The Housing Bubble

He’s not getting any younger and his reputation can only go down, from this point.

That remains to be seen, as of yet.

Buffet’s amazing, but he hasn’t mastered the art of aging backwards.

True, but a long-term bet for the shareholder can outlive the bettor.

I want the bimbos from CNBC fawning over me. lol

“Comment by aladinsane
2008-07-03 04:25:21

He’s not getting any younger and his reputation can only go down, from this point.”

A willingness to risk one’s reputation is one of the secrets of staying young.

Excellent point, PB.

It’s akin to watching a formerly amazing athlete that played a season or 2, too long, and is thought of more for his last years, than his glory years.

Not really. There are many fields where one builds on knowledge over time, and athletics isn’t one of them.

It’s more like science. My favorite example: John Bardeen won the Nobel prize in 1956 for the transistor. For many folks, that would be the end of their career. (Josephson went off the deep end after winning his, and started studying “quantum ghosts”. Even Newton lost it and went down the path of paranormal towards the end of his life.) Bardeen went on to explain superconductors and won a second Nobel in 1978.

On the playing fields of high finance, we keep score based upon performance, no different than an athlete.

On the playing fields of high finance, we keep score based upon performance, no different than an athlete.

Right. Which is why we separate out the men and women in most olympic sporting events.

What Buffett has going against him is the huge amount of money he controls.

Investment pickings are few when $billions are involved, pickings are many when mere $thousands or a $million are at stake. Buffett’s rate of return was outstanding in his early days largely because the amounts he was dealing with was much smaller.

This is why the little guy has an edge over the big boys. The little guy has tens of thousands of stocks to select from, the big guys don’t.

On the playing fields of high finance, we keep score based upon performance, no different than an athlete.

“Right. Which is why we separate out the men and women in most olympic sporting events.”
____________________________________________________

I wasn’t aware that money is gender-based…

I wasn’t aware that money is gender-based…

when in a hole, stop digging.

I just pulled a Dollar out of my pocket and for some reason, I can’t make out it’s male or female.

Is there a distinguishing mark?

I wasn’t aware that money is gender-based…

You mean it’s possible that athletics is a poor analogy to finance? Can’t be. Because on the playing fields of high finance, we keep score based upon performance, no different than an athlete.

Come to think of it: Txchick and I have completely different bets just about all the time. I used to think it was because our timeframes made me a longie and her a shortie, but perhaps our X and Y’s are just expressing themselves.

You forgot about the third inventor of the transistor: William Shockley

Aah yes, Shockley, later known as Mr. Eugenics.

Who could forget him?

Good point about Bill Shockley. I never met him, but I do know someone who tried to talk some sense into him about his eugenics pursuit. The sad part is that Shockley genuinely believed that it was a worthwhile avenue of research, and that these questions needed answers since it was science after all.

Interestingly, my friend said that Shockley also had a big chip on his shoulder about his inability to achieve great wealth despite being an inventor of the transistor. Bardeen seemed pretty happy just doing science.

I think I have it…

All of our banknotes that have men on them are masculine, all of the ones with females are feminine.

I thought the “pre-event spin control” was the mantra that “subprime is contained” which lasted from about Jan-July 2007?

Fine. Nitpick away. That’s what you academics do anyway.

This is the “post-event pre-bigger-event spin control”.

Better?

We only nitpick when we are not regressing.

True.. America does allow it’s citizens to travel to foreign countries, badmouth America in the foreign press, and be allowed back into America.

Is this a great country or what? According to more than a few “americans”, including that writer, the answer is no.

In Soviet Russia, government criticizes you.

Is this a great country or what? According to more than a few “americans”, including that writer, the answer is no.

Is there anything more American than criticizing the government when it is doing something wrong?

If you don’t love your country, why do you care if it heads downhill? Why would you bother to write and publish something about it?

Brian.. In this Olympic year, it’s worth noting that Americans hold just six world records in track & field competitions. They hold none in weightlifting. Americans are fat and lazy.

and i guess you’d call that constructive criticism. I’ll watch my language and call it plain old stupid.
As for this topic, I’ll not contribute further the wasting of server space of bandwidth..

“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president… is morally treasonable to the American public.”

Theodore Roosevelt

joey, I agree with the fat and lazy part, but 6 world records in track and field is pretty impressive given our population vs. the whole world.

I looked at just the track & field events that are contested at the Olympics and US atheletes hold World Records in 9 of them, not 6.

Not to mention world records are not a good way to determine how good a country is at track & field. The US wins far more medals at each Olympics and World Championships in track than any other country.

