To all my faithful readers out there, I am unfortunately taking a slight hiatus on posting to the blog. I have been using what little free time I have to create a simple website from which I can provide information about myself to potential employers. It is still in Beta stage, but if you’d like to see what we have thus far, here’s the link www.teamthronson.com/eric.html. Please check back regularly as I finish up this site and then will be able to turn my attention once again to my blog. Thank you for your patience!
I don’t know about you, but sometimes (especially on cold, rainy days) I get the distinct feeling that this country is crumbling around us. I know it is an inevitability that all empires come to an end eventually, but personally, I would rather not have to live through it (or make my children do so). People say that every generation has their doomsayers and things will be fine, but I would like to give my list of the top five factors that I think contribute to the approaching demise of our great country.
5. Apathetic voting participation – Sure, there are experts that say it is fine to have only 20 to 30 percent of Americans voting in local elections; this is just an indication that most people are happy with the way things are going. However, with such small minorities making such important decisions it is easier for interest groups to have their way to the detriment of the public good. This is a public bad. And I know people are “just too busy” to educate themselves on the issues and vote, but they don’t seem too busy to discuss at work or vote for the next American Idol…
4. “Politics as Usual” - Our political system is broken, most people would acknowledge that the power is no longer in the hands of the people but instead held by powerful interest groups and lobbyists. Too many politicians are bought and paid for, and too few people vote in elections to get an independent, populist candidate elected. This may change someday, however. One positive in my mind is the traction Ron Paul is getting across the political spectrum. Perhaps it is not yet time for a candidate that doesn’t do the typical money dance to win, but his success may be a harbinger of change to come.
3. The Media – Of course at least half the reason “politics as usual” continues to reign despite its ineffectiveness is the way the media play their games. And for those of you who insist the media is unbiased, take a closer look. One simple example, the American-Statesman ran an article on the front page of their metro section a few weeks ago about a new coalition of progressive, environmental, anti-development groups to put pressure on City Hall. This is fine, something that should certainly be covered, but the headline for the continuation of the article inside the section read “JOIN: Interest Group to Fight for Change at City Hall”. Nowhere in the article was there a discussion of joining the effort, only a description of the group’s interests. There were any number of other “connection” words the headline writer could have chosen, but “JOIN” neither made any sense nor seemed unbiased in the least. What is wrong with our media today? Do they not realize they are driving us into the ground?
2. Public education system – On either side of the argument over our public schools you find the wrong problems being addressed. Some people insist that if we paid teachers better, and threw more money at schools, we could have the high-achieving marks we desire. Others say we spend too much money on schools already and no studies link improvement with dollars spent. But everyone is missing the point – kids just don’t want to learn anymore. No “pie in the sky” talk about someday, if you work hard enough and study, you too can be a middle manager of some company earning enough to pay the interest on your bills but never get ahead will get these kids to pick up a book. As long as it isn’t “cool” to do well in school, and peer pressure is so ridiculously powerful that kids feel like walking around shooting their classmates, then we aren’t going to have high-achieving classes. I don’t care how much we pay our teachers, unless Snoop Dog or Jay-Z tells kids to quit being stupid and start studying, very little is going to get better.
1. Low interest rates - Sure, the Fed lowering interest rates is good for the economy because it encourages businesses to invest and create jobs and whatnot. That’s good. But low interest rates also encourages consumers to spend, and borrow, and spend what they borrow. Using low interest rates to avoid a recession is really only borrowing against time; all that debt people rack up, even low interest debt, comes due someday. Meanwhile someone (he or she that has money) gets richer and those that borrow diminish their net worth. Also, this cheap borrowing power encourages consumerism as religion, and it is really no surprise that we as a population are so deep in debt. Go to the mall on a Sunday – people look like they are in their church worshipping what truly makes them happiest – the almighty cash register. But this purchase of things cannot and will not ever completely fill that void inside these people, so they are compelled to continue to want, and spend, and bury themselves deeper into debt. So many lost souls to this dangerous trap, and it is ruining our country, rotting it from the inside out.
Well, this has been a fun-filled time, hasn’t it? Tune in next time when we discuss the best ways to end it all, or perhaps the worst moments of my life, something as uplifting as this topic. But in all seriousness, if we don’t think about these problems and consider ways to address them, then we are complicit in the destruction of our country. And I love this place too much to let that happen without a fight. Join me, lets start doing something about this right now. Let me know if you have any thoughts, I am always open to criticism (and praise!). Until next time…
Because I forgot to post my top five list last Friday, I will push the envelope and write a top TEN list of the books I have read. This is not a list of best books ever written as decided by experts, but instead is my personal opinion that these are all gems for one reason or another. Feel free to contribute your own if the topic calls to you.
1. Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad - The best book ever written, hands down. Writing in the seventh language he learned, Conrad was a master of the English language and the layers of subtle meaning almost overshadow the deeply moving story. I read this for four different classes in high school and college, and every time it got better. I continue to read it for pure enjoyment.
2. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte – Another great nineteenth century novel that some try to peg as a chick’s story, but I think it really illuminates the dark side of obsession, longing and revenge. Heathcliff is one messed character, and the literary apparatus used to tell the story mostly makes up for the hokey ending.
3. Dracula, Bram Stoker – Rounding out the nineteenth century novels (when authors really knew how to write), this tale has endured in the collective imagination, as ageless as the monster himself. What is it about the invasion of a foreign enemy that no amount of modern English science and know-how can defeat that captures us so fully? A pretty amazing, well-written story too.
4. Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Tolkien – I had to count these as one because otherwise this would be a much shorter list. I read these when I was young, read them again in college, and then more recently, and they never lose their charm. The movies are great too, but the books are irreplaceable. I think these stories bring out a little bit of hero in all of us.
5. Richard III, Shakespeare – My favorite Shakespearean play, by far. “Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious summer by this son of York,” begins the tale of another obsessed character, this one completely mad for power. Shakespeare was a phenomenal writer, and any number of his plays could be in this top ten list, but I am particularly fond of Richard and his conniving tale.
6. Rabbit at Rest, John Updike – I love Updike’s voice, and believe he is one of the greatest short fiction writers ever. His Rabbit series is wonderful and rich, and in them he deals with American life in such an honest and myopic way that I can’t help but include this one on my list.
7. Lord of the Flies, William Golding – Is man born pure and good, and those that fall in sin are just victims of their environment, or is man born evil with nothing but civilization to keep us in line? This is the question dealt with in this wonderful novel in which the boys are separated from civilization and set free to follow their base impulses. Guess which side of the coin Golding falls on.
8. Beloved, Toni Morrison – Eloquent, disturbing, a wonderfully told story that is troubling to read but makes an impression in your mind and in your heart that can never be removed. What better compliment could be given a piece of fiction?
9. Once A Runner, John L Parker, Jr – Not on many classic literature lists, this tale is the most accurately described running story I have ever read. In perfect detail Parker is able to capture the desire, the pain, the ideal imagination of a high-performance distance runner better than my own memory can serve. If you want to have some idea of what people like Cameron and I went through in college, read this book (if you can find it. It’s been out of print for years and goes for hundreds of dollars online).
10. Freakanomics, Stephen Levitt – I know, this non-fiction piece doesn’t seem to fit on the list of an English major, but reading this book opened my eyes to the amazing world of statistics and economic theory applied to the everyday world. Outside the classroom and hypothetical realm of academia, these applications are intensely useful and help us analyze problems in new ways.
So that’s it. One final observation that just came to me as I survey my list of favorite books – many of them seem to explore the theme of obsession. I wonder if that’s a coincidence? Perhaps pater I will write more about this, it is an odd observation to be sure. Let me know what you think.
After seeing the movie, I am Legend, I was struck by a very strange thought. I must admit ignorance of the original novel, or any older versions of this movie, so my reaction is based entirely on the 2007 version with Will Smith. What seemed rather odd to me was that, in his video diary after his encounter with the hive, Dr. Neville describes his observations and states that “all human characteristics are gone” from the dark seekers, or something of that sort.
That struck me as an odd observation as they seemed to exhibit a number of human traits. They were organized in a community, they knew their limits (stayed out of the sunlight), and the leader showed defiance and pride. These qualities manifested themselves more fully as the movie went on, as well as others. First, the dark seekers could learn – they used the same trap to catch Dr. Neville that he used to catch one of them. They were highly organized and calculating in their attacks on the doctor, and followed the leader explicitly. These qualities seemed innately human and unlike other zombie movies in which the monsters seem aimless and unorganized.
