Driscoll and Chandler

Two of my favorites

more about "Driscoll and Chandler", posted with vodpod

 

A Heartbeat Away

  This man is a heartbeat away from being the leader of the free world…and people had a problem with Channey, Bush, and Palin.  Seriously?!

 

All I want for Christmas: 2009

I know Christmas was just a few weeks ago, but I had the hardest time trying to figure out what I wanted for Christmas (much to my wife’s chagrin), but I have stumbled upon two things that I think are A-Maz-ING.  The first one is the Powermat.  It charges electronic devices wirelessly.  All you have to do is set them on the mat and they charge.  It also charges laptops with a special adapter.  It is scalable and awesome.

Powermat Wireless Charging from Powermat on Vimeo.

The second thing is Mattel’s Mind Flex which is a mind control game that uses brain waves to move a ball through an obstacle course.  The game comes with a brain scanning headset that manipulates the speed of a fan depending on how hard you concentrate allowing you to control how high the game ball levitates.

So, Santa, all I want for Christmas is a device that transports electricity with out wires and a game that I can control with my mind.  I promise I’ll be a good boy.

 

Grading Obama’s New “Economic Rescue Plan for the Middle Class”

Today Barack Obama announced what he calls a comprehensive economic rescue plan for the middle class.  The major points of his proposal are:

1. Tax credit for employers who hire people to work in the USA
2. Create a pool of funds that could be used by States and municipalities to repair and improve our infrastructure
3. A 1 year moratorium on 401k withdrawal penalties (up to $10k)
4. A 3 month moratorium on home foreclosures

Point 1:  This point is mearly pandering.  Obama’s proposal is a $3k tax credit per employee hired to work in the USA.  Business owners are in business to make money not jobs.  As businesses grow they are more likely to invest in human capital (create jobs).  No business owner is going to take on the cost of any additional employee to get $3k.  Since the dollar amount seems arbitrary, I will have to chalk this one up to pandering.  Grade: D

Point 2:  This is actually not a bad idea.  Maintaining our infrastructure is the government’s responsability, and anyone who has driven on a Pennsylvania road in February and March knows that the government hasn’t been doing their job.  But on a more serious note, this would create jobs and inject capital into our economy in a healthy way.  Also, the benefit to transportation companies would be fantastic.  Grade: A

Point 3:  This is a tremendously horrible idea.  Making it easy to take money out of your 401k after it tanked is a horrible, horrible idea.  As long as that money stays in the 401k, there is no “realized” loss.  The minute it comes out, it’s gone.  People – DO NOT TOUCH YOUR RETIREMENT UNTIL YOU ARE RETIRING.  They are not Christmas Clubs for recessions.  Figure something else out, but do not touch the 401k.  Grade: F (only because there is nothing lower)

Point 4:  I think this is more pandering.  The majority of what I have read about the housing crisis says that it’s bottoming out.  It will get worse if we don’t introduce liquidity (money) into the credit system so that banks can lend.  You can have a foreclosure moratorium for as long as you want, but if when it’s over you still can’t refinance because banks aren’t lending, than what’s the point?  This will have no effect.  Grade: D

Over all, Obama’s plan will have little effect on our economy.  It just doesn’t really do anything besides sound good to Joe Schmoe.  Overall Grade: “I” for ineffective.