The US dominates track & field - to suggest otherwise shows an ignorance of the sport. The writer of that article obviously falls in that category.

First word means “thats”. “the” would be understood.

Я думаю что.

depends on preconceptions and where you look probably.
My neighbour returned from a three week trip to China last week and she was hugely amazed of what she saw there and the progress they made in the last 10 years or so. Of course there is poverty and dirt, you can find that in the US and Europe as well …

China is an island.

http://kk.org/ct2/2008/06/china-is-an-island.php

Conceptually, at least.

alad,

Are you suggesting that unfettered and undisciplined capitalism breeds pollution? If so, that’s mind boggling.

First, I’m shocked that you don’t realize that China is still a communistic country where the state controls most everything. I know they’re getting capitalistic in their industry, but its my understanding that the state is still in control.

Secondly, compare the communist/socialistic countries to the democratic/capitalistic worldwide and I think you’d find that countries like ours are much cleaner overall.

But I’m not a world traveler so I would like to know.

Which countries are the cleanest and which are the dirtiest?

I have a friend that is a world-class caver, and he’s been to China many times (on their dime, er renminbi) to look for new sources of freshwater, as most every cave has some.

He came back from a trip last year, and described a country in near-collapse ecologically.

Sow?

I think China will clean herself up for long enough.

Are you suggesting that unfettered and undisciplined capitalism breeds pollution

Well yes. Why don’t you do a little bit of study of pollution during the Industrial Revolution, when capitalism really was unfettered and undisciplined.

If there is no market mechanism for allocating the costs of an economic activity to its originator, as is the case with air and water pollution, only the state can do it.

“If there is no market mechanism for allocating the costs of an economic activity to its originator, as is the case with air and water pollution, only the state can do it.”

There’s a market mechanism. It’s called private property. You wouldn’t stand for allowing your neighbor to dump garbage in your yard, would you?

Make bodies of water privately owned, apply the common law of nuisance to air pollution, and things will start to get cleaned up.

Yogurt,

Yes in the Industrial Revolution we had pollution problems and you have a valid point regarding the state having to mandate the cleanup. Obviously government is needed for some aspects of managing a country, but when does a communistic country get around to cleaning up their environment? How about the condition of our environment now? When I think about the state of the environment in the 70’s compared to what it is now, we’ve really cleaned things up.

It wasn’t communism that led China to the precipice of ecological disaster…

“It wasn’t communism that led China to the precipice of ecological disaster”

Well, that’s a relief. For a second I thought you were on the verge of admitting that draconian command economies cause mis-allocation of resources. Then things would have gotten really boring around here.

I think one of the problems Americans have with understanding China, is that once upon a time it was a basket-case country, where lots of people died of starvation on a regular basis in the 1950’s and 1960’s (great leap forward-cultural revolution), and growing up, I was always told to finish my dinner, as my parents would tell me that “they’re are people starving in China” and it was true.

I’d guess they are much more capitalistic than we are, now.

Make bodies of water privately owned, apply the common law of nuisance to air pollution, and things will start to get cleaned up.

yeah, like all those abandoned strip mines in MT that are poisonous ponds now.

Well, that’s a relief. For a second I thought you were on the verge of admitting that draconian command economies cause mis-allocation of resources.

Heh…. surely the war on Iraq isn’t one of these misallocation of resources, since it doesn’t come from a draconian command economy. What is a few trillion dollars among rich friends and wannabe-rich puppies?

Make bodies of water privately owned, apply the common law of nuisance to air pollution, and things will start to get cleaned up.

Oh, brilliant!

Mr. Cheney? Mr. Cheney, is that you?

May I access the resources of Lake Halliburton to brush my teeth, sir?

What’s that, The Water Access Computer says my personal views are incompatible with any hydration or hygiene allowances?

OK, ET, so you like the idea that water resources are controlled by the government? Is not the fearsome Borg Mr. Cheney a high-ranking official in said government? Have you thought this through?

Actually, it would be pretty hard for any entity, public or private, to monopolize the three-quarters of the earth that is water.

Fresh water is the issue, and there is surprisingly little of it in many areas of the world. We Americans happen to be lucky in that regard, even though California will try to suck us all dry if we don’t watch ‘em careful-like.

Fresh water resources in the US are generally overseen by state law, not the federales. Are you sure you’ve thought this through, or do you generally advocate for corporate control of everything?

I advocate *individual* control of everything. Government should only step in when there is a dispute between individuals that cannot be resolved peaceably– and even then, government should only act in accordance with long-established principles of the English common law.

