Comments on: Political Spew 06.10.08 http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554 Minneapolis + St. Paul Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:23:37 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: cjc http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171504 cjc Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:32:20 +0000 #comment-171504 So the RNC needs direction givers. I've got my directions for the RNCsters all ready to go:<br /> <br /> Yeah, you go up to 7th Street, catch a 5 and get off at 26th Avenue. Head east about three blocks and you should see it. So the RNC needs direction givers. I’ve got my directions for the RNCsters all ready to go:

Yeah, you go up to 7th Street, catch a 5 and get off at 26th Avenue. Head east about three blocks and you should see it.

]]> By: noodleman http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171490 noodleman Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:31:42 +0000 #comment-171490 Re: dollar currency exchange rates. I like to use this example to illustrate the impact of a falling US dollar:<br /> <br /> In 1977, a plate of beef curry in Tokyo cost 400-yen. In 2007, a plate of beef curry in Tokyo cost 600-yen. That's a 50% increase in 30 years. Nothing to complain about. It's still a cheap meal for college students.<br /> <br /> However, in 1977, US$1 = 300 yen. In 2007, US$ = 100 yen. Therefore, that plate of 400-yen curry went from costing the equivalent of $1.40 to costing $6.00 ... a 500% "increase" ... but ONLY if you're paying for it with 2007 US dollars.<br /> <br /> That's how far the "mighty dollar" has fallen, folks, and it just keeps sinking.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Re: dollar currency exchange rates. I like to use this example to illustrate the impact of a falling US dollar:

In 1977, a plate of beef curry in Tokyo cost 400-yen. In 2007, a plate of beef curry in Tokyo cost 600-yen. That’s a 50% increase in 30 years. Nothing to complain about. It’s still a cheap meal for college students.

However, in 1977, US$1 = 300 yen. In 2007, US$ = 100 yen. Therefore, that plate of 400-yen curry went from costing the equivalent of $1.40 to costing $6.00 … a 500% “increase” … but ONLY if you’re paying for it with 2007 US dollars.

That’s how far the “mighty dollar” has fallen, folks, and it just keeps sinking.

]]> By: msparber http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171488 msparber Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:30:22 +0000 #comment-171488 There was only one comment on Little Green Footballs today. It was repeated 3,395 times.<br /> <br /> Thankfully, I don't wish to moderate a site like that, which I why I am asking you to take your nonsense elsewhere. There was only one comment on Little Green Footballs today. It was repeated 3,395 times.

Thankfully, I don’t wish to moderate a site like that, which I why I am asking you to take your nonsense elsewhere.

]]> By: noodleman http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171485 noodleman Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:20:33 +0000 #comment-171485 As long as Americans insist that they won't spend $1 more than necessary for a pair of jeans at Wal-Mart, et al., you'll continue to see US manufacturing jobs move off-shore and overseas. It's the same mentality that only blames oil companies and OPEC for high fuel prices when, in fact, it's the falling value of the dollar (brought about, in part, by our ridiculous spending habits) that counts for most of the dollar-increase in the <a href="http://www.mees.com/postedarticles/oped/a47n33d01.htm" target="_blank">price of crude</a> in the past five years. As long as Americans insist that they won’t spend $1 more than necessary for a pair of jeans at Wal-Mart, et al., you’ll continue to see US manufacturing jobs move off-shore and overseas. It’s the same mentality that only blames oil companies and OPEC for high fuel prices when, in fact, it’s the falling value of the dollar (brought about, in part, by our ridiculous spending habits) that counts for most of the dollar-increase in the price of crude in the past five years.

]]> By: heh http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171478 heh Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:01:57 +0000 #comment-171478 <em>maybe you should just head on over to Little Green Footballs, where they adore people whose only ability to communicate is to make unsupported partisan attacks.</em><br /> <br /> Little Green Footballs<br /> Comments:<br /> Today: 3,395 <br /> <br /> MNspeak <br /> Today: 292<br /> maybe you should just head on over to Little Green Footballs, where they adore people whose only ability to communicate is to make unsupported partisan attacks.

