Category Archives: Big Shitpile

The Breakdown of Property Law: The Boca Raton Squatter Edition

Posted on March 17, 2013 by

I always suspected that when I posted about the breakdown of property law that accompanied the collapse of Big Shitpile (aka the housing crisis) some readers thought I was being a little over the top. Well, it turns out this … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile | 5 Comments

So I Really Did Get Overcharged for a Saline IV

Posted on February 27, 2013 by

By now, you might have come across this Time article by Stephen Brill about the completely ridiculous price scheme in our medical non-system. Here’s one example (boldface mine): The top billing categories were $73,376 for Scott’s room; $94,799 for “RESP … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Healthcare | 2 Comments

Obama Completely Reinvents the Economic History of the Last Decade

Posted on October 10, 2012 by

Following on Kevin Drum’s request to critique the debates on substance, not style, I, like Yves Smith, was really troubled by this statement by Obama about public deficits (it’s amazing how different my personal take was having read it; boldface … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Economics

Securitization of Rents: WHEEEE!!!!

Posted on October 4, 2012 by

I’m old enough to remember the collapse of Big Shitpile, but apparently the financial sector is not. One of the things that led to the massive bubble in housing prices was the willingness to gave any hominid, regardless of ability … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Big Shitpile | 7 Comments

This Is a Really Big Dog

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

Actually, having studied non-lab E. coli and thus knowing more about poopology than anyone ever should, this isn’t a dog, it’s the aftermath of a horse: Darmouth St., at Commonwealth Mall, Jan. 29, 2012 It does make you appreciate cars … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Boston, Poop | 1 Comment

Meet the New Boss: The Sociopath As Banker

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

Brian Basham writes: In a paper recently published in the Journal of Business Ethics entitled “The Corporate Psychopaths: Theory of the Global Financial Crisis”, Clive R Boddy identifies these people as psychopaths. “They are,” he says, “simply the 1 per … Continue reading →

Posted in Basic Human Decency, Bidness, Big Shitpile, The Rule of Law | 2 Comments

Larger Homes Were Not Due to an “Expenditure Cascade” But Were Rational

Posted on December 19, 2011 by

For home builders. One of the problems I have with behavioral economics is that too often what is described as a cognitive or psychological glitch is actually very rational behavior as long as you correctly identify the underlying incentives. Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, Big Shitpile, Economics, Housing | 1 Comment

How Mortgage Relief Could Have Been Done Fairly: Profit Sharing As Delayed Penalty

Posted on October 13, 2011 by

If nothing else, it appears that Occupy Wall Street, despite the chattering class’ inability to decipher the obvious, has managed to sneak debt relief onto the List of Suitable Topics for Discussion. Steve Randy Waldman, in an interesting post, about … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Economics, Housing | 6 Comments

The Tragedy of Turning Economics Into a Faith-Based Discipline

Posted on September 26, 2011 by

The thing that has puzzled me throughout the long aftermath of the collapse of Big Shitpile is the willingness to do nothing. The issue isn’t a disagreement over how to reduce unemployment. Instead, there is a general consensus not to … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Conservatives, Economics, Jewish Stuff, Religion, We're Really Fucked | 2 Comments

Why People Are More Accepting of ‘Hard’ Scientists Conclusions Than Social Scientists’ Conclusions

Posted on September 16, 2011 by

Sean Carroll poses a question raised by Robert Hanson: Over on the Google+, Robin Hanson asks a leading question: Explain why people shouldn’t try to form their own physics opinions, but instead accept the judgements of expert physicists, but they … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Shitpile, Economics | 5 Comments