Also, I said nothing (in this thread) about corporations. But if you’ve read my other posts here, I am as anti-corporate as anyone (more so than Ralph Nader), and have called for complete repeal of state laws enabling their existence.

Hi LVG

I advocate *individual* control of everything.

You said “privately owned,” which typically stands for “corporate ownership.”

At any rate, I’m curious how private, non-incorporated individuals could control water rights for entities such as Lake Michigan or the Mississippi River. Without the individuals being multi-billionaires and without the usage rights becoming absurdly convoluted, that is.

(The tenets of English common law do come into play in our application of water rights, BTW, though how much devolves to common law seems to depend on a number of factors including the state(s) and the body of water in question. Water rights seem pretty complicated, and I’m no attorney.)

As I understood the situation, communism was certainly responsible for lots of pollution in Eastern Europe at one time, particularly in the 1980’s.

So much so, that the eventual collapse of those governments due to internal unrest over environmental problems was seen as a possibility by Western security agencies.

I would not be surprised if today the same is being seen for China.

ET: Yes, this subject could be its own blog. Here’s one (but it doesn’t seem to allow comments):

http://www.greatlakeslaw.org/blog/

Here’s a link on riparian rights:

http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Re-St/Rights-Riparian.html

There is no property-based solutions to harmful externalities - there is no way to privately control air and much of the body of water. Many bright economists failed to devise a working scheme based on private ownership. Do you ever notice the foul smell when you follow an old car from the 70s, and you immediately get a headache? That’s the smell of free capitalism for you, until the big bad democratic government (the people) came together to make certain rules (Nash equilibrium).

An interesting example is the timber industry in Russia after the privatization in the 90’s - the privately owned parcels were exploited mercilessly to the point where no new trees can grow for the next 50 years, whereas the government-owned parcels were protected by the the time-tested forestry codes and still enjoy sustainable output.

There is private ownership and then there is private ownership. There are “private owners” who are only interested in short-term gains, until they make enough money to retire to Monaco or the Carribean. There are plenty of abandoned mines with acid runoffs, factories with god knows what in them, etc. Even in their own homes people are less than clean - I see plenty of horrible junk in backyards, in garages, and even indoors.

Why is everyone using the fact that communist governments have produced polluted environments as an argument against the fact that only government can regulate such things. Just because some governments (democratic or communist) do not act as a regulator does not mean that government is not the answer. In an unregulated capitalistic society business will not accept the costs of pollution control. Hell they lobby against the ones we have. It is clear that governments run by corporations or governments who in essence are corporations and own all business (ie China) will behave in the same manner.

Only if we let them. It is ALL in perception. The recent paradigm shift to “green is good” has caused these same companies to clean up their act in as so far as it is perceived they are ACTING green. Hell, I’ve seen some outlandish claims as of late that products and actions that are HORRID are “green”. As soon as the consumers as a “whole” start to demand something things change in a hurry to chase the capital. Oil included. We are on the cusp of major changes in transportation on a global scale. Big oil has the USA by the short & curlies, and we just may be replaced as the innovators of this earth, for good or bad, based on the stifling of innovation.

In the ongoing death of religion intermixing with politics…

The score is tied.

Both sides now have repudiated 2 religious wackos.

Well, if true, that’s disgusting, although you failed to quote the paragraph you’re teasing about.

Way to straw man, though: “self-styled man of the people”? Since when? Look, Obama isn’t the one who jawboned about a lower-middle class background and a hard-scrabble upbringing. That was O’Reilly. And Pat Buchanan. And, heck, Marshall Mathers.

Shoooot, “Howie” Carr pretends to be working class to this day, even though he is a VERY comfortable WASP with a very lovely wife and children of the same persuasion.

White guys seem to have this need to overcompensate… whether it’s John Edwards building a million dollar mansion to prove he ISN’T poor any more like he was when he grew up, or Billo lying on the air about the supposed working class poor misery of his upbringing.

Of course, this strategy goes back to the Kennedys. They were masters at it… even faking working class accents, even though they lived in style in the nice part of Brookline during the Great Depression.

But I’ve never seen Obama running around whining about growing up in a single parent home or going on and on about being poor growing up, or saying “I understand you because” blah blah blah dubious story. He doesn’t have to, because as a Black man he’s faced discrimination all of his life. And he has shown by his actions that he’s sensitive to the plight of minority homeowners (as is Duval Patrick, another Chicago pol, who oddly enough got himself elected in Massachusetts). Now, I may not agree with his proposals in this sphere, but it’s clear to me that his interest in the future of lower class families in genuine. A much higher percentage of Black families make up the lower rungs of society than are poor among Whites, so as a member of a Black church, he has been face to face with the devastation of poverty.

