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Franco and Mitchell argue

beans99 — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:44:49 -0500

Franco and Mitchell argue that Silicon Valley gained the upper hand because its workers could spin out more businesses based on skills and knowledge developed at other companies. That much fits with conventional wisdom. What’s surprising is that their analysis also suggests non-competes encouraged young companies in the Northeast to come up with more ideas and inventions in the early days. And non-competes also kept workers in their original companies long enough for their ideas to become established, 646-656 the research suggests. “There are times when you want to allow non-compete clauses and times that you want to allow labor mobility,” Mitchell said in a statement. “Now we have a structure to evaluate the two forces involved.”

Two of my children sat in that chair!

Terri Oberg — Sun, 7 Mar 2010 08:29:59 -0500

And the irony of a high chair next to the cigarette dispenser. Thankfully, when I showed my 13 year old the picture he had no idea the machine's purpose.

Well Said!

Scott Ives — Mon, 7 Sep 2009 09:03:39 -0400

Your analysis of this program is spot on! Politicians very rarely look at the consequences of their actions...they are usually too busy crowing about what they did!When things go to hell they like to be miles away with plenty of cover and a good person or group to lay the blame on.

Chris Dodd and Barney Frank are excellent examples of pols who were knee-deep in the housing mess, who have some how come out of the debacle with little or no harm to themselves. Their decisions along with many other...R's and D's have led us to the economy we all find ourselves dealing with now. One would hope we would have learned something from all this...namely you can't fix a busted economy, broken by overspending, by spending even more.

Cash for Clunkers will have unintended consequences and they will be mostly bad.The large majority of people who took advantage of this program did not need it. It was a handout to people who could mostly afford to buy a car without government help. Those that did need the help will be the ones that lose their vehicle, if the economy gets worse not better. Perhaps they were better off with a vehicle they owned outright then with a new vehicle that they owe thousands of dollars on.

speak for your self

Terri Oberg — Wed, 2 Sep 2009 20:22:17 -0400

I don't listen to the rantings of the right wingers because for the most part I think they are as misguided as those leaning to the left. I have more productive things to do with my time. What I write here is what I know from my own experience.

What I wrote about the Cash for Clunkers is what I know from the numerous people I know (because I spent more than 8 years in the business) who work in the dealerships and have to deal with the headaches this program has produced.

I also speak of malpractice from the standpoint of working in a medical office for medical doctors. Everyday I personally have to deal with the enormous amounts of paperwork that comes across my desk from lawyers and disability insurance companies who are processing and following through on the claims submitted by the American puplic. Just that amount of paperwork alone has to be costing us something even if half of it goes nowhere.

It seems to me that you are the one who is spreading the rantings of what you read and hear in your liberal circles rather than ranting about what you experience for yourself.

If you did some research

Michael Evans — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:33:21 -0400

If you did some research instead of listening to the rightwing pundits, I think that you would find that large malpractice awards are few and far between; you will also find that malpractice insurance is expensive because those insurance companies who provide that type of insurance can get away with charging high prices, just like pharmaceutical companies can charge high prices for some of their drugs, even though their cost to manufacture those drugs is very low. That's capitalism.

But if a doctor, say under the influence of some self prescribed medication, caused your child's death from malpractice (100,000+ people die each year in American health care institutions from malpractice), would you not want to be able to sue his ass off? I think it would only be human nature to wish to do that, though most people don't get that far.

If someone thought that voting for Obama would somehow help her safe her home, she was sadly mistaken, though the Congress has tried to establish some programs to help people try to stay in their homes. I don't know if enough time has passed in order to evaluate the success or failures of those programs.

Most economists think that the Cash for Clunkers was successful. Close to a million gas guzzling smog spewing vehicles are off the roads, and auto dealers are recalling workers. Time will tell if it was a truly wise program. It took sometime to get to where we are and it will take a great deal longer to get out of the trouble. We, the American people, are responsible though for what we are dealing with now by allowing ourselves to be manipulated by big corporations, greed, and stupidity. Knowing that fossil fuels like gasoline pollute our air, water, and earth, we continued to demand big, gas-guzzling vehicles over the last two decades, and we were even encouraged to buy them by the Bush administration with tax credits to do so. It was wonderful for GM and the others and the oil companies, but not for the earth or the rest of us as we know now. (BTW, what is difference between a cash incentive up front or a tax credit after the fact? Both take from the many and give to the few.)

You are like the deathers...misleading people with this kind of rant. It isn't true. (FTR, I am not an attorney, nor do I have any attorney friends or family members. I try to stay as far away from attorneys as possible.) But I do respect the truth, and your post is perpetuating an untruth.

who's the greediest?

Terri Oberg — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 22:03:55 -0400

...The insurance companies who decide how doctors should practice medicine or the lawyers who think they are doing the world a favor by suing anyone who breaths??? Do you know how much time and money is spent in the medical profession in protection from malpractice suits? Everytime someone wins millions in a lawsuit it eventually comes out of your wallet, wether it's your coffee at DD that was (imagine this) hot or your MRI test you don't really need but have to have so you can't sue the doctor later for not running every test to make sure that headache you're having isn't really a brain tumor. Don't think that's true? Sit in my chair for a day! Obama wants to cut medical costs? He should start with the Court system first.

