Deep Thinking: Economy

I was at dinner with one of my chums tonight, and we got talking about what makes a great economy. I'm not econ major, but I'm getting to being a decent consumer so I guess that makes my whimsical thoughts at least worth blogging. Here is what I got. I'd love some constructive input or cool POV's on the subject. Its messy and scattered, but is fun to write.

Assumptions:

• A good economy serves the needs and wants of its consumers.
• It is in someone's best interest to serve others interests.
• A person-person relationship is a highly desired function of consumerism
• Individuality and variety are also desired traits
• Most consumers are self-aware of their needs and wants
  

Elements of an Effective Efficient Economy:

• Low concentration of large quantity suppliers and high concentration of small specialized experts with networked access to producers

Lets get one thing straight, places like Wal-Mart have their place. When there are basic goods that everyone needs access to, and we already know how to make them very well (e.g. like making papers plates, napkins, nails, or door hinges), we should have a place where these type of things are available to the masses in great supply and cheap cost. HOWEVER, for most goods this is not helpful to local business, individual identity/culture, or innovative progress. What this looks like in an ideal economy is a giant hardware store with tons of practical goods. Home Depot has got this down fairly well. Its basically a general supply store with tons of options and basic goods.

In an ideal economy there would be these type of stores. However, for most specialty goods (including clothes, most food, entertainment, rare goods) there would need to be a different way of obtaining them. The secret to satisfying the specific needs of the consumers is to have high instance of specialized experts in the production/distributing sector. When I have a specific need, it dosent make any sense for me to become an expert in everything I buy, albeit interesting and fun at times. The fact of the matter, is that I need to spend less time thinking about consuming and less time consuming so I have more time to do other stuff, (like producing my own cool services).

Solution: I go to the expert who I can detail my request and get feedback on what my options are and introduce me to the proper variety of available goods and services. I then make an informed choice, and then proceed. For choices I make repeatedly, I slowly become the expert as I become more educated about the options and provide this service to others.

• Prolific access to information/communication
  
• Super-streamlined and efficient shipping system
  

(i might still work on this one a little)

telekinesis

Turns out I'm a big fan of telekinesis. I am still unsure if I have actually witnessed the actual phenomenon with my own eyes, but must confess the idea intrigues me. I mean, if I could move with my mind what I didn't feel the drive to move it with my hands, what would I do? This serious question calls for some serious pontification. Let us proceed.

Situation #1: It's the one that's just begun, but evidently it's too late... Sorry, my roommate is playing the guitar and I got off track there for a moment.

Scenario #1: (Ah, much better.) The Dreaded Grocery Store Mishap
Ever been at the market and the item you need it higher than arms length away?! Sure, guys like Gavin Giraud never have this problem, but short-stacks like myself could use a good dose of telekinetic powers at moments such as these. I'll get you soon bottled pesto sauce...mark my words.

Scenario #2: Billiards
Playing the pool balls could get really interesting if you could give the gamely spheres a little nudge with your mind. Then the only pocket you would have to really worry about is the one in your jeans and how its going to be loaded with all your winnings from scamming your pool-playing associates that like to bet on their cues.

Scenario #3: Procuring the Salt and Pepper
Yeah, no more mealtime manners and quaint requests for the condiments, just stick out your hand and catch em' like a fly ball.

Scenario #4: Lights out
When sleepy time is nigh, and you lack the wherewithal to get up from your blankets, walk to the wall, shut the light off, and attempt to navigate back through the blackened abyss that bedroom becomes whilst avoiding injury from rogue items on the floor...telekinesis baby. Solves it every time, every night, every Sunday afternoon when Walker gets home from church.

Scenario #5: Public Restroom
Those mental powers could come in handy when avoiding germs is your priority, cause there is no way any part of my body is going to physically touch some of what I've seen in those stalls.

Scenario #6: Taking down random holiday ornaments from 3-story house ceilings and roofs
I don't know how tall that ladder was that you used to get that reindeer statue up there, but its about 33 feet too far away from the crust of the Earth to make me want to go retrieve it myself. However, with my handy-dandy telekinetic abilities that I acquired through years of solitude and meditation in the Tibetan tundras, I'll go ahead and snag it before you fall to a painful gravity-induced demise.

Yep. Got to get me some of that.

Tall tales and classroom madness

So, today I was teaching about the New Jersey and the Virginia Plan, and philosophizing about the greatness of the Constitutional Convention. I was getting pretty into it, when before I know, it I am in the middle of a heated discussion of whether or not there is a McDonalds ball play pen in the US Capitol Building. No foolin. :)

Here is how we got started off on that glorious tangent.
















Sometimes I can't believe I was ever once a teenage boy.

the only way to injest fiction

Storytime Robyn at her finest.

This reading comes from "The Witches" by R. Dahl.

Pure brilliance.