articles      forbidden stories   I-State Lines   resources   my hidden history   reviews    email me   home
         





Writing/Film

Dear Aspiring Writers: The Worst Advice You'll Ever Read

A Literary Look at
I-State Lines


Spirited Away: Decay and Renewal

An American Poem
(Robinson Jeffers)


Taoist Chinese Poems

The Nelson Touch

"It's all about oil, isn't it?"

Kurosawa's High and Low

A Bountiful Mutiny

Trois Colours: Red

The Thin Man: Thoroughly Modern Movies

Iranian Films: The Mirror

A Real Pirate Movie: Captain Blood

2005-06 archives
2007 archives

Recommended Books


American Identity

American Identity Literary Contest Winners, 2006
(fiction and essays)

Hapas: The New America

Can You Tell What I am? Part I

Self-Reliance

Your Tattoo in 50 Years

The American House and Frank Lloyd Wright


Cultural Commentaries
On Hatred and Anti-Americanism

French-Bashing

Germany: We All Have Problems, But...


Kroika! Chronicles

This Blog Sells Out

Doom and Gloom Sells

The Kroika Mascot-"Auspicious Pet"

Wal-Mart and Kroika

Kroika and Starsbuck Take a Hit

Kroika Ad 1

Kroika Ad 2

Kroika Ad 3

Kroika Ad 4

Kroika Makes Bid for Oreo (April 1)


Unfolding Crises: Asia
China: An Interim Report

Shanghai Postcard 2004

Corruption and Avian Flu: China's Dynamic Duo

Exporting the Real Estate Bubble to China

Is the Bloom Off the China Rose?

China Irony: Steel, Marx & Capital

Curing The U.S. and China's Dysfunctional Relationship

China and U.S. Inflation

Trade with China: Making Out Like a Bandit

Will the Housing Bust Take Down China?

2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Battle for the Soul
of America

Katrina, Vietnam, Iraq: National Purpose, National Sacrifice

Is This a Nation at War?

A Nation in Denial

That Price Isn't Cheap, It's Subsidized

The Most Hated Company in America

American Dream or American Nightmare?

Obesity and Debt

Immigration Ironies

U.S. Healthcare: Working Toward a Real Solution

A Drug Industry Running Amok

Where There Is Ruin

2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Financial Meltdown Watch
What This Country Needs Is a... Good Recession

Are We Entering the Next Age of Turmoil?

Why Inflation Appears Low

Doubling Down on 5-Card No-See-Um

A Rickety Global House of Cards

Unprecedented Risk 2

Could One Rogue Trader Bring Down the Market?

Worried about Inflation? Stop Measuring It

Huge Deficits and Huge Profits: Coincidence? >

Three Snapshots of the U.S. Economy

Comparing Nasdaq to Depression-Era Dow

Derivatives: Wall Street Fiddles, Rome Smolders

Financial Chickens Coming Home to Roost

Is the Stock Market on the Same Planet as the Economy?

The Housing-Recession-Oil-Healthcare Connection

Could We Have Deflation and Inflation At the Same Time?

Bankruptcy U.S.A.: Medicare, Greed and Collapse

A Whiff of Apocalypse

Where There Is Ruin II: Social Security

2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Planetary Meltdown Watch
The Immensity of Global Warming


Housing Bubble Watch

Charting Unaffordability

A Monster of a Housing Bubble

Hidden Costs of the Housing Bubble

Housing Bubble? What Bubble?

Housing Bubble II

Housing Bubble III: Pop!

Housing Market Demographics

Housing: Catching the Falling Knife

Five Stages of the Housing Bubble

Derailing the Property Tax Gravy Train

Bubbling Property Taxes

Have You Checked Your Property Taxes Recently?

Housing Bubble: Where's the Bottom?

Housing Bubble: Bottom II

The Coming Foreclosure Nightmare 1

How Many Foreclosures Will Hit the Market?

Housing Wealth Effect Shifts Into Reverse

Housing Bubble Bust Will Take Down the Global Economy

The New Road to Serfdom: A Negative-Equity Mortgage

The Housing-Savings-Recession Connection

After the Bubble: How Low Will It Go?

After the Bubble: Rents and Housing Values

Why Post-Bubble Rents Matter

After the Bubble: How Low Will We Go, Part II

Housing: 10% Decline May Trigger Financial Ruin

How to Buy a $450K Home for $750K

The Growing Financial Risks of the Housing Bubble

Construction Defects: The Flood to Come?

Construction Defects
Part II


Who Gets Hammered in the 2007 Housing Bust

Real Estate Bust: The Exhaustion of Debt

What Happens When Housing Employment Plummets?

