Cold humility: A theory of climate and culture
Erik Hare(The Sage) knows he makes no fine display, and wears rough clothes, not finery. It is not in his expectancy of men that they should understand his ways, for he carries his jade within his...
View ArticleWhat's in a name? On Nemo, the Weather Channel, and the utility of naming storms
Erik HareNemo. The name doesn’t exactly strike fear, but it has its share of loathing. Who picked that dumb name? Why would you name a winter storm after a fish? Isn’t it just a publicity stunt by the...
View Article2013 State of the Union: Leaving crisis mode, laying a strong foundation
Erik HareThe State of the Union address is Washingtoon pomp at its finest. Everyone makes sure they have the right special guest and place near the teevee cameras to scene and be seen. But this year...
View ArticleLet's tie all government policy, starting with the minimum wage, to real...
Erik Hare“Let’s tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on.” - President Obama, State of the Union AddressWith these words a new policy direction was...
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Transit planning on the West side provides a refreshingly positive model
Erik HareTransit planning. If the phrase gave you a cold shiver as it called up memories you’d rather repress, we should talk. It’s been a real horror show here in St Paul as a parade of officials and...
View ArticleExamining the good in Hugo Chávez's legacy as new era opens for Venezuela
Erik HareThe United States’ biggest bogeyman dictator remaining, Hugo Chávez, has died of cancer at age 58. His status as our most feared repressive ruler says something about the state of the world...
View ArticleWhat does the latest Dow Jones Industrial Average tell us about the managed...
Erik HareThe Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) keeps setting new record highs. Does this mean the Managed Depression is over? The short answer is “yes”, but the long answer is “no”.The case for a...
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Jubilee! Cancel debt to make an end to the recession possible
Erik HareThere has been a lot of good economic news lately, at least compared to the very bad news of a few years ago. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t bad things worth keeping a close eye on –...
View ArticleUpdates on the Managed Depression
Erik HareEconomic health, like personal health, starts with honesty. When something is wrong a good diagnosis is the first step towards the proper cure and a strong recovery. Our economy is been deep...
View ArticleThe good, bad, and ugly: Developing news on jobs, currency, and austerity
Erik HareLongtime readers know that one of the goals of Barataria is to report on news stories that haven’t made the mainstream nooze yet. Today we have three that are developing into what may yet be...
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Crunching the numbers on debt
Erik HareAt what point does public debt become a problem? If you ask many Republicans when the debt hits 90% of GDP we’re in trouble. Given that the Federal Debt is above this level you can see why...
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Inequality versus sustainable growth
Erik HareIs wealth and income inequality holding the economy back? A recent study by the Pew Foundation shows that from 2009-2011 the wealthiest 7% of the US saw their net worth climb 24% – to an...
View ArticleCheers for the underground economy!
Erik Hare“Since we decided to adopt the leaf as legal tender, we have all of course become immensely rich. But we have run into a small inflation problem owing to high leaf availability. That means the...
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Fixing income inequality
Erik HareThere’s no doubt that income inequality is finally getting the attention it deserves. President Barack Obama assailed it in his second inaugural address saying we can’t succeed “When a...
View ArticleWhat if Obamacare works?
Erik HareIf you listen carefully in Washington, you can hear the tiny whooshing sound that dice make when they are up in the air. The difference is that when politicians throw them you hear a lot more...
View ArticleSummertime and the livin' is... queasy?
Erik HareYour daddy’s rich / And your mamma’s good lookin’So hush little baby / Don’t you crySummertime, from Porgy & Bess by George GershwinAs the school year winds down, summer officially starts....
View ArticleReasonable expectation of privacy?
Erik HareThe right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon...
View ArticleWhat's the deal with credit unions?
Erik HareFed up with banks? You’re hardly alone. Credit unions have grown dramatically in the last 20 years, fueled largely by high fees charged by commercial banks. Low rates for ordinary loans are...
View ArticleCoffee, tea and empires
Erik HarePicture yourself in England at the start of Queen Victoria’s reign. If you have some skills as a part of the growing middle class, things look better every day. That life comes in part from...
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Statistically speaking, what is employment?
Erik HareThere’s been a lot of good economic news lately, the second year in a row that July uncharacteristically surged ahead. The “ISM Index” poll of manufacturers looked more positive than it has...
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