What won't business object to?

I have now spent two consecutive days at separate conferences concerning the state of the competitiveness of US Capital Markets. I already knew this, but is there anything the business community won't complain about? At today's conference I imagined a scenario where the government gave each business in the US a million dollars (in addition to the subsidies already granted to business) and the business community complains that they didn't receive two million dollars.

They desperately want to "rethink" Sarbanes-Oxley (or SOX, as I have come to know it). After all, there aren't any problems in business anymore. They're all honest now. Also, corporate revenue now constitutes 8% of GDP, as opposed to the 4-6% of GDP it has been for the last 4 decades or so. Yeah, things are tough.

Everyone Hates a Heretic

Ok, for once I'm on the same page as religous nutballs who say that the Discovery Channel documentary "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" is more or less nonsense. That is no doubt true. But I love any occasion that makes ministers say things like, "I don't think they offer any insights into truth. Theories have come and gone. So-called evidence has come and gone," (Rev. Richard Rinearson of First United Methodist Church) or "It's a hypothesis and speculation," (Rev. Joe Holzhauser of Holy Trinity Catholic Parish). Both of those quotes from the Huron Plainsman of Huron, South Dakota. It's a hypothesis and speculation, says the minister! So-called evidence! Not like their line of work, where everything is based on facts and reason and intellecual clarity!

I would also draw your attention to an article in the Aberdeen American News (Aberdeen South Dakota) making the case that Jesus was not a socialist. Martin Albl, the author, concedes that Jesus lived communily and he and his believers did not own private property, but concludes that Jesus was not a socialist, because John Paul II was not a socialist. No comment necessary.