It’s kind of like my thing with Joe Kennedy (jr.); even though he is scum, I think he genuinely is concerned about the poor and the elderly in New England. He could be doing a lot of things, but he puts his time, energy, resources, and money into Joe for Oil. Sure, it’s kind of egotistical, a way to shore up his image after a tawdry divorce and remarriage. (His first wife, though not Catholic, refused to agree to an annulment, making him an adulterer.) But it’s been years, and he could moved on to other things, but he’s still doing it. “Ye will know a tree by its fruits.”

..because as a Black man ..

jeeze.. For the unpteenth frickin time, Obama is mullato. Half white and raised by his white mother in a white environment. Search ‘obama’ in wikipedia for his bio..
Wiki uses his photo on their ‘mullato’ page.

If he calls himself ‘black’, he certainly doesn’t appreciate his own heritage… or perhaps there’s political motivation.. ya think?

Obama’s mortgage locked in a fixed-rate loan with a whopping 30-basis point discount because of his (presumably) good credit rating.

If that’s “sweetheart,” then I have a candleshop owner, a baby sitter, and a strawberry picker I’d like you to meet.

And if you’d like to play the comparison game, ask the other candidate about his houses, and how he paid for them.

joey,

When you came out of your mother’s birth canal, did you have any say in the matter as to your gender or race?

Your comments are beyond shallow…

I,>And if you’d like to play the comparison game, ask the other candidate about his houses, and how he paid for them.

and how he doesn’t think he needs to pay property taxes for FOUR YEARS on some of them.

As a reincarnationist, I believe we ALL choose, to one extent or another, our parents, race, region, religion, and the rest, though choices may be limited and no guarantees of happiness, safety, prosperity, or good health are provided.

I also believe we are here to experience stuff from a multitude of viewpoints, so that this lifetime’s liberal may be next lifetime’s arch conservative, and this lifetime’s Christian may be next lifetime’s Buddhist. The notion that anyone’s viewpoint could be anything more than a speck in the mosaic doesn’t wash.

That’s my viewpoint speck, and anyone who doesn’t agree with it is obviously WRONG.

Sounds rather incredulous…

Race is defined not as much by how you see yourself, as by how others see you.

Most people don’t parse someone’s black ancestry enough to treat them differently, unless it makes them more sexually attractive.

“Comment by aladinsane…

“‘Sounds rather incredulous…’”

I think you mean “incredible.”

The problem with a black president might be the ever-present option to play the race card: Every time anyone dares to question any move he made, the racism charge could be used to attack the opposition.

Obama hasn’t played the race card so far. I highly doubt he will, he has too much pride to do that.

Joey, when poeple look at Obama, they don’t say “there goes a fine upstanding white man.” They don’t say “there goes a fine upstanding mulatto man.”

They say “wow he’s black.”

White people will never think of Obama as “one of their own” he will always be a part of the black community no matter if it turns out he’s only 1/4 black.

As a white man it doesn’t offend me that he identifies more with his black heritage than his white heritage.

“For the unpteenth frickin time, Obama is mullato.”

Obama is black, end of story. In America, especially in the south, by tradition, one drop of black blood was enough to make you black, no matter if you had pale skin or not.
Why is this news to you? Are you a recent immigrant?

spike,

That was from slave days. I certainly hope we can move away from that crap.

Though I don’t usually agree with joeyinca, Obama is half white, and was raised by his white mother (as were many celebrities who claim they are “black” when they were really raised by their white mothers).

It bothers me too, because the race issue becomes and issue unto itself.

Personally, I don’t give a crap what “race” somebody is, as long as they are decent people. It just gets really old when people play-up the whole race thing.

Let’s hope we can get a qualified president in office, irrespective of their race, gender, age or appearance.

you’re gay.. uh huh.. Do we really need to know how you get your rocks off?
Perhaps there exist gay-economic principles you might be willing to share with us..?

We did extremely well under Carter. That’s not to say that everything was great, but we had hope that we hadn’t had during the Republican era that preceeded it.

Joey in Calif,

I’m brown skinned. What’ve you got for me? I’m kinda feeling left out after the love you’ve shown Obama and notagator….

Carter was also right about energy policy. Guess who ripped out the soslar panels from the white house rooftop?

“you’re gay.. uh huh.. Do we really need to know how you get your rocks off?
Perhaps there exist gay-economic principles you might be willing to share with us..?”

