Nobody Rides For Free

I noticed in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal this headline: China Relents, Accepts 19% Rise in Iron-Ore Price. Did they actually think they could dictate the market for raw materials? The really cool thing about free markets is that no matter how big a player is, as long as there are several market participants and more than one source of goods, no one player can manipulate the market for any sustained period of time.

China can't have a free ride- they sell billions of dollars worth of exports every year, then try to get a better-than-market price for their inputs. It'll never happen. They should enjoy the fact that their labor costs are lower than most of the industrialized world, and the business outlook is good for the forseeable future...

New Bank Account, Anyone?

I was in a public place having lunch today, reading the Wall Street Journal, when a couple in the booth behind me were talking quite loudly about their situation: the wife's purse had been stolen from their vehicle, and they were in the process of changing bank accounts for direct deposit purposes. Of course, I heard account numbers. I thought about writing them down on my newspaper and giving it to them as I left, but decided not to. Someday their recklessness will cost them more than the contents of a purse...

Sell in May and Go Away

The old stock market adage was certainly holding true, until today... I hope you made some $

Defense Attorneys, Take Note!

I heard on today's news that "road rage" has a new, clinical name: Intermittent Explosive Disorder. Yes, that's just what the doctor ordered. We've been given a new medical name to replace "Neanderthal idiot," and have provided defense attorneys with a legitimate defense for stupidity! Are we creeping back into the 1990's? My actions are not my fault!

The Center of the Universe is Not New York City...

Neither is Los Angeles. So where, you ask, could it be? Judging from the CBS news coverage for the last couple of days, it must be wherever a big-name CBS reporter happens to be. While I agree that it's terrible that a reporter and her crew were wounded in Iraq recently, the story certainly shouldn't be the lead. Innocent people are hurt in Iraq every other day. Why cover a reporter's injury with such high priority when there are simply too many other stories with significant economic/societal implications?

It seems that the CBS 'eye' looks squarely in the mirror before seeking out the news of the day.

He Can Still Kick Your Butt

I'm enjoying listening to all the Royce Gracie critics since he lost his fight with Matt Hughes last night at UFC 60. While it's true that mixed martial arts have come full circle and a fighter must have both strong skills in striking and grappling, the facts remain:

• Royce Gracie revolutionized modern martial arts as we know them, no less than Bruce Lee did in his time
• Royce Gracie can still beat most people in a fight, particularly the critics...

Barney Frank Gets Free-Market Religion...

If only it were true. He did, however, sarcastically stick it to the inconsistent Republicans. Welcome, Mr. Frank, to the free-market people of the world. Now that you've found religion at the altar of Adam Smith, let's see if you'll be consistent with your new-found philosophy and reel in your rhetoric about 'fair trade' and 'worker's rights'...

Only Cowards Think We're at War?

Really- check out this article... While I agree completely that we should never give up our civil liberties, even in "war time," I have a problem with his terrorism analogy. Yes, we were sucker-punched on 9/11, and while there is no defense for said punch, it doesn't happen in a vacuum. Once you are sucker-punched, you are in a fight. You had better deal with the problem as effectively as possible. If you don't, others will be encouraged to do the same.

I further suggest that we were sucker-punched while standing in the middle of a number of people in the world who are sympathetic to the ones who punched us, if not perfectly willing to pile on themselves. Once the sucker-puncher has been dealt with, you had better quickly study his friends carefully, lest you become an enlightened idiot with a broken nose...

Giant Sucking Sound

I heard a good one on talk radio yesterday. Regarding the current hot topic of illegal immigration, the caller asked, "I thought NAFTA was supposed to cause all of our jobs to go south to Mexico- why are Mexicans still trying to get into this country?" Good question. Maybe one that Ross Perot could answer.

Hugo Chavez is an Ass.

Although I believe that boycotts are generally ineffective, I can't help but vote with my wallet and refuse to trade with Citgo from now on... Indirectly, doing business with Citgo benefits that Che/Castro wanna-be... That's the free market for you- we all have choices!