Confused

Extremely interesting. Is it your field of expertise?

Maybe the education system tries to be too general. Probably not. But why is it so dismal? Also there should probably more emphasis on trade schools.

As far as the "protectionist" scheme etc as you described it, it is in relation to the U.S. but what about what China is doing. When they fail, because according to what you said they certainly must fail shouldn't they because their system is as protectionist as anybody, but when they fail our unemployed, educationally challenged prima donnas should be able to start assembling iPhones for the rest of the world shouldn't they and we will be good to go. But really, should there be a correction regarding China? How does the World Trade Organization fit into all this?

I guess we just live in a screwed up world. If it was easy it would be easy.

It is too difficult and expensive to become a doctor. For 15 years of higher education the return is not worth it.

There are too many people.by at least 50%.

More ridiculous ramblings later because I am becoming more confused.

Actually...I agree with your assesment...the number one issue is the world is over populated.

The rest can be debated forever, and there is no single right answer. How does the saying go? Can appease some of the people some of the time...but never all the people all the time. Something like that.

Each party (Dems and Reps) will follow thier own ideology. The Reps would fight Obama (and Dems) even if he found a cure for all Cancers. And vice versa.

Republican philosophy:

Run up deficits by cutting taxes for the rich and by feeding the military industrial complex and use said deficits as an excuse to cut SS and other programs that help the middle class.

Grover Norquist:
"I don't want to abolish government. I simply want to reduce it to the size where I can drag it into the bathroom and drown it in the bathtub."

Until of course they want to go start a war in Iraq.

Sorry, I'm bored.

I always enjoy reading your posts PB. I learn some, argue some, but always enjoy the read.

I am tired of politics (both US and Mex), but sadly it is part of the fabric of our lives. The Pelosi's and Palin's of the world make my stomach turn. I only named them as they seem to be the lightning rods for each side, but my list is far longer. I would like to see the pinche politicos use common sense and understand that if the ship sinks, we all sink together, regardless of the captain's party affiliation.

I love politics and I hate politics.

"It is too difficult and expensive to become a doctor. For 15 years of higher education the return is not worth it.'

I second this. The cost of my health insurance has more than doubled in the last 12 years, but my income has stayed the same or declined a little. If private university and medical school tuition costs 50k per year, 8 years of schooling is 400k. You train for another 4-7+ years, and you start practice in your 30s with the prospect that your income may be declining as you practice longer. You enjoy your work, but the nights, weekends, and uncertainty wear on you. And unlike many other employees who work for the government, there is no pension. The reimbursement has not kept up with the cost. Your analysis is correct, Gri-lango.

So Gri, tell me why you don't like Pelosi so much. I think comparing her to Palin is a real stretch. Give me some examples of why you don't like her. Also I wonder if you have any other political channel than Fox News. I'm serious . Do you have any alternative to Fox?

I LOVE THIS THREAD!
If there was a rating system I would give this one 5 stars!

If this life is driving
You to drink
You sit around and wondering
Just what to think
Well I got some consoloation
I'll give it to you
If I might
Well I don't worry bout a thing
Cause I know nothings gonna be alright

You know this world is just one big
Trouble spot because
Some have plenty and
Some have not
You know I used to be trouble but I finally
Saw the light
Now I don't worry bout a thing
Cause I know nothings gonna be alright

Don't waste you time trying to
Be a go getter
Things will get worse before they
Get any better
You know there's always somebody playing with
Dynamite
But I don't worry about a thing
Cause I know nothing's gonna be alright

MOSE ALLISON

Ok so Paul Krugman has another Op-Ed piece in this past Thursday's New York Times. I was hoping that somebody would bring it up before I did. In the Op-Ed he discusses why it is not time to stop spending. I am not an economist and don't even play one on TV but I think Krugman knows what he is talking about. He has a Doctor's degree in economics. That has to count for something. He explains what he is saying. Very often we have to do things that are counter intuitive to fix things. Spending money to get out of this fiscal nightmare sounds like one of those things. I would also believe him before some politician trying to wrestle an election away from an adversary. I also do not trust the Republicans because they got us into this mess and they want to continue to do the same things that were responsible for getting us here. Cutting taxes for the very very wealthy might seem like a good thing to d but it didn't seem to help us in the medium run. Anyway, go read his Op-Ed piece and think about it.

