An OLd Liberal " Gets It"

[samclem]

Ooops, probably a Freudian slip (or too much staring at a film loop of a gyrating young thang). SFW -->> SWR

I thought it stood for 'Southern Fried Wallygator'

[bosco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 I will be the first to admit that there are plenty of republicans who aren't conservatives by any means and are spending like drunken sailors. That being said, I think a lot of it has to do with payback (allocating pork) for all the times many of these districts got screwed while the democrats were running the show.

Don't you just love Republican logic?

Even when the Republicans run the country into financial ruin with profligate spending, IT'S THE DEMOCRATS' FAULT!!!

and not even the decency to put a smiley face after it

Let's see--since 1968 we've had--26 years of Republican presidency and
12 years of Democrats

Thank God for 8 of those 12 years--or we'd be in way worse fiscal shape than we are.

[snowbird]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bosco Thank God for 8 of those 12 years--or we'd be in way worse fiscal shape than we are.

I think I just heard Justin say "But he lied... Under oath"*

Quote:

Thank God for 8 of those 12 years--or we'd be in way worse fiscal shape than we are.

If you're leaving out Jimmy Carter, those were the most important 4 years economically of all!

Carter started fighting inflation with his Federal reserve appointees. Most Repubs complain that we had 20% prime rate etc. etc. But this was the bad medicine that we needed to take. No way could the inflation of the 70s be turned around in Carter's watch of 4 years.

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cut-Throat Carter started fighting inflation with his Federal reserve appointees. Most Repubs complain that we had 20% prime rate etc. etc. But this was the bad medicine that we needed to take. No way could the inflation of the 70s be turned around in Carter's watch of 4 years.

I will admit that is when my parents started building a nice portfolio. They made 15-18% returns on their cd's. Wouldn't have what they have today if wasn't for that.*

[donheff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpp Name them. Maybe ladelfina can tell us what Italy is like, for example? Maybe reb can say something about Germany? Somebody (KenM?) know about Singapore? Etc.

I am not intimately familiar with any other country's health system but I have an anecdote about Amsterdam that may be of interest. DW and I took my teenage daughter and her girlfriend to Europe a few years back. The girlfriend got sick in Amsterdam - stomack pains. I took her to a doctor recommended by the hotel. His schedule was tight so he told us to come in at the end of his business day. He spent nearly an hour with her and charged us $25 US. He could not identify the cause and recommended that we go to an emergency room. He drove us over since it was on his way home.

At the hospital, the girlfriend was checked by several doctors who ultimately decided to check her in for overnight observation and possible exploratory surgery. I went over to the admissions desk to fill out the paperwork and automatically pulled out a credit card. They looked at me like I had two heads. No need for a credit card, no need for insurance cards. Just name, address, and next of kin :-)

They were very worried about the type and location of the pain and ultimately did an exploratory surgery. One thing they were concerned about was that the young lady might have an ectopic pregnancy. My daughter (who was in the room during the interviews) says that when the girlfriend told them she was a virgin several eyes rolled - she is a cute blond).

I was very surprised at their lack of concern about consulting the girl's parents (she was 16). If I hadn't talked to her parents I think the surgeons would have wheeled her into surgery without even informing them. I am a bit conflicted about that practice but, all in all, I was very impressed at the quality of the service and the care the staff evidenced. On the quality side, of course, I have no expertise - but then neither do most of us have expertise on the quality of care we get here.

[justin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowbird I think I just heard Justin say "But he lied... Under oath"

I officially have no comment on this issue. But he was under OATH!!!!!!1

[setab]

And I promised not to get into anymore discussions like this, also, but I remember the oath thing too.

setab

[saluki9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cut-Throat If you're leaving out Jimmy Carter, those were the most important 4 years economically of all! Carter started fighting inflation with his Federal reserve appointees. Most Repubs complain that we had 20% prime rate etc. etc. But this was the bad medicine that we needed to take. No way could the inflation of the 70s be turned around in Carter's watch of 4 years.

Ok, this thread has officially jumped the shark. We have just had somebody complement Jimmy Carter's economic policy.

Have your been wearing your cardigan lately?

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 Have your been wearing your cardigan lately?

That's what's wrong with this country today: not enough cardigans. Fred Rogers, Jimmy Carter, Ward Cleaver.

[HFWR]

One thing you can say about ol' Jimmy is that he told us there was an energy crisis, about thirty years ago. But did we listen...

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I was going to say something nice about energy crises...but I sense a hanging crowd here.

May the froth be with you.

Ed

[unclemick]

Ha Hah Ha

There ain't no stinking energy crisis - just got a missive in the mail from a guy promising to make me rich on oil shale stocks - seems we(the US) have more oil than the Middle East - right here.

Wonder if he has relatives in Nigeria??

heh heh heh heh heh heh heh

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclemick2 Ha Hah Ha There ain't no stinking energy crisis - just got a missive in the mail from a guy promising to make me rich on oil shale stocks - seems we(the US) have more oil than the Middle East - right here. Wonder if he has relatives in Nigeria?? heh heh heh heh heh heh heh

I believe that Alberta does have more oil in the 'mud' than the entire Middle East. It now seems profitable to go after it. I saw a documentary on it.

We'll see how this develops.

[BunsGettingFirm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cute n Fuzzy Bun'ny Single White Female?

Please no because then we'll have a Natalie Holloway story/Amber Alert. Then it'll really be a thread never dies.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cut-Throat I believe that Alberta does have more oil in the 'mud' than the entire Middle East. It now seems profitable to go after it. I saw a documentary on it. We'll see how this develops.

Yep, most of the world's known reserves of oil shale/tar sand is in North America )(and more in the US than Canada). It is noraly considered economical to recover when oil hits $40 per barrel --if it stays there for a long time. Royal Dutch Shell reportedly has a new process that makes it profitable down to $30 per barrel.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

samclem,

Gee. I seem to remember that Syncrude and Suncore can make money down to $15/barrel. Shell just 'raised the bar' by paying more per barrel for an oil sands asset than anyone else ever had.

DON"T follow the technologies. Find a well-run oil company by checking are they replacing the barrels they produce with new barrels discovered. And check their balance sheets. In the past 20 years, several previously well-run oil companies have dug themselves into a hole. Shell got into trouble a couple of years ago by reporting their reserves on the generous side. Not quite Enron, but a couple of big guys got sacked.

Don't pay too much for an asset and don't buy the hype. I just saw a special on the Bronfmans and how the grandson of the old man lost the family $6 billion US.

El Gitano