Go easy Joey. It’s the 4th of July weekend. We’re all just friends here sharing. You do, however, make a point but when someone opens up a bit to become transparent, it’s OK by me.

Most of us are on this planet working too hard trying to look good behind the phony smiles. When someone says something that shows that he is somewhat authentic, that’s his breakthough and I appreciate it.

Remain calm. All’s well: I’m brown skinned. What’ve you got for me? I’m kinda feeling left out after the love you’ve shown Obama and notagator….

i do apologize.. the decade upon decade of in-your-face sexualism, racial opportunism and political pandering occasionally tests my patience.

“amen” joey. not that i entirely agree with your somewhat callous statements, but i do agree that shoving viewpoints down everyones throat with a “if you decent this belief you are one of THEM” is wholeheartedly evil, from both conservative and liberal sides. Everything has become so charged over the last decade the fence has no gates, it is all or none. I call BS.

Inflation was running 8% for several years prior to Carter becoming president.
The oil embargo in the early 70’s set the stage for hyperinflation
The deficit was 76 billion when he took office within 3 years he had cut it to 40 billion in an effort to head off worsening inflation.
The Iran Iraq war may have contributed but the inflation train left the station well before this war was launched.

For instance, the hyper-inflation that went along with the waining days of his disastrous Presidency was caused by Iraq invading Iran and the subsequent war that ensued.

Come on off it. The inflation of the late 60’s and 70’s, which peaked in 1980, was caused by excess government spending (due to LBJ’s social programs and the VIetnam War at the same time) and loose monetary policy. Those are the only causes of inflation, any time, any where.

And the inflation rate in 1980 was 13.6%, if you think that’s hyper-inflation you should take a tour of Zimbabwe.

It was Carter who was responsible for bringing about the end of the inflationary era by appointing Volcker as Fed chair who restored responsible monetary policies. That’s what worked, not Nixon’s wage and price controls or Ford’s buttons.

To be more precise, Inflation IS the increase in the money supply. (Note I didn’t say the increase in the money supply causes inflation).

You know what else happened during the 70’s? We defaulted on our promise to pay gold for our dollars. Apparently someone printed more paper dollars than there was gold to back it up. (We didn’t leave the gold standard because it was defective, we left it because we defaulted).

Wars create inflation when the war is funded by the printing press.

There is only one other way to cause “inflation” and that is to decrease the supply of goods on the WORLD market. Wars can have this effect as well.

Price stability with increasing goods on the market is still inflation because the creators of money have stolen all of the increase in production (necessary to keep prices from falling).

Note: deflation is only bad for banks that lie, cheat, and steal. Deflation is GREAT for the average Joe who hasn’t made “naked shorts” on the dollar via fractional reserve lending.

For instance, the hyper-inflation that went along with the “waining days of his disastrous Presidency was caused by Iraq invading Iran and the subsequent war that ensued.”

I did not make this claim! Carter said this in an interview I watched! This is Carter’s assertion. You don’t agree? Then see Pres. Carter.
Roidy

“We talk a great deal about patriotism. What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? I venture to suggest that what we mean is a sense of national responsibility which will enable America to remain master of her power — to walk with it in serenity and wisdom, with self-respect and the respect of all mankind; a patriotism that puts country ahead of self; a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. The dedication of a lifetime — these are words that are easy to utter, but this is a mighty assignment. For it is often easier to fight for principles than to live up to them.”

Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.

Lip: not at all. In fact the more I see the MSM wanking about him with an increasingly shrill tone (see Ariana Huffington’s screeching at him not to move to the middle), the more convinced I am that it won’t even be close.

Alf Landon (the ghost of) has no chance.

In fact the more I see the MSM wanking about him with an increasingly shrill tone ….. the more convinced I am that it won’t even be close.

You mean shrill tone of MSM like this?

And so far NO ONE has answered Wes Clark’s simple questions about McCain’s lack of leadership credentials.

Even Grampa Simpson himself couldn’t answer it, and went ape$hit when asked by ABC News’ David Wright yeasterday.

Chick, BTW, calling Huffington MSM is a stretch. MSM is Fox, Limbaugh, NYT, CNN etc.

BS. MSM = big networks and newspapers…

hoz, you are absolutely correct

Amen hoz. Maybe Ben can create a thread for this type of garbage. It gets tiring reading about the ‘Messiah’ and ‘McLame’, etc, etc.
Take it somewhere else.

‘Meet the new boss, same as the old boss….’

hoz-
because today is the unoffical start of a holiday weekend, and because I laughed mightily at your monkey pic, I will honor your request.