This got me to thinking, what if this new breed of human is not the enemy, or some degenerative version of us. What if the “dark seekers” are just the next evolutionary step for Homo Sapiens? They are stronger, faster, more resilient and clearly harder to kill. Sure, they can’t stand the daylight, and seem to have no appreciation for art, but so what? There are plenty of things that our current evolutionary stage does that makes no sense, and who knows that the next step can’t learn to appreciate art? Civilization as we know it couldn’t possibly be the pinnacle, could it? When Tara and I visited the History of Natural Science in New York, one point that really stuck with me was how presumptuous and narcissistic it is for is to believe we are the culmination of human evolution.
So, if it is the case that the dark seekers are our evolutionary progeny, and Dr. Neville is a lone stand out of the old ways, then could you see the new history written sometime in the future? Neville wouldn’t be the hero, he wouldn’t be “Legend”. He’d be the enemy, a veritable Sasquatch, a villain bent on holding us back. Suddenly this story takes on entirely new meaning, and even causes me to question my own existence and goals in life. Who’s to say my dreams for tomorrow aren’t just the antitheses of a better world than I can imagine? Getting in deep here, and will leave the rest up to you to think about.
2008 will bring many new and intriguing changes to our world. The US will have a new president, there will be a new college football champion, and I will have a new job (and a new degree, lord willing). We may be living somewhere else, maybe even a new city. Who knows what might lie ahead? Here are my best guesses, for the whole world to see, listed in the order of my confidence in them.
1. The person elected president will have promised peace in Iraq with the return of our troops, a restored US economy, and an end to partisan politics. None of these things will actually occur, however.
2. There will be a recession in the US economy, there will be some tough times for a lot of Americans, but it won’t be as bad as some people want to predict. Housing prices will dip, more drastically in some places than others, unemployment will increase, and the Federal government will try unprecedented measures to correct the problems before the election in November, which will only exacerbate the problem. But we will recover, if not in 09 then before the midterm elections.
3. My wife will either realize a significant promotion at her place of employment or will be working somewhere else by the end of 2008. I believe her patience has worn thin enough for her to finally take the risk.
4. The college football season will be neither surprising, nor unpredictable. For all the discussion around “parity” this year and a new era of a level field, I don’t believe the plethora of upsets could be explained any better than a bunch of underachieving teams let themselves go. Next year, there will be some upsets, the traditional powerhouses will undoubtedly prevail, there will be two undefeated teams from BCS conferences playing for the championship, and the dream of parity will have faded from memory.
5. The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will have significant off-the-field drama. These games are considered by the People’s Republic to be their “coming out” statement to the world. Look how powerful and impressive this communist country has become, despite their detractor’s claims. But when the spotlight does shine on this backward country, and the human rights’ atrocities become undeniably evident, the world will not stand by and say nothing. Athletes may make statements, international visitors might, the media may even get in the game if it becomes popular enough. But it is hard for me to fathom all those people hosted by China to not become appalled at the censorship and heavy-handed state affairs. How China reacts to the criticism is going to involve the real drama.
And my last, fun prediction – Britney Spears, jealous of the attention her easy little sister is getting over her pregnancy, decides to become really trashy and sleep with every inmate in the Orange County Jail and refuse paternal tests – that way her baby daddy will always be an unknown criminal. Beat that Jamie Lynn!
My brother the accountant explained to me recently why he doesn’t think we will experience much, if any, of a recession this upcoming year. Because the housing market kept chugging along during the 2001-02 economic recession, the two markets can apparently operate independently and therefore the impending sub-prime crisis will not have much effect on the overall economy.
I tend to take a different view on the subject. I see the growth of the housing market, particularly through the economic slowdown of the first part of the decade, as more of a “trick” to continue the illusion of the US economy’s strength. Like delayed maintenance costs can make the bottom line look better than it really is today, only to cost more in the future, the low interest rates and relaxed regulatory enforcement allowed for continued housing market performance today, only to cost us more in times to come.
The payment of these tricks is coming due soon. And when it does, the economy will suffer. Just like refusing to pay for road maintenance will later result in ten times the cost for road replacement, so will social services cost more tomorrow for those people who lose their jobs, and their homes, when the housing market tanks. Prices are over-inflated, too many new homes have been built saturating the market, and equity will disappear for many parts of the country. As that equity disappears and the sub-prime mortgages reset, people who can’t afford the new rates will default as well as home equity lines will come due, and money will be sapped from the economy. This will lead to a recession, which will reduce hiring at least, if not shrink the job market, and people will be relying on social services to survive.
