Initial plantings, etc.

"Interesting" times indeed . . .

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that the country is going through some unusually interesting times from an economic standpoint.

Very recent housing bubble and consequent "fixes" by our government. At staggering cost.

Timed frighteningly closely to the ascension of huge Democratic majorities and a president with supreme confidence in himself and in "government by experts." (I'm pretty sure it would be most difficult to find any useful evidence to support this confidence, but that's another story.) Empowered in large measure by Bush backlash (I often hear "if you think this is bad, consider how much Bush screwed up" - but even if true, I was hoping for better reasoning than that in support of these policies.) Cap and trade, health care "reform," permanent and drastic program expansion masqueraded as "stimulus," taxes, spending, amnesia about campaign commitments; you name it, we have it.

As best I can figure it, the goal is to pass as many laws and regulations as possible while media adulation persists and before the public wakes up to the cost and/or policy implications. If the initiatives continue to be as poorly conceived as other major initiatives in the last few months - well, that's tomorrow's problem. Yet I think the prez has some skills . . . I don't understand the continuous headlong plunge.

But enough of that. The purpose of this post is to list a few bloggers that I find helpful in sorting all this out. Right or wrong, the discussions are pithy and interesting. Typically it's professors musing, but not always.

These folks are definitely crowding out other news/information sources that I previously looked at - much higher value.

Recommended:

1. Don Boudreaux et al.

2. Econlog.

3. Greg Mankiw.

4. John Stossel. (Of all people - but he (or his writers) has a pithy way of repackaging items covered in more detail by 1-3 above. Plus he comes up with a few original things.)

5. Stephen Bainbridge. (law professor)

6. Larry Ribstein. (law professor)

7. Then there is Paul Krugman - but unfortunately I don't get much out of his writings. (I do try to stick with it given that it isn't ideal to live in an echo chamber.)

Blank slate

Our backyard is undergoing change we can believe in.

Plus we are using our own $$ to pay for it.

Pool removal (Day 1)

At long last, my nemesis is literally being broken and buried.

This was interesting to watch (but not so fun to listen to) - starting with early morning fence busting, followed by punching out huge holes in the bottom of the pool, breaking up the cool decking, then working along the top of the pool.

More fun coming tomorrow.

Time for action

We emptied the pool over a year ago. Finally are getting to the point where it will be blasted out of existence and replaced with a eventually-to-be-shady sitting area.

In the meantime, the water level has fluctuated. It's at an all-time low now. Super concentrated guk, probably weapons grade. Resident frog hasn't been seen in a couple months. I think all the mosquitoes have moved on. Ugh.

Couldn't resist, this reminded me of Kelly

(Also reminded me of a certain person who sat in a LaZ-Boy upstairs and crinkled a pretzel bag at the risk of Kelly snapping her neck.)

(Click to enlarge, as always)

(I think - certainly hope - no government funding was used for the Dare County "officials" to figure this out.)