HEDGE FUND MANAGERS & ED'S FUNGIBLE METALS (for J. Murray)

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Wed, 10/24/2007 - 20:30.

 

 

 

 I am responding here on RealNeo to J. Murray who is a frequent and steady contributor to Brewed Fresh Daily.  Here is the link on BFD that is relevant. 

 

I thought it might be more effective if I showed J. Murray rather than told J. Murray.

 

The truth is there are different worlds in the USA…

 

 

I met Ed on Broadway near the main Post Office.  He was lugging a bunch of sheet metal on his shoulder up Woodland.  He wasn't hitch hiking, but I thought if there ever was a time for hitch hiking it would be with all the metal...so I pulled over and offered Ed a ride. 

Ulterior motive?  Get his story.  Here's what Ed said:

He's a vet.  Homeless.  Pays child support without fail ($7,000/yr) from vet payments. Had a head injury.  Repeatedly tried to get construction jobs in town but to no avail.  Tried today...no go...

 

Very polite and proud guy. His hands were worn and dirty. His fingernails weren’t chewed. Asked for no pity. Appreciated the ride. Sounded sane and cogent.

 

Cohen didn’t want to buy the metal - which Ed thought was stainless.

 

I thought it was stainless too, but a magnetic grade which was low in nickel and chromium so it was not as valuable.

 

I’ve scrapped just like Ed. It is a tough and scientific business.

So just as I was leaving Ed came out of Cohen’s and asked if - since I was headed up Woodland - could I truck him over to Quincy? 

 

No problem…

 

At the Quincy scrapper there was a line.  We just made it in the door by 3:30pm closing.

 

J,  I don’t think hedge fund managers are any smarter than Ed.  Ed is bringing value but getting about $2.00 for a 3 mile hike with metal on his shoulders.

 

Maybe we should take a ride around the City together to gain perspective…

 

 

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Doom and Gloom

Submitted by lmcshane on Thu, 10/25/2007 - 08:23.

  Hedge fund managers and fungible Ed--natural disasters don't discriminate.   I shouldn't really call these natural disasters--correction Jeff--MAN-MADE disasters--Katrina, wildfires, drought, grid failure, 9/11--we are all going to end up clawing our way to the top of the pile for air.

We should find a way to live together and help each other out before it happens.

PUBLIC SQ SUNDAY FREE MEALS GONE FROM SQ

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Thu, 10/25/2007 - 09:49.

 

One other thing I learned from Ed is that after 2 and a half decades Bill Wagner's Public Square meals has been forced out of Public Square. 

Does anyone know where Mr. Wagner is operating now?

 

As the need becomes more accute for food - our civic/corporate response is to push the problem further out of site.   

Will that work for NorthEastOhio?

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Laura, I’m not clear on the “national disaster” reference in your comment.  Please expand…

The homeless "problem" is opportunity for rich

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Thu, 10/25/2007 - 10:45.

Ah, the smell of homeless people roasting on public money in the Gates Mills fireplaces of the rich. Jeff, they aren't displacing homeless people, they are taxing the public to fund privatizing storage of homeless people, like with prisoners. But now they are using development grants, and healthcare funds to pay business "partnerships" and real estate speculators and nursing home operators and religious cults to manage the process (failing, of course).

To help some homeless, go to the corner of Roxbury and Euclid Avenue, in East Cleveland, and pick up the people squating in the abandoned (foreclosed and bank/absentee owned, but not prosecuted) apartment building and take them to MetroHealth, as I assure you they will have many physical and likely mental health problems. From there, they will need jobs. Our leadership has made this economy a poor one, so those looking for jobs will probably do best to leave the region. I suggest looking into firefighting opportunities in Southern Cali. Voila, homeless problem solved by global warming.

Or, we can displace our current leadership and power structure and get to work making this a better place to live and work, which will grow the economy in healthy ways, unlike today. Voila, homeless problem solved.

Our choice.

Disrupt IT

Scrap

Submitted by lmcshane on Tue, 12/04/2007 - 18:41.

Cleveland State employees busted on scrap dealing.  I recently attended a public meeting where our city folk expressed confidence in "the system" supposedly in place to prevent the scrap-cannibalism of the city.  For too long, we have not had a "system."  Perhaps, this has finally changed.  Perhaps, not.... "Most" scrap yards require you show identification

Council CONSIDERS

Submitted by lmcshane on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 12:24.

  How reassuring that Council is ... considering ...a plan--while, some larger market force (China's demand for metal and we wouldn't want to upset the market!)  is driving the pillaging of our cities and, now, even our suburbs and we probably need to fund some costly plan contracted to a non-profit to address the problem.  God knows, we wouldn't want to take any "hasty" action. 

That is until an important someone's catalytic converter is stolen from their SUV parked in that big box store in the exurbs.

Economic policies are articulated in words...

Submitted by lmcshane on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 09:31.

  Hide behind your words.  Actions still speak louder than words.

your point?

Submitted by Susan Miller on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 09:52.

Is this crypitic missive for J Murray?

Are you referring to "Civil Disobedience"?

(1846) this famous exchange?

"Henry, what are you doing in there?" exclaimed Emerson when he saw his incarcerated fellow philosopher.

"Waldo, the question is what are you doing out there?" Thoreau shot back.

bullying

Submitted by lmcshane on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 13:45.

No, I don't want to pick on any one.  It's extremely hard to overcome our biology and I will be the first to admit it.  I have to fight my biology every day...