2.25.2011

Calling It

when countries build up trade surpluses, this often leads to (asset) inflation. financial institutions sell loans on the basis of inflated asset values, lowering their capital reserve ratios, stretching themselves more thinly, leaving them more vulnerable to interest rate increases.

so in china, here is the situation. they are building up massive reserves. though china is a huge land mass with a huge population, this situation will eventually lead to asset inflation. the banks are becoming more deregulated as we speak.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_property_bubble

The idea would be to keep an eye on this bubble. at the point that the government indicates that it feels inflation is happening and raises interest rates, this would set off the chain of events that would prick the bubble, and leave the chinese gov't unable to buy US debt at the same rate. at which point the US would have to tighten its belt for lack of any other option.

2.11.2011

T.M.

White Bean, Tomato, and Acorn Squash Soup
via yoyo

2.04.2011

Not Hating

Is it just me, or is Morrissey the British equivalent of R Kelly telling banal stories with background accompaniment and no intention of rhyming? Something about both of them reminds me of country or folk roots.

e.g. "I was looking for a job, and then I found a job."

How Corporations Conform Employees to Their Will

The "Small Things"

As annoying as it was to work at _____, it taught me a lot about human psychology. at ____, during a given day, you have about 40 unique banal tasks that need to be accomplished, whether it be straightening rows of books or stickering DVDs. no human would be able to repetitively execute all these tasks without oversight day in day out. oversight came in the form of repetitive instructions -- in a neutral, non-judgemental way, i would be told repeatedly where the sticker goes on the letterbox, which books should be "faced out" on the shelf. pedantic though it may have been, this kind of repetition builds conformity to the mean..........whether this kind of doctrinaire organizational behavior is a good thing is another question, but there is no doubt that it was effective.