers you know about this presentation because it will help them...almost as much as the book!
This is part two of the series, but there are about 6-7 more parts to be published, though they will not all be published at once, just when I get the time.
Regardless, tell your friends, family and any Gen Y'ers you know about this presentation because it will help them...almost as much as the book!
Foxnews T&A
Ug. (sorry, link fixed)
Ayn Rand is rolling in her grave. But I suppose conservative men who watch Foxnews between the ages of 46 and impotent are happy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the background on this story.
Ayn Rand is rolling in her grave. But I suppose conservative men who watch Foxnews between the ages of 46 and impotent are happy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the background on this story.
Drs. Westman & Vernon on Gastric Bypass and Diabetes
So I was getting my morning news fix the other day and of course the new study mentioning gastric bypass as a cure for diabetes was discussed. One of the many mainstream press articles about two recently published articles in NEJM can be found here. The full texts of both studies are available online free: Bariatric Surgery versus Conventional Medical Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes - Mingrone et.al. and Bariatric Surgery versus Intensive Medical Therapy in Obese Patients with Diabetes - Schauer et.al. I've discussed some other studies previously here. Lastly on the links for now, I have not followed all contained in this post, but from a surgery center blog we have: Gastric bypass to ‘cure’ diabetes goes mainstream (you are forewarned that the last one is a "medical tourism" clinic in Colombia).
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The Correlation Between Ugly and Stupid
Because of course Italy and Spain don't have larger problems to deal with.
And wow, what are the chances the person who offered this idiocy is an ugly feminist!?
OMG! 100% Who would have guessed!?
And you feminists REALLY want to be taken seriously? KA-ripes.
And wow, what are the chances the person who offered this idiocy is an ugly feminist!?
OMG! 100% Who would have guessed!?
And you feminists REALLY want to be taken seriously? KA-ripes.
Shoot the Messenger
Something tells me this guy is going to get a bigger "I told you so" award than I did.
But then again, never let the truth or reality get in the way of politicians', bankers', leftists' and otherwise criminal scumbags' dreams.
But then again, never let the truth or reality get in the way of politicians', bankers', leftists' and otherwise criminal scumbags' dreams.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Most Kick Ass Coin EVER!!!!
Glows in the dark AND HAS A DINOSAUR????
We used to be able to do that in America.
I will handsomely pay one of my Canuckistan friends recompense for one of your fine, superior coins. It would very much make my day!
We used to be able to do that in America.
I will handsomely pay one of my Canuckistan friends recompense for one of your fine, superior coins. It would very much make my day!
Google Giggles
I guess at least one other person saw an infomercial for the Schticky and wondered how long that thing has been around. Because today's giggle that tickled me was that someone found the Asylum searching on:
We know the Atkins Diet has been around for 40 ...
how old is the schticky
"You'll Die ALL ALONE!"
Oh, you'll die alone alright. Divorce and "finding yourself" will make sure of that.
Oh, and those kids you had but brought up in day care, presumably because you wanted kids but didn't want to be bothered by raising them.
Yeah, they're not going to visit you in the nursing home.
Hey, you crazy kids enjoy that decline!
Oh, and those kids you had but brought up in day care, presumably because you wanted kids but didn't want to be bothered by raising them.
Yeah, they're not going to visit you in the nursing home.
Hey, you crazy kids enjoy that decline!
Extend and Pretend
"Behind the Housing Crash" was written 5 years ago and published in 2008. It would have been written earlier had I not wasted away nearly 6 months pursuing publishing houses to consider my book.
Funny that 5 years later the book should have a resurgence as many banks DESPITE SUFFERING THE HOUSING CRASH have now foolishly pursued what is called "Extend and Pretend."
In short, the bank lends to a loser who is also a financial deadbeat. Naturally, the borrower has financial troubles, BUT the banker who made the loan doesn't want a bad mark on his/her track record and therefore perpetually extends the loan (and at progressively favorable terms) and then pretends it will somehow be paid off in the future.
I've seen this at enough banks to know there's enough volume of this "kicking the can down the road" that not only are there going to be severe consequences, but inevitably they will have to do what I told them to do years ago;
"Repossess NOW, take a hit on the collateral, get this crap off your books even at a loss, quit pissing away your time baby sitting these losers and problem loans, and then refocus your efforts on more profitable and less-time consuming borrowers which will recompense your losses."
Of course, having Super Awesome Economic Genius (TM) does not outrank the fact I have no gray hair. And therefore the strategy of "extend and pretend" is implemented anyway.
What's funny though is that collateral has a tendency to decay over time, especially when people abandon the property or just decide to split and leave town. Additionally, I have this uncanny ability to be right when it comes to economics. The result:
Banks, bankers and credit unions. Time to prepare for a dose of "I told you so."
