Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Drew on January 27, 2005, 11:30:33 pm
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http://brillig.com/debt_clock/
watch the number, and refresh the page a few times.
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We've been over this, it's because the other countries aren't importing enough american goods and because america is importing too much from other countries.
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I would but.........
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oh... my... god....
i have 25k in debt...
Alright people, start making babies like crazy, we needa reduce the share.
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Well, at least Lewinski will go down as giving the most expensive head in the history of the Earth.
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oh well....
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Lib, you can't just expect other counties to pay for American policies by importing American goods even though much cheaper alternatives are available. It simply how the market works, you buy the cheapest product you can find, Americans do the exact same thing (when's the last time you saw "Made in the UK" on the bottom of an appliance?).
Truth be told, American doesn't actually manufacture a whole lot, and that is even decreasing. America is moving into the service industry, and manufacturing is going to developing countries. Iraq was and is expensive business. Long story short, if (and I mean you as an American, not you specifically) you don't want to be stuck with a huge debt, better rethink this and future wars.
edit: I actually saw a by-the-second updates clock somewhere, but I can't remember where.
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You need to buy more Rolls Royces and Bentleys....oh wait...
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Originally posted by Rictor
Iraq was and is expensive business. Long story short, if (and I mean you as an American, not you specifically) you don't want to be stuck with a huge debt, better rethink this and future wars.
Odd, considering I've heard you prattle on about Iraq being about American companies making money off Iraqi oil. Perhaps you don't see the inherent contradiction?
Funny thing about this situation. If the US wanted to, we could make the Chinese economy go crashing through the floor, because it's become dependant on exports to the US. So have several other countries. So ultimately, if the debt crushes us, we're taking the rest of the world down too.
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And 10 years later, the Nazi's will come to power!
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Sounds good to me. I vote an0n for Furher.
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I prefer the term 'Overlord' but - **** it. Fuhrer will do.
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
Odd, considering I've heard you prattle on about Iraq being about American companies making money off Iraqi oil. Perhaps you don't see the inherent contradiction?
Funny thing about this situation. If the US wanted to, we could make the Chinese economy go crashing through the floor, because it's become dependant on exports to the US. So have several other countries. So ultimately, if the debt crushes us, we're taking the rest of the world down too.
No, there's no contradiction, because the American government (and people) are one, and American companies, or the type that are likely to profit from Iraq (large military hardware and service outfits and energy companies) are another. You see, its quite ingenious. The government can't just give public money to its friends, so they go through the following process instead:
Joe Citizen pays taxes, which go to finance the war. He is in essence getting his taxes raised, because even though taxes remain more or less the same, social programs get cut to pay for the war. So, something beneficial (social services) get decreased, with no useful increase to compensate. Then, military contractors profit from the war (selling bombs, guns, tanks, ammo, food for soldiers etc) and occupation (which is good for business), while at the same time other companies, though these often turn out to be the same ones, get contracted to rebuild. In the process of rebuilding, they make even more money. The whole deal is sweetened through no-bid contracts and large-scale inefficiencies.
So, at the end of the day, war is a way in which public funds are given to private companies (well-connected ones anyway) at rates disproportionate to the services they actually provide.
It quite possible for the American people to get shafted (de facto tax hikes, debt burden for years to come, dead sons and daughters), while small section of the American population, "defense contractors" and other multinationals, make out like bandits.
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All irrevelant. You're not making the connection, still.
American companies pay American taxes. If American companies make money off Iraq, the American government is making money off Iraq. In the end, when the troops come home, the companies will still be there, for years if not decades. During that time the American government is still making money off the American companies that are making money off Iraq. In the end, the profit-loss balance is for, not against.
Is that clear enough for you?
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
Odd, considering I've heard you prattle on about Iraq being about American companies making money off Iraqi oil. Perhaps you don't see the inherent contradiction?
Just 'cause a few american companies are making money doesn't mean that the aemrican government reaps the benefits too. Why do you think there was discontentment about the company who were attributed contract in Iraq having link with more than a few people currently in the government ?
Funny thing about this situation. If the US wanted to, we could make the Chinese economy go crashing through the floor, because it's become dependant on exports to the US. So have several other countries. So ultimately, if the debt crushes us, we're taking the rest of the world down too. [/B]
You have it backwards. If it needed to, China would be the one to send America's economy through the floor. It can always export to nearly any other country on the globe. America can't really the same, sorry.
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Man, I thought Australia's debt was bad. It doesn't even rate a mention against the sheer insanity of that figure there. :eek2:
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Heheh, I doubt its truthfullness though...
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the rich get richer...
the super rich transcend money
the middle class gets screwed rectally
and i have to pay this -and- i have to pay for the social security of that stupid baby boom
maybe canada isnt such a bad idea after all
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*looks outside*
The polar bears and 6 months of darkness get you eventually. Move to Oregon or Massachusets, its kind of like Canada except I would imagine its rather warmer.
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Vancouver. The only part of the country that doesnt get snow in the winter. Here in Halifax, its -20C with a windchill of -33C.
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Originally posted by Thorn
Vancouver. The only part of the country that doesnt get snow in the winter. Here in Halifax, its -20C with a windchill of -33C.
[color=66ff00]Holy crap!
Shouldn't you be dead? :D
[/color]
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You wouldn't want to be taking a pee outside when walking back from the pub....
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
All irrevelant. You're not making the connection, still.
American companies pay American taxes. If American companies make money off Iraq, the American government is making money off Iraq. In the end, when the troops come home, the companies will still be there, for years if not decades. During that time the American government is still making money off the American companies that are making money off Iraq. In the end, the profit-loss balance is for, not against.
Is that clear enough for you?
If the government is their main customer (and so it is the source of the large majority of their income) the balance will never be positive.
Even if you tax out 50% of their income if you're giving them more than this it still ends in a loss.
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
American companies pay American taxes. If American companies make money off Iraq, the American government is making money off Iraq. In the end, when the troops come home, the companies will still be there, for years if not decades. During that time the American government is still making money off the American companies that are making money off Iraq. In the end, the profit-loss balance is for, not against.
Wrong, dig up the figures for how much tax Halliburton has paid in the last 4 years. Here, I'll help you:
http://www.iht.com/articles/127385.html
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EDIT: I'm an idiot...
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And we don´t even have a national debt....
Then again, our yearly budget is roughly $5 Billion US
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Originally posted by Maeglamor
[color=66ff00]Holy crap!
Shouldn't you be dead? :D
[/color]
Layers of clothing, man. Layers.
A pair of track pants, with jeans over them. A pair of light socks with military issue winter socks over them. Long sleeved shirt with sweater over it. Large winter coat. Hat. Gloves.
I looked like I was 30lbs heavier, but was I ever warm. Well, except for the exposed part of my face.
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You don't live in this country and not have a tolerance to -30 degree days. Hell it went -6 a few days ago and I was in a t-shirt.
Big, thick, down-filled jackets, thick gloves and knee-high, high-endurance arctic boots are your friend.
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Stop it, you're making Minnesotans look like sissies. :p
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Long underwear makes all the difference in the world, especially when its a 15 minute walk to the bus-stop. The last week has been pretty bad, around the -30s, though next week ought to be better (-5 or so on average.)
whatever the conditions are, at least we have it better than these poor bastards. ("http://www.skyandsummit.com/Glacegeneve/index.html")