In addition, commodities are trading higher than ever, meaning that while people will have less to spend everything will be costing more. This crunch could exacerbate the problem further.
The federal government is looking into ways to alleviate the sub-prime crunch, but this is a bad idea. Letting the market correct itself will be painful, but interfering in the market will only lead to bigger problems. Hold on tight, and we will all weather the upcoming downturn. It is a natural market cycle so let it run its course. There will be upswings again, just be ready for it when it comes.
‘Tis the season, and while most people are thinking of Christmas songs, debating their favorites, etc, I thought I might go a less conventional route and name my top five favorite songs about angels – not Christmas songs per se, but angels do figure pretty predominantly into the season, so why not?
Of course the real angel in my life inspires this list. Since I have met Tara I have thought of her as my angel – she has saved me from myself more times than I can count, and I am sure I would not be here without her. So I have had an affinity for songs about angels for almost ten years now, ever since my angel came into my life.
5. One Angel – Stir. Not a song a lot of people know, but this St Louis band has rocked my collection since I saw them in 1997, and this song has always had a particular message with meaning. Find it, you’ll like it.
4. Angel – Jimi Hendrix. Come on, this one is great. While it doesn’t exactly make me think the happiest thoughts, it is iconic and has to be included.
3. Angel in Harlem – U2. Again, not one that relates particularly to the wife, but a great rock song nonetheless.
2. She Talks to Angels – Black Crowes. This song is heartbreaking. I have always loved this song, and have a great acoustic version that is haunting. This girl, that talks to angels, is an intriguing one that would spell doom for any man she meets, but through no fault of her own. Can you imagine her? I think this song does a great job of describing a secret desire of many.
1. Seven Spanish Angels – Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. What a duet, and what a song. I love this song and love to imagine the story. This reckless, foolish love that drives the protagonists is wonderful. The Seven Spanish Angels will someday come for me, I hope.
I feel as though I am missing one, but just can’t remember it here in the ole hometown at the parents’ house. If I think of it I will add it later. Merry Christmas, I hope to post more regularly soon!
Just because I’m in school, that doesn’t mean I learned anything. What I mean is, everyone learns regardless of whether or not he or she is in school. Maybe I shouldn’t blog late on the Friday evening after finals and an excellent bottle of champagne. So it goes, but here is the list of top five things I learned this year (in no particular order):
5. Public finance is so much like classic literature. Seriously, who knew? But just like good literature, there are things written “between the lines” in a public financial statement that explains more fully what real priorities, and real problems, exist in a particular municipality. They also say what it means to be human, and suffer under the common condition – or maybe not.
4. I don’t like surprise parties. I like throwing them, and I like going to them, but I am not real good at being surprised. Maybe one of the hardest things I’ve done in my entire life was switching moods from raging mad to super happy in .03 seconds when the surprise was sprung for my 30th birthday party. Mission Accomplished, I was surprised!
3. I like to blog! I know its silly but I do. This medium that I had heard so much about but knew very little was opened to me by two distinctly different venues – my good friend Hilary Marchbanks and her super blog, and a great class I took this fall called Internet and Public Policy given by Professor Chapman. Hilary helped me get over my fear, and Professor Chapman illustrated the power the blogosphere can wield.
2. Hierarchical statistical modeling is very powerful. I (almost) accurately predicted this year’s National Collegiate Football Champion last January. Just because this season was the strangest in history and my model didn’t actually get the right team, I think it wasn’t the model’s fault! Damn you Appalachian State, you started the madness!
1. Fire in the hole sauce burns as much coming out as going down. Nuff said.
There you have it. I may have forgotten something, feel free to let me know. Thanks!
I was never fortunate enough to have a class with Professor Rostow, but I am well aware of the loss to our school her passing signifies. A wonderful and thoughtful counselor and instructor, she was committed to public service and teaching up to the day she died at age 90. I know this from stories, from short conversations with her in the halls, and from her reputation and longevity. But she lived an incredible life, and instead of mourning her death I want to celebrate what I remember most about her.
Elspeth Rostow, as I knew her, was a small, fervent old woman with a presence that was undeniable. One couldn’t explain why, but a room seemed dominated by her spirit whenever she was around. Her fierce eyes didn’t seem to miss a thing, even as her body aged and slipped around her. Everyone who knew her admired her, and I can’t imagine a more honorable thing to say about someone. But she was not without humor and charm, as my first introduction to her will illustrate.
