Dr. Riedy's Random Thoughts

  PANDEMIC SERIES, THIRD ESSAY (Bitcoin and stocks, ports in a storm or storms in a port?) We face a national overload of major socio-economic, medical and political issues.   Yet despite such a negative environment, and as counter-intuitive as it seems, Bitcoin and stock market prices are flirting with and occasionally surging to record highs-- indicators of a healthy economy with strong growth prospects. Are they for real? Here is my “take” on whether these high price levels are sustainable. First, Bitcoin: Storms in a port. Other than someone being willing to accept them in payment for purchases (as a “medium of exchange”), I believe Bitcoin have less inherent value than tulips in Holland. Moreover, the U.S. Government does not offer “backing” to Bitcoin, whereas it does “back” the American dollar* underlying our stock markets. Nonetheless, believers in cybercurrency will argue that the incredible run-up in prices of Bitcoin proves their inherent “value”.   (Non-...

  PANDEMIC SERIES, ESSAY 2 (Gaining control over our lives as best we could) Whether in mid-pandemic or not, as individuals we have precious little control or influence over events, policies and outcomes at the macro (international, national, state) levels, even though they have significant implications for and impacts on our daily lives. We must look to civic, business and political leaders and expect them to act in good faith to honor America’s constitution and laws, reflect its values and advance economic and societal progress for the common good. Whether or not they live up to these ideals, however, our macro environment can still go to hell due to causes like the current pandemic, foreign terrorism or hacking of intelligence and other vital systems, espionage and war. Living within a macro environment beyond our ability to exert control can be frustrating, terrifying, thrilling or satisfying, depending upon how that environment affects us individually at the micro level ...

  PANDEMIC SERIES, ESSAY 1 On March 22, 2020, I wrote one of my first essays on what was at that time the “new” or “novel” coronavirus.   Like most, I was completely naïve, and mused about its expected duration, using terms like “heaven forbid that it lasts a month, much less two”.   Having had to gut it out for the better part of a year, however, when last year drew to a close the consensus view was “good riddance to 2020”. We welcomed 2021 with cautious optimism. Yet before we could even catch our breath after the holidays, on January 6, this Nation’s constitution, its highest ideals and one of our most symbolic and inspirational institutions, the U.S. Capitol, were attacked by domestic terrorists. As I write this Americans collectively are holding their breath in fearful anticipation of a second round of assaults, only this time not solely in Washington, D.C. Most of us experienced all that transpired over the last nine-to-ten months on two different levels, one ma...

Proponents of Affordable Housing advocate shifting to a significant degree the financial, emotional and fairness burdens of these units (rental and ownership) from those who will live in the units to others in society.  Further, rather than all families having equal opportunities to obtain housing that satisfies at least their minimum basic housing needs , the advocates of Affordable Housing programs seek to provide beneficiaries of these programs housing that satisfies their housing wants . These programs create unfair outcomes and until issues like those that follow are addressed honestly and candidly, the Affordable Housing topic will remain contentious and divisive in America. Here's why Affordable Housing is an issue... 1. Those unable to afford housing in markets they desire really should move to areas they can afford. But generally they don't. Or they should save more, invest in education and training so they can earn more, or spend less on non-housing-related prioriti...

How often do you become aware someone has been noticeably helpful to you or to others, performed beyond expectations, or simply done a good job in and of itself? When that awareness occurs, how often do you take the time and make an effort to speak with or write a brief note to that person, saying you noticed how well they performed, appreciated their helpfulness or just wanted to compliment them on a job well done? From decades of workplace experience and day to day living I've come to realize, especially for support staff--the people behind the scenes rather than on stage--their work almost always is taken for granted. Yet their very existence and support, for the most part invisible to the audience, is absolutely critical to the success of those in "out front" jobs. I think I was originally sensitized to how many individuals exist in the shadows--of a family, a social circle, a firm--and whose efforts go unnoticed, when I saw the Broadway musical, Chicago .  In it th...

Not everyone will necessarily agree, but I believe the issues of housing affordability and homelessness are substantively different from one another, and as such the solutions to each issue are substantively distinct from one another. In the case of homelessness the solutions tend to emerge from society's general notion that those whose homelessness is beyond their control, at least in the short term, ought to be helped within the limits of  public and private programs whose resources are targeted toward these solutions. It's not that the homeless have a right to decent living space but that society voluntarily will try to help them, at least temporarily, gain access to the space so that they have somewhere other than the street to call "home". The affordable housing issue is different, and tends to be much more politically charged than that of homelessness.  Almost every mayor, city council member, county supervisor and other politician at the local level has ...

Credit scores are important determinants of an individual's ability to obtain credit, and to borrow at a reasonable cost.  Everyone is entitled to a free credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) once every 12 months. The lesson to be learned from this issue is that everyone should scrutinize their credit scores regularly because they are important, and they are not always accurate.  Read on. On February 11, I purchased a used car (a pre-owned Genesis, because the state of California will not allow Genesis to sell new cars in California until certain permissions are yet to be obtained, permissions the dealership could/would not explain to me--but that's a different story). I financed part of the cost through a major credit union affiliated with the north county Hyundai dealership I had dealt with previously.  After waiting five minutes for the financing to be approved on-line, I was informed credit had been denied ...