Cheaper Is Just Cheaper
It seems to me that for the last ten or fifteen years, everything has been all about cheap, and cheaper. Very little is about “quality,” unless it is also about “luxury.” There was once a time, well within my living memory, that an object did not have to luxurious to be of good quality. We need to get that back, somehow. We also need to get rid of the concept that “expensive” equates with “quality.” I mean, look at a Cadillac Cimarron (and some more modern examples) closely; it’s a Chevrolet (and we know how well GM is doing) with more plastic stuff glued to it.
Wal-Mart is universally famous for being cheap. To me, that is almost exactly like the girl in high school that was known only for being easy. Every time I drive by a Wal-Mart store, the thought that goes through my mind is “Wal-Mart, the slut of retail.” They pride themselves on beating down the prices of their suppliers. And how do the suppliers manufacture cheaper goods for Wal-Mart so that Wal-Mart can say they sell for less? Read more
Wall Street vs. the Real Economy
I will admit that I don’t really understand all of the ins and outs of economics. I took classes in this subject while at university, and I have read a number of textbooks in the field. I still find some facets of economics to be confusing. However, since I have often heard the experts talk about it, and since they are obviously full of crap, I think I am justified in writing on this subject. So I think I’ll just go ahead and have a rant. Consider that to be your rant warning. ;o)
What we hear about on the financial news, day in and day out, is the stock market. Wall Street is king. I understand that some small people have money in the stock market, usually in retirement plans that they don’t have a clue about, and on which stock brokers earn a better living than do the investors. But the bulk of the money made in the stock market is made by people that are already rich. Read more
