Political Economy category archive
It’s the System, Stupid 0
Aside:
When I watched this on YouTube, it was preceded by a painful, poorly-acted advertisement full of pro-Keystone XL Pipeline propaganda.
High Crimeas and Misdeamors 0
At Asia Times, Daisy Sindelar offers six lesson that can be drawn from Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Here’s one, which also serves to explain the modus operandi of Fox News and the Wingnut World News Network; follow the link for the rest:
4. It’s Not Lying If They Believe It
Both Adolf Hitler and his propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels were avid proponents of the “Big Lie,” a falsehood so flagrant, and so consequential, that people choose to accept it rather than believe its teller capable of such underhandedness. Putin, whose KGB training and rumored plastic surgery have rendered his expression all but unreadable, has employed several Big Lies — and innumerable little ones — in his Crimea campaign:
1) Russians are having their rights violated;
2) He is upset by the idea of Russians having their rights violated;
3) Power in Kyiv has been seized by fascists;
4) The situation is so dire Ukrainians themselves are fleeing to Russia;
5) No Russian troops entered Ukraine;
6) “We are not considering [annexing Crimea].”
Even in instances where such claims were demonstrably false — as in Crimea, where Russian soldiers willingly identified themselves to journalists — there has been no tangible downside to the lie. Cracking down on the few remaining free news outlets in Russia has only made it easier to sell this alternate narrative at home.
And in related developments.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Still a slight positive trend.
(snip)
The four-week average declined to 327,000 from 330,500 the week before.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits increased by 41,000 to 2.89 million in the week ended March 8 after reaching a three-month low the prior period.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
A little better.
Jobless claims dropped by 9,000 to 315,000 in the week ended March 8, a Labor Department report showed today in Washington.
(snip)
The jobless claims report showed the four-week moving average, a less volatile measure than the weekly figures, fell to 330,500 last week from 336,750.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits decreased by 48,000 to 2.86 million in the week ended March 1, the lowest level since December.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
A little better.
(snip)
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits decreased by 8,000 to 2.91 million in the week ended Feb. 22, the fewest this year.
The Galt and the Lamers 2
Think Progress tries to understand the glibertarian tilt of the fans of bitcoin. A nugget:
(snip)
Bitcoin users’ rejection of the government reflects the luxury of being able to live well without state support, while the less advantaged desperately need a larger government role in the banking system to help them them overcome deep, systemic bias.
Read the rest.
Via Zandar.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Status quo ante.
(snip)
Today’s Labor Department data showed the four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, was unchanged at 338,250.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
For all practical purposes, no change.
(snip)
Today’s data showed the four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, increased to 338,500 from 336,750 the week before. The average for the comparable survey week in January was 332,250.
“The Weed of Crime Bears Bitcoin Fruit”* 2
In a long and closely reasoned article, McGill University’s Reuven Brenner sees one possible redeeming aspect to BitCoins.
Follow the link for the full discussion. Summary cannot do it justice, especially as no one really understands how bitcoins work. Nevertheless, like any other fiat currency, bitcoins have value because (some) persons believe bitcoins have value.
________________
*With apologies to The Shadow.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Once more, for all practical purposes, status quo ante.
(snip)
The Labor Department’s report showed the four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, increased to 336,750 from 333,250 the week before.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits decreased by 18,000 to 2.95 million in the week ended Feb. 1.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
For all practical purposes, steady:
(snip)
The four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, rose to 334,000 from 333,750.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits rose by 15,000 to 2.96 million in the week ended Jan 25.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Still pretty much status quo ante.
(snip)
The four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, increased to 333,000 from 332,250 in the prior week.
The number of people continuing to receive jobless benefits fell by 16,000 to 2.99 million in the week ended Jan. 18.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
Still over 300k,
But no emergency, okay?
(snip)
The four-week average of jobless claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, declined to 335,000 from 348,500 the week before.
The number of Americans receiving extended benefits under federal programs rose by about 63,500 to 1.35 million in the period ended Dec. 28, the last week of the emergency unemployment compensation.
Nothing To Do, No Place To Go 0
Bloomberg is all rosy about this, but, for all practical purposes, it’s status quo ante–still in mid 300K.
(snip)
The four-week average of claims, which smoothes short-term volatility, dropped to 349,000 from 358,750.
