On A Pale Horse

I've had to take about five or six different economics classes during the course of my academic career. For some reason all the econ teachers were kinda freaky, one was a surfer dude, one reminded me of Dave Foley (looks & humor), still another was really uptight; he pursed his lips when someone didn't answer a question quite the way it should have been. The one class that I remember the best was way (way, waaaaayyyyy) back in high school. The teacher, Mr.D, didn't seem all that interested in teaching the class so we mostly watched videos. He had this one series, purchased from PBS (I'm sure he got a really cool tote bag for it too) called "Economics U$A". Richard T. Gill served as an analyst for the program. Econ was one of those required courses at my high school so Dick Gill became a joke to all of us seniors; something about his style was a bit different. I didn't realize how different though until I started researching this obit. After spending twenty two years as a Professor at Harvard he left his position he launched his second career as an opera singer and then returned to television to write and appear in the 28 episodes of this series. But yet again I'm off the subject. This isn't about Richard Gill this is about a Milton Friedman.

Milton Friedman was born in 1912 to immigrant parents in New York City. When he was a year old the family moved to a small town in New Jersey about 20 miles out of NYC. He graduated high school in 1928, at the age of 16 and then attended Rutgers University on scholarship graduating in 1932 during the Great Depression. After spending some additional time at the University of Chicago and Columbia he went on to work in various positions conducting research on economic trends, consumer budget and professional income. During the course of his career he worked for the US Treasury Department, academic positions and as economic adviser during Barry Goldwater's and Richard Nixon's run for Presidency. He retired from the University of Chicago in 1977 but continued to remain active in research and discussion of the economic field. During his life he won numerous awards, honorary degrees and in 1976 he won the Nobel Prize for Economics. For all of you, eh, cannabis users you might want to recognize his work in researching the economic benefits of legalization of marijuana.

Mr. Friedman passed away from heart failure.


July 31, 1912 - November 16, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1912 births, 2006 November deaths, economics, heart failure, political

There are a lot of Ford naysayers out in the world. They say such things as 'Ford stands for...'

• Fucked Over Rebuilt Dodge
• Friggin Over Rated Disaster
• Fifth On Race Day
• Fix Or Repair Daily
• Fucker Only Runs Downhill
• Fucking Old Rebuilt Datsun
• Backwards: Driver Returns On Foot
• or the truest observation: Fired or retired daily

But, me? I'm in love with my Ford. Haven't had a problem with it since the day I bought it (thank god, keeping my fingers crossed).
The car company may be looking on pretty crappy times these days but it's not the first time. Back in the late 40's Ford was going through a huge financial slump after WW2. The car company was churning out basically the same 1942 model for a few too many years. They contracted George Wallace Studios to come up with a new design for their 1949 model. Richard Caleal, a freelancer, designed a prototype quarter scale clay model in his kitchen. Henry Ford II approved the design and the rest was history. The 1949 Ford was a hit with consumers and pretty much saved the automaker.

His contribution to the auto industry has been imortilized in exhibits at the Henry Ford Museum and the Arab American National Museum.

The cause of Mr. Caleals death was not disclosed.

September 12, 1912 - September 16, 2006
RIP

Labels: 1912 births, 2006 September deaths, designer, Michigan, undisclosed causes

A few years ago when I was finishing up my worthless Bacholors Degree at Walsh College I had a finance teacher who was, at the very least, interesting. He had been a business man for many years, part of that time working in the oil fields of Saudi Arabia and had plenty of stories that he was willing to share. Part of his required reading included George Orwells 1984 and Balint Vazsonyi's Americans 30 Year War. The book written by a Hungarian immigrant and paralled some of the things that have been happening in America to the things he witnessed in Eastern Europe before his immigration. Interesting book, I highly recommend it to anyone that I get into a political conversation with, especially these days.

Vice Admiral Fredrick "Dick" Ashworth was a weaponer aboard the bomber that dropped the a nuclear bomb over Nagasaki August 9, 1945. The bomb devastated the area and is the cause of an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 deaths. It was a horrible, horrible event in WW2 but was one of many reasons that the War was quickly brought to an end.

War stinks no matter what you say. Dropping bombs on innocent people is horrible way to show power. But to forget about this event such as this would be sickening. On May 18, 1998 the Enola Gay exhibit, the first plane to drop a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, was discontinued at the Smithsonian Institute. The cancellation was brought on by a number of reasons (googling picked up plenty) that pretty much boiled down to being 'politically incorrect'. Thankfully the exhibit and the plane was moved to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and will hopfully be up for a long time to come. It's been often said that to forget the past is to repeat it. It seems like a lot of information is lost now a days thanks to commercial media. If we can keep events like this in mind we can overcome and surpass our predecessors.

Ashworth was born in Beverly, Mass., and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1933. He passed away on December 6th while undergoing heart surgery.

1912 - December 3, 2005
RIP

Labels: 1912 births, 2005 December deaths, historical, military, surgery