The initial results of voting last Thursday are very easily explained. First, voters had a terrible year in 2020 and government help in getting the vaccine out means 2021 is looking much better, so naturally voters will reward the government. That means the Tories in England, Labour in Wales and the SNP in Scotland (modified by tactical voting against a second independence referendum). It’s like Brown’s poll bounce as he saved the banks, and therefore large parts of the economy, from the effects of the Global Financial Crisis.Second, on top of that, Conservatives have recreated their Brexit success, because to many who voted Brexit, the vaccine rollout doesn’t just reflect well on the current UK government, it validates their choice to vote Leave and the party that got… [Read More...]
Older people are giving up hope of paying off their student loans before they die
While commenting on Alan Collinge’s Student Loan Justice site about much of what is being revealed here, I pointed out the problem with interest, interest on top of interest, paying interest before principal, etc. . It is a problem. You never touch principle. I am very happy to see the Student Loan Justice site and […] The post Older people are giving up hope of paying off their student loans before they die appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
Getting a Public Option and Who is Resisting It
Want a Public Option? Not So Fast, Say Health Insurers. Guess Who is Fighting It! Much of this is about an Op-Ed at MedPage Today authored by Wendel Potter. I have added to it as Wendel discusses the impact of insurance as a major influence on healthcare cost. It is one sided and the commentary […] The post Getting a Public Option and Who is Resisting It appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
What do we owe to the vaccine-hesitant?
In a recent post, libertarian political philosopher Jason Brennan argues that “we should ignore the welfare of people who choose not to vaccinate out of paranoia”. We owe them nothing. Brennan reaches this conclusion by analogizing vaccine hesitancy to a heckler’s veto (my bold): The idea of heckler’s veto goes as follows: Take any action, […] The post What do we owe to the vaccine-hesitant? appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
April jobs report: well, that was a big miss …. but look at the composition
April jobs report: well, that was a big miss …. but look at the composition HEADLINES: +266,000 million jobs added: 218,000 private sector plus 48,000 government. The alternate, and more volatile measure in the household report indicated a gain of 328,000 jobs, which factors into the unemployment and underemployment rates below. U3 unemployment rate rose […] The post April jobs report: well, that was a big miss …. but look at the composition appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
The First Saturday in May.
Ok boys and girls, here are the old professor’s rules of horse race gambling that have been purchased in blood and treasure over the years. Do yourself a favor and apply them to life. You’ll get farther faster. Remember you heard it here first.I am hard core handicapping. Good luck to all on Derby Day!Professor Trackman’s Rules of Horserace Gambling:1. Do your handicapping for yourself.2. If you can’t take the losses don’t bet.3. Greed Kills.4. Winners correct their mistakes next time out. Losers bet bigger trying to cover…which will never cover in the end.5. Never get too high or too low.6. Scared money don’t win.7. Women and booze don’t mix with horses.8. Don’t bet a beaten favorite coming back trying to do something he has … [Read More...]
The Death of Dick Day
The Death of Dick Day I learned a few days ago that Richard (Dick) Hollis Day died about a month ago. ; There is no obit yet, so I do not have exact dates of birth or death, but communicating with an old mutual friend who knows his oldest son, apparently he succumbed to dementia and […] The post The Death of Dick Day appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
How the electoral system in the US, and to a lesser extent the UK, is biased towards social conservatism.
The UK is often torn between following the US or following Europe. We share a language with the US, and a lot of popular culture. But we also share a voting system that ensures the political right has a heavy built in advantage. The United States may be too far down that road to change, but in the UK there is still hope if only the current opposition leadership see sense. Once we get over the relief that Donald Trump is no longer President, comes the realisation of just how bad the US election results really were for Democrats. Trump was a Republican, and the Republican party backed him almost without exception. Even in the current ludicrous situation where Trump is refusing to concede, many senior Republican… [Read More...]
Fun at the Breeder’s Cup.
Here we are at last weekend’s Breeder’s Cup. I am representing my school as you can see. ECU has been good to me and my family so I’m going to show some school spirit. Also there is a picture of me and my degenerate horse race gambling buddy Marshall Gramm. Also that’s me with my brother Rick and ECU Wall of Fame member Francis Vaughn. A good time was had by all. [Read More...]
