» Essays

The Scorpion and The Frog

Mr. Repose — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:00:18 +0000

Our whole plutonomy thesis is based on the idea that the rich will keep getting richer. This thesis is not without its risks. For example, a policy error leading to asset deflation, would likely damage plutonomy. Furthermore, the rising wealth gap between the rich and poor will probably at some point lead to a political backlash. Whilst the rich are getting a greater share of the wealth, and the poor a lesser share, political enfrachisement remains as was – one person, one vote (in the plutonomies). At some point it is likely that labor will fight back against the rising profit share of the rich and there will be a political backlash against the rising wealth of the rich. This could be felt through higher taxation (on the rich or indirectly though higher corporate taxes/regulation) or through trying to protect indigenous laborers, in a push-back on globalization – either anti-immigration, or protectionism. We don’t see this happening yet, though there are signs of rising political tensions. However we are keeping a close eye on developments. [...]

Dawn of War

The Warden — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:02:10 +0000

Throughout my life, it had always been difficult for me to grasp what was so compelling about tabletop strategy and RPG games. I couldn't seem to wrap my head around how fiddling with pencil and paper games and using your imagination would ever be preferable to an NES (or a NES, if you're a retard and pronounce the console name "Ness"). And now that I've discovered Warhammer 40,000... well, I pretty much skipped all of it anyway, because the Dawn of War series is on the PC. Lulz. [...]

The New American Dream

Mr. Repose — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 03:24:20 +0000

For a long time the neighborhood in which I am currently occupying was ran by a board of directors consisting of annoying and bothersome old people who felt the need to intervene on everyone's decisions as to the appearance of the property that they, most of the time, actually owned. It's a fascinating thing, the American Dream, you search for it and when you finally obtain the very thing that you had been seeking you immediately find ways and excuses to project your 'sensible' notions on why every house should be a boring gray with white curtains and fretting over cats walking across your lawn. Now, when I refer to the American Dream, I'm talking about a family, a retirement, a nice house or condo in a quiet neighborhood and, with any luck, a white picket fence. Maybe a chance to grow old and sit on your lawn and lazily yell at young people to get the hell off said lawn and quit drawing penises on your lawn gnomes with a sharpie. These notions of the ideal existence were what was shoved down the throats of suckers during the, what I lovingly call, the 'old days,' which roughly consists of all the time prior to the date I was born. The thing was, in chasing the American Dream, most people were broken, or didn't like what they had built up to turning into a royal hassle, or didn't like what they became in the process. [...]

Elected Babysitters

Mr. Repose — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 03:00:43 +0000

A thought occurred to me at work today. That the idea of elections is curious insofar as it’s intention. It seems to me that people in general tend to enjoy the process of voting because they can appoint someone who most closely agrees with their pretenses and if that person fails or does not do it [...]

Frontin’

Mr. Repose — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:09:06 +0000

It is far easier to tell lies than it is to be honest. The reasoning being that honesty takes absolutely no creativity, there’s no real mystery or drive to want to know more in most cases . When one lies about their day they can add all sorts of interesting anecdotes and [...]

The Death Arcana.

Mr. Repose — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 04:25:00 +0000

In tarot, the card which represents drastic change or finality is the death arcana. Fittingly the numerical value given this arcana is 13, which happens to be my favorite number. Besides the unlucky implications I feel it suits me in it’s own way.

Today is/was inauguration day, the buzzword this time around is ‘change.’ [...]