Update on NOTEFLIX’s production of “Troubles in the Garden”. Here is the situation: An American tourist has found Mamzelle Pinkie and erroneously assumes she is for sale. A common mistake as many humans assume everything up for grabs. What would happen to our hero, The Multicolored Bluebird of Happiness if Mamzelle were whisked off to America and probably left to hang from some rearview mirror? Anyway, no one took the American’s money – so breathe easy. Please notice the jump-drive looking thing on the table. The lady even tried to offer a form of Crypto for Mamzelle.; but nobody fell for it. (Come back next week for more exciting thrills.)
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SPEAKING OF MONEY:
- RENTS: The average cost to RENT a 1 BDR in Manhattan is $5113.00 a month. And you can’t find one to RENT because they are all taken. Remember the term “Funny Money”? Well, it is not funny anymore. Explain to me how the rise in interest rates is going to make the RENTS go down. Don’t make me laugh. Come to think of it, there are a lot of things in the world of economics I don’t understand: To wit, see below:
- QUANTITATIVE EASING: We have apparently been “Easing” on and off since 2009…and have executed, according to those who study these things, the biggest financial transaction in the history of man. I defy anyone I know, or any Congressperson, or anybody other than an Economics professor from MIT, to explain to you or me what this term really means. And do not tell me to go to “QUANTITATIVE EASING for Dummies” – because I have done that and it does not work – or maybe I am not so dumb after-all. And…
- MODERN MONETARY THEORY (MMT) is basically the thought that a government can spend as much as it wants, print as much as it wants, for as long as it wants – as long as the people accept its currency. (I’m not saying this is a bad or a good thing. What I am saying is it is not what they used to teach in Economics. 101)… Once you have embraced MMT you can QUANTITATIVELY EASE. Print money, buy your own bonds, grow the money supply at whim. Some social scholars have noted that often times ‘Form follows Art’ – and if this is the case then it is possible we will go from MODERN MONETARY THEORY to DIGITIZED MONETARY THEORY. Or is this happening as I write? …
- CRYPTOCURRENCIES…which no one can explain to me either. (As we wrote in last week’s blog – but bears repeating.) I asked a landlord in Manhattan if he would accept my rent payment in CRYPTO and he told me I was out of “my ever-lovin mind”. And I think the landlord is out of his “ever-lovin mind” asking for $5,113.00 a month; but then again, why not? Everybody is a little crazy with their money issues these QUANTITATIVELY MODERN CRYPTO days – except thee and me, and sometimes I wonder about thee. All this adds up to only one thing: The Markets are up! And that is the only thing.
And now a promo piece from MATHUZALA, our Resident Rodent Guest Columnist:
MATHUZALA SPEAKS:
- I am endorsing the better than good book concerning my human friend and cohort Benedict, who is currently serving time in lock-up. (He will be released any moment now with the help of some of my nephews and other relatives.) Buy THE RAT PAPERS at Amazon or Barnes & Noble and support the worthy causes of: Climate Change Improvements, the End of Nuclear Threats, Inflation, Vegetarianism, Sink Hole Fillings and many other good efforts.
NOTES FROM TUSCANY:
Today is Italy’s national summer holiday: Ferragosto. Almost everything is closed in celebration. (Most restaurants will remain open, however.) “What is this holiday about?” you may ask. In our little town I have been given three different answers from three different people. 1) “We are happy to have a festa on the middle of August.” (Rough translation.) 2) “It is the day the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, ascended physically into Heaven.” (Which may be true; but the holiday was celebrated long before this miracle was proclaimed.) 3) “We honor Caesar/Emperor Augustus for his military victory over something which I cannot recall.” (This is the truest of all the answers and has been so since the year 18 BC. You might scoff at the Italian nonchalance at knowing the knowns; but were you to ask the average American what is July 4th about – you might get: 1) National Bar-B-Q day, 2) Mid-Summer break Holiday 3) The signing of The Declaration of Independence 4) The end of World War 11 5) The day the South happily freed the slaves and the Civil War came to an end…And many more opinions.
A quote or three:
- “The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default.” – Alan Greenspan, former head of The Federal Reserve. Early proponent of QUANTITATIVE EASING
- “If I turn out to be particularly clear, you’ve probably misunderstood what I’ve said.” -Alan Greenspan, again. Speaking to Congress.
- “It was clear as mud; but it covered dee ground.” -H. Belafonte, Song, “Lemon Tree”
That’s it for now. Go forth and do good works. And a fond “Hello” to Sonia, wherever you are.
Terrific writing!
Thanks, Babes