Bluebird of Happiness

The latest unemployment figures are in, and surprise, surprise, they aren't following the government predictions. Here's a chart from Innocent Bystanders that shows you exactly how things are working out:
As you can see, there's a bit of divergence. Oh well, I guess, no ones perfect.

In a possibly related bit of news,

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Symantec Chairman John Thompson say the Obama administration's plans to revise tax policy on foreign profits will force U.S. companies to move more employees overseas due to the higher cost of business and lower profits such policy would trigger.

Which brings to mind a story from back in the 80s that suggested that the Mexican government was working with a consortium of large businesses to create a "New Economic Zone" or ZEN from a modest chunk of the Baja peninsula by defining the "knee cap" area on the western side of the peninsular as a low-tax haven for businesses. This area would be run on a similar basis to Hong Kong, and would provide businesses that relocated there a much friendlier environment in which to work.

When the news of this came out in a Nevada newspaper, at which coincidentally, Sam Clemins used to work, the perception of cozy deals between big business and entrenched politicians nearly brought down the Mexican government before it was exposed as a hoax.

Today, people like Ballmer, Thompson, and several others, could probably make the Mexican government an offer it would have a very hard time refusing to simply buy the territory outright, and run it as their own country, to suit themselves.

This might be easier to do with some of the small, independent Caribbian islands, who already have fairly loose banking laws.

Call it New Hong Kong.