The Economy

Save me!

 

Any time I hear “lump of labor fallacy” I flashback to falling asleep to the dulcet tones of a Brazilian professor in a 7 a.m. econ course in 2005.

That was terrible scheduling by me.

 

My first exposure to it was in the "Dear Economist Forum" of Penthouse ...

 

Also ... two thousand and fucking five?

I am older than water.

 

I have a son who, Lord willing, will see the year 2100 at 80. That’s the one that makes me space out.

 

I'll look him up for some virtual shuffleboard. I'll be 139.

 

gotdamn liberal media

 

I was just playing the ChatGPT, told it to write me a 500 story about a man's struggle to catch a blue marlin.
It spit this out in about 12 seconds.

The sun was high in the sky as Jack set out from the marina in his fishing boat, determined to catch the elusive blue marlin that had eluded him for years. He had spent countless hours on the water, studying the habits of these powerful fish and refining his technique, but he had never managed to land one. Today, he was determined to change that.

As he navigated the choppy waters of the Gulf, Jack felt a sense of excitement building within him. The thrill of the chase, the rush of adrenaline as he battled a powerful fish – these were the things that kept him coming back to the sea time and again.

After hours of trolling the deep blue waters, Jack's patience was finally rewarded. He felt a sudden tug on his line and knew immediately that he had hooked something big. He braced himself and began reeling, his muscles straining against the resistance of the water.

The fight was intense, with the marlin pulling Jack's boat through the water as he struggled to keep the line taut. The fish was relentless, thrashing and diving, trying to shake the hook from its mouth. But Jack refused to give up. He knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for, and he was determined to see it through.

For hours, the battle raged on, with Jack and the marlin locked in a fierce struggle. Sweat dripped down his face as he strained against the line, his arms aching from the effort. But he was determined to win, to prove that he was capable of catching one of the ocean's most prized and elusive creatures.

As the sun began to set and the sky turned a deep shade of orange, Jack felt the fish begin to tire. It was still fighting, but its movements had become sluggish and slow. He knew that this was his chance, his moment to strike.

With one final burst of energy, Jack reeled in his line, slowly bringing the marlin closer to the boat. As it broke the surface, he saw the brilliant blue and silver of its scales shining in the fading light. It was a magnificent creature, powerful and majestic, and Jack felt a deep sense of pride and accomplishment wash over him.

With one swift motion, Jack reached for his gaff and plunged it into the fish's side, hoisting it aboard his boat. He stood there for a moment, staring at the marlin, awed by its beauty and the magnitude of what he had accomplished.

As he made his way back to shore, Jack felt a sense of satisfaction that he had never felt before. He had caught the blue marlin, one of the ocean's most elusive creatures, and he had done it through sheer determination and force of will.

For Jack, the struggle to catch the marlin had been more than just a physical battle. It had been a test of his strength, his resilience, and his willingness to push himself beyond his limits. And in the end, he had emerged victorious, a true conqueror of the sea.

 

Way, way down in there, one of those "some economists" who "think" estimates that 10% of inflation is "profit" driven.

 

That's good but I asked Chat to rewrite it in the style of Hemingway...

The sun hung heavy in the sky as Jack pushed off from the marina in his fishing boat, his resolve fixed on the blue marlin that had evaded him for so long. He had invested countless hours on the water, observing the behavior of the mighty fish and honing his technique, but the prize had always slipped away. Today, he vowed, would be different.

As Jack maneuvered through the Gulf's rough waters, anticipation simmered within him. The thrill of the pursuit, the surge of adrenaline in a battle against a formidable fish – these were the forces that drew him back to the sea again and again.

After hours spent in the deep blue expanse, Jack's patience bore fruit. A sudden pull on his line signaled he had hooked something immense. Bracing himself, he commenced reeling, his muscles strained against the water's resistance.

The struggle was fierce, the marlin dragging Jack's boat across the sea as he labored to maintain tension in the line. The fish was unyielding, lashing and diving to free itself from the hook's grasp. But Jack would not yield either. He knew this was the moment he had longed for, and he was resolved to see it to completion.

For hours, Jack and the marlin were entwined in a ferocious contest. Perspiration dripped down his face as he strained against the line, his arms aching from the effort. But victory was his aim, a testament to his ability to capture one of the ocean's most sought-after and elusive inhabitants.

As the sun dipped toward the horizon and the sky bled into a deep orange, Jack sensed the fish's waning strength. It fought on, but its movements grew sluggish, slower. He recognized this as his opportunity, his time to act.

With a final surge of energy, Jack drew in his line, gradually bringing the marlin closer to the boat. As it breached the surface, the dying light revealed the stunning blue and silver of its scales. The fish was magnificent, a testament to power and majesty, and Jack felt pride and achievement flood through him.

In a swift movement, Jack wielded his gaff and plunged it into the fish's flank, hoisting it onto the boat. He paused, beholding the marlin, awestruck by its beauty and the enormity of his accomplishment.

As Jack steered his boat back to shore, a sense of fulfillment unlike any he had known before washed over him. He had captured the blue marlin, one of the ocean's most elusive creatures, through unyielding determination and force of will.

For Jack, the conflict with the marlin transcended a mere physical battle. It was a trial of his fortitude, his endurance, and his capacity to surpass his own limitations. In the end, he had triumphed, a true master of the sea.

 

Meanwhile here’s some more labor taking its lumps. If you meet anyone from IBM Human Resources, be sure to let them know this is an exciting moment for capital being unleashed and that more leisure time is surely just around the corner for them.

IBM plans to replace 7,800 jobs with AI over time, pauses hiring certain positions