“I think the central bank has done a good job of slowing down the economy and inflation,” Sohn said. “And I think it’s time to pause and then wait. If they keep raising the interest rate as Chairman Powell predicts, you could have a real, economy-wide recession…”
— from FoxBusiness.com. February 13, 2023
If we want to believe what the Lamestream Media is telling us, there will either be a horribly painful recession this year, or else no recession at all. Or else, a recession, in only certain countries, that might be devastating or else barely noticeable. Or else, something entirely unpredictable.
One of those things will probably happen.
Loyola Marymount University economics professor Sung Won Sohn reportedly has a slightly different idea, however. “A rolling recession”.
Sort of a hybrid recession, where industries and economic sectors ‘take turns’ contracting, rather than crashing all at the same time. That’s something my parents instilled in me at a young age. Take turns. Don’t hog the seesaw. Share the box of chocolates with your sister. In fact, let her take the very piece you had your eye on.
Speaking of boxes of chocolate, I stopped by City Market yesterday to look at the Valentine’s Day goodies. They had an pretty impressive selection of mylar balloons, bouquets, flower arrangements, potted plants, orchids, and of course, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Seemed like the prices were higher than last year.
I was tempted to buy myself a box of chocolates. Since I don’t have a romantic partner, at the moment. Or any in the offing. Chocolate is one of my ‘comfort foods’ that I eat when I’m feeling depressed. But I wasn’t feeling depressed yesterday.
So, I thought about getting myself a bouquet of roses. Yellow roses, preferably. Yellow roses mean, “friendship”. Red roses imply romance, which, in turn, implies commitment. I’m not sure what pink roses mean, but I tend to have an overactive imagination.
Next, I perused the potted plants. Nothing caught my eye. Greenery is soothing, but also boring.
Floating above it all, however, were the colorful helium balloons.
An endangered species?
On January 30, the U.S. Geological Survey posted a notice in the Federal Register seeking public comments regarding “whether there is an increasing risk of helium-supply disruption.”
At first glance, the notice might seem a bit silly. But for more than a year, scientists have been concerned about the fate of the Federal Helium Reserve, a huge underground structure comprised of nearly 500 miles of pipeline, and stretching from Amarillo, Texas, across the panhandle of Oklahoma and into Kansas. The FHR supplies roughly 40% of the world’s helium. Certain politicians want to sell the FHR to a private corporation. Maybe even, a private corporation with Chinese shareholders?
Would be a good investment, considering the price of helium has doubled.
Yes, we need helium on Valentine’s Day, but it’s also an essential component for making rocket fuel, and for welding, and for cooling the superconducting magnets inside an MRI scanner.
Also, an ingredient in Chinese weather balloons. Or so we are told.
The USGS is worried that America might run out of helium. Someday. Or, that it might get too expensive, like everything seems to be getting lately. Helium has been going up and up. The price, I mean.
So as I looked up at the Valentine’s Day balloons at City Market, all those unpleasant helium facts came crashing into my brain. Considering the pending global crisis, did I truly deserve a helium balloon?
I’m a pretty nice person, usually, and I do like getting gifts. But did I deserve a shiny balloon emblazoned with the message, ‘Be Mine’?
The question was answered for me, when I realized I had forgotten my wallet.
Probably just as well. Considering the prices.