Still no word on why people don't like Pelosi. This has been a pretty civil political thread. We can keep it that way. I am curious what Pelosi does that people don't like.

So I ran across this post on a web site today that pretty much says what I have been saying. One thing that I have not come across is something that says just he opposite with any kind of reasoning. Anyway go check out this post to see some well thought out analysis.

Hey, PB, I was silent for a few days because my laptop was stolen on Thursday.

I am not sure why I react to Pelosi and Palin so vehemently. I dislike them equally, not comparing them to each other. I get the same reaction with Steele and Kaine when they are spinning their partisan webs (or preparing for the billions in campaign expenditures).

Why do you like Pelosi and dislike Palin? I see them both as fake, partisan hacks that have zero original ideas (and aren't even good at lip synching their own party's ideologies). Both are horrible public speakers, I am amazed that Palin is making millions speaking so poorly public ally. I am guessing Pelosi has tons of blackmail material on her ...she just doesn't speak well for Speaker of the House.

I read the Krugman piece. Doesn't it amount to eternal welfare (at least that was what I took away from the article). Krugman is great about arguing in the short run, but ignores long run macro trends.

"Also I wonder if you have any other political channel than Fox News. I'm serious. Do you have any alternative to Fox?"

You wording about FOX news is awkward...giving you the benefit of the doubt...I'm hoping you are not thinking that's my source for anything. I don't watch FOX news (unless the Simpsons qualifies), greatly prefer CNN International and the local news (MarcoAntonio Beteta is a current favorite). When I first moved to DF, used to have BBC news, that got replaced with Boomberg.

I only have a second here so I will comment on mine and your Fox News comment. I only asked because from what I understand, in Mexico (at least in Puerto Escondido), only Fox is available with CNN international. To a large extent Fox is way more extensive in the U.S. as well. It seems that a lot of people who have deep hatred for liberals are stuck with Fox and have no alternative. This is especially true in Puerto and I assumed Mexico (City) was the same. I didn't really assume that you got your information from Fox even though that is how it came out. I just thought it was possible. Not probable but possible.

For your information, I watch/listen to MSNBC most of the time (When I watch the TV). I know that Olbermann could be considered obnoxious if a person was not a liberal but I do not see where he does not tell the truth. I think he tells the truth (I have not seen any examples of his lying like I see from Fox News) but has taken back a couple things over the years. I have never seen Fox people (on TV) admitting they were wrong. I really like Rachel Maddow because she gives really good analysis and explains what she is talking about. It really helps me to understated the subject and why. For example she has gone in depth about why the Tea Party is not a grass roots "organization" like they try to come off. She went into depth about how the Arizona law came into being and who was behind it and what their motives were. These kind of things happen every night on Rachel Maddow. I would recomend her to anybody and if you can't watch there is a podcast both audio and video. Chris Matthews is interesting and to anybody who says he is left wing I would say he was a Bush apologist for most of Bush's term. I am informed of what Fox does even though I cannot bring myself to watch it for more than a couple minutes at a time.

Krugman was on ABC This Week (Sunday) this weekend and their "round table" was really interesting. You can download the episode via iTunes. No commercials . (If you need another source for ABC This Week I would be happy to help you find it.) The part I found most interesting starts about 30 minutes in. They talked about the near term spending and where the economy is now and the whys of a few things. When I was listening to it I was thinking that it was a good example of what I have been talking about here (I listened to it today). Again, I hate it make it sound like Krugman is god's gift but I have just not heard anybody else with his insight and reasoning. I certainly have heard others just say stuff but for the most part they pull it out of their asses and never say how or why they arrive at the position they are at. For example, George Will said a couple weeks ago that unemployment was not stimulus. That was it. Nothing more. I can think of a few couple reasons why that would not be true but he didn't give me one reason why it was. In fact I can't think of any reason how he could get away with saying it. It seemed like he just pulled it out of his ass.

I'll go into Palin someday when I have a lot of time. I have spent way too much time on this and now I am late. LOL

I forgot to mention that I am really sorry you got your laptop ripped off. I cannot imagine a nightmare as bad as that would be. Hopefully your stuff was backed up.

I am also trying to decide if I really should get into why I think what I do about Palin. It could be long post.

They got me good with this robbery...my external HD (back up files) was in the briefcase because I just got back from a trip and never unpacked it.I lost 12 years of work files...sucks big time.

I enjoy the info PB, but it has not swayed to think the US is on the right track yet. The Chenney Admin...er...the Bush admin was very scary...Obama has not swayed me to think we are any better off as a whole. Most of Obama

As far as your lost computer stuff there is a story that Francis Ford Copola had his computer and external backup drive stolen with all his past @#$%& ans unpublished @#$%& as well. Back up to the cloud as well as an external hard drive and maybe a DVD mailed to some other location. I am sorry for you.
It looks like some of your post was ripped off there...

When I think about whether Obama is good or bad I just try to think about how it would have been if McCain/Palin would have won. I can't come up with a scenario that would be better than Obama. Maybe Clinton would have been better but I don't think so. I would be open to that debate as opposed to the debate of whether Obama or McCain would have been better.

Here is something that will bore you to tears but you might find interesting at the same time. Go ahead and try to read it (actually it is kind of interesting). It might take your mind off your long lost computer and your missing life.



I still can't bring myself to outline why Palin is so bad. ;^)

[www.google.com]

The American Job Market 2010

[www.youtube.com]

In the Washington Post
Ezra Kline: You think the danger posed by the long-term deficit is overstated by most economists and economic commentators.
James Galbraith: No, I think the danger is zero. It's not overstated. It's completely misstated.
Ezra kline: Why?
You will have to read the rest here. It is at least interesting. Is the guy correct? How would I know?

Who is James K. Galbraith? He has pretty good credentials!

Great message from the Democrats today. It should last through the election because it is accurate.

Quote
...on the other side of the ballot in November will be a party that has an economic theory, and it was tested, and it led to catastrophe. We lost 3 million jobs in the last six months of 2008. The financial market almost collapsed. They turned a $237 billion surplus that Bill Clinton left into a $1.3 trillion deficit. And they're running on the same policies.

The Democrats controlled Congress from 2007 on, so they better come up with something better.

Krugman, Galbraith, George W., Obama, and my most intelligent relative(who happens to a Republican) all think the government needs to spend more money. Yes, we usually run with a deficit, but the question is how big is the deficit relative to the whole economy. Many people have some debt like a mortgage, but when the debt becomes excessive, they go bankrupt. I hope every one else is right and I am wrong.

So inflation is the answer? The very inflation which has been the enemy of the economy for all these years is now the answer to the problems? And if we have inflation without a good economy, everything gets more expensive, so our buying power will be less. Is inflation really the solution? How about the government spends less. This idea worked wonders for Michael Jackson's estate since he passed away a year ago. He was almost bankrupt, but since his death his estate has earned millions.

A physicist or engineer can predict the motion of an object or how something will work, but can an economist accurately predict the economy?

delmar,

Economists are great at talking about what happened in the past, not vey good about predicting the future. All Economic models and formulas rely heavily on the assumption that all choices are made "rationally." That assumption breaks down quickly in today's "real world."

And thank you PB and Buzzard for the back up info.

This is the kind of thing that drive me to the edge. Like the "Death Panel" crazyness took me to the edge. It is so disingenous meant to scare people. And it works for a lot of people who can't really think well.

Quote
Speaking on the Gina Loudon radio program this afternoon, Congressional candidate Ed Martin told listeners that "we have to be very, very aware" of policies pursued by Barack Obama and Russ Carnahan that will "take away" the freedom to be a Christian. Martin doesn't explain which policies supported by Obama and Carnahan "take away all your choices" to be a Christian or find any other religion, perhaps because there aren't any. Maybe it's health care reform that keeps people from Jesus? Or unemployment benefits? Whatever they are, "we have to be very, very aware" of them anyway.

Here is the website that has this. This is crazy talk and I only see it coming from the right. Now that is not to say that all right wing people say this kind of thing. They don't. The thing is that I don't see this insanity coming from the left. I just don't. I don't really care about the Christian thing either. It is about pulling this kind of thing out of their ass. Many people in Missouri are really into religion and this kind of thing resonates with them.
Sorry, this caught my eye and i saw it as an example of what sets me off about these people. Please post examples like this that left wing candidates say.