One More Hole in the Housing Bubble: Insurance

Welcome to Fantasyland: Housing's "Soft Landing"

Why Is the Median House Price Still Rising?

Why Median Prices Appear to be Rising?

The Root Cause of the Housing Bubble

Housing Dominoes Fall

Twilight for Exurbia?

Phase Transitions, Symmetry and Post-Bubble Declines

Housing's Stairstep Descent


2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Oil/Energy Crises

Whither Oil?

How much Is a Gallon of Gas Worth?

The End of Cheap Oil

The C.I.A., Oil and the Wisdom of Crowds

The Flutter of a Butterfly's Wings?

A One-Two Punch to a Glass Jaw

Running Out Of Oil vs. Running Out of Cheap Oil

2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Outside the Box
How to Make a Favicon
Asian Emoticons

In Memoriam: Winky Cosmos

The Wheeled Vagabonds

Light-As-Air Pancake Recipe


In a Humorous Vein
If Only Writers Had Uniforms

Opening the Kimono

Happiness for Sale: Jank Coffee

Ten Guaranteed Predictions for 2010

Why My Book Is Better Than the DaVinci Code

My Brand Management Stinks


Design Follies

The New Jank Coffee Shop

Jank Coffee, Upscale Tropic Style


One-Word Titles
Complacency

Nostalgia

Lifespans


Praxis
Keys to Affordable Housing

U.S. Conservation & China
Steve Toma, Me & Skil 77s: 30 years of Labor

Real Science in the Bolivian Forest

Deforestation and Sustainable Forestry

The Solar Economy (book)


2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Health, Wealth & Demographics

Beauty of the Augmented (Korean) Kind

Demographics and War

The Healthiest Cold Cereal: Surprise!

900 Miles to the Gallon

Are Our Cities Making Us Fat?

Is Obesity an Inflammatory Response?

Demographics & National Bankruptcy

The Decline of Europe: A Demographic Done Deal?

Are the Risks of Obesity Overstated?

Healthcare: Unaffordable Everywhere

Medication Nation

The New Disease We Just Know You've Got

Can You Can Tell Which Pill Is Fake?

Bankruptcy U.S.A.: Medicare, Greed and Collapse

The 10 Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss

2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Landscapes
Selling the Landscape

The Downside of Density

Building Heights and Arboral Roots

Terroir: France & California

L.A.: It's About Cheap Oil
The Last Redwood

Waimea Canyon, Yosemite, Camping & Pancakes


Nourishment
The French Village Bakery

Ideas
What Is Happiness?

Our Education System: a Factory Metaphor?

Understanding Globalization: Braudel

Can You Create Creativity?

Do Average People Know More Than Their Leaders?

Iraqi Guangxi

Splogs, Blogs and "News"

"There is no alternative to being yourself"

Is There a Cycle to War?

Leisure, Time and Valentines

Is the Web a Giant Copy Machine?


Science Matters
Anti-Missile Defense: Boost Phase Vulnerability


History
The Strolling Bones: Rock of Ages

Bad Karma: Election Fraud 1960

Hiroshima: First Use

All the Tea in China, All the Ginseng in America


Friday Quiz

Pet Obesity

Human Diseases

Wine and Alzheimers

Biggest Consumers of Chocolate

2005-06 archives
2007 archives


Essential Books

The Misbehavior of Markets

Boiling Point (Global Warming)

Our Stolen Future: How We Are Threatening Our Fertility, Intelligence and Survival

How We Know What Isn't So

Fewer: How the New Demography of Depopulation Will Shape Our Future

The Coming Generational Storm: What You Need to Know about America's Economic Future

The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal

The Future of Life

Beyond Oil: The View from Hubbert's Peak

The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies

Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy

The Solar Economy: Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Global Future

The Dollar Crisis: Causes, Consequences, Cures

Running On Empty: How The Democratic and Republican Parties Are Bankrupting Our Future and What Americans Can Do About It

Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy Revised and Updated.

