I like it. I think we should all change our name to Brad. It would be like working at Yoyodyne.

Say, has anyone ever been to the Basque Nightclub in Hollywood? I'm watching some live footage from there now and it looks like a real hot spot.

Never been, but drive past it nearly every day (it's less than a mile from my home). Though if it takes the obnoxious billboard that's been above it for so long, I wouldn't be unhappy.

I know that relative growth is of primary concern and 0.6% is not a good number. However, it does drive home just how huge the U.S. economy is.

If today's quarterly number of 0.6% growth is sustained for the year (and that would be anemic), that is adding $83 billion to the economy. If just that minimal growth could be spun off into its own separate entity it would be the 57th largest economy in the world. We'll essentially, in what is almost a rounding error, have added to our economy the combined economies of Croatia and Guatamala.


Just a random thought listening to NPR this morning (and I'm aware of the many things that muddy the relatively simple picture painted, I'm just reminded of the vastly different scales of "success" between the U.S. and any other individual country).

That growth is split between an awful lot of people

I'm trying to remember Brads'/Gemini Crickets' name from before....He was a doctor or something????

Yes, I know. I'm perfectly aware of why the scale is so huge; as I said "I'm aware of the many thing that muddy the relatively simple picture painted" and per capita comparisons are a big one. Rate of inflation over the same time period would be even more important. The fact that what growth was made was largely created by a buildup of inventories due to reduced consumer spending. These buildups are positives now but may very well be write-offs in the next quarter: phantom growth. And there are plenty of others.

It wasn't a comment intended to imply that 0.6% isn't small (see also "is not a good number" and "that would be anemic"), it was simply once again being boggled by how huge the U.S. economy is compared to any other in the world. Triggered when I wondered what "0.6%" amounted to in nominal dollars.

I care not what people use as monikers. Brad, Gemini Cricket, Hey You: whatever. He is still the same person.

I'm about to go shopping at Company D with GusGus. :D