I'm sorry, Holly, it's not fun to be targeted. But it comes with the territory of writing, as does being accustomed to sinking time and treasure for years into a book project only to walk away from it when it doesn't pan out. We are exercising those muscles, I suppose. I like this Meg Cabot quote about writing: "“You’re not a one hundred dollar bill, not everyone is going to like you.”
And that's good, right? It means we have moved on from people pleasing into the realms of discussion and debate on morals and values. Doing the right thing makes enemies. I admire your courage. You're a brave soul.
Well the video is fine - funny and the singing is fine too. Excellent pitch. (I am a trained singer and if someone goes off key at all, I hear it).
We also can see with the Hesgeth hearings that theGOP are afraid of being primaries or harrassed by Trump's brownshirts so.... well we are in the first days of American fascism.
So Heil Trump.
..................
On an entirely different note, I studied the industrial development in America, especially in Paterson and nearby. So.... despite what economists suggests - in fact tariff may have been useful in the early period. An example is in the tariff of 1861, for the first time the US levied a tariff on finished silk. So the silk industry grew in the US each decade for almost 50 years. Machines were exported from England and imported to the US. Immigrant workers came from silk producing areas to the US. Silk made Paterson NJ wealthier than the existing cotton mills and the weavers shifted to silk. Even though weaving had been mechanized for cotton, for silk it was still woven by hand looms to the 1870s or so. And for narrow silks - like ribbon, manual weaving continued until the 1890s.
I also have read an analysis (decades ago - possibly 1970) that explained that only Great Britain and maybe one other nation developed an industrial economy without some combination of tariffs or quotas (or informal prejudices against foreign goods). In the article, it noted that Japan made a conscious effort to grow in auto sector in the mod 1950s - possibly by import restrictions and that the restrictions worked to build the successful Japanese auto sector. That said - tariffs become a noose around the neck as interest groups compete to benefit their industry. .... The value of jobs retained is something that is sometimes missed by the macro numbers. But my studies were mostly decades ago and not as an economist.
One sidebar is how the US shop building industry was subsidized beginning in the 1930s. The ship building capacity turned out to be handy in WW2 so sometimes an artificial support for an industry such as a tariff or a direct subsidy is useful. Of course economists can demonstrate mathematically why this is not so.. but i retain a whisper of support for strategic supports for industry. The Trump tariffs are not that at all .
Yes, you are right and my husband agreed with you and made me change "never" to "rarely." Well done with the fact checking Terry! And the mastery of 19th century economics! Very impressive
Born in Paterson, it was known as the Silk City in its heyday. And I had family members who worked in the textile mills or garment factories. The museum also features lots of silk machines - so the subject was a natural one for study and the books were readily available in the main library.
"My husband, an economist, has taught me everything I know about economics, and let me tell you, that is very good stuff... One of the best concepts he’s taught me, one that has freed me from so much angst, is the sunk cost fallacy."
I had an online pal a few years back who'd been an unlucky lush, and was now dying of organ failure, despite getting sober in what would have been time to lead a long, full life if he hadn't had some underlying bodily vulnerability. His lightheartedness was infectious.
It's one thing to understand that sunk costs are sunk, another to live as if it were true, as he did. That takes courage. An idea that frees you from angst might sound like it makes courage unnecessary, but I don't think it does. Maybe it helps you have the courage you need to live it out, but living it out still takes courage.
As someone married to an economist myself, I appreciated the footnote in your Jan 8 installment:
"I’m joking. Sort of. Kevin’s not joking though. He’d divorce me if I started believing in tariffs."
Well Molly- you have now succeeded in having an impact on the discussion about values, politics, and funny videos- in a wonderful way. Welcome to the opposition! You are much appreciated! And I bet many of us have your back in whatever way we can.
That is a great story. I would add ‘Reformed’ in front of Theobros. It’s the reformed ones who have believe they have divined the mysteries of the Godhead and who therefore feel free to disparage anyone who disagrees, even (sometimes especially) fellow white evangelicals. We used to call them TRs, as in Truly Reformed, or, as a professor at GCTS called them, Terribly Reformed. Also, I’m pretty sure the Extra Manly and Godly trademark includes drinking bourbon and smoking cigars around a campfire. Talking about college basketball. And Calvin’s Institutes.
Well heck, this was a lot. I loved seeing that video again! I will confess I have watched it more than once or twice.. and agree you have a great voice Molly. I don't think I'd worry too much about your book, either way it'll be a success.
I'm still a little speechless on this one. Part of me is doing the you gotta be kidding me thing and the other is shaking my head, and that's only two of my personalities that showed up. So Molly/Holly, well done.
Thank you for doing that video. I cannot imagine being harassed by these terrible people. The far right is big on cancel culture, just like the illiberal left, Their goal is to ruin the lives of people they disagree with.
I guess it was inevitable, sadly. For some reason this reminds me of one of my favorite lines (there were many) from JoJo Rabbit - “what did they do?” “They did what they could.” So must you, so must we all.
Great voice Holly but unfortunately (unless you were deliberately putting us on?) you suffer a bit from the “white people can’t dance” syndrome. I actually believe that dance skills are an inherited trait passed down from your parents. My mom was a dancer and dad was a wallflower. Out of us six kids, three were great dancers and the other three (sadly me in this group) are wallflowers. In my mind I see myself stepping out like Fred Astaire but I freeze up on the dance floor.
Molly Berkelerkely Felcher is a national treasure.
Inspired by this, "Molly Berserkerly Felcher." If you're not berserk, you're not paying attention.
Loved the video and loved the essay. Thank you for the day brightener, Molly - I mean Holly.