Happy Fourth!

(now I must return to reminding an English coworker that they lost the colonies.)

Yet we remain only “dog eyed colonials” in their estimation…

intractable poseurs we are

he he

There will be many young, idealistic, and politically naive voters, who will feel compelled to vote for the ObamaNation simply because the MSM has portrayed Bush and therefore all Republicans as total losers for the past 8 years.

Looks like the young, idealistic and naive voters comprise the overwhelming majority of Americans, since Bushco’s approval is at less than 30% - meaning millions of apparently sharp voters who voted for him are regretting it.

MSM has been in the tank for Bushco. Even Scott McClellan says so.

Nobody gives a cr@p what anyone’s opinion of allegedly socialist Democratic administrations/congresses of the past 60 years. People know they’re up the creek without a paddle now and that for 8 years the Bushies have looted the treasury, robbed the middle class and stolen from the widows and orphans.

Dear friends,

Please lay off the politics. It is equal to discussing religion or other peoples parents.

Hoz is right. I’m out of the politics here. I know barely more about them than I do about finance and that ain’t much.

To anyone I might have offended, I apologize and hope we all have a great 4th!

Mulatto???? LOL!

Welcome to 1927?

I don’t know how old you are, but I’m guessing you’re either very old, or you don’t know any black people, or you’re European (ie: you don’t know any black people).

Newsflash: We don’t use the word “Mulatto” in America.

The word is “Black”. Ask MLK. Ask Malcolm. Ask Oprah if you like: If you are of African ancestry — you are a brother. A negro. “Black”.

Secondly — the term “Mulatto” (whose etymologic derivation is the term “mule”) also referred to half-white/half native-Americans. It was (back when it was in common usage, that is) a term meaning “a mix of races”.

It hasn’t been used in our national census as a distinct racial type since the 1930’s.

Obama is 100% brother.

And I hope this brother wins the White House!

The problem isn’t the Gas Sucking SUV TxChk wants to drive that gets 1/4th the mileage of a small car that’s the problem. It’s that the Government hasn’t pushed to burn our limited resources faster.

Credit card receivables can be securitized. Don’t know what % actually are. So, the money comes from the same bond purchasers that provided the money for houses.

That’s precisely why it works when they know damn well that you can afford it.

Think bottle not glass. At a fancy place.

Anyway, all of that is neither here nor there. The claim is about breaking ranks.

Yep - agree.

The definition of pretentiousness is to do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do, in order to impress others. More often than not, that’s just going along with the crowd, which often includes spending more than you otherwise would on something.

I don’t have trouble spending on stuff I want assuming I can afford it. I don’t need to watch every penny cause I’m watching the pounds.

However, I’ve been told I’m cheap numerous times (I don’t think I am) and I suspect most of the people on this blog are similar.

That’s why it’s such good company!

call me frugal

my wife does

she still loves me though

Do it once. Go on, liberate yourself.

You’ll find the results surprising (in a positive way.)

Yep, this was precisely my point.

PPT’s are great if you know what you’re doing.

After all, Soros bet against the Pound PPT, and made a killing, remember?

LOL

WWCND

What Would Chuck Norris Do?

What Would Chuck Norris Do?

Reflexively kick some non-lapel pin wearin’ pinko arse … economically speaking.

My grossest subway incident was seeing a guy peeing down the steps leading to the platform. Look out below!

But the Sex in the City (public display version) prize goes to the hookers who used to turn tricks in the doorways of business establishments that were closed for the night.

Hey, I was talking about a TVC 15 Transmission…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTjsOzeIpc0&feature=related\

I don’t think the one I saw was 15. Maybe in centimeters.

phillygal—

My grossest T experience was during the Boston marathon when I was sitting in the aisle and I turned my head to see that 2″ to the right was a man’s crotch w/nylon shorts and no jock strap!

Boing! Boing! Boing! 2″ from my face. Yah! I just turned to my friend who gave me the hairy eyeball and we both burst out laughing.

Or maybe the ISM services sentiment index number spurred the rally?

latest news
[TOL] Moody’s cuts Toll Brothers to ‘Ba1′ on weak economic trends
ECONOMIC REPORT
ISM services index shows contraction in June
Index at lowest since January, while prices spike to record high
By Greg Robb, MarketWatch
Last update: 11:35 a.m. EDT July 3, 2008

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The U.S. service sector contracted unexpectedly in June, falling to its lowest level since the beginning of the year, the private Institute for Supply Management reported Thursday.

