(Ed.note: I found this short poem crumpled up in the gutter near a local real estate office. I have reproduced it without alteration.)
Whatever
Happened to
Those
People
Who
Used to Come to
Town
With the kids
who always loved
to run in the
park
Whatever
Happened to
Those
People
Who
we all knew
by name in 24 Hours
We would
wave
to let them know
we thought ourselves
friendly
Whatever
Happened to
Those
People
Who used to buy the
Houses and send the
Kids to school to
Keep our growth
bicycle on a smooth
path
It's too
bad
Those people
cannot come to
town
to buy what we
have to sell and
share
the
new
with me and
you
The For Sale
Signs
Will have to stay
till
THOSE people
can afford to
buy
I just wonder
why
and how long it
will be
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Reflection: Thoughts on the Great Crash
OpEd: "The Great Crash" by Galbraith
If you have read the recent book by Alan Greenspan, "Turbulence," and I have not yet completed it, although I have skimmed parts, and if you have listened to the coverage of the G7 in Europe, as well as pundits in the press, there is the spin that we just cannot do anything about "busts" of markets. The Fed is just helpless it seems when it comes to taking any action to deflate "Irrational Exuberance."
Bold action CAN be taken to rescue banks that have been packaging "mortgage securities" and of course bold action CAN be taken to rescue banking entities that are "too large to fail." That being said, other than rescuing the big guys, they are helpless.
The cause of the Great Crash as explained in the book by John Kenneth Galbraith, was the severe disparity of wealth in America which had widened in the 1920's. The only time in our history that has equaled this is TODAY.
Frequently, the Big boys, as they are called, can be heard saying that this is NOT THEIR PROBLEM. It is true that one does not get to be a "big boy" through meditative exercise...however that being said, without buyers, sellers cannot prosper. In some marketing equation then, one is one's brother's business keeper. Any seller must therefore make sure the buyers can still buy.
How long could such a period of "NON BUYING" last. This is the eyeopener. In 1929, when my father turned 18, and his father died, he went off to college. Then in 1933 when he worked for a few years before going into the service---till the Korean War...the fact that the depression lasted from 1929 to 1950 meant that a whole generation of folks waded through twenty years of "NON BUYING".
The pundits have said that thank goodness we know a lot more about economics now than then.
Show me.
If you have read the recent book by Alan Greenspan, "Turbulence," and I have not yet completed it, although I have skimmed parts, and if you have listened to the coverage of the G7 in Europe, as well as pundits in the press, there is the spin that we just cannot do anything about "busts" of markets. The Fed is just helpless it seems when it comes to taking any action to deflate "Irrational Exuberance."
Bold action CAN be taken to rescue banks that have been packaging "mortgage securities" and of course bold action CAN be taken to rescue banking entities that are "too large to fail." That being said, other than rescuing the big guys, they are helpless.
The cause of the Great Crash as explained in the book by John Kenneth Galbraith, was the severe disparity of wealth in America which had widened in the 1920's. The only time in our history that has equaled this is TODAY.
Frequently, the Big boys, as they are called, can be heard saying that this is NOT THEIR PROBLEM. It is true that one does not get to be a "big boy" through meditative exercise...however that being said, without buyers, sellers cannot prosper. In some marketing equation then, one is one's brother's business keeper. Any seller must therefore make sure the buyers can still buy.
How long could such a period of "NON BUYING" last. This is the eyeopener. In 1929, when my father turned 18, and his father died, he went off to college. Then in 1933 when he worked for a few years before going into the service---till the Korean War...the fact that the depression lasted from 1929 to 1950 meant that a whole generation of folks waded through twenty years of "NON BUYING".
The pundits have said that thank goodness we know a lot more about economics now than then.
Show me.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Sermon: The Widow and the Judge
Sermon delivered 10-21-2007 at St. Paul's Parish, Evansville, Wisconsin 53536
Monday, October 1, 2007
What to do when you hear "The possibilities are Endless"
When you hear that phrase----run quickly. You are being lied to.
"My Light is out"------the Milton problem
One day in college, in my sophmore year, right in the middle of a course in MILTON, the professor asked the question: "on page xxx on line xxx, Milton writes, "MY LIGHT IS OUT". Can anyone in the class tell me what he was talking about.
Silence. Complete silence from the class. I just wished I had known the answer. It would have been a moment to stand out...stand at the top of the class. But alas. I could not for the life of me even guess what it was all about.
The the professor spoke:
"That was the moment that Milton lost his sight."
The words stunned me. I just visualized the situation and a sense of panic completely enveloped me.
Years later. At an eye exam. A doctor tells me that I have a rare type of glaucoma that has destroyed half of my vision and is currently uncontrolled. That same sense of panic and ...despair...enveloped me.
After a battle of surgery...drops...and the support of family....after conquering blurred vision....I write with energy....
My light is not out. Just came close.
Silence. Complete silence from the class. I just wished I had known the answer. It would have been a moment to stand out...stand at the top of the class. But alas. I could not for the life of me even guess what it was all about.
The the professor spoke:
"That was the moment that Milton lost his sight."
The words stunned me. I just visualized the situation and a sense of panic completely enveloped me.
Years later. At an eye exam. A doctor tells me that I have a rare type of glaucoma that has destroyed half of my vision and is currently uncontrolled. That same sense of panic and ...despair...enveloped me.
After a battle of surgery...drops...and the support of family....after conquering blurred vision....I write with energy....
My light is not out. Just came close.
Business is Business----the sermon
Recently at a local parish, the pastor delivered a sermon on the parable of ----"The Savy Servant"--or in modern lingo, "The Savy Employee".
You remember the story---the servant has been discovered by his boss to be cheating, and is informed he has only a week to work, and to give a full accounting. He then goes to each of the masters debtors...asks what the balance that is owed the master, and then gives the debtor a discount---many a very deep discount. The debtors are grateful.
When the Master finds out what the servant has been up to, he is upset...however, he recognizes the skill that the servant has used in preparing for his future. By discounting the debtors, he has gained friends for the future...which is coming shortly. Very moxie indeed.
The parable then goes on that if in the business world, such a servant, who is only thinking of crass concerns, prepares for the future.....in the world of the Kingdom, one would think that folks would invest in spiritual matters to prepare for their future.
Sometimes in this parable, the listeners might think that the parable is condoning the" Business is business" ethic. NO. Folks who discuss that theory really are just saying that they accept crooked business.
The believer is always one that exhibits honest direct business. Those who believe in the "business is business" ethic, worshiping on Sunday and proceeding to violate the laws on the other six days, are not hearing the Word.
You remember the story---the servant has been discovered by his boss to be cheating, and is informed he has only a week to work, and to give a full accounting. He then goes to each of the masters debtors...asks what the balance that is owed the master, and then gives the debtor a discount---many a very deep discount. The debtors are grateful.
When the Master finds out what the servant has been up to, he is upset...however, he recognizes the skill that the servant has used in preparing for his future. By discounting the debtors, he has gained friends for the future...which is coming shortly. Very moxie indeed.
The parable then goes on that if in the business world, such a servant, who is only thinking of crass concerns, prepares for the future.....in the world of the Kingdom, one would think that folks would invest in spiritual matters to prepare for their future.
Sometimes in this parable, the listeners might think that the parable is condoning the" Business is business" ethic. NO. Folks who discuss that theory really are just saying that they accept crooked business.
The believer is always one that exhibits honest direct business. Those who believe in the "business is business" ethic, worshiping on Sunday and proceeding to violate the laws on the other six days, are not hearing the Word.
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