Masters of the Universe category archive

Thoreau surveys the Twinkies and asks a question:

Why is it that whenever we hear of a company that is going bankrupt, or getting bailed out, or bringing down the global economy, we inevitably learn that top managers are getting bonuses and raises? Mind you, I realize that executive compensation is usually a small percentage of the company’s expenses, so my point is not “How can they afford this?” Rather, it’s about incentives: To whatever extent market competition yields good, efficient outcomes for society, it’s because market competition supposedly aligns actions and consequences, thereby producing incentives that guide behavior. However, when banksters destroy the global economy, or a company is run into the ground, people keep getting their bonuses. For what?

We should stop calling it “vulture capitalism.” The term slurs vultures, the trash haulers of the wild, who provide an essential service.

“Vampire capitalism”: that’s my submission.

Image via Balloon Juice.

Via Bartcop.

Georgia builds its lead as the nexus of nixed banks.

Hometown Community Bank, Braselton, Georgia

has left town.

Afterthought:

With a solid name like “Hometown Community Bank,” what could possibly have gone wrong?

After all, isn’t “branding” all that matters?

Georgia adds to its excellent record of blanking banks. Bank no more on:

Hometown Community Bank, Braselton, Georgia</ul>

Afterthought:

Really, how could a bank with the homey name like “Hometown Community Bank” be less than rock-solid. After all, isn’t “branding” all that matters these days?

Shorter Mitt the Flip: The 47% beat me.

That, natch, is why he got 47% of the vote.

As my ex would have said, “Jeez oh man, what a jerk!”

Dick Destiny did, indeed, (try to) read Atlas Shrugged so you don’t have to.

Thom dissects the zany:

Chain restaurants go Galt.

These folks make Mr. Dithers look compassionate.

Murray Energy, known for forcing employees attend a Romney rally without pay, goes Galt.

If they can’t get their way by stealing the election, they try throwing a temper tantrum.

And Bill O’Reilly had the nerve to accuse poor people of wanting stuff.

Seems to me that the biggest stuff-wanters are rich folks for whom too much is never enough.

Mike Papantonio describes Wall Street:

They don’t make anything. All they do is move money around and talk trash.

Mastering the universe no more–these banks are blanked:

Citizens First National Bank, Princeton, Illinois

Heritage Bank of Florida, Lutz, Florida

When I first saw this development rising like cheap Lego houses from the marsh, I thought it was the most godawful ugly visual atrocity I had ever seen.

The faux Victorian architecture and garish colors–houses tricked out like streetwalkers in hot pink, bright yellow, powder blue, and kelly green–would make a Disney set-dresser blush.

It is difficult to resist schadenfreude at its comeuppance.

Another bank disappeared overnight.

NOVA Bank, Berwyn, Pennsylvania

Froma Harrop documents a history of Etch-a-Sketch moments:

Around the time Etch A Sketch left for China, Asimco Technologies bought two auto parts factories in Michigan, closed them and laid off 500 Americans. Bain saw the “strong fundamentals” of Asimco’s operations and acquired the company. Today, Asimco makes the same camshafts on land donated by the Chinese government. China has designated this area as an export metropolis, showering the companies that move there with a variety of government subsidies.

Romney counts himself among the American heroes who built a business, but what his business built above all was an army of crack Washington lobbyists. . . . Forget the malarkey about a blind trust managing his Bain investments. It is run by Ropes & Gray, the Boston law firm that advises Bain.

Follow the link for more Etch-a-Sketch moments.

The mystery of the mysterious disappearing banks returns to haunt the moneyed classes. Bank no more on these:

GulfSouth Private Bank, Destin, Florida

First East Side Savings Bank, Tamarac, Florida

Excel Bank, Sedalia, Missouri

Mitt the Flip directs employers to tell their employees how to vote. The key quote starts about the 26:40 mark.

When you cut through the hearts and flowers rhetoric, it is suborning voter intimidation.

I do have low expectations of today’s Republican Party, but, I must admit, this recedes my expectations.

Via Balloon Juice.

Its prey speak out.

Thom discusses efforts by the One Percent to extort Republican votes from their employees.

They are pulling out all the stops to subvert democracy.

By selling off out the schools: