11-06-2009, 10:19 PM | #721 (permalink) | ||
warrior bodhisattva
Super Moderator
Location: East-central Canada
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot |
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11-07-2009, 04:32 AM | #722 (permalink) | |
Living in a Warmer Insanity
Super Moderator
Location: Yucatan, Mexico
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You can look at it anyway you want. I think last summer/fall is when the shit hit the fan. That shit had been piling up for years, IMO largely due to dereg. I know my 401K and other holdings lost about 43% between July and late Oct. In the spring I was sailboat shopping, by winter I was wondering if selling my truck might not be a bad idea.
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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club |
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11-07-2009, 06:29 AM | #723 (permalink) | ||||
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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The big banks that were too big to fail, some of them got bigger. Why is that? How is that possible? If we bailed them out so that they would not fail how did we provide any safety net to make sure that it can't fail? Stress tests are just as a reasonable a solution to making sure they cannot fail as Sarbanes-Oxley is to making sure that companies don't cheat in their processes. ---------- Post added at 08:47 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:42 AM ---------- Quote:
Did suddenly people get raises? I didn't get one last year. This year I got one, 1.25% which with the increase in property taxes, water, and other goods and services, I'll see none of that increase. But I was "lucky" I got something, which is 1.25% more money going someplace. I don't believe others are able to spend money. So how could the economy be better if the problems haven't been solved? What or where is the money coming from? It's not credit, it's not their houses... people didn't magically start making money... so what is it? Consumer credit falls for 8th month in record streak - Nov. 6, 2009 Quote:
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So let me try to circle back to Obama, $159 billion in grants and loans made so far under the economic stimulus package has created or saved about 640,000 jobs. Created or saved? really? Is that the best they can say? ADDING saved to it? Because in my opinion adding the word SAVED allows you to pad the number as opposed to saying CREATED. So how many were saved and how many were actually created? You can't truly believe that saying "saved" means they really saved it does it? Because it's like anything in life, it either happened or it didn't. I can't say I saved $50,000 yesterday because I didn't buy a BMW 5 Series any more than I can say that the jobs at work were saved because they didn't lay more people off. Supposedly the stimulus package has some generous school incentives so schools are buying our products. Besides being unsustainable, did it really save some of our workforce? How or when can we know for sure? If we're expecting transparency, they why pad it? Why not live with the number that it is?
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I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. |
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11-10-2009, 10:04 AM | #724 (permalink) | ||||
warrior bodhisattva
Super Moderator
Location: East-central Canada
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Low prices + low interest rates + people with money = borrowing and spending It's a select portion of the population, but it starts somewhere after most have spent months either curbing their spending or completely "turtled." Quote:
As for the rest of your post, I don't tend to split hairs over speculative numbers issued by governments. I tend to look at other data and see what that tells me. People are out of work, may still be laid off, may still not find work, but that doesn't mean the economy isn't headed to recovery. Job creation resulting from that will only happen down the road. It's how these things work. Many companies don't hire in anticipation of business; they usually hire when they have no other choice. (There are exceptions: retail, for example, but even then not everything is completely predictable.)
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing? —Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön Humankind cannot bear very much reality. —From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot Last edited by Baraka_Guru; 11-10-2009 at 10:13 AM.. |
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11-12-2009, 08:38 AM | #725 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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I was listening to a few pundints trying to rationalize Obama's reported decision to reject the military plans presented to him and I am in total disbelief as to how anyone percieves Obama's handling of this as a good thing.
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I can respect keeping a military strategy secrete, the Normandy invasion comes to mind, but what I don't get is the apparent lack of communication and discipline within Obama's line of command. What is with all of these leaks and with making public announcements of what they agree with and what they disagree with? Why would people present plans not knowing what Obama wanted in a general sense before they even started working on the plans? Why aren't they working on "a plan" as a team? What is different today than 30 days ago, 60 days ago, 90 days ago, One year ago? What is he waiting for, what is he expecting to change? I think we need to be all in or get out! And if we get out - just handle situations as they arise, but this is not a war were you can compromise your way into a good conclusion. I actually doubt an "all in" strategy would work. How can anyone be satisfied with Obama's performance in handling this war?
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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11-12-2009, 10:54 AM | #728 (permalink) |
Living in a Warmer Insanity
Super Moderator
Location: Yucatan, Mexico
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Merely one of many reason I'm glad Ace is not POTUS.
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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club |
11-12-2009, 11:22 AM | #729 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ohio
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I agree with ace on this one issue. Obama is sitting on his thumbs here, and he needs to act now. People are dieing while he's not making decisions, I would like us to get out of there all together, but if we're going to stay and fight we need a much stronger presence than just the few thousand we do have there. Either way those soldiers deserve a decision.