Regarding one of spiderman's original questions about why Obama wanted to pass health care reform, the answer is because this was his window of opportunity. He had support from the House and Senate for two years, and he realized he needed to do this while he was able. He is right on this point: our health care system is broken. Unfortunately, I don't think his healthcare reform addressed many of the problems, the biggest being cost. Because Congress is made up with a lot of lawyers, and trial lawyers are big Democratic supporters, he didn't even touch reforming the cost that malpractice claims add to medical care.

Crazy talk coming only from the right? That's crazy! Just like the political commentators who say: "this election is really ugly, worse than before with personal attacks. Candidates aren't addressing the issues. blah, blah" They say this every election! I admit that the right has some way overpaid "crazy talkers" like Limbaugh, et al.
What about the ridiculous comment Jesse Jackson made a few days ago calling the Cav's owner a "slave master' because he was upset that Lebron James bailed on the Cav's for the Miami Heat. Great analogy Jesse, thanks for your opinion because Lebron really needs your help! What about Al Gore trumpeting his global warming crusade, while consuming 10 times as much energy as his neighbors. I see crazy stuff coming from all directions.

First, I agree with what you say about Jesse Jackson. He is an ass. Although he wan't really talking about politics in this instance but he could have been if given a chance. lol.
Second, sure Gore may be a pig with what he consumes (i don't really know what the details are) but his message is still valid. Much more valid that the ostriches who claim since it was cold in Washington D.C. this past winter there is no global warming. I thought they were joking but now I am not so sure. Obviously global warming must be back because it has been very hot these past few days or week in Washington and New York.
I just don't see the insanity from the left.

From what I understand the cost of malpractice because of lawsuits is not really that much if you look at it from a percentage perspective. I guess i should get some figures for that. I think the cost of healthcare is high for other reasons than malpractice insurance but I think there could be some fixing that could be done. In fact there surely can be some fixing that cdan be done. I just don't know why some things cost so much. For example, I had an MRI. The doc wanted it done with contrast (dye). The MRI people made me get two MRIs. One with and one without. $4000!!! the doc only looked at the one with dye. I could have flown to Thailand and stayed in a hotel had the MRI and it would have cost me about $1200. I have learned since then I can get an MRI in Mexico for about the same price. Maybe less because the flight might be cheaper. The point is; Why does the MRI cost so much more. The same is true with just about everything. The cost of healthcare is out of control. I wish i really knew why. We pay more than twice what he next country pays per person. And we get worse results. My blood pressure is up just thinking about it.

Back in the Nineties, I recall Jesse Jackson apologizing profusely for calling New York City hymietown of some such stupid thing. It impressed me, when he said, as part of his apology that "God was not yet finished with him". Summed up the human condition, mine and yours, pretty well, I thought then and continue to do so. And there he goes again, proving his point. Given that slavery was America's first go at racial profiling, three-fifths of a human embedded in the original constitution and all that, Jesse may be on better ground talking about a white team owner's reaction to his black superstar's chasing the green but he does seem to have that all too human proclivity for overstating his case.
That said, I appreciate how this thread goes and Puerto Bill's efforts to keep it civil and informative.

Friday night humor...
Tim James ran for Govenor for Alabama. He lost in the recent primary. He ran an ad here that made more than a couple people want to spoof. I found three them very funny. I hope you do to...
Number one: Tim James - American English
Number two: Tim James - Braille
Number three: Tim James Ad Spoof

I

True story:
A 60 something Canadian dentist goes to the hospital in Canada with a very serious heart rhythm problem(arrythmia). He is put on medicine and scheduled for his AICD(internal defibriltor) placement in 2 months. He goes home and dies 2 weeks later from his abnormal heart rhythm. If he were in the U.S. he stays in the hospital and doesn't leave until he gets his AICD implanted. If we do what Canada does in this case, we get hit with a malpractice suit. Canadians are willing to wait for procedures for which Americans will not wait.

And $4000 is a lot for an MRI.

Here some reading about inflation/deflation:[articles.moneycentral.msn.com]

Technically it was two MRIs, one of which I didn't need but the MRI place forced me to have. All I needed was one with contrast but they forced me to have one without contrast also which the doctor did not even look at.