What is the deal? The cover of "Newsweek" carried a photo of Michelle Bachmann, eyes bugged out and quizzical expression on her face. She looked like somone just had goosed her. She frequentlyhas the same look. SHe also has a thing about looking off-camera. People make fun of politicians who use teleprompters, but get real---without that particular machine, Roald Reagan would have been lost. Of course, Nancy's astrologer always was in the wings.

   Bachmann's facial expression is a…

Stocks rallied today, across the pond, for the usual imagined reasons markets rally or fall. John Candy's character in "Stripes" played poker with a kid who was, well, slow. He taught the kid how to play poker. "Let me see your hand," Candy's character said. After looking at the cards, he said, "You know what I'd do? I'd bet it all. Bluff. Come on!" Of course the kid did, and lost.

History does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme. I read that on another blog to which Paul's blog is…

I am not a stock market analyst. I do not give advice about matters related to stocks. The opinion I express here is my own. But damn, I have been right in stating people should have sold short yesterday.

The market made another significant adjustment downward. Everyone should have sold short. I said as much last week. So those heeded my advce would have enjoyed significant gains.

Matters look bleak. The tea baggers rejoice, out of ignprance. Those with foresight aare happy. And the baggers rejoice in tanking the economy. They have taken glee over the destructon that have wrought. And the Koch brothers, and their ilk, rejoice. Theirs is nihilistic view. 

This was written in response to a person on a website in Kokomo.

1) I did not use a debate tactic to muddy any waters. A reasonable inference as to people who claim originalism as a jurisprudential philosophy is those people can state, with precision sufficient to guide us, what the Framers of the Constitution intended. A first, and I would think necessary, step is to say who the Framers were. The Convention itself was muddied. Compromises were reached, especially as to slavery, only…

I was right.

On August 1, I advised everyone to sell short: "So if you have any money to invest, wait for the right moment, then bet on the markets to slide. Things look to get worse." Someone sells short when that person bets the market will lose points. Perce Livermore, famously, sold short on the "Day the Bubble Burst" in October, 1929. He made millions. I knew a brilliant broker who figured out, on Friday, October 16, 1987, on a software program, that the market…

   A popular theory amongst those who would have us to return to the old times is that we should base interpretation of the Constitution on the Framers' intent. The theory is called "originalism."   

   However, there was no single theory of the Constitution held by the Framers. The Constitution was the product of compromises, many revolving around the issue of slavery. By the way, those who wanted to keep slavery won. Do we rely upon those individuals' vews to interpret our rights…

Birth control will be readily available to the poor

Beginning January 1, 2013, preventative measures, including birth control, will become available without co-pay under the overhaul of the nation’s health-care system.

In other words, amongst other aspects of health care available, finally, to the poor will be birth control.

One aspect of the argument against a woman’s right—let’s use a popular term for the matter, "sovereignty" over her body—to obtain an abortion…

My advice: sell short.

The deal that appears to have been approved whereby the debt ceiling will be lifted was negotiated in the same way as Vito Corleone used Luca Brazzi to negotiate contracts in "The Godfather." We do not need to cut spending nearly so much as we need more revenues. I agree with Bill Maher’s assessment that of the two political parties, one has no brains and the other has no balls.

The bobbed tail is wagging the clueless dog. Meanwhile, the Shih Tzu…

Book Review: Ron Chernow’s "Alexander Hamilton"

I highly recommend author Ron Chernow’s comprehensive biography on this country’s first Secretary of the Treasury. Some biographies gloss over early years as a fast-forwards means to reach the main events of a subject’s life. Chernow devotes a lot of pages to Hamilton’s early years, and for good reason. If one’s youth forms his or her person as an adult, one can see Hamilton’s birth in Caribbean poverty and his struggles to…

We have been on hiatus as our team of engineers worked on software problems we had experienced. Today we will film again. My guest will be Jeff Cox,  an Indianapolis attorney. We shall discuss "What I would do if I were President of the United States." 

Personally, I question Jeff's judgment, as he is a Cleveland Indians fan. I am a fan of the Chicago Cubs National League Baseball Club. I do not question his judgment because Cleveland has not won a World Series in either of our…

   I lived in Chicago. Corruption was so ingrained in the politics that books were written on the subject. The Machine of Mayor Dailey (the first) was efficient. People took the matter for granted. He was long dead by the time I arrived in the City of Broad SHoulders. But his Machine lived on. There was the occasional Federal indictment, and a sitting or former Governor seemed always in the dock. The system was built on sugar. Call it what you will---cash, payola, kickbacks, whatever. The…

MY PLAN TO BALANCE THE BUDGET!

   The budget quandary continues. With straight faces, Republicans and tea baggers defend tax cuts for private jet owners while millions are unemployed, our schools suffer budget cuts, and government services are shut down.

   Once more, let us see what we could do to right these matters.

   1. Cut the budget? Cut military spending.

   About 20 percent of the budget, or over $70 billion, goes to military spending. We do…

"Super"-Congress!?

   Congressional leaders, unable to resolve the crisis on the debt ceiling have, according to this morning’s HuffPost, proposed creating a body comprised of members of both houses to enact budget legislation. The details are fuzzy, but the net result is the same.

   They propose to alter the structure of the Federal government in conflict with provisions of the United States Constitution without the inconvenient steps of the process of…

Oslo Chaos

   When mindless acts of terror (is the phrase redundant?) Occur in the world, will people please not immediately ascribe those acts to believers of Islam?

   Until yesterday I would have thought "Oslo Chaos" was an oxymoron or the name of a Norwegian punk-rock band. (Anachronism warning: are there still punk-rock bands?)

   Someone exploded a bomb in downtown Oslo. A couple of hours later, a man opened up with an automatic weapon and killed (at last…

Legalize All Drugs, Part 1

   A substance people consume to ease the pain of existence was made illegal. Because it was illegal, but the demand for it was high, a thriving black market for the substance developed. Criminal elements soon took control of that market and, frequently, warred with each other. Bystanders were killed. Today those bystanders would be called "collateral damage." Illegality did nothing to diminish demand for the substance. People still wanted it. They…