Nobrainer’s Think Tank

I generally try to avoid watching CNN (and Fox, and well any “news” that they put on TV). However, airports tend to have CNN Headline News on the TVs near the gates. When I was at the Dayton airport last weekend, after I nearly crapped my pants (speaking crapping your pants, some guy near the doors at the grocery store this afternoon farted. Loudly. It sounded wet. But I digress.), I was subjected to about an hour of CNN. Two stupid things stood out.

The first stupid thing involved everyone’s favorite people, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. The two of them were on the same stage in front of a crowd. However, since the primary is settled, they’re now working together. Let me tell you, nothing says “change” and “new way” and Washington Outsider than joining with Hillary Clinton to bolster your chances in the general election. I might have forgotten about that early-morning thought. However, the editors of the New York Times have noticed, too. According to them, Obama is New and Not Improved.

The second stupid thing was about China. CNN referred to their economy as a “giant.” While the Chinese population may qualify for giant status, their economy really does not. The Chinese economy is big. Depending on your statistical provider, they’re the 3rd or 4th largest economy in the world. Their GDP is about 3.3 trillion dollars. That’s impressive. Or, it is until you compare it to that other economic giant we all forget about. That giant just had a birthday, and oh, by the way, has a GDP of 13.8 trillion dollars. If you haven’t figured it out, I’m talking about the good ol’ U S of A.

Addendum: In what should probably be titled “Geniuses draw straight line”, a think tank has announced that China will have the biggest economy in the world in 2035. Basically, from what I can tell, they found plausible ways to assume that China will continue to grow at ~10% a year until…. well indefinitely I guess. Buncha fucking geniuses there.