The 1980's

 The 1980's were a strange time to be alive. The period started with the end of Jimmy Carter's term as well as the Iranian hostage crisis. Many say it ended with Ronald Reagan's second term as President. I always think the stark difference between 1981's Escape from New York and Michael Douglas in 1987's Wall Street highlight the change in mood in the country very well. 

Probably nothing signifies this period better than Wall Street and no financiers embodied this better than Berkshire-Hathaway's Warren Buffet and Drexel-Burnham's Michael Milken. It should be noted that Buffet has continued with his compounding financial ways to this day to become one of the world's richest and most celebrated investors while Milken was the highest paid investor of his day, peaking at $550 million cash in a year, before being sent to prison.

Many like to point out that Apple's original IPO and Chrysler's government bailout happened at roughly the same time. Apple is well known today as a great stock and one of their largest investors is Berkshire-Hathaway. Chrysler's government bond helped lead the way for an automotive turnaround but what's lesser known is it also symbolizes Reagan and the US government as Milken's biggest rival to the heyday of junk bonds. Chrysler's bond paid off at a 13.99% interest rate which would be comparable to credit card rates most eras. Much of the vaunted government turnaround was financed by this fact. 

It was a strange time to be alive. We seem to be living in a similarly strange time today.

Quotes for Today

Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.

 "It never ceases to amaze me: We all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own." - Marcus Aurelius

"The quality of your mind is the quality of your life." - Naval Ravikant

"Snake Plissken? I thought he was dead." - Escape from New York

"In the end everything is entropy. So may as well enjoy the ride." - Chris Lynch

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Generally not a fan of movie remakes but doesn't the time seem right for remakes of both John Carpenter's Escape from New York and maybe more appropriately Escape from LA. But who would be the new Snake Plisken? How about Joe Rogan? He did escape LA and we could use the line, "Joe Rogan? I thought he was dead (from horse de-wormers)"... Have a feeling this bumper sticker may make a comeback... AOC keeps getting more ridiculous but the caricature won't be complete until she releases a manifesto... Did you know that Johnny Cash is the only person inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame?... "Say to those that are of a fearful heart, 'Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.'" Bible verse or Trump 2024 campaign slogan? (Actually Isaiah 35:4)... Question has to be asked - will future historians dub the period known as the Biden Presidency as "the Quagmire?"...  

Quotes for Today

 Some quotes that I hope may resonate with you.

"Dignity does not consist in possessing honors, but in deserving them." - Aristotle

"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

"It is remarkable how much long term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent." - Charlie Munger

"It never ceases to amaze me: We all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own." - Marcus Aurelius

"The quality of your mind is the quality of your life." - Naval Ravikant

"Snake Plissken? I thought he was dead." - Escape from New York

Dystopian Futures

A look at some of the celluloid predicted futures.

The 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner was set in the future of November 2019. Things today aren't exactly as advertised in the film though we're now close to having the Cybertruck and sex robots.

The movie Escape from New York came out in 1981 and was set in the future of 1997. The script was written and the movie was filmed while Jimmy Carter was President. After a few years of Ronald Reagan being President the Hollywood view of New York was replaced by movies like 1987's Wall Street.

The envisioned world ravaged by greenhouse effect and overpopulation of 1973's Soylent Green was set in 2022 which is now just 2-years away. Things aren't going to be as bleak as portrayed in the movie though we do now have the Impossible Burger.

Red Sox Magic Number - 96

With the Yankees losing to the Indians last night - the Red Sox Magic Number now stands at 96. Bear with me while I discuss the number 96 in movie, political and business terms.

Of the Top 10 money making movies from 1996 - I saw them all - most multiple times. Independence Day, Twister, Mission Impossible, The Rock, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 101 Dalmatians, Ransom, The Nutty Professor, Jerry Maguire, Eraser - I saw them all (it helped having kids for the Disney ones).

I did not see the two most critically acclaimed movies of the year - The English Patient and Shine. Had no interest then and even less interest now.

There was another movie that came out in 1996 that any of you who know me might be surprised that I missed but I confess that I've never seen even a minute of the movie Escape from LA. "Snake Plisken? I heard you were dead." Well Snake Plisken was dead to me as far as Escape from LA was concerned.

What's amusing is that I had planned to mention the movie Escape from New York when the Red Sox magic number was 97 but I never got around to that. That movie was supposed to be based in 1997. That's how pessimistic the outlook was during the days of the Carter administration. Then Ronald Reagan came into office and it was morning in America again as far as the economy was concerned. Starting with Reagan - Presidents understood the bottom line came down to "its the economy stupid" and pessimistic futuristic movies like Escape from LA no longer had a place in the popular consciousness. Now our politicians no longer understand how the economy works and think Big Government is the answer and not the problem. Pessimistic futuristic movies may be the least of our concerns if that continues.

Another thing I had planned to mention about 97 was the fact that in real life in 1997 it is significant to note that was the year that Steve Jobs returned to Apple Computer. In the future children may be asked about that on history tests.