Um. roadriverrail points out, via the community the_recession, that Sweden has just set new interest rates.

New negative interest rates.

They're charging people money for the privilege of keeping their money in the banks.

This happens in a week. Original data here. The money(!!) quote is: The deposit rate is at the same time cut to -0.25 per cent and the lending rate to 0.75 per cent.

Some commentary here.

My weekend was interesting. Flipside was a good time, overall, despite Radical Tent Failure. I have no idea how some people come home from that energized and call it a life changing experience; to me it was an overly noisy camping trip, and I needed a day (or two) to recover. I loved meeting new people and spending time with good friends, but I'm an introvert and need time alone to recharge. I hated the rave-like noise. Though I enjoyed it I think I wouldn't go back.

I enjoyed the "camping" aspect, but the add-ons were irritating. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate loud noises? I've arranged my life so that I don't have to hear them, nearly ever. A large part of the fact that I don't have children is because children are noisy. The noise of motorcycles can send me into a panic. Raves make me feel physically ill, nauseated. I don't go to Elysium or other dance clubs because that's not music they play, it's a pounding, head-hurting, unpleasant experience. Loud noises leave me feeling assaulted--I want to curl up in a ball and whimper and protect myself from being hit any more. Yeah.

I also came home to Surprise Drama here. I'm being blamed for something that happened while I was an hour away, sleeping in a hammock to avoid the rained-out tent. Still, I guess she needs to blame someone, and as long as she's not here to get crazy on me in person, I'm OK with it.

I've got to go clean my damned house. People whose stuff I have--I'm not going to be returning it today. Maybe tomorrow, maybe this weekend; it won't be very long, just not today.

I'm listening to NPR. They're interviewing residents in Galveston, those that are staying (many have decided to evacuate *now* and are on their way to San Antonio and Austin. *sigh*). One of the common, repeated comments that I'm hearing is baffling me completely.

"We have no food," they're repeating. "Everything was in my freezer, and after two days without power, I had to throw away hundreds of dollars worth of meat."

My point of disconnect is this: Who in Texas doesn't own a grill? Or at least live in an area where *somebody* owns a grill? If we were to lose power for more than two days here, by the end of day two we'd be filling the charcoal grill with hastily assembled hamburger patties, dropping a whole chicken and a few roasts in the propane grill and shutting the lid, and eating like kings carnivores for at least a week. We have flour and water and other baking ingredients in the house, and making flatbread on a grill is no great challenge either.

Why can't they find someone with firewood and firestarting skills? I have no idea why all this food is getting thrown out and they're mobbing FEMA for basic supplies.

(I do totally get why they're mobbing them for ice, though. Oh yes. I've been to the coast and I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR ICE.)

Edited to Add: Er. A former coastal resident has stepped in and explained the basics to me. I am now educamated a little bit on this issue, and anyone who wants to know the answers to my questions will find them in the comments.

And a generally uninteresting announcement it is, but here goes anyway:

You can now edit the tags on my journal entries.

Only people that I've friended can create new tags, but any logged in LJ user can add or remove tags from specific entries.

Go wild, people!