Vincent Davis

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I was watching this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8 and dell clams it has made over $3 million from twitter posts. There appear to be 6 million active users, $2 per user. I find that hard to believe. I know that might be lots more hearing about the tweets but. Make me wonder what they are tweeting? Maybe it’s $2 coupons.

Econtalk.org had another good podcast today. One of the parts I liked best was a short statement about why the rate of inflation or deflation is not what matters, but rather unexpected changes in inflation/deflation. If only this more widely understood. In fact, I would argue that high rates of inflation are correlated with bad economies and not the cause of bad economies. It is more likely that the high inflation is caused by the government printing too much money.
“If everybody knew that prices were going to grow at 2% a year, everybody would factor that into interest rates. Value of the money changing hands a year from now goes up. Inflation would be irrelevant; deflation would also be irrelevant. People have this bizarre fear of deflation; unusual in our lifetime. If everybody understood that prices fell 2 or 3% a year, they would factor that into wage expectations, their borrowing and interest rates. Where you get real effects is when outcomes don’t mirror very closely your expectations. If I lend you $1000 and expect to get $1100 back, and prices are stable; if suddenly prices went up in a way that wasn’t anticipated at the time of the loan, those swings in reality versus expectations discourage economic activity.”

I have been thinking about how many bad policy decisions are made because the good option is not politically feasible. The exmple I have been thinking of recently is Health care. I am going to simplify the current debate. Democrats, need to have more health care, taxing to get it is ok, government can allocate (ration) the spending.  Republicans, We need to do something, Taxes are bad, we want a free market, lets get employers to pay for it. Remember I am simplifying. The key to both of these solutions is that they would like to hide from you (we the people) what you are paying. They are ding this by making businesses, pay the cost. I would like to point out that all businesses are owned by people. I hope to show that my guidelines for a solution are better but politically difficult.

1. Make the individual cost transparent. Government provided or free market insurance, Make the cost to the individual completely transparent. i.e. paid by the individual directly. I’m ok with income transfers/subsidies but don’t hide the costs.
2. Medical conditions fall into to categories. Those with rapid feedback and those with long term. Playing sport is a rapid feed back, you know that you could get injured and you try not to. I see little reason to add a cost penalty to “risky sport” Pain seems like an adequate deterrent. Smoking, obesity, and other life habits have a much more delayed feedback. These types of habits should be penalized. It does not seem that the future risk of cancer, heart disease is an adequate deterrent. I think the cost of there health insurance should be adjusted so that there is a real time cost. I would also not allow the adjusting of cost based on past care. If the incentives are right don’t penalize for bad luck.
3. Let patients choose there quality of care. The current system tries to provide the best care standard of care to everyone. I am sure you re asking why would you not always want the best. Well if you are asking that you are not the one paying. My example is; I had a mole on my face. I didn’t really care who removed it. I didn’t need a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist to do it so that there would be no scar. I am not that concerned about my appearance. I would have chosen to have my GP do it. But no I had to see another Doc. I had to see a dermatologist.  Well I wasn’t paying. Even if I was under our current system it is unlikely the GP would do it. Not because they can’t but because the standard is that a dermatologist removes facial moles. Next time I am doing my own.

Point 1 is clearly not political practical, We what to think health care is like Manna from the sky. Point 2 is not political practical because we don’t ike the ide of being told what to do, or eat or …. and I don’t think the AMA would support point 3 for a lot of resons I wont’ go into now.

This graph says it all but you can read more here. LINK

I came across a video of a diver dying. It was posted on youtube. It was kinda a strange video like a short documentry. What was intersting to me is that YouTubes “Related Videos” contained more videos of people dieing. Now I seem to have a unique view of death based on other people I have talked to but I wounder is this accessability to seing people dying will change our culture. It is clearly different that being on the news for several resons. You don’t realy choose what you see on the news and I can’t ever think of a time I actualy saw a person dying on the news. Maybe in an abstract way like when the twin towers fell. Obviously there were people dieing. Well I guess the news showed people jumping but did it show them landing? I don’t remember. I hope they did not becuse if they did I would feel bad for forgeting. I am getting of topic. It is interesting to wounder how the assesability of death to those of all ages, cultures, ….. will affect there outlook on the subject. Does it matter?

I am trying to get my blog to automatically post to FaceBook

Not sure why I am tring to do this but it seems it’s the thing to do

What ever your slant can you give me an explanation that fits your preference. What I mean is I would not expect a relation ship like this. So can you explain why it is. For democrats it might be easy to say “we are smarter” for Republicans it is not so easy to say “we are stupid”. Both are not good explanations.  I have some for both but let me know what you think.

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Did you read the artical in the NYTimes, He insnt a licensed plumber, never was an apprentice. ere is the link.

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