😆
I'm sorry, Holly, it's not fun to be targeted. But it comes with the territory of writing, as does being accustomed to sinking time and treasure for years into a book project only to walk away from it when it doesn't pan out. We are exercising those muscles, I suppose. I like this Meg Cabot quote about writing: "“You’re not a one hundred dollar bill, not everyone is going to like you.”
And that's good, right? It means we have moved on from people pleasing into the realms of discussion and debate on morals and values. Doing the right thing makes enemies. I admire your courage. You're a brave soul.
Not sure it's brave but it's an unfortunate side effect of making any kind of living writing, that's for sure.
Well the video is fine - funny and the singing is fine too. Excellent pitch. (I am a trained singer and if someone goes off key at all, I hear it).
We also can see with the Hesgeth hearings that theGOP are afraid of being primaries or harrassed by Trump's brownshirts so.... well we are in the first days of American fascism.
So Heil Trump.
..................
On an entirely different note, I studied the industrial development in America, especially in Paterson and nearby. So.... despite what economists suggests - in fact tariff may have been useful in the early period. An example is in the tariff of 1861, for the first time the US levied a tariff on finished silk. So the silk industry grew in the US each decade for almost 50 years. Machines were exported from England and imported to the US. Immigrant workers came from silk producing areas to the US. Silk made Paterson NJ wealthier than the existing cotton mills and the weavers shifted to silk. Even though weaving had been mechanized for cotton, for silk it was still woven by hand looms to the 1870s or so. And for narrow silks - like ribbon, manual weaving continued until the 1890s.
I also have read an analysis (decades ago - possibly 1970) that explained that only Great Britain and maybe one other nation developed an industrial economy without some combination of tariffs or quotas (or informal prejudices against foreign goods). In the article, it noted that Japan made a conscious effort to grow in auto sector in the mod 1950s - possibly by import restrictions and that the restrictions worked to build the successful Japanese auto sector. That said - tariffs become a noose around the neck as interest groups compete to benefit their industry. .... The value of jobs retained is something that is sometimes missed by the macro numbers. But my studies were mostly decades ago and not as an economist.
One sidebar is how the US shop building industry was subsidized beginning in the 1930s. The ship building capacity turned out to be handy in WW2 so sometimes an artificial support for an industry such as a tariff or a direct subsidy is useful. Of course economists can demonstrate mathematically why this is not so.. but i retain a whisper of support for strategic supports for industry. The Trump tariffs are not that at all .
Yes, you are right and my husband agreed with you and made me change "never" to "rarely." Well done with the fact checking Terry! And the mastery of 19th century economics! Very impressive
Born in Paterson, it was known as the Silk City in its heyday. And I had family members who worked in the textile mills or garment factories. The museum also features lots of silk machines - so the subject was a natural one for study and the books were readily available in the main library.
"My husband, an economist, has taught me everything I know about economics, and let me tell you, that is very good stuff... One of the best concepts he’s taught me, one that has freed me from so much angst, is the sunk cost fallacy."
I had an online pal a few years back who'd been an unlucky lush, and was now dying of organ failure, despite getting sober in what would have been time to lead a long, full life if he hadn't had some underlying bodily vulnerability. His lightheartedness was infectious.
It's one thing to understand that sunk costs are sunk, another to live as if it were true, as he did. That takes courage. An idea that frees you from angst might sound like it makes courage unnecessary, but I don't think it does. Maybe it helps you have the courage you need to live it out, but living it out still takes courage.
As someone married to an economist myself, I appreciated the footnote in your Jan 8 installment:
"I’m joking. Sort of. Kevin’s not joking though. He’d divorce me if I started believing in tariffs."
Got a little tear in my eye, Midge.
Well Molly- you have now succeeded in having an impact on the discussion about values, politics, and funny videos- in a wonderful way. Welcome to the opposition! You are much appreciated! And I bet many of us have your back in whatever way we can.
That is a great story. I would add ‘Reformed’ in front of Theobros. It’s the reformed ones who have believe they have divined the mysteries of the Godhead and who therefore feel free to disparage anyone who disagrees, even (sometimes especially) fellow white evangelicals. We used to call them TRs, as in Truly Reformed, or, as a professor at GCTS called them, Terribly Reformed. Also, I’m pretty sure the Extra Manly and Godly trademark includes drinking bourbon and smoking cigars around a campfire. Talking about college basketball. And Calvin’s Institutes.
Well heck, this was a lot. I loved seeing that video again! I will confess I have watched it more than once or twice.. and agree you have a great voice Molly. I don't think I'd worry too much about your book, either way it'll be a success.
I'm still a little speechless on this one. Part of me is doing the you gotta be kidding me thing and the other is shaking my head, and that's only two of my personalities that showed up. So Molly/Holly, well done.
Thank you for doing that video. I cannot imagine being harassed by these terrible people. The far right is big on cancel culture, just like the illiberal left, Their goal is to ruin the lives of people they disagree with.
You have a GREAT voice!! Keep singing ☺️
I guess it was inevitable, sadly. For some reason this reminds me of one of my favorite lines (there were many) from JoJo Rabbit - “what did they do?” “They did what they could.” So must you, so must we all.
Great voice Holly but unfortunately (unless you were deliberately putting us on?) you suffer a bit from the “white people can’t dance” syndrome. I actually believe that dance skills are an inherited trait passed down from your parents. My mom was a dancer and dad was a wallflower. Out of us six kids, three were great dancers and the other three (sadly me in this group) are wallflowers. In my mind I see myself stepping out like Fred Astaire but I freeze up on the dance floor.
We were actually doing the Trump dance LOL
Thank you for explaining. I’ll stop dissing your dance moves now. 😞