Things break

First let us consider . . .

EVERYTHING THAT breaks does so because essentials are violated, basic elements collapse under the strain. Analyses and proposed remedies must start with clear-headed investigation of what fundamentally broke. What basic laws and rules were stretched to the breaking point?

This theme is expanded here.
[Opinion] Be Good and Grow Rich: Reversing the Economic Meltdown



Meanwhile in Florida . . .

The Florida legislature and our erstwhile governor have just made insanity holy writ in the face of a disaster that is still sitting on Florida like a hurricane that won't go away.

That disaster specifically is that our landscape is dotted with abandoned developments that have sewer lines, streets and electrical utilities in place. There are a few finished, occupied homes sitting on these developments. There are also unfinished spec and partially paid for custom homes sitting untouched. There are also sitting on more mature developments, homes emptied by foreclosure or abandonment awaiting foreclosure.

Now our governor and legislature have given the green light for developers to start up on new residential projects. That must mean that there are investors available to make such things happen. There must be banks with money to let for such projects. It also means that there are buyers ready to occupy such developments . . . or NOT. The wind is just not blowing in that direction despite the jaw boning and last ditch prosperity affirmations of Realtors and there ad placements that surely had to be prepaid.

I sell business related goods and services to real estate, title and mortgage services. The things I sell are like mercury in a thermometer. My business thermometer has settled in the frigid end of the scale and I will be the first to know when some businesses will be headed to summer like comfort again.



The flowers are blooming, but it isn't honey just yet.

Who is running the show??

As some may know, I like a good think. Today, I am thinking about universal or cosmic agency. I started with a search and landed here:


From the June 2009 Scientific American Magazine


Why People Believe Invisible Agents Control the World:
A Skeptic's take on souls, spirits, ghosts, gods, demons, angels, aliens and other invisible powers that be

By Michael Shermer

"There is now substantial evidence from cognitive neuroscience that humans readily find patterns and impart agency to them, well documented in the new book SuperSense (HarperOne, 2009) by University of Bristol psychologist Bruce Hood. Examples: children believe that the sun can think and follows them around; because of such beliefs, they often add smiley faces on sketched suns. Adults typically refuse to wear a mass murderer’s sweater, believing that “evil” is a supernatural force that imparts its negative agency to the wearer (and, alternatively, that donning Mr. Rogers’s cardigan will make you a better person). A third of transplant patients believe that the donor’s personality is transplanted with the organ. Genital-shaped foods (bananas, oysters) are often believed to enhance sexual potency. Subjects watching geometric shapes with eye spots interacting on a computer screen conclude that they represent agents with moral intentions."

The excerpt is expanded here.

Magic and Chicago