And no, reality won't let you extend and pretend this time.
Enjoy the decline!
Funny that 5 years later the book should have a resurgence as many banks DESPITE SUFFERING THE HOUSING CRASH have now foolishly pursued what is called "Extend and Pretend."
In short, the bank lends to a loser who is also a financial deadbeat. Naturally, the borrower has financial troubles, BUT the banker who made the loan doesn't want a bad mark on his/her track record and therefore perpetually extends the loan (and at progressively favorable terms) and then pretends it will somehow be paid off in the future.
I've seen this at enough banks to know there's enough volume of this "kicking the can down the road" that not only are there going to be severe consequences, but inevitably they will have to do what I told them to do years ago;
"Repossess NOW, take a hit on the collateral, get this crap off your books even at a loss, quit pissing away your time baby sitting these losers and problem loans, and then refocus your efforts on more profitable and less-time consuming borrowers which will recompense your losses."
Of course, having Super Awesome Economic Genius (TM) does not outrank the fact I have no gray hair. And therefore the strategy of "extend and pretend" is implemented anyway.
What's funny though is that collateral has a tendency to decay over time, especially when people abandon the property or just decide to split and leave town. Additionally, I have this uncanny ability to be right when it comes to economics. The result:
Banks, bankers and credit unions. Time to prepare for a dose of "I told you so."
And no, reality won't let you extend and pretend this time.
Enjoy the decline!
Cold Adaptation, BAT & Thermogenesis
Lerner posted a link to this study in comments on another post: Cold-Activated Brown Adipose Tissue in Healthy Men. A small part of the study where they looked at BAT activity for the three subjects with the most BAT under neutral thermal conditions caught my eye, and I think this is central to some of the confusion Kaptain Konfusion has introduced into this whole discussion. They tested all subjects lying on their backs in a chamber, first for one hour in thermoneutral temp, next for 2 hours at 17C. For three subjects they retested in thermoneutral temps for the entire time.
There was no detectable brown-adipose-tissue activity in the three subjects who were retested under thermoneutral conditions. Brown-adipose-tissue activity was recorded in Subject 2 at 856.5 kBq during exposure to cold and 0 kBq in thermoneutral conditions, in Subject 3 at 587.2 kBq during cold exposure and 0 kBq in thermoneutral conditions, and in Subject 4 at 250.0 kBq during cold exposure and 0 kBq thermoneutral conditions.Read more »
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
"Worst Economy in 50 Years!"
Remember in 2002 when the media and John Kerry were all over GW for the economy being the "worst in 50 years?"
I learned to let such lies go on account these socialist politicians know they're lying, they're just trying to convince the lemmings otherwise. Unfortunatley I think BBB is still giving hyphernated named people credit for having intellectual honesty which might explain the increase in blood pressure.
I learned to let such lies go on account these socialist politicians know they're lying, they're just trying to convince the lemmings otherwise. Unfortunatley I think BBB is still giving hyphernated named people credit for having intellectual honesty which might explain the increase in blood pressure.
I Used to Want to Attend the London School of Economics
And then I saw this.
YOu know what would be ironic. Is if I started a whole new study out of cloth (which seems academians do every week). We'd call it "Worthless Degrees Studies." It would be the study itself of worthless degrees and every middle and upper middle class SWPL could get their masters in it.
YOu know what would be ironic. Is if I started a whole new study out of cloth (which seems academians do every week). We'd call it "Worthless Degrees Studies." It would be the study itself of worthless degrees and every middle and upper middle class SWPL could get their masters in it.
Boo Freaking Hoo
Oh the irony. Forget the movies, I'm just pulling out my lawn chair and watching this train wreck in slo-mo.
Remember, June Cleaver is the enemy.
Remember, June Cleaver is the enemy.
Fat Tissue Regulation ~ Part VIII: C5L2KO v. Kit FIRKO
It's been a while since we last had a Star Wars installment. With the War on Insulin raging out there, it seemed a good time to re-address the FIRKO mouse in this series. You gotta admire the tireless efforts of TWICHOOB's in rescuing a hypothesis. It's a brave face to herald an Insurgency while one's hypothesis is circling the drain.
There are a number of IRKO mice -- Insulin Receptor Knock Out. There's FIRKO (Fat), LIRKO (Liver), MIRKO (Muscle), NIRKO (Brain). Interestingly enough, two of these (M&F) are consistent with and seem to support TWICHOO, while the other two (L&N) present serious stumbling blocks (in the case of LIRKO, pretty much fatal for the hypothesis). Allow me to introduce our characters for today's saga, C5L2KO and Kit FIRKO.
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