Chet The Dog

Posts Tagged ‘economy’

Globalization, International Economics, And Us: From A Fistful Of Collars

The next thing I knew we were on our way to the yard at the back of Nixon’s Championship Autobody. One of his guys was spraypainting a picture of a curvy woman on a black fender.

“More tit, Ruy,” Nixon said as we went by. “What’s wrong with you?”

Ruy raised his mask. “Sorry, boss.”

We kept going. “Can’t get good help,” Nixon said. “What’s going to happen to this country? We’re competing in the global marketplace.”

“Maybe the big breast thing isn’t as important overseas,” Bernie said.

“Talk sense, Bernie,” Nixon said.

Today, 2-3, Boston Book Festival: Peter Abrahams is on a panel discussing middle-grade mysteries, Boston Public Library, McKim Lower.

Yoking Around

“Maybe it’s time,” says Spence, “that I understood this European financial mess.”

“They’re yoked to the euro,” Admin says. “That exacerbates – or, as I heard someone say recently, exasperates – “

“No.”

“Yes. That exacerbates – you might even says leverages – the fundamental problem, which is an imbalance between productivity and government expenditure. They’re either going to have to be much more productive – which means working harder or getting younger fast – or reduce outlays.”

“Meaning austerity?”

“The dreaded A word.”

“Cheers.”

Welcome Brody, Oliver & Cooper, Buddy.

Rebecca: we hope you’re all right!

Taxation Without Representation Is Tiramisu

“Not sure where you’re going with this,” Spence says.

“You don’t follow what’s happening in Europe?” says Admin. “As a bailout condition they’re trying to make it so the fiscal policies of individual nations will be dictated by central control, meaning individual nations won’t really be setting their own budgets. And the people don’t get to vote on it! The new economic order – where’s Orwell when we need him?”

Welcome Florida beach-lover. And the new economic order makes Pearl sleepy.

Zloty

Went to the Dry Gulch Steakhouse and Saloon last night. Love that place! They’ve got a big wooden cowboy out front – once I lifted my leg against him, not good I know, but just too tempting. Prof was having a drink in the patio bar. Have I mentioned Prof? He teaches at the U and is our expert for following money. I’m our expert for following people, in case that isn’t clear by now.

Prof and Bernie started talking about the economy. That’s all I’m hearing these days. What’s going on? Prof said what worries him most is East Europe. Have I been there? Not sure. I remember a drive out to East Pedroia where we ended up in a warehouse full of stolen tanning beds. “Whole countries are insolvent,” Prof said, whatever that means. I was under the bar by then, busy with a nice fatty corner of steak, not really listening. “Check out the zloty,” Prof was saying. “It’s in the toilet.” 

That got my attention. Back home, I looked in both toilets. Whatever the zloty is, it wasn’t in either one. Nothing in them but fresh cool water, which is my preference when it comes to toilets.