crime and the forces of evil 2k8/1/12 setlist

I can has tiny setlist:

1. もののけ猫 (Mononoke Neko)
2. 桜木町 (Cherry Tree Station)
3. Leaffall
4. Lukey
5. General Taylor

Key things learned:

• BREATHE, STUPID!
• Try to relax, 'way too much tension in your back.
• Thirsty and feeling nervous beforehand? Don't drink a Diet Coke.
• People can't tell when you fuck up, They actually liked your butchered rendition of 桜木著.
• Be ready to talk about stories behind your songs.
• I said BREATHE.

I went to Rustycon yesterday and played the open-mic filk. And I'm really glad I did that. I got to learn some things in front of a tiny (25-30ish) and not-at-all-hostile crowd, and where there were other people playing so I could get my shit together between goes.

People really liked my flutes, too. Several people wanted information about them and a couple are thinking about commissions. That'd be great fun.

Economics: things that happened last week

Economic events to be aware of from last week, heading in to this week:

• The headline "Consumer Confidence Sinks to Record Low," while bad, is somewhat misleading; the current index only goes back to 2002. That's not hugely useful. They'd have been a lot better off mentioning that consumer revolving-credit use soared in November far above spending, which historically means people are using revolving credit to pay things like heating bills. Mind you,
• "Moody’s says spending threatens US rating" is much more meaningful and really is a shot across the bow to cut out a lot of the crap that's been going on, including broken accounting (CDOs, SIVs, etc), unsustainable deficit spending, and bullshit market manipulation like the early-leaking-to-insiders of this deal:
• Bank of America to Acquire Countrywide for $4 Billion, the story behind which is a bit misleading; preferred stockholders get something akin to the article's listed share price, common stockholders get whatever's left over ($3 a share, as of Friday), and all that's true only if Countrywide makes it until third quarter. And BoA won't have to mark Countrywide's assets to market against their own books until 2009, by which time they'll know whether they just let it go bankrupt. This is the kind of deal you take only if you know your company is over - or unless you get to walk away with around $100M, as Countrywide's CEO does. Mmmmm, crony capitalism. Speaking of which,
• Regulator urged Berkshire to enter bond insurance. Apparently the current monoline insurers are in such bad trouble that favours are getting called in to start new businesses so that local governments can insure with them instead. Don't worry, I'm sure it goes both ways, since...
• Banks are busy pleading that they can't be asked to follow rules like proof of ownership in bankruptcy cases and are looking for relief, after a couple of foreclosures got shut down because the companies attempting to foreclose couldn't prove they actually owned the liens. But hey, what's a little proof of ownership between us business and government pals, eh? At least...
• ...the Fed has finally stopped talking about "containment." There, that's good news. Sorta.