Oh yeah that $700bn will not be missed now...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7635893.stm

Oh yeah that $700bn will not be missed now that George may have a reason to start throwning nukes in the middle east.

I want to move to Canada.

Change "Canada" to "BVI" and I'm there. I've already started looking for auto-x sites.

poopshovel wrote: Change "Canada" to "BVI" and I'm there. I've already started looking for auto-x sites.

bzzt WRONG

You don't want to move to an island, especially BVI, and especially if you're into cars.

As for the next war...well if he can declare one over some imaginary WMDs in a bunker I don't see why he won't declare one over some real projectiles fired at a US chopper.

I do want to move to an island, especially Virgin Gorda, even if it meant racing speed-bump to speed-bump in my SAMURAIIIIIII!!!!

The novelty wears off real quick, trust me.

Oh and it's not speedbump to speedbump, it's pothole to pothole. Speedbumps are usually redundant.

This $700,000,000,000.00 will come back eventually and with a positive return. If it doesn't, we have far more to worry about economically because it means all of our retirement funds have crashed.

While it seems to reward stupid, risky behavior; it does offer a way to dig ourselves out economically as well as a way for our government to make some money (when they sell their shares of ownership back to the public).

Do any of you see better alternatives? I was interested in this prime-plus-two loan program that would allow the failing companies to DIG THEIR OWN DAMNED WAY OUT. I like this idea, but I wonder what its drawbacks are? more risk of failure? Default risk? What happens when they can't pay back the loans?

Any econ experts here?

One thing's for sure, they're propping up the unsustainably high cost (and rise in cost) of housing. Seems to be a setup for a harder fall in that regard...

Also Pakistan claims the chopper returned fire:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/09/25/pakistan.helicopters/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Here's an email thats been going around that I like. It has to do with AIG, but would be even better if it was $7B...

Here's a new twist on our financial crisis:

I'm against the $85,000,000,000 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a ""We Deserve It Dividend"".

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up.

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a "We Deserve It Dividend". Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%. Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000. What would you do with $297,500 to $595,000 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads Put away money for college - it'll be there.

Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs. Buy a new car - create jobs Invest in the market - capital drives growth. Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves.

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG - liquidate it. Sell off its parts. Let American General go back to being American General. Sell off the real estate. Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can "never work." But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party! How do you spell Economic Boom? I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion

"We Deserve It Dividend" more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC. And remember, The Family plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

If we chucked nukes at everyone that ever took a potshot at one of our helicopters, the planet would be a glowing cinder right now. People don't realize that the Korean DMZ has been "hot" like this for over 50 years.

Bonus Points for ID'ing Hitler's Zipper.

While that sounds interesting, the decimal place owns you. $85B divided by 200M = $425 per person.

Ahahahahaaaaa!!! The decimal ownage is PRICELESS!!!

Now, now... don't let simple math get in the way of a perfectly good "shock" email.

Anybody know what New Zealand is like?

I doubt Australia would let me in at my advanced age.

Too bad the guy didn't put his name on that e-mail

I just found out that my calculator doesn't even go to 1 billion.

And, $700 billion / 200 million people = $3,500/person. Heck, that's cheap. That's only 1.5 Challenge cars, or 7.61 LEU's (Locost Equivalent Units). I'll give skappes' $3,500 to "help out" the mortgage industry. Now, I'll just sit here and wait for them to give me $3,500.

GameboyRMH wrote:

poopshovel wrote: Change "Canada" to "BVI" and I'm there. I've already started looking for auto-x sites.

*bzzt* WRONG You don't want to move to an island, especially BVI, and especially if you're into cars. As for the next war...well if he can declare one over some imaginary WMDs in a bunker I don't see why he won't declare one over some real projectiles fired at a US chopper.

Keeping this to the more important part of the thread... you'd be surprised how big racing is in the islands. Puerto Rico has 3 tracks, and does autocrosses in some areas. Some of the racers I've spoke to from there talk about island challanges- so there's a lot of hardware being raced down there.

For sure, it's been on my mind since I've wanted to retire to Puerto Rico for some time now....

E

I'm very aware of how big racing is in the islands, it's easily the #1 spectator sport in most of them...but being a competitor sucks, and the smaller the island the worse it gets (at least for competitors). Most of the competitors are the wealthiest people on the islands as well, the grassroots scene is very, very small. Well actually there's a lot of grassroots building going on but not at a grassroots price.

DILYSI Dave wrote: While that sounds interesting, the decimal place owns you. $85B divided by 200M = $425 per person.

Glad i didn't write that then! I just didn't do the math to verify it. I knew it was too good to be true.

If I lived on an Island I'd probably just go racing as a spectator anyway. The rest of my time would be spent in a beach chair punishing my evil liver.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a ""We Deserve It Dividend"". To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+. Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up

Let's do a quick math check:

85,000,000,000 (dollars) 200,000,000 (18+ US Citizens)

Take away the zeroes that cancel each other out:

850 (dollars) divided by 2 (18+ US citizens) = $425

Not enough for a good set of sticky tires

I say let them all crash, then sort it out when it's all over and done. Dump that $700B into social security and medicare so the old folks who lost everything can live better and let the world markets re-adjust as required.

Everything in life grows until it uses up all it's resources, then it dies off and starts over. Why should the stock market be an exception?

Besides, if the dollar keeps going down hill then eventually the manufacturing jobs and such will come back to the US and we'll be better able to build for the future. Trick is to learn form the fall, though history proves that as nearly impossible.

What incentive will huge companies have in the future to not screw up royally if we just bail them all out? Sure, it will be rough for a while, but I say let 'em fail.

oldopelguy wrote: I say let them all crash, then sort it out when it's all over and done. Dump that $700B into social security and medicare so the old folks who lost everything can live better and let the world markets re-adjust as required. Everything in life grows until it uses up all it's resources, then it dies off and starts over. Why should the stock market be an exception? Besides, if the dollar keeps going down hill then eventually the manufacturing jobs and such will come back to the US and we'll be better able to build for the future. Trick is to learn form the fall, though history proves that as nearly impossible.

Normally I would argue this tooth and nail, but I think you are right.

The guy who just got the WaMu job got a 7.5 MILLION dollar signing bonus and a MILLION dollar annual salary.

Let berkeley sticks like that bail out Wall street, not me.