what a wonderful world it would be...of economics

In calculus class today a kid started singing "What a wonderful world" (or whatever it's called), so now it's hopelessly stuck in my head. You know, the one that goes "Don't know much about history, don't know much biology..."

But even if I don't know much about the French I took (see La Retourne de les CDs de TASP below if you need evidence of this sad fact) I am getting to know more about economics. I've never really liked money before, but globalization and microfinance are really intriguing. Speaking of wonderful worlds, I'm all for globalization, sort of. Everyone should check out the November 5th issue of the Economist, because it's just fascinating. I guess I would date the sowing of these seeds of interest to a day in late July (early August? so much for dating) when I heard a young genius named Charles Wu PubSpeak about economics... Really, do check out the Economist.

As a nearly life-long Michigander I feel it my duty to inform you all about important holidays of the state you all temporarily called home last summer. *adopts a very grave tone* Everyone *clears throat, sighs*, tomorrow is a very sad day in our state history. It is the 30th anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Now I know what your all thinking, "Gosh, the second part of that name is almost the same as Fitzwilliam Darcy's first name!" but please, try to stay focused! On November 10, 1975, twenty-nine men lost their lives in a storm on Lake Superior. You may be familiar with the song about the tragedy by Jenny's fellow Canuck Gordon Lightfoot, a line of which goes something (well, exactly) like this:

Does any one know where the love of God goes

when the waves turn the minutes to hours?

The searchers all say they'd have made Whitefish Bay

if they'd put fifteen more miles behind 'er.

They might have split up or they might have capsized;

they may have broke deep and took water.

And all that remains is the faces and the names

of the wives and the sons and the daughters.

The complete song and more information about the Edmund Fitzgerald can be found at http://www.ssefo.com/. If the spirit of Michigan lives on in your TASPly expanded heart, check it out.