The Fourth Turning


Recommended Books

More book reviews


Archives:

weblog February 2008

weblog January 2008

weblog December 2007

weblog November 2007

weblog October 2007

weblog September 2007

weblog August 2007

weblog July 2007

weblog June 2007

weblog May 2007

weblog April 2007

weblog March 2007

weblog February 2007

weblog January 2007

weblog December 2006

weblog November 2006

weblog October 2006

weblog September 2006

weblog August 2006

weblog July 2006

weblog June 2006

weblog May 2006

weblog April 2006

weblog March 2006

weblog February 2006

weblog January 2006

weblog December 2005

weblog November 2005

weblog October 2005

weblog September 2005

weblog August 2005

weblog July 2005

weblog June 2005

weblog May 2005

What's New, 2/03 - 5/05















March Entries





Hades Confirms: Hank Paulson Works for the Devil
(March 31, 2008)

Saturday Quiz: Truffaut's Last Film
(March 29, 2008)

Interest Rates and Supply and Demand
(March 28, 2008)

That Letter From the IRS--Please Read It Carefully
(March 27, 2008)

Why We're in this Handbasket--and It's Getting Hotter (Part 2)
(March 26, 2008)

Why We're in this Handbasket--and It's Getting Hotter (Part 1)
(March 25, 2008)

The Financial Centipede: Waiting for the Next 99 Shoes to Drop
(March 24, 2008)

Saturday Quiz: How much oil does Iraq have?
(March 22, 2008)

How We Select Topics
(March 21, 2008)

Generational War and Our Future Prosperity
(March 20, 2008)

A Generational War We All Lose
(March 19, 2008)

The Housing Bubble - Infrastructure Connection
(March 18, 2008)

This Old McMansion, March 2008
(March 17, 2008)

Saturday Quiz: Adoption in America
(March 15, 2008)

The Wonders -- and Risks -- of Extreme Leverage
(March 14, 2008)

Is The Market Setting Up for a Huge Rally?
(March 13, 2008)

When Belief in the System Fades
(March 12, 2008)

A Technical Look at the U.S. Dollar's Decline
(March 11, 2008)

Feedback Loop of Recession: Housing Bust, Debt and Layoffs
(March 10, 2008)

Saturday Quiz: Bristlecone Pines
(March 8, 2008)

This Just In--Democrats Lose in November '08
(March 7, 2008)

When Pyramid Schemes--a.k.a. Housing--Go Bad
(March 6, 2008)

Paging Doctor Jack Daniel
(March 5, 2008)

What The Public Wants: Pills
(March 4, 2008)


                                                                       


(insert brilliant marketing line here which instantly causes erudite readers to)

Your readership is greatly appreciated with or without a donation.



Heroes and Heroines of New Media--2008

Financial contributors who have made multiple donations to this modest site or a donation of $50 or more this year. If such a generous madness strikes you, I offer you a small token of my appreciation: a signed copy of my novel I-State Lines. Thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement.


Vera K.Cheryl A.Tom S. (2 donations) Kip S.Tanya Z.eMeL H.
Fred R.Darrell C.Cathleen M. Knowel M.Cyril O.Steven W.
Don E.Matthew G.Narendra P. Lloyd L.Patricia and Darrin W.John S.
Somesh G.Riley T.William S. Alberto R.William M.Lynn C.


Our Financial Contributors--2008

Thank you all for your gracious and generous support of this modest site.


Vera K.Tom S.John I.Marcie M.F.Kip S. John B.
Jennifer K.Renee S.-J.Tanya Z. Kevin L.eMeL H.Cheryl A.
Darrell C.Cathleen M.Steve T. Rod C.Gregg S.Matt S.
Don E.Nathaniel H.Knowel M. D.M.T. Kelly M. Michael S.
Cyril O.Reed H. Lloyd L. Steven W.Lee B.Scott M.
John R.William R. Charles W. Patricia and Darrin W.John B.Philip P.
William S.Alexander P.Richard M. Banyan Ocean LLC Ken E.Ian M.
Wesley C.Matthew G.Narendra P. Don E. (2nd donation) Alberto R.John S.


William S. (2nd donation)G.D.F.Somesh G. Tim T. Riley T.Tom S. (2nd donation)
Mark S.Don E. (3rd donation)William S. (3rd donation) Alberto R. (2nd donation)Eric A. John R.B.
George P.Charles U.Richard M. G.F.B.Karl A.William M.
Lynn C.      






                                                                       


I would be honored if you link any essay to your website, print a copy for your own use or add my RSS or Atom feed. And of course I appreciate your recommendations of this weblog and your comments: csmith@oftwominds.com.

The URL to add to your reader:

https://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/rss.xml

or

https://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/atom.xml

or if neither of those work, try

https://charleshughsmith.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

These RSS feeds go to my mirror site at oftwominds on blogspot . To view all the features of the main site, you must still visit www.oftwominds.com/blog.html



                                                                       

wEssay noun, combination of 'web' and 'essay,' denoting a short online essay which exploits the hyperlinks, interfaces and interactive capabilities of the World Wide Web; coined by Charles Hugh Smith on May 1, 2005, in Berkeley California.