The ISM’s non-manufacturing sentiment index fell sharply to 48.2% in June from 51.7% in May, making it the lowest level since January. Readings over 50% indicate growth, and the index dipped below 50% for three months early this year before recovering.

The decline was much larger than expected.

you’re wasting your time arguing with this smartass. I have my doubts about most everything he claims.

Yeah, coming around to that conclusion myself.

“I have my doubts about most everything he claims.”

Feel free to take claim to anything i’ve said that isn’t true.

“you’re wasting your time arguing with this smartass.”

Um, while the poster in question does indeed make some very funny plays on words and from time to time may present viewpoints with which I disagree, I have never known him to name-call other posters, unless directly provoked and maybe not even then.

Really, the whole partisan name-calling thing is SO out of fashion these days. Although someone forgot to tell Rush Limbaugh’s employer. I guarantee that’s one contract that will be reneg(e)otiated in the future.

I’ll take that bet, Palmy.

Plenty of lefty yahoos here (not calling you names, lol) can whine about him all day…..fact is, the guy is as entertaining and funny as he is right, and worth every penny.

He’s also a drug addict who should be in jail. Hey, but so should half of Hollywood…and Wall Street….and Washington DC…..

My only issue with Limbaugh’s drug use is that he doesn’t share.

Rush is all about pharmaceutical drugs, a no go for a budding addict.

Rush is all about pharmaceutical drugs, a no go for a budding addict.

That all depends on their bankroll and their constitution.

Plenty of lefty yahoos here (not calling you names, lol) can whine about him all day…..fact is, the guy is as entertaining and funny as he is right, and worth every penny.

Well, Rush does appeal to the fatsos in America. Really, if he weren’t so greasy and fat would you like him so much?
He really must be packing it in,since drugs usually thin you down. And once he got busted for Viagra…well just think of all the fat guys who could identify with him.
Greasy,fat and impotent…think of all the right wing yahoos just like him.

i would bet you have not met a real communist and looked into his eyes. i would advise you to stop using that term if your only dealing with them is listening to fox news.

My only point is that people who only wish to “redirect” tax dollars like the government had some kind of claim to that money in the first place are part of the problem.

We should always be promoting the free, honest, and non-coercive solutions to problems. The last thing we should do is suggest paying MORE taxes.

Anyone who says “I would gladly pay more taxes, if only they were spent on XY and Z” should find the other 5% of the population that agrees with them and donate to charity, buy stock in a factory or start a private school. Until then, every dollar that comes out of my pocket for socialist tax programs comes out of my giving budget. The poor can blame the government whom they lobbied to steal for them if that money isn’t spent responsibly.

Thou shalt not steal… except by majority vote!

Add me to the list of those who’d be willing to pay more taxes IF the govt would budget better, and if they would put the money to good use (building infrastructure and providing basic, universal healthcare…not killing innocent people in foreign lands for no apparent reason).

The fairness doctrine worked like a charm, until Ronny got rid of it in the 1980’s…

http://hypocrisycaucus.com/

These Members of Congress are hypocritical because they voted for a one-year ban on the so-called Fairness Doctrine but have thus far refused to sign on to the Discharge Petition in support of a permanent ban. If someone is going to support freedom of speech for one year they should support it permanently. Contact them and tell them to sign the Discharge Petition to allow a vote on the Broadcaster Freedom Act, HR 2905.

The Fairness Doctrine never worked because producers would rig presentations so whatever side they supported had the most articulate or attractive representative, and the other side the most inarticulate and hideous. Believe it or not, there were tons anti-abortionists in the 1970s who were non-Christian, liberal, well-spoken, and physically attractive (the first Right to Life organization held its meetings in a New York City ACLU office in the late 1960s), but you didn’t see them on the evening news. Instead you saw cheerypicked illiterate bible thumpers or devout rosary-waving Catholics with frizzy hair screaming and ranting (the pro-abortion Press still pulls this trick, because it has proved so immensely successful). There are plenty of gay people who don’t behave like asses in public, but turn on the Christian news and you’d swear all gays were sleazy sex-crazed lunatics (gay pride parades tend to attract the lowest gay life-forms).

The point of trying to bring back the Fairness Doctrine is to shut up conservative commentators who are infinitely more popular than their liberal counterparts. There is nothing else behind it. NPR, PBS, CBS, NBC, and CNBC are all extremely liberal. Do you think they will honor the Fairness Doctrine if it’s resurrected? Ha, ha, ha.

“NPR, PBS, CBS, NBC, and CNBC are all extremely liberal.”

