Skip to main content

That's like a negative bonus?

In doing some reading, I came across a funny term in economics: "Negative subsidy."
It sounds like a joke, but some smart and powerful people take it very seriously.
In actual language, it is a tax or fine.
But smart people use such stupid language to hide what they really mean. It is the kind of term that people would ignore in every day life, but in the make-believe land of politics and planning, such make-believe terms are taken seriously. And because people with power take the term seriously, you also need to take it seriously if they target you.

* * *

Employee: Boss, I'm a bit surprised. According to this document, I am not receiving a bonus this year.
Boss: Let me take a look....Hmm...
Employee: In fact, it says I am being penalized $100. What is that?
Boss: Don't think of it as a penalty. You are receiving a negative bonus this year.



Popular posts from this blog

Park Jin welcoming remarks to FSI (and Casey Lartigue)

  National Assembly member Park Jin makes the welcoming remarks at FSI's conference featuring North Korean diplomats. Park Jin | Greeting message to FSI and Casey Lartigue mention - YouTube

Still writing (Korea Times, 2023-12-19)

Still writing by Casey Lartigue Jr. The Korea Times December 19, 2023 https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/12/626_365284.html

[Video] "Author Spotlight" by Harvard

On February 2nd from 2-3 a.m. (Korea time), I was the featured speaker at an "Author Spotlight" by the Harvard Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA) .  Watch, like, share, and comment.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmRgP3q7rQg&list=PLn7xtnmarHFq6kVvq3PxOgC8nwjn8ioBO  * * *  I will be in the USA for two weeks in March, I will kick off the trip with a speech on the campus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HSGE) for its annual Alumni of Color Conference (AOCC). It will be a bit of a homecoming reunion, I was one of the speakers at the first HGSE AOCC in 2003.  Stay tuned, this will be preparation for a larger event later this year. Thanks to everyone who has helped make FSI's work possible. ( Stripe ) ( PayPal ).

Chosun Monthly magazine [Korean language]

  Chosun Monthly Magazine has made an announcement (in Korean) about the Seoul Honorary Citizenship award that I received on December 9, 2022.  Our Korean staffers say that the magazine is a big deal in South Korea. Here's the overall roundup of media about the award. In the next two months, I have extended interviews coming up in two different magazines, one in the USA and one in South Korea. Both articles will be in respected publications so they should raise awareness of FSI's work that your support makes possible. * * * Support FSI via Stripe or PayPal . https://donate.stripe.com/3cs28F5IAcc85IAaEF or PayPal .

Is the SOTU over?

  Some people asked me if I watched President Biden’s State of the Union. Haha! I have seen enough of them. Not just Biden’s SOTU, but SOTUs by US presidents!  Back in 1999, I not only watched President Clinton’s SOTU, but the Cato Institute gave me the task of keeping track of all of President Clinton’s proposals and promises. Since then I have watched few SOTUs, once as a blogger at the invitation of National Public Radio. https://tinyurl.com/3dv5y452