Aphorisms I like:

"Economic history is a never-ending series of episodes based on falsehoods and lies, not truths. It represents the path to big money. The object is to recognize the trend whose premise is false, ride that trend, and step off before it is discredited." (George Soros)

"The way of the Tao is reversal." (Lao Tzu)

"Chance favours the prepared mind.” (Louis Pasteur)

"It is neither necessary to hope to undertake, nor to succeed to persevere." (French proverb)

"You must have a willingness to do something when everyone else is petrified. You must learn the lesson of following logic over emotion." (Warren Buffett)

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." (Winston Churchill)

"May a fair road always be open to you." (CHS, April 2, 2006)


All content and images copyright © 2005 - 2008 Charles Hugh Smith, All rights reserved in all media, unless otherwise credited or noted.


                                                                       


click here for all RJ
current issue


This Month's commentaries:

week of 3/9/08


March Essays/Poems

On Pyramid Schemes
(Chuck D.)

My Second Self
(poem, Verona U.)


February Essays/Poems

Letter from a Constituent (Protagoras)

Growing Up in Cuba (A.R.)

A Rising Standard Lifts All Boats: Employment and a Better Life
(E. Andrews)

Spendthrift Americans
(M. Goodfellow)

Reading the Bible and the Koran (Protagoras)

In memory of Shafilea Ahmed (poem, Protagoras)

The Geometry of Passion (poem, Verona U.)


January Essays/Poems

A Depression Won't Change Everything
(M. Goodfellow)

A New Regulatory Idea (O. King-Smith)

Monoline Insurance and Financial Fear (Protagoras)

How our Parents Shopped (Protagoras)

The Three Little English Pigs (Protagoras)

What to Tell Your Children?
(Lloyd L.)

Thoughts on a Common Culture(Chuck D.)

The Cost of a 3-Day Hospital Stay ($20K) (a reader)

An Oxbridge Education (Protagoras)

No Knowledge, No Accountability, No Problem (Zeus Y.)

Innovative Financing and the Housing Bubble (Peter F.)

Sitting with the Body (poem, Verona U.)


RS archives:

February 08

January 08

2007






Acceptance Mark
Why I gratefully accept donations and why you might want to donate:
  • There are no ads on this site to annoy you, except the fake ones I design for your amusement.
  • A 95-minute movie with 10 minutes of ads and a small popcorn costs $15. If you enjoyed this site for at least 2 hours this year, and you donate $15, you already received more entertainment than you did from the movie. The other 100+ hours of enjoyment you receive here is FREE.
  • You have the immense moral satisfaction of aiding a poor dumb writer who seeks to inform, entertain and amuse you.





  • Worth Visiting:

    ilind.net

    RV Now

    Marin Real Estate Bubble

    West Coast of Canada-
    Housing/R.E. blog


    Westside Bubble (L.A.)

    New York City Housing Bubble

    The Implode-o-Meter sites:
    Mortgage Lenders
    Banks
    Home Builders
    Hedge Funds

    California Housing Forecast

    Dr. Housing Bubble (SoCal)

    View from Silicon Valley

    Credit Flow Investor

    Prudent Speculation

    Market Ticker

    Rick's Picks

    Gold Eagle

    freebuck.com (precious metals)

    Great Depression 2006

    Satellite Sky

    Free-the-Memes

    Hedge Fund(s) (Richard Wilson)


    Policy/Ideas

    L.A. Visions
    Darrell Clarke
    transpo, planning

    Fabius Maximus
    geopolitics, modern war


    Authors/Artists

    John Francis Kinsella
    author/painter Sumpinein (blog)
    "Letter from Basque Country"

    Financial Armageddon Michael Panzner

    The Rhythm of War Terence Parker

    Bill Murath
    (chimes & art)


    James Howard Kunstler

    Don England

    Animals to Zombies
    (Dwight Rounds)
    The Year the Music Died,
    1964-1972






    buy my novel
    I-State Lines at The Kaleidoscope
    (indie bookstore,
    free shipping)

    Or from my publisher, The Permanent Press

    Or from amazon.com:
    I-State Lines



    If you want to own gold, I recommend:

    Buy gold online - quickly, safely and at low prices at BullionVault

    If you need a quick gift, I recommend:

    Amazon.com gift certificates

    Note: at no cost to you, I earn a small commission on purchases made via these two links.







       
    Our retail policy:
    Nothing is for sale except books/films I recommend and my own novel
    I-State Lines
    (via links to Amazon.com and The Kaleidoscope: Our Focus Is You independent bookstore) Free alternative: find them at your local library.

    Though I earn a small commission on Amazon.com books and gift certificates and gold (BullionVault) purchased via links on my site, I receive no fees for any links, advertising or materials on my site.



      home