Reflections on economy, China and education

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Roosevelt Signs The Social Security Act: Presi...

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704062604576105952027426880.html
another step in the realization of the Chinese Century. They are in the same economic position the US was at the end of WW2: had all the money, the manufacturing base and the need & capacity to export to war torn countries of Europe. Look at what happened in the 50s and 60s until our wealth convinced us  that we could shape the world in our image. How is that foreign adventurism working out these days?
http://abcnews.go.com/US/ohio-mom-jailed-sending-kids-school-district/story?id=12763654&page=2
a story about a mother who didnt get the the word that the government wants her to simply Obey the master plan for what’s good for her kids.  How dare she try to do what’s best for them, using her own judgment?  Who is she to question authority?

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110127/D9L0BDUG0.html
describes the awakening realization that the accounting shenanigans that have allowed us to loot Social Security are over, and that all the borrowing against the non-existent “lock-box” now has to be paid back with interest.  This has enormous implications for budgetary levels and lifestyle changes. Its not going to be economic pressure from external competitors that drastically realigns the US reality; it will be the implosion when the bill collector comes. Expect to see 10 years eventually added to retiremnet age, means testing for benefits, and the flight of capital to other countries like New Zealand and SIngapore where it is treated better. If you thought the ride up during the bubble years was fast, wait until you see the speed of the contraction

On the way in to work I listened to testimony from budget directors of local school districts talking about how they were going to address the need for cutbacks of millions of dollars in their districts. These are cuts that must be made before the newly elected republican governor even starts slashing at the state level.

Massive reorientation in national goals and priorities are needed soon or we will be cutting bone and muscle. Foreign adventurism and hundreds oif billions in non-productive defense expenditures are bleeding us dry.

I am looking at the specialized laptop that IT just put on my desk thats dedicated to running a piece of crap experimental logistics planning software suite thats already obsolete; But taxpayer dollars bought the laptop and paid the contractors to put it, and 100 just likeit, in my department where they sit gathering dust, cant be used for anything else. I compare that to the story earlier in the week I shared about the failures of “Laptops for 3d World Kids” , and the storyof this mother trying to get her kids squared away. Its absurd how much we spend on pseudo-threats

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