Category: Economics

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Economics Humor Politics & government

[510] Of Michigan’s deficit

I was browsing for some jobs somewhere. There, I saw a position at the Michigan’s House of Representatives. The job description is as follow:

Job Qualifications
Interns should display an interest in politics/public policy, exhibit ample written and oral communication skills, maintain the ability to effectively convey ideas in a diplomatic manner, and be adept in working with diverse groups of people and perspectives.

Job Description
Interns would be responsible for assisting policy analysts with research pertaining to the following legislative issue areas: energy and technology, labor and industry, economy, transportation, education, mental health, banking, criminal justice, family and children services, environment, agriculture, tax and healthcare. We are flexible about times, days and the number of hours worked each week;

The catch line however:

however, given the state’s nearly $1 billion budget deficit, interns cannot be paid.

Somebody is actually using the deficit as a reason not to pay. Pretty hilarious, to me at least.

Categories
Economics Environment

[507] Of idealist’s curse

Earlier yesterday, during dinner, I couldn’t finish the food on my plate. I felt bad about it but I sincerely didn’t have the stomach for more. I probably shouldn’t have literally bit more than I could chew.

To be easy on myself, I was in fact served instead of helping myself with the stuff that I couldn’t even name. Hours later after leaving my table, I realize that I’m not unique in having leftover on the plate and I’m not entirely sure the server is at fault.

Then it came to me – the richer we are, the more we waste. To be precise as what has been implied in countless economic classes, the wealthier we are, the more we consume. However, though consumption itself produces waste, I’m talking about a different species of waste altogether. The waste I’m referring to is the things that are consumable but aren’t consumed and thrown out as filthy garbage nevertheless, just like the food I left on my plate.

I definitely expect better-off people to waste more than famine victims in Africa and elsewhere. I hold this but I still waste. It seems that I, no, we, are cursed to waste. Worse, I call myself a green – what a terrible curse it is. It’s painful to acknowledge this while knowing others would be willing to even eat our leftover if they were given the chance to do so, no matter how disgusting it is.

Perhaps, this is why I eat rather irregularly. Too scared to waste and too scared to violate my own principle. Yet, I violate it often and risk of being a hypocrite almost everyday. It’s the curse of an idealist I’d suppose.

Categories
Economics Environment Personal

[501] Of St. Patrick Day 2005

St. Patrick Day is the day when everybody:
1. pretends its holidays
2. pretends its spring
3. pretends everybody is above 21

Climate change has possibly made sure that pretending one of the above is harder – I woke up just now and I saw a number for tiny vengeful white flakes invading the cursed Ann Arbor. Heck, as if seeing the disgusting weather with my own eyes is not enough, on the internet, winter storm watch for the Midwest has been issued.

Anybody willing to check when was the latest snowfall each year for the last 100 years for Ann Arbor?

Though I know some econometrics, I’m just too lazy to analyze them. If you want to do it, some sites to look at are the NOAA and the pioneer of online weather report at the University of Michigan Weather. The zipcode for Ann Arbor is 48109 and its location is longitude 83 deg, 43 mins and lagitude of 42 deg, 18 mins. North and west of course.

p/s – somehow, I remember, it snowed in April too. Maybe it’s not too unnatural.

Categories
Economics Environment Politics & government

[500] Of from the plain to the marshes

So, the bid to remove the ANWR provision from the budget has predictably failed by a small margin. The Senate voted 51-49 to reject the amendment. With this, the probability of seeing ANWR being drilled is higher than any other time the drilling idea has reached the floor. The shroud of the dark side has fallen, begun the clone wars has. Er, I mean, er, – actually this ANWR scuffle has been dubbed the first political battle of the year. And Star Wars latest trailer is goddamn sexy though was out a week ago.

And the left is losing badly though the vote will be slim. (Cough) But it’s not so bad. Looking at history, the left loves losing actually.

Official result can be read from the Senate website. Creek Running North has a short entry on who voted what.

Half way around the world, the New York Times has reported earlier last week that progress is being made by conservationist in the Tigris-Eupharates marshes that were devastated by Saddam Hussein. I’m unable to provide the link since it has been archived. However, and fortunately, Google provides an excellent search. For background on the story, read some of my earlier entry and also the enlightening Laputan Logic.

In Malaysia, the ones that are responsible for the environmental destruction near a nature reserve – the ones in the government – has gotten away. Instead, some of the the developers, are being charged. While it’s good to see action is being taken, sadly, the target should be the ones that approved the irresponsble projects, not the ones that conducted the project. But then, again, in Malaysia, priority means nothing. Hey, we will have the biggest courthouse in the world but not the best judiciary system in the world.

p/s – update on Coke campaign. Some student entity from outside Michigan and other schools (Canada… eh?) has contacted the people in Michigan about solidarity and cooperation when Coke is concerned. And some has somewhat called for a North America anti-Coke coalition.

Plus, the College Democrats has jumped onto the bandwagon. The Republicans, I’d imagine, would love to be on the other side. And the official color for this campaign should be green instead of red. Red looks like too commie.

Categories
Economics Environment Politics & government

[499] Of losing the battle

John Kerry offers to strip the drilling proposal from the budget (via). I don’t think Kerry’s suggestion will work, unfortunately.

The Republicans are shrewd to attach the drilling proposal along with the budget. Because of such arrangement, it would only take a simple majority to pass the drilling bill. At the same time, the Republicans are controlling the House.

Alternative Hippopotamus aptly describes the situation for ANWR. The real quote however is:

It would take a miracle to get you out of Casablanca and the Germans have outlawed miracles.

The hippo is right; it would take a miracle to prevent drilling and time to resist is running out. ANWR’s only hope to be left undisturbed is the word no from rational Republican representatives that understand that, as John Kerry has stated during the 2004 Presidential campaign, we can’t drill our way out of this energy crisis.

After more than two decades of fighting, it all comes down to here and now. And the future looks grim.