And I agree, it was the lenders who got us into the housing market problem we're in now. Isn't that exactly what I was saying? Low interest rates and lenders who would give anyone a mortgage were creating a feeding frenzy very similar to the feeding frenzy we see now, but the Cash for Clunkers program isn't something the lenders dreamed up, They are merely taking advantage, just like the dealers and consumers. If you really want to get down to it, it's the consumers who are the greediest of all, and it's the American way for someone somewhere down the line to make the most of that greed. Infidel stated it perfectly. Would any of this be any different if Obama wrote checks for groceries or manicures? "Free money? what do I have to do? Run naked through a barbed wire fence and attach battery cables to my genitals??? Hell, I'll do that just to get on YouTube!"

And I knew, past tense, because they have since moved outside my orbit, as in left my work place. I also heard a similar conversation behind me in line. I did not say they were friends of mine. And, yes, I do know, present tense, who have since lost their homes and are now living in apartments (although only one dared voice aloud her belief that voting for Obama would save her house). Do you need me to name names to believe I heard such crap falling from the mouths of idiots who really believed this misguided, irrational logic? By the way, I also know people who are buying now, for the first time, but I didn't hear them saying they were voting for Obama so they could buy a house. They worked and saved for it and the opportunity was there for them in this market.

I lost everything once. EVERYTHING! Right down to my dignity and self worth. I'm not there anymore and it had nothing to do with who I backed for President and everything to do with what I wanted from life. There are no free handouts! When are we going to get that?

You forget to mention that

Michael Evans — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:31:41 -0400

You forget to mention that it was the lenders who made these deals in order to earn big commissions. The GREED FACTOR is very real in America. It's one reason health insurance is so expensive for so many.

If you knew people who voted as you say, why don't you know if they're still in their homes? Did you make that up?

Nothing is Free

Terri Oberg — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 09:02:06 -0400

Isn't this what happened to the housing market? Flood the market with buyers who really couldn't afford to be home owners and now we're in crisis because of those home owners who should never have been enticed into buying.

I know people who headed off to the polls saying they were going to vote for the person who would help them stay in their homes that were facing foreclosure. I wonder how many are still in those homes?

Cash for Crumpets

Brian Drummond — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:03:19 -0400

I wonder how many of these new owners will end up having a visit from the repo-man in the next few years.

I know a few people who cast a vote last November based on infi's notion.

Yo Terri, I agree with you

Infidel — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:20:55 -0400

Yo Terri,

I agree with you about this. Why not give people $4500 rebate for what they spent at the supermarket or having their nails done. It seems to me like lobby money gone to seed. So sad.

Shepherds are for sheep,
Infidel

Scott Here...

Scott Ives — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:42:21 -0400

Hi Brian,

Loved the post..it was funny and well written!

Hi Ken,

I am sorry to hear you are going through some difficult times. I will mention you in my prayers and hope for better news!

As usual...

Scott Ives — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:08:55 -0400

A poignant reminder to stop and smell the roses...well done Terri!

I'm sorry for going too far

Ken Braiterman — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 10:03:08 -0400

I'm sorry for going too far and over the top.

I was not completely in my right mind this past week. I've been sweating out the possibility of kidney caner since Monday when something unexpected turned up on an x-ray. Two docs told me to see a specialist ASAP, and that turns out to be tomorrow afternoon. They both think it's cancer, but want a specialist to say for sure.

I've been trying to keep my mind off my mind as much as I can, but it's hard. Que sera sera, and Let It Be are not really in my vocabulary, and I don't do well in situations that require that attitude.

I'll leave you alone from now on, and I'm very sorry. You're an excellent writer, and I enjoy your blogs.

Ken

A Chill Pill For Ken And Another Sorry You Have To Read This...

Brian Drummond — Sat, 6 Jun 2009 11:25:06 -0400

I'm beginning to worry about your state of mind Ken.

You're focusing on one definition of the word "borderline" of which there are four offered in Merrium-Webster.

You've also lost focus of the content of my blog, so that you can "educate" me in some wierd Janeane Garofalo manner.

I work in Healthcare, Ken. I think I know about BPD.

If you think my bad Janet joke was tasteless, I can only imagine what you think of Denis Miller's sense of humor.

I joke about Alz every day. Why? Because there is a history of Alzheimers, dementia, mental illness, and brain cancer in my family.

5 a.m. Not enough coffee. Attempting to put a wallet in the toaster instead of my back pocket. I'll blame the Alzheimer's.

It's a matter of common sense and context and it's funny.

So, if you must continue, may I provide some fresh subjects for future assaults and tirades. This one has become redundant.

I'm a Christian who rarely goes to church and I don't believe in flag burning, abortion, gay marriage, illegal immigration, or blaming George Bush for all of my inadequacies.

I'm sorry that my attempts to apologize haven't measured up to your standards.

Forgive me for turning my other cheek and ignoring future criticism.

I still can't tell if you've learned why you're apologizing

Ken Braiterman — Fri, 5 Jun 2009 20:15:43 -0400

You trivialized gut-wrenching pain that can be fatal, and turned it into a joke. You turned people who have BPD into a joke. You still haven't apologiized for that, only for hurting my feelings.

I need to know you finally understand what a terrible disease BPD is: that it's not the fault of the victim or his family, that it's not something anyone would choose, that it has nothing to do with a victim's intelligence -- and indicate that you've learned it is nothing to joke about.

You mentioned your parents with Alzheimer's. I'm very sorry you and they went through that. I did with my father too. Know any good jokes about Alzheimer's, and how would you feel if you heard one? Would you object and risk being seen as a hypersensitive humorless guy, or just let it go unchallenged?

And what if the person who cracked the joke said, "No offense. Sorry if I offended you." What would constitute an acceptable apology to you and everyone else who suffered as you have.