If the Feds won't do it...

maybe smaller localities can do something to help rein in the big banks.

NYC and LA have passed laws that are aimed at forcing big banks to invest in the local community. They do it by

giv[ing] preference for city contracts to banks that make the most substantial investments in the local community through small business loans, home loans, foreclosure prevention, and other programs.

I won't say that I'm especially optimistic about this working, but maybe it's a small step in the right direction.

It'd be interesting if some of the larger states (read, especially, California) passed laws saying that their pension funds and other government accounts could only be deposited in institutions that follow certain rules. Like, maybe, not engaging in naked shorts (naked shorts, I should point out, are an incredibly risky "investment". So risky, in fact, that they should really be called gambles. They're small on upside, and unlimited on downside. Yes, if your bet misses, you can lose all of your money. No matter how much you have).

Social Security must be safe, now

Think Progress alerts us that many of the poorer people in this country won't be able to afford to retire until very late in life. Let us remember that most of these people (certainly the bottom quintile) will not, on average, even live long enough to retire. So if that many people won't live long enough to retire, Social Security will stay solvent for a much longer time, right?

Re-Settlement Plans

I was just entertained by this note, as I think Settlers is a fantastic game. In fact, having played it for over ten years, I have yet to find anyone who doesn't like it (including my wife, who generally mocks board games).

If you haven't tried it yet, give it a go. (FWIW, I prefer the base game, followed by the Knights and Cities. I don't like the Seafarers as much.)