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"Your life is Yours alone...Rise up and live it" |
11-12-2009, 11:47 AM | #730 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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Vietnam II
---------- Post added at 07:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:42 PM ---------- I am too much of an "A-hole" to get enough people to like me enough. I make a good number 2 (pardon the pun) man. Obama needs someone like me willing to get in his face and talk truth. ---------- Post added at 07:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:44 PM ---------- You have a problem with me because I know what I would do? You have a problem with either making a commitment or getting out? Are you one of those 40 year-old single people that have never been married?
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
11-12-2009, 03:11 PM | #731 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: In the land of ice and snow.
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In any case, I trust Obama to make a better decision than any of you yahoos. |
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11-12-2009, 03:16 PM | #732 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ohio
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Agreed, but people are dieing right now because they either need more troops or they need to leave. What is going on now clearly is not working so something has to change. The longer it takes to make that decision the more people will die. I understand that Obama wants to make the best decision possible but come on already, it's no different now that it was 11 months ago
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"Your life is Yours alone...Rise up and live it" |
11-12-2009, 10:57 PM | #733 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: In the land of ice and snow.
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But if he makes the wrong decision in an effort to "show conviction", more people could die than if he waited and made a better choice.
I'm not saying he's going to make a good choice in the end. What I am saying is that none of us are in a position to do anything but expose our own confirmation biases. |
11-13-2009, 07:34 AM | #734 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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Reading between the lines I think Obama is making it clear that he wants to get out of Afghanistan, and I agree with that. Afghanistan is not the "right war".
__________________
"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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11-13-2009, 08:16 AM | #736 (permalink) |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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I do not understand what I missed.
I am not sure there is a "right" decision and if there is a "right" decision we will never know because we can only take one course of action and will never know what the other course would have lead to. The decision regarding war is a difficult decision and a person can easily be "paralyzed" in the fog of "what if", while in that fog, things still happen, some of these things can be negative or you can get lucky. I think Obama is in that "fog". I think many failed to understand Bush because he seemed to act with certainty. He clearly bore the weight of his decisions, did not take them lightly nor did he lie, and he took full responsibility for his decisions. Right now the world is looking to Obama for leadership and all I am saying is that this is the most important issue, requires his full attention, and requires confident actions. He needs to lead. Even on the matter of all of the leaks within his chain of command, I think it shows the degree to which we need decisive leadership. Every leak points to a lack of leadership and a lack of decisiveness.
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
11-24-2009, 06:10 PM | #738 (permalink) | |
Lennonite Priest
Location: Mansfield, Ohio USA
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I will say I am happy for his decision to send more troops to Afghanistan ( since it appears we'll be there a while) and the fact he actually restated the main purpose for our being there. Hopefully, he meant it when he stated:
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I'll wait and see before I give total praise for this decision and his commitment. I'm more of a "Let's see if you mean it" type than a "Woohooo.... now, your doing something I can get behind."
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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?" |
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11-25-2009, 09:14 AM | #740 (permalink) |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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Just like he promised during his campaign, President Obama is sending 35,000 MORE troops to Afghanistan, into an unwinnable situation. I voted against McCain because I knew that he would push for additional surges in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in addition antagonize Iran into a war, but make no mistake Obama was only the lesser of two evils.
But don't worry, at least the trans-Afghanistan pipeline will be okay. |
11-30-2009, 11:38 AM | #741 (permalink) | |
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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Similar to liberals calling Iraq "Bush's war", I have a problem with Obama saying this:
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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11-30-2009, 01:15 PM | #742 (permalink) | |
Darth Papa
Location: Yonder
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11-30-2009, 01:17 PM | #743 (permalink) | |
Living in a Warmer Insanity
Super Moderator
Location: Yucatan, Mexico
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And not that it's really any of your concern I was married to the same person for a little over 25yrs.
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I used to drink to drown my sorrows, but the damned things have learned how to swim- Frida Kahlo Vice President Starkizzer Fan Club |
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11-30-2009, 03:12 PM | #744 (permalink) | |||||
Junkie
Location: Ventura County
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---------- Post added at 11:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:05 PM ---------- Quote:
I support single payer health-care for every child in this country. Do you agree or disagree? I support a person freedom to partake in the "drug" of their choice. Do you agree or disagree? I support balancing our federal budget. Do you agree or disagree? I bet if you seperated your distaste of my personality or my writing style, you may actually agree with me on more than you would be willing to admit. Quote:
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"Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on lunch." "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions on vegetarianism while the wolf is of a different opinion." "If you live among wolves you have to act like one." "A lady screams at the mouse but smiles at the wolf. A gentleman is a wolf who sends flowers." |
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obama, performance |
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