I’m missing the sarcasm here. For the past 7 years, the well-paid talking heads have done nothing but kowtow to the Bush admin. Only as gas hit record numbers,and the public became irritated, have they slightly veered towards the critical.

With the exception of Sy Hersch, are there any journalists any more?…you know, the watchdogs of the republic envisioned by Adams and Jefferson. I’d say no.

Well it’s the Fourth,but I can’t imagine a single Founding Father who would be celebrating what we’ve become.

let me ask you then when have the media debated labor (liberal) issues in the same way as abortion issues. liberal my a**.

They never debate the abortion issue; they just show footage of raving anti-abortionists vs. calm well-behaved pro-abortionists. In thirty-five years, they’ve never shown an abortion on American broadcast television, or a fetus immediately before and after. They have never reported on the scores of pro-life centers that have been burned over the past two decades, or the pro-lifers who’ve been attacked and beaten, but they’ve shown endless footage of a few clinics that have been bombed or burned (with nobody in them), and a few sociopathic quacks (a.k.a. abortionists) shot by crazy people. A debate requires two sides, not one, and balance, not disinformation. Lying by omission is still lying.

If you don’t think the media outlets I listed are liberal, then you really don’t know anything about them or the people who run them.

The best example I ever saw of the selecting a weak debater was Bill Oreilly. He picked some thin high school pot head to debate legalizing marijuana with. The guy still had acne. Then Oreilly yelled at the guy everytime he tried to make a point.

“actors, grandstanders, fame-seekers, and circus freaks all vying for the camera on cue.”

Couldn’t have said it better, Incredulous.

There was a libertarian talk show host whose show was out of Boston. David Brudnoy. He always respected his guest. He would play devil’s advocate and argue either side to get to the meat of the argument, to allow his listeners to understand every nuance. I’m not sure I ever heard him raise his voice or make fun of anyone. He was a true academic, not a rodeo clown.

The only talk show host I ever enjoyed.

May he rest in peace.

I didn’t say you need to sit around in your bathrobe and smell like dirty underwear, did I?

You need razor-sharp, zippy, natty, witty putdowns preferably while twirling a cold martini.

You know?!? Something out of Dorothy Parker.

I think I’ve lived in New York too long.

Heheh, sorry, but the bathrobes and lack of hygiene are de riguer here… There’s not a place in town to get a dry martini either… You have to go 70 miles to get one… Sigh.

“pearls before swine”…

‘There’s not a place in town to get a dry martini either… You have to go 70 miles to get one… Sigh.’

You need to make your own martini’s, then. There is nothing else for it, my good sir.
As it happens, I have a truly superior vintage, silver-plated martini shaker, AND the cap is an adorable bunny head!
You’d scream like an excited little girl if you saw it.

dan, I always like your posts, good reading.

Thanks Virginia Tech Dan and OC Dan for a od post and response.

Now I just have one question.

“The founders understood their weaknesses.”

Where can we find some of those?

I only check Rochester’s D&C when I’m in Florida. I can say the class issues are ramping up in Rochester as well. My wife has closer ties to Syracuse, so I’ll ask her. I’m discovering that upstate is not the Rockwell painting I remember it to be. I still love it up here, but I’m really, really tired of disrespect in the public sphere. Road rage was virtually non-existent in upstate. I figured Florida was hot and had poorly planned roads (which it is and does), but upstate really has no excuse, and yet I can’t get over the nonsense going on around town.

I know I get amped here every now and then on the net, but I am very polite and considerate in the physical world. It’s frustrating to see so many idiots around. AND, I would like to say it’s bored teenagers, but it’s not; it’s grown adults.

I’ve been wondering the same thing.

I’m fairly certain he supports single mothers.

Is that why he makes so many of them?

“Ah yes this is where songs were written. Bring the stallions and let em run free on these 100 acres of open spaces. You’ll marvel at the room you will have to recreate on this prime land. It was scorched in the fires of 2001, but it will come back some day (100 short years or so).

“Or you could sub-divide and sell off to other land barons moving into the area. Great place for a golf course, airport or just a party spot for the high school crowd. Just think when the real estate market makes an upswing in the future (100 short years or so) you’ll be setting on a gold mine. Water rights optional. Visit for more details http://www.sellumyshirt.com.”

great place to raise dental floss (Google Frank Zappa if that one’s too obscure)

Drunk on my fictional equity gains, I reckon.

Sleepless, the wind’s HERE! I’m gonna head up to the Great Salt Lake and go windsurfing, thanks for the idea.

Ever swim in a very briny lake and weren’t able to take a shower afterwards??