Tikinomics

I started shorting the indexes at about 14,000, and my guess is the DOW will get to 8200 before this levels out. One might guess these are hard times. There is a subset of economics that I am interested in, and I don't know what to call it, so I will call it TIKINOMICS for reasons that will become clear in a moment.

If you think about the wonderful and delightful things we have, what we consider exotic and sought-after, these items often emerge in dire times. Think of the truffle, which would not be in our diet if at some point in time a starving human stole food from a pig. Think of the starving Chinese fisherman who cracked open a sea urchin to eat its roe. (Uni... uggh!) Rocky mountain oysters? Eeeew! But these are all food, these things happen in every field. In a land of earthquakes and fire, the Japanese developed a unique architectural style. With the energy crisis all electric cars that can go zero to 60 in under 4 seconds are not only possible, you can order one for a 2009 delivery!


Why "tikinomics"? Because out of the depression came the tiki bar, something still around to this day. Drinks mixed to hide booze during the prohibition, then add food shortage so sever in the depression and then rationing during WWII that little scraps can be renamed puu puus and people enjoy themselves. Of course, a south seas decor helped people forget about their dreary homes. The grandad of the tiki bar is Trader Vic, his story here...

But it is more thasn just the new, it is the attitude behind it... quotes from teh abovce aerticle,,,

During the war times he says, "...we were rationed on scotch, bourbon, and gin. Well, the liquor dealers tried to pull a fast one on the bars and usually it worked. The dealers would try to make the bars buy a case of rum for every case of bourbon they needed. I didn't go for that kind of a deal. All of the other restaurants had hundreds of unused cased of rum in their cellars, but I didn¹t.

and...

Unfortunately the attitude of making a buck at all costs has crept into our wonderful American heritage and has hit every phase of our social structure. Whether it's an individual or corporation, the only question asked is: How much can I get? Regardless of what effect it has on the economy or on the people, money is the most important thing to consider."


Anyone have examples of tikinomics?

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