WTF's going on with the economy

SO... as I am answering a question from my Students... it occurs to me that I could offer up my EXTENSIVE education in political economy for any of my friends to ask me about WTF's going on with the economy...

Feel free to fling questions my way and I will try to explain...

To start with... This is a basic metaphor I use to describe the economy:

Imagine a nation's economy is a car where there is a 'good' safe speed for driving that gets you where you want to go [continued national prosperity that keeps up with growing population and increased expectations of the people]... it can 'grow' by moving forward, it can grow faster, it can slow down (but still generally be moving forward), and it can completely stall out, and it can EVEN (though rare) go in reverse.

The incredibly oversimplified version

Plan A rests on the contemporary common wisdom about the role of government in an economy that has 'stalled out'. The government should step on the gas [ok, technically if it's stalled you have to do more than that - point is the government acts with its taxing and spending and money powers to get the economy moving again].

Plan B says... leave it alone, the car will start moving [ok, the car metaphor literally and figuratively 'broke down' here, but the assumption is as follows: independent of most government action, the economy will 'right itself' and start moving.

Thank you Obama

For the birds and the animals and the trees....

Apparently my nephew may have accidentally addressed his prayers the other night to Obama (instead of God or Jesus). He was present at a church event (for youth I think, but not for elementary school kids which Nathan is) where my sister was using the example of the inauguration or the campaign or something to discuss promises and then moved on to discuss promises of god to his people and vice versa.

In a move (that I'm not sure she knows has occurred in schools across the country) she created some sort of tasks/activity where the youth would write/or present messages to the president.

Later that night.... Putting Nathan to sleep.... the diction apparently wasn't too clear, but Nathan apparently addressed his prayers to Obama.

Politics

Well, I'm in love with Obama...

Policy Dork's in Love... weeeee Obama is me, but with capability and political savvy...

it's like he reads my mind about policy choices (ok, maybe not every single one).

Not quite stir crazy but...

I am getting the feeling that a change of venue from the apartment would lead to increased productivity... BUT, I am afraid to go anywhere for any length of time since I worry whether the car will restart.

We're in a apparently abnormally long, abnormally cold , cold snap. I'm afraid to go to the laundromat or my office since only the latter entitles me to plugging in the car and I wouldn't want to leave the car running for the hours involved... but wouldn't want to leave it cold for that length of time.

Apparently the 'option' would be to go - not leave the car running the whole time, but go out after an hour and run it for some time... rinse, and repeat. Not seeing the joy in this approach since the apartment is toasty warm.

There's clearly something WRONG with people who choose to live up here (ok, that might be a bit harsh since persistent -40s isn't usual).


Anyway... here are links to two informative articles... the second is about the lovely frozen suspended engine exhaust known as 'ice fog' and the first is a piece I sent out when I found it in August about life at -40.

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF18/1887.html

http://www.newsminer.com/news/2009/jan/03/no-end-sight-interior-alaska-cold-spell/

Car Go

Got to store, got kitty litter, too tired to clean number 2 litter box tonight. Ah my love for the Cat Genie grows stronger every day.

AAA finally got here at 7:30PM ( I prob. only called at 1:00 pm) hooked up the car and charged it for a good 15-20 minutes (maybe longer)... I let it run for half hour, then went to school to check up on the aerogarden (i have some viable tomato plants and one somewhat healthy looking bit of preemie spinach - aka before baby spinach, fetal spinach? guess that wouldn't sell.)

Then on to Fred Meyer. It felt very wierd leaving the car running as I went into school and FM - protected just with the itty bitty 'Club' on the steering wheel. Hopefully most folks don't know a running volvo won't lock.

Car no go at less than 40 below

Imagine this... little booster in the dash, battery jumper hooked up where you hook it up in my wierd volvo (engine compartment has places to hook up cables since the battery is in the cargo hold).... I even (VERY BRIEFLY) tried to use a hair dryer on the main battery.

no go...

Prob. tried way too many times anyway draining what little juice was able to flow from the car battery.

OH, funnier is watching me get dressed and undressed as I go in and out of the apartment to adjust things... Found the balaclava with heat exchanging breathie part. Was wearing skiing gloves (the big columbia ones) and my fingers were starting to freeze in the gloves (hence why you are supposed to wear mittons so that the heat given off by one finger helps warm the next).

Just needed to get cat litter and check on the aerogarden... Should have taken it as a sign yesterday when the car had a little trouble re-starting after going in to wait in post office lines.

I found my 'the club' and it's associated key since folks just leave their cars running when going into stores etc. But the volvo won't lock with a key in the ignition... so I figure 'the club' will be an adequate deterrant... should prob. remove any valuables from the car too.