marks2065

Even cosmetics manufacturers contribute to the economy and employ workers. And the Obamas have more than $5 to spend. Who are YOU to tell them how to spend it? do you honestly believe Mrs Obama paid for the make-up?

Nope. A cell phone jammer, preferably that I control, would be best. Or, kind of like the breathalyzer steering wheel, one that's installed in your car if you get a ticket for driving while cell phone impaired. Yes, it penalizes your passengers as well, but, ya know -- one's driving while impaired often penalizes others, right? Wendy W.

True you understand that, but over and over it is mentioned that Muslims don’t speak out against terror, while the reality is your not going to see any thing positive that actually occurs on the news. That is increased 100 folds if you are a fan of any rightwing news origination, like Fox. If you get your news from Hannity or Glenn beck your not really asking for news, you want someone who is just as ignorant (edit to add: Some are not just stupid but playing to the stupid for ratings) to feed you bullshit so you never have to change your mind or admit you were wrong despite the facts. We have a bunch of people who it seems to pain to admit any thing positive about Muslims, or that the vast majority of Muslims have, did, and will speak out against terrorists. So sometimes i think we like to point out some of those things that make that point to the many who always seem to miss it.

None of it. You changed the start number, the year of the start number, and provided a handful of citations that said nothing to support your end number.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheldon-filger/us-unemployment-rate-soar_b_183292.html

It's not a matter of disagreeing with them, but 1) they simply don't make sense, 2) and you keep changing them.

I noticed that skydiving is a very bad for the enviroment because of the smog producing older engines we run and that skydiving serves no purpose other than self gratification. (according to the other thread) I also noticed you have over 3000 skydives. I have also read you posts on how much we americans contribute to global warming. Now are you going to set an example and stop your ozone depleting, green house gas poluting, selfish gratificating greedy use of the planets recourses or just be a hypodrite and continue to blast us for doing what do yourself?

Quotethe tea party's going on on april 4th

I see racism is still alive and kicking in the good ol' US of A. And, of course, comparing Bush to a chimp was just good wholesome fun... Apples and oranges here. Comparing Bush to a chimp insults his intelligence and has nothing to do with his race. Even if the OP of the comment didn't mean that to be taken with racist context, it comes with the territory when using it in any form similar since "ape," or "monkey," has been used so frequently in derogatory comments towards African Americans. I understand the prior negative connotation - what I disagree with is the knee-jerk reaction that it *MUST* be due to racism. it's pretty obvious that's what he meant

>Through skidiving I have met alot of people from other countries and they >are enamored with our country and love the freedoms and opertunities that come >with living here. A bit of selection bias there. Outside the US opinions are considerably more varied. I think the US is great, but I don't think it's the best in every way for everyone - and we shouldn't decide how to run our country based on how many foreigners want to emigrate. I know several skydivers who go to Sweden for surgery because it's cheaper and better than what is available in the US. Does that mean we should be more like Sweden? Or should we make our own decisions on that? I know a lot of US companies who move their operations to China because it's cheaper to make stuff there. Does that mean we should be more like China? Or should we make our own decisions on that?

QuoteIn 2004 the national debt was 7.3 trillion and the interest was 290 billion. After Bush left office the national debt was over 10 trillion and it is expected to double in the next 6-10 years. The origonal numbers I used were from an interview with a congressman from (i think) virginia I heard on the radio, but since you seemed to not agree with those numbers I found it in writing from sources that considered part of the left wing media. By the end of next year the national debt WILL be at least 12 trillion dollars. When Obama say he will cut the deficit by half he is not talking about the national debt. The deficit of each year is rolled into the debt. so if Obama cuts the 1.5 trillion $ deficit by half in 4 years that means we are still adding 750 billion a year to the debt. Obama has said himself that he will run trillion $ deficits for the first 2-3 years and that means our national debt will be at least 14 trillion $ by the end of his first term. 14.5 trillion $ national debt, at 4%, will be about 580 billion $ interest payment each year.

Why? What do you feel makes it so? QuoteI am not saying other countries don't have good things about them, just that the US has the best of most countries. The US was built by people trying to escape something that their country had. When the constitution was wrote trying to eliminate the negatives of other countries. We have a country that gives anyone the ability to do or become what ever a person desires to do or become. People from all corners of the earth have come here to escape pursicution, heavy handed dictatorships, opression of religion, and the burden of government taxes. The US has been the greatest country in the world to live for a long time because anyone with drive, ambition, and desire can make a good life for themselves and their families and leave something for their kids to live a good life without them being subject to opressive government rule. The people that make up this country have given up their status, fortunes, and even their lives for the chance to live the life we have today. Our way of life should be cherrished and protected. The people that have died defending this country and it's freedoms should be honored by protecting the freedoms they sacrificed for and continuing to make them better and available to as many as possible. we are not a country of one people we are the accumulation of the best of all countries and people. Unfortunately we have allowed the things we left behind in our country of origon to become entrenched in our society and are in danger of loosing what 200 years of blood sacrifice and death have protected by becoming what we left.

very good post. when i posted earlier i did not know that policies were being talked about. just the window dressing of the president and first lady. Your comments on "he is our president not theirs" means to me that he should be working for our best intrests and not theirs. I get worried when other people start liking the change in policies expecially if they are countries that don't like us much. One has to wonder if the policy changes are for our best intrest or theirs? I don't live in in other countries because I feel ours is better than the rest and I wouldn't like our country becoming like them. People from all over the world have come here because they have a better chance for a good life here. Through skidiving I have met alot of people from other countries and they are enamored with our country and love the freedoms and opertunities that come with living here. Why change what millions of people have sought for and traveled far to find? What other country can say they have millions of people from hundreds of countries seeking what they have to offer? Our president should be protecting the way of life we have now, not trying to change it to what others have tried to leave.Quote

People can lie about why. But we're talking about the number of accidents, not the cause. Since cell phone use doesn't remove the other causes, if it is a new risk, it should result in more accidents. BTW, cell phone records would indicate usage.

It's probably not being reported because the math behind it is bullshit. Current debt is $10B. High estimates for the next 8 years is 6 or 7B more. And mind you, interest rates right now are pretty low, meanwhile 30yr bonds from the early 80s when interest rates peaked are going to expire. The cost of borrowing should decline, or stay even at worst. Since interest payments increase proportionally with the amount, how can they go up 4.7x when the debt doesn't even go up 2x? Answer, they can't. in 2004 the interest was about 290 billion. the budget deficit is projected at least 1 trillion per year that would make the deficit at least 20 trillion. therefore the interest on the national debt would be about 800 billion a year. www.geocities.com/cmcofer/interest.html www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20090321/NEWS21/903210329/-1/SPECIALOBAMA08 edited to ad : the currant national debt is 10 trillion and is expected to be 20 trillion in 6-10 years.Quote

Yes, it would. But it's not politically tenable to tell people they have to deal with hardship. It's much easier to sell them on "it'll all be ok--we just need to borrow some more money..."