It was a comment on this blog which struck me immediately upon reading it. The subsequent discussion in the comment thread was how antisocial behavior on the part of massive numbers of homeless people setting up massive, festering camps in the downtown areas of certain cities was making those cities less and less inviting for ordinary people. In the final analysis, no one really wants to come to work in a place where they have to step around feces on the sidewalk, dodge the aggressive panhandler outside a downtown restaurant, or run from the homicidal crazy looking to shove someone off the subway platform in front of an oncoming train. Downtown retailers can’t keep on in business long when the merchandise walks out the door, assisted by undocumented shoppers; so, eventually the normals that is, those of us with jobs, property, and a liking for clean, non-threatening surroundings decamp the urban jungle for something a little less edgy, usually taking our dollars, investments, responsible civic behavior, and tax base with us.
Why on earth do certain cities San Francisco and Los Angeles being the two which spring to mind almost at once allow this to continue? What benefit does it give to see gracious, scenic, and culturally-attractive cities descend into a condition which repels longtime residents and new visitors alike? What’s in it for the civic managers of such urban centers … and as it was pointed out, there’s money in it.
Random Photo
Bruce taking me for a walk at the dog park – I like to see things that remind me of warmer days when we get to this point in Winter.
Extremely Cool
Here’s a 22-year-old who builds microchips in his parents’ garage. His most recent production contains 1200 transistors, he made a 6-transistor version when he was a senior in high school. The famous Intel 4004 microprocessor contained 2300 transistors, and he’s hoping to get to that level soon.
The article also mentions Jeri Ellsworth…in 2002, she created a system to emulate the old Commodore 64 computer, and also other systems of that period, so that she and other people could play old games that had been developed for them. This led to Mammoth Toys hiring her to create a computer on a chip for the C64 Direct-to-TV joystick…it sold over half a million units.
Haven’t watched it yet, but she describes her own adventures in making microchips at home in the YouTube series Cooking with Jeri.
Great to see this kind of spirit!
A New, FEARLESS, Chicagoboyz Prediction!
My new and absolutely Fearless Prediction — because I’m not on Facebook or Twitter — is that during the Putin Regime’s next invasion of Ukraine, it will use chemical weapons.
DISCUSS.
Does the Bear Market start tomorrow?
Tomorrow, the vaccine mandate for truckers in the US begins. The Canadian border is already affected by the Canada mandate and there is already some pain. Truckers work alone although a small number share driving with wives or other partners. Their exposure to the general public is minimal in their work life. The same mandate by the US will block most Mexican drivers from bringing fresh fruits and vegetables into the US. All three groups of drivers have a low compliance with vaccination. The result will likely contribute to the supply chain crisis, which has only worsened the past few months.
Now, The stock market is showing weakness.
Energy policy has driven up oil, fuel, packaging and gas prices. Transportation costs have skyrocketed. Emission regulations have driven up port costs and delayed transportation; fracturing the supply chain. Vaccine mandates have hit the manufacturing and processing sectors. Legislative policy and COVID spending have artificially inflated the economy. Monetary policy has devalued the dollar and driven even higher inflation.
The mandate will affect 50% of US truckers. Mexican truckers are unknown but Canadian truckers are already demonstrating in Ottawa.
Into this hurricane of stagflation, the fed is going to raise interest rates. The stock market could lose half its inflated value. The NASDAQ is already responding to the storm clouds. Employment is going to start getting really sketchy. Congress will eventually announce their remedy, which will be more spending and the dollar gets worse.
A market expert is predicting a bear market.