The Magnificent Goldberg

I know I was disappointed many times - but I can't remember over what, so it couldn't have been terribly important MG

So, who's the audience for this stuff - white crate-diggers? MG

I smell a slight rat. I had a butch at the Amazon write-ups of the Krugman book. Haven't read the book itself, though it might not be a bad idea. Nothing in the write-ups, or indeed in this article, suggests that Krugman's focus is welfare. The other articles referred to definitely focus on welfare. And they make a decent argument about narrowing welfare inequalities. I am pretty sure that most people realise that, once a certain level of income is reached, addidtional income brings no, or the most tenuous, welfare benefits. What is the welfare benefit in having two yatchs rather than one? The point about earning big money is not to live large. It is first, to keep the score, to show how good a player one is. And second, it is a measure, and the instrument, of power. So why associate Krugman's book with these others? Got to say, of course, that the Economist is on the side of people who make a lot of money; people who don't, don't buy the economist (though, like me, they might read bits - thanks once again, Guy ) There's a clear suggestion here that the arguments showing narrowing welfare differences are a counter to Krugman's complaints about income inequality; even though it doesn't seem that he's arguing a welfare point. It seems to me that income inequality, of the grosser sort, is not bad because of welfare issues but for other reasons. The larger the proportion of national earnings that falls into the pockets of a small group of very rich people, the greater the proportion of national income that is going to be spent on luxuries (with a negligible, or non-existent, welfare benefit. While any spending will give rise to employment and enable some people to go to Walmart very week, luxury spending is very easily cut, should there be an economic shock; it's inherently unreliable. So the greater the income inequality, the greater the proportion of the economy that is reliant on inherently unreliable spending. Of course, this is mitigated to some extent by the fact that a lot of this spending is abroad (particularly, though not exclusively, in the form of investment). The economy isn't relying on the whole of this unreliable spending. One can look at that situation as denying America (or Europe) the use of that earning power. Africa presented, and continues to present, extreme examples of the super rich (heads of state usually) whose spending did and does nothing whatever for the people of those countries. America and Europe have not reached such extremes - and maybe won't. But do we have to reach such extremes before we notice what's happening? MG

OK - one New Year's resolution for me was to explore Lucky Millinder's recordings. So, getting off on the right foot today, I've ordered three Chronological Classics CDs from Amazon Germany at a pretty good price. They are 1941-1942 1943-1947 1947-1950 There are a further 24 tracks the band cut between 1951 and 1955. Is there another Chronological Classics CD, which I couldn't find on any of the European Amazons, covering this period? Or what is the best way to get the recordings of this period? MG

Wow! have a great time Porcy! MG

Massed Aaaahhhs of Organissimo, all together now. AAAAAHHHHHHHH! Much happiness! MG

Oh, I don't know... they look like what they are, don't they? MG

Just as well she didn't ask you why YOU believed in Santa Claus MG

NO! Do I see a new signature picture? MG

Well, at least he lives in Brooklyn. MG

Happy Christmas, then, Dan. Have a good time. And thanks for lots of helpful things. MG

I'm not sure, but I think there may be some odd effects on "A soul experiment". I'll give it a play and see if there's any mnute stuff in there. MG

ValB Sal Patricia

Lionel Hampton disc 1 MG

Ubu Roi Leroi Jones Amiri Baraka

On the Blindman's Blues forum, someone posted some paintings of bluesmen by a French artist Denis Gérablie. They're very nice. I'm using the one of Son House as my background now - over Christmas, it's a lot warmer than the Lonnie Smith. Here's the link. http://blindman.forumhoster.com/index.php?showtopic=22899 MG

Loved the "My little pony" glue factory!!! Thanks Berigan. MG

1) wicca ceremonies for the solstice 2) preparing a chamber opera based on the X-Mas Day Death of James Brown 3) trying to satisy Jenufa 4) file under folk See what we've been missing? MG

Well, Brenda's probably right - apart from the getting lost bit. When men congregate in pubs, the only topics of conversation are: beer; fags (in America cigarettes); football (in Wales Rugby, in the US American Football); birds; and how to get from A to B. (Unless the men are miners or civil servants, in which case they talk shop.) With such endless and only slightly squiffy advice, even a make Santa could find his way anywhere. MG

Exactly - the combinations of numbers are so arranged that, when you pick two things with your number in them, there's only one possibility. All the rest is flim flam. MG

Real tenor players as sidemen Milt Buckner, Arnett Cobb & Eddie Chamblee - Midnight slows vol 6 - Black & Blue orig Kenny Burrell - Midnight blue - Blue Note Liberty (with Stanley Turrentine) Paul Bryant - Somethin's happenin' - Fantasy Vocalion UK issue mono (with Plas Johnson) (astounding that this was actually issued in Britain in 1964) MG

Where've you bin? MG

Ah yes - it's harder to get everything right when there are more things to go wrong. A very basic point. MG

So you don't know any more than I do MG Except, we hear sound before we know what it means. And spend the rest of our lives trying to work out what it means, if anything. MG

Decibel Dennis must be a great guy! MG