Open thread May 7, 2021
The post Open thread May 7, 2021 appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
It is inevitable that Labour in opposition will not be a champion of social liberalism
Trump has been defeated, but only just. Trump, that most ludicrous and destructive of US presidents, still won 46.8% of the vote. More importantly, the number of votes between Biden and Trump in the Electoral College was very small. Voters still turned out for a Repubican party that backed Trump all the way. Perhaps worst of all, the aftermath of the election showed that the Republican party backed Trump’s attempts to overturn democracy. What Republicans do on a smaller scale with gerrymandering they are happy to do at a national level. The future of the US is still very uncertain when one of the two main parties does not respect democracy. The Conservative party in the UK is only beginning down that particular route, with its plansfor… [Read More...]
The Best of the Funny Economist: Marshall Gramm and Randy Parker have a new friend.
SOURCE: Funny Economist – Randall Parker’s Completely Serious Macroeconomics Blog – Read entire story here.
The long leading indicator of credit conditions has just been updated by the Fed
by New Deal democrat The long leading indicator of credit conditions has just been updated by the Fed The easing or tightening of credit conditions has a good track record as a long leading indicator, giving us information about whether the economy will be expanding or contracting in 12+ months. The Fed just updated its […] The post The long leading indicator of credit conditions has just been updated by the Fed appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
Who caused our current COVID crisis: an example of public deception by the media and government
Let me start with what the public thinks: It is a straightforward question and the majority of the public give a clear answer. Unfortunately that majority are wrong. There is no doubt that the rise in COVID cases over the last month is a result of government failure. Let me set out what the government’s mistakes were. Having ended a lockdown that still left the level of cases pretty high, the government reverted to their Tier system. Much the same tier system that had led to the November lockdown in the first place. London was put in Tier 2. The warning signs were immediate. Cases started rising rapidly from the beginning of December. We now know why, but you didn’t need to know why (or be any kind… [Read More...]
A day at Del Mar.
Check out @ToddTVG’s latest “Play With The Pros” segment from Del Mar! pic.twitter.com/8QQp68Bf55— TVG (@TVG) August 26, 2016 [Read More...]
Want a Public Option? Guess Who is Fighting It!
Want a Public Option? Not So Fast, Say Health Insurers? Guess Who is Fighting It! Much of this is from an Op-Ed at MedPage Today authored by Wendel Potter. I have added to it as Wendel discusses the impact of insurance as a major influence on healthcare cost. It is one sided and the commentary […] The post Want a Public Option? Guess Who is Fighting It! appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
Media radicalisation in the US and UK
Perhaps many people outside the United States do not realise how dangerous the attack on the United States Capitol was. The views from outside the Capitol, which is all the media could immediately show, seemed harmless enough. The reality was very different. Five people died, including one policeman. As one Republican described, seeing the faces of those trying to force their way through a police barricade to get into the House Chamber “I saw this crowd of people banging on that glass screaming. Looking at their faces, it occurred to me, these aren’t protesters. These are people who want to do harm. What I saw in front of me was basically home-grown fascism, out of control.” We now know that this was a well organised… [Read More...]
Rhodes College horse racing lessons and handicapping.
Lesson 1 – Lessons from horse race gambling.Lesson 2 – Handicapping [Read More...]
Fox News Talking Politics with a Sixth Grader
Unfortunately for himself, the young man was polite and did not school Brian Kilmeade (after his comment) about trump’s inaction in the beginning of the Covid Pandemic causing the delay in returning to school. During the young man’s comments to Brian Kilmeade, you can see the young woman in the lower left quadrant shaking her […] The post Fox News Talking Politics with a Sixth Grader appeared first on Angry Bear. [Read More...]
The budget should create a balanced recovery, but instead it will be about the deficit
Some obvious points first. We are still in a pandemic, and so support measures for employees, the self-employed and businesses should continue. The chancellor should also, belatedly, increase sick pay substantially. The success of the government’s COVID strategy will depend on persuading those who otherwise cannot afford to isolate to do so. The following remarks are based on the assumption that the government’s strategy works, and there is no return to NHS crises and lockdowns. Contrary to the perception you get from the media, encouraged by the government, it is far from certain that their strategy will work as planned. In addition, what I’m proposing here is what a Conservative Chancellor could conceivably do, rather than the budget I would enact if I was Chancellor. For… [Read More...]
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