| « | Fey/Palin 2008 |
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Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Conversations
1. While Grooming
Your Curmudgeon: It looks as if AIG is getting a pair of private "white knights."
The C.S.O.: Better than another government bailout. The people cheering for the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bailouts have no idea what that's going to cost them over time.
Your Curmudgeon: Agreed, but why do so many people have a problem seeing that?
The C.S.O.: Probably the same reason they think a tax refund means they're getting something for free. But the fatal move was letting them sell stock in themselves.
Your Curmudgeon: Hell of it is, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were never private entities. They were always government institutions.
The C.S.O.: And almost no one remembers that, either.
(The C.S.O. is an accountant by trade. Accountants know that the Law of Conservation of Money is as strict as the Law of Conservation of Mass / Energy. If a dollar is "going," it's going to somewhere. If a dollar is coming, it's coming from somewhere. When government steps into the market and "guarantees" a loan or "bails out" a failing corporation, it's doing so with money raised in one of three ways: taxation, debt, or inflation. When that money flows into a failing business concern, it's going into the hands of businessmen who've already demonstrated that they don't know how to manage it wisely. Clearly, neither the "coming from" nor the "going to" is something to be celebrated. Why, then, are so many persons jubilant, or at least relieved?)
2. Before Leaving For Work
Your Curmudgeon: Have you read about the "tanning bed scandal?"
The C.S.O.: No, what's that?
Your Curmudgeon: Sarah Palin had a tanning bed installed in the Governor's Mansion. The Old Media and the left side of the Web are all atwitter about it.
The C.S.O.: Bought with her own money, I bet.
Your Curmudgeon: Exactly. And since Alaska is sunlight-poor for a large part of the year, I can easily understand why she'd want one. Governor is an indoor job, too.
The C.S.O.: A lot of people get cranky and difficult when they're sunlight-deprived. It's called "seasonal affective disorder."
Your Curmudgeon: I must remember that excuse, It's bound to come in handy.
The C.S.O.: Except that with you it's not seasonal, it's year-round. Just "affective disorder."
Your Curmudgeon: It goes well beyond my "affect," too. Let's just call it "disorder."
The C.S.O.: Whatever.
3. After Work.
Duyen: So where was my fatal mistake?
Your Curmudgeon: You mean, apart from playing the Najdorf Sicilian against me again?
Duyen: Cut it out, Flashy. You've lost a couple of those to me.
Your Curmudgeon: Not today, though. But why do you assume you made a fatal mistake?
Duyen: Don't you have to, to lose?
Your Curmudgeon: Not all theorists think so. I'm told there's now a chess program that's guaranteed to beat you no matter how well you play, as long as it gets White.
Duyen: Doesn't that mean the end of chess?
Your Curmudgeon: Not necessarily. As long as human beings have to face one another without computer assistance, the game will remain what it's always been: partly analytical and partly psychological. Like most games of strategy.
[A long pause.]
Duyen: You know, I've played a lot of online chess against people I suspected were running their moves past a good program. There's no way for an online player to know whether his opponent is cheating.
Your Curmudgeon: No, there isn't.
Duyen: If that were to come to the face-to-face game, it really would mean the end of chess, wouldn't it?
Your Curmudgeon: I think it would. And there are probably clever types trying to figure out how to bring that about as we speak.
Duyen: Fran?
Your Curmudgeon: Yes, dear?
Duyen: Do you ever worry that things are getting out of control?
Your Curmudgeon: All the time, dear. All the time. You can't imagine how glad I am to be old and mortal.
Duyen: Don't be too sure about that, Flashy.
Your Curmudgeon: Well, I hoped not, anyway.
Comments
When government steps into the market and “guarantees” a loan or “bails out” a failing corporation, it’s doing so with money raised in one of three ways: taxation, debt, or inflation.
Or, IOW: theft, fraud, or—well—both.
M
Posted by Mark Alger on 09/17/2008 at 09:10 AMYou know, there’s no computer program in the world that can beat a reasonably proficient child at go.
Posted by on 09/17/2008 at 09:43 AMAnd there are probably clever types trying to figure out how to bring that about as we speak.
It may already be doable with existing technology. Wearing a headset phone during board play should be discouraged.
Posted by McGehee on 09/17/2008 at 12:12 PMThat was most amusing and educational, thanks.
Posted by MK on 09/17/2008 at 07:07 PM
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