4ECon - October 2007

Well if isn't November already....

That sure was a special month. October was full of magical magicalis, excitement and wonder, and some blog posts, too, but it was a really special month for just one reason:

I became friends with Kai Ryssdal on Facebook. That's right - friends!


I get little status updates from his Facebook profile in the third person (Kai Ryssdal is writing the show... Kai Ryssdal is with the family...), I can look at his profile any time I want (I'd show you, but I'd feel like I'd be betraying his friendship-trust) and, best of all, I can totally write him a message (or perhaps some show advice?) and he won't think I'm some strange fan - 'cuz I'm his FRIEND!

I'm now officially somebody! If you're a girl, you're welcome to come over to my house and touch me. Never been so close to stardom before? Well, then, wear a glove.



Anyways, here's what happened in October (for the 0 people who don't know):

1. First in the month was the longest post ever about the GDP and the Federal Funds Rate - I figured my readers would be overjoyed to find out about the long term trend of the funds rate and its relationship with gross domestic product growth... and I was right!

2. Chris Jeffords from Economic Testing In Progress continued the GDP & Funds Rate talk. ...Yes, it was that exciting!

3. Do you sleep with a gun under your pillow? Don't hide it - let the world know with a Pillow Gun Sign! It might increase your odds of dying, but hey - if someone breaks into your house, you'll wake up, right? ...Unless you're taking sleeping pills.... But you could just let the burglars know that, too, with a sign that says: "Burglars! I'm totally asleep and will not wake up and shoot you, so please just rob my house and ignore me - don't worry about getting me 'out of the picture' by shooting me."

4. I tested Google and lost - they're much more intelligent than I expected. (That's right, Google - you hear that? Don't destroy me, please...)

5. Yet another installment of Rock Hard Data showed the history of income for the median earner, as well as the history of hours worked in various industries. The conclusion: We were better off in 2006 than we were in 1996, which was better than 1986, which was better than 1976, and so on...

6. Gamepaign 2008 was introduced, then I spent more than a week talking about it and boring everybody in the process. The other four post links you can just click on your damn self...

7. I posted some necessary links. Also, I got to point out how awesome I was in predicting the Black Monday anniversary stock semi-crash we experienced on 10/19/07. Hooray for written records, AKA blogging! ...And did anyone read that link about strippers' menstrual cycles?

8. Next was part one of the two part mega-series "Better Than Malaria Nets." This bitch was a blockbuster. To summarize, I went looking for a consumer good that represented a country's wealth accurately and without dispute, and ended up finding my preachy self in the process. Critics are raving:

"Heartwarmingly pointless!"
- President Abdelaziz Bouteflika

9. ...Then there was part two, which had pictures. Also, I waxed an extreme amount of nostalgic.

10. Finally, the last post of the second full month at the 4ECon was the Halloween Special "Optimal Treating," which proved (without a single doubt) that you should only spend $14 on a Halloween costume for your kid, and 11 or 12 cents per piece of candy. Breaking these spending rules will result in a loss of surplus & personal value, and ultimately Halloween chaos. Don't you dare try to give kids full-size candy bars. You'd be effin' up the equilibrium...



Man, I'm such a grouch. I don't know how you all put up with me.

But you do! - post after post after post, I'm always provin' this wrong, or shiftin' that paradigm, or breakin' some girl's heart, ignoring moderation and keeping it ultra real. And you, you 4ECon readin' angels, you all stick with me, holding my hand as I explore life and economics with my wide open little blue puppy dog eyes and my precocious little text-waddle. You're all just super!

Well, I'm going to go virtually hang out with my best friend Kai Ryssdal, the host of NPR's Marketplace, for the weekend, so ya'll won't be hearin' from me for a while. Maybe we'll go pants shopping... 'Cuz that's what friends do...

Everyone's favorite text-waddler,
- Dave