I do not remember how I stumbled onto Jon’s blog back in its infancy when “.wordpress.” was still part of the URL. This was probably two or three years ago, and at the time I was attending Western Michigan University as an undergrad in Economics.
I think I felt a close connection to Jon because, apart from our similar viewpoints on economic and political subjects (and our infatuation with the New England Patriots!), he seemed to possess the same sort of love and respect for the study of economics that I did. And more importantly, he was talented at that very difficult task of applying the lessons of economics to modern-day fallacies in clear English!
Now add in the fact that we were close in age. In my small walks of life, it’s been tough to find a fellow my age who can carry a conversation involving economic reasoning for more than a fleeting moment before their eyes glaze over in pure boredom!
So I was an immediate fan of Jon and his blog. I’ve followed him pretty much since day 1 of his site.
For myself, I am not an economist nor am I enrolled in any economics program. After I graduated from High School, I spent some time in community college and then at Western Michigan University, actually intending to follow in Jon’s footsteps and one day pursue my Ph.D. in the field.
I will spare the readers the details of my unhappy experience in college! I am now working for my family business in the beautiful town of St. Clair, MI, where I am apprenticing to become an electrician.
Economics, though, is still a tremendous passion inside of my heart, and Jon was kind enough to bring me on as a co-author to his site. Needless to say, anything I upload to this site is my own opinion, and not that of Jon’s.
Thank you very kindly, Jon, for bringing my on to write in front of what I can only imagine is an impressively academic audience. And to the readers, I hope what I have to say will interest you!
Cool. Electrician was my first choice, but it was numerically impossible for me to get a UAW/GM apprenticeship in that trade in 1976, so I became a pipe fitter/plumber/steam fitter with an HVAC side. I look forward to a fellow Michiganian’s postings.
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Welcome Nate. Will you continue posting at the Dismal Review?
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Hey Ron! No more posting at Dismal Review. My personal schedule was just too much to maintain my own blog so I reached out to Jon and asked just to simply join him…
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Which I was happy to do once he did the Alchian Purity Ritual: drink scotch and spin in a circle three times while chanting “praxeology”
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🙂
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St. Clair! I grew up in East China. (This probably sounds completely nonsensical to people outside St. Clair County, but I reckon Nate will understand.)
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I sure do! I’m born and raised in Marysville!All throughout High School I HATED everything to do with St. Clair but now that the sports rivalries have ended for me I’m coming around! LOL
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Ah, yes, I grew up in the era when Marysville beat us (MCHS, though probably SCHS too) in football every year but one, and that one was when our team was good enough to make it to the semi-finals of the playoffs, and that when getting into the playoffs was much harder than it is today. From your picture, I’m guessing you grew up in the era when the reverse as true and East China schools dominated Marysville pretty thoroughly, at least in football. Strange how these things change.
Likewise, I couldn’t wait to get out of there when I was in high school, and now I think it’s one of the prettiest flat places on the planet.
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