The first week of LBJ is consumed with orientation – a week-long event in which students get to know the expectations, the classes, the professors, and each other so that when classes begin everyone can “hit the ground running.” Part of the event include class panels at which professors of similar classes are given the opportunity to discuss their topics, workload, and teaching styles. Professor Rostow was the last panelist to speak for the P&P classes, immediately following a young, pretentious, arrogant, newly appointed associate professor in his tweed jacket and elbow patches. She was so old it was difficult to hear her, even with the microphone. All of us in attendance in the auditorium found ourselves leaning forward expectantly to hear her speak. With a sigh, she began.
“It is never good to be last on a panel, so I will end with a story. There once was a young, impressive, associate professor who had recently moved into town. It was Halloween, and he wanted to be a good neighbor and give healthy snacks to the children that visited his door, so he bought a bushel of apples for treats. Very soon he had his first visitor. She was a darling little angel, with delicate wings and a lovely smile. She held out her bag and said in her sing-song little voice, “trick or treat!” This dashing young professor, so proud of himself for his own cleverness, picked up an apple, shined it on the sleeve of his tweed jacket, and dropped it into the little girl’s bag. The little angel looked into the bag, then looked up at this impressive professor, and said … “God dammit you broke my cookies!”
The entire auditorium erupted in laughter (except, perhaps, the professor to Rostow’s right). To hear this little old lady, truly LBJ royalty if there was such a thing, say these words was funny enough. But to see clearly the jab she threw at her self-important neighbor was priceless. She finished with, “and that is why I never wish to be the last speaker on a panel.” Nothing about her class, or her teaching style, as her other panelists had detailed fully. She didn’t need to. She said it all right there. It was perhaps the funniest thing I have ever heard an octogenarian mutter, and one of my favorite all-time memories.
I didn’t know Dean Rostow well. I am sad to lose her. But I would like to think she was ready, it was her time, and she would want us to remember the best of her as we move on. I hope her family and close friends appreciate the story, and that they can be comforted by the memory of the wonderful little lady. Bless her and all those who mourn her loss; I am thankful for the opportunity to have even met her.
Ah, the end of the year draws nigh, and it is in the twilight that we spend time looking back and pondering how far we have come. So it is that I begin this pensive mood with a top five list of my best moments in 2007. I know it may not be as riveting to some as others, but nevertheless, it is what I am going to write about. If you don’t like it then TOUGH!
5. The All-Comers Cross Country Meet in July. For those of you who may not know, I ran in high school and college, and in the years since have grown to miss those days. But this past summer I talked a group of my friends to come run a free, all-comers cross country race in Zilker Park one fine Friday evening. Sure it was hot, and all the high school kids made us feel old, but it was the closest thing to a real XC race I had experienced in years, and it made me smile. Running through shin-high grass up hills and through the trees, around landmarks and to the painted finish line – it was great. The greatest part of it, however, was having my “team”, my friends there with me. I will always think of them sweating it out to support some silly idea of mine as a strong testament to the greatness of my friends.
4. Landing my internship with Fitch Ratings. From early in the fall semester I thought I wanted to pursue public finance, and the best route seemed via municipal bond rating. The competition was fierce for the Fitch internship, and when I found out I was the one, I couldn’t have felt better about myself. It seemed everything was working out exactly right, the world was right, and the sky was the limit. What a great feeling that was.
3. Colin Thomas Brown was born. What a wonderful and blessed occurrence! My best friend and his wife have a beautiful, healthy baby boy, everyone is healthy and joyous, the occasion was momentous. The first of many signals that we’re all grown up! You can’t ask for more than that, and to see Cameron and Tab, and proud uncle Kevin and aunt Sarah, as happy as they were, it was a wonderful moment in history.
2. Lollapalooza 2007. Chicago (in the summer) is freaking awesome, the music festival was incredible, seeing Eddie Vedder backstage was amazing, and hanging with some of my best friends – priceless. What a great weekend, an experience I will surely remember for the rest of my life.
1. My surprise 30th birthday party. As mentioned earlier, I have some great friends. My wife completely surprised me, the story is great (but better told in person). Being roasted was fun and enjoyable. But seeing so many people there that care about me meant more than anything else. I get by with a little help from my friends, and my top five list of best moments wouldn’t be the same without them.
Here’s to another great year gone by, and a better one to come! Happy Holidays–
