Friday, January 23, 2009

Prophet of Doom?

Our fellow traveler Park Dae-sung has just been indicted for spreading his economic observations through his computer. It turns out that his predictions have been, pretty good. Park has a two-year technical degree and was unemployed at the time of his arrest.

There are nine Freedom of Information Act exemptions. The last two are of interest to me:

(b)(8) EXEMPTION - Records of Financial Institutions
This exemption covers matters that are "contained in or related to examination, operating, or condition reports prepared by, on behalf of, or for the use of an agency responsible for the regulation or supervision of financial institutions."

(b)(9) EXEMPTION - Geographical and Geophysical Information Concerning Wells
This exemption covers "geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.


A little fairy in my head tells me that the (b)(9) Exemption has more to do with oil than water. Perhaps we can file Park’s arrest under the heading of “idle hands may be the devil’s playground, but can occasionally result in good journalism.”

Park calls himself the ‘Prophet of Doom’. This is pretty good, and ranks ahead of Professor Roubini, 'Dr. Doom', but still ranks behind me, your 'Messiah of Doom', who urges my fellow Americans to work to become independent by gardening.

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