Little Green Footballs
Comments:
Today: 3,395

MNspeak
Today: 292

]]> By: richg http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171418 richg Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:20:00 +0000 #comment-171418 Vlad04, not to be a China apologist, but keep in mind that the U.S. was one of the first horrendous polluters and made spectacularly shoddy goods during the first several decades of its industrial revolution. And to this day we pollute and have all sorts of manufacturers spewing crap into the air. China is in the infancy of its manufacturing boom. It takes time to grow into responsible manufacturing and a quality over quantity mentality. <br /> <br /> Hell, U.S. automakers have had 100 years and they still don't quite get it. Vlad04, not to be a China apologist, but keep in mind that the U.S. was one of the first horrendous polluters and made spectacularly shoddy goods during the first several decades of its industrial revolution. And to this day we pollute and have all sorts of manufacturers spewing crap into the air. China is in the infancy of its manufacturing boom. It takes time to grow into responsible manufacturing and a quality over quantity mentality.

Hell, U.S. automakers have had 100 years and they still don’t quite get it.

]]> By: vlado4 http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171400 vlado4 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:52:30 +0000 #comment-171400 <i><br /> If that is your belief, then you should only buy "local stuff that is made of high quality." But, why should the government enact a tariff on foreign goods if you've (and presumably others) have made a free market-based decision to only buy locally produced products? Tariffs generally seem to have a very negative unintended consequences on the businesses and individuals.</i><br /> <br /> Because you can hardly buy anything made in the USA anymore. You'd have to exert an immense effort. Not to mention there are many goods which are probably not made in industrialized countries at all period.<br /> <br /> I don't care about tarriffs, I just want an industry that is environmentally responsible and produces quality stuff. Not the abomination that the Chinese factory is. We're all going to be ingesting the mercury that the Chinese coal plants emit.<br /> <br /> The whole free trade thing is great, but why weren't America's high standards exported along with the jobs??? Instead, Asia is a conducive place for corporations to avoid labor and environmental regulations. Great result of the free market indeed.
If that is your belief, then you should only buy “local stuff that is made of high quality.” But, why should the government enact a tariff on foreign goods if you’ve (and presumably others) have made a free market-based decision to only buy locally produced products? Tariffs generally seem to have a very negative unintended consequences on the businesses and individuals.

Because you can hardly buy anything made in the USA anymore. You’d have to exert an immense effort. Not to mention there are many goods which are probably not made in industrialized countries at all period.

I don’t care about tarriffs, I just want an industry that is environmentally responsible and produces quality stuff. Not the abomination that the Chinese factory is. We’re all going to be ingesting the mercury that the Chinese coal plants emit.

The whole free trade thing is great, but why weren’t America’s high standards exported along with the jobs??? Instead, Asia is a conducive place for corporations to avoid labor and environmental regulations. Great result of the free market indeed.

]]> By: richg http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171386 richg Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:46:08 +0000 #comment-171386 I've got to agree. Tariffs are a spectacularly bad idea. Personally, I think the best approach for the U.S. would be to put together a confederation like the E.U. -- an A.U., if you will. I'm pretty damn sure we can't compete in the long run, otherwise. NAFTA and CFTA are a half-assed approach to that. We need to be whole-assed. I’ve got to agree. Tariffs are a spectacularly bad idea. Personally, I think the best approach for the U.S. would be to put together a confederation like the E.U. — an A.U., if you will. I’m pretty damn sure we can’t compete in the long run, otherwise. NAFTA and CFTA are a half-assed approach to that. We need to be whole-assed.

]]> By: richg http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171362 richg Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:27:05 +0000 #comment-171362 <em>Cap-n-trade is, perhaps, the single worst idea in the history of mankind and a vicious competitive blow from within which the U.S. economy could, perhaps, never recover.</em><br /> <br /> I thought I was the one who's supposed to be making unsubstantiated blanket statements, Kevin. Cap-n-trade is, perhaps, the single worst idea in the history of mankind and a vicious competitive blow from within which the U.S. economy could, perhaps, never recover.

I thought I was the one who’s supposed to be making unsubstantiated blanket statements, Kevin.

]]> By: medrowe http://www.secretsofthecity.com/mnspeak/12554#comment-171355 medrowe Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:19:24 +0000 #comment-171355 <em>I'd rather buy local stuff that is made of high quality than the poisonous shit from China that was built on the backs of slaves while raping the environment.</em><br /> <br /> If that is your belief, then you should only buy "local stuff that is made of high quality." But, why should the government enact a tariff on foreign goods if you've (and presumably others) have made a free market-based decision to only buy locally produced products? Tariffs generally seem to have a very negative unintended consequences on the businesses and individuals.<br /> I’d rather buy local stuff that is made of high quality than the poisonous shit from China that was built on the backs of slaves while raping the environment.

If that is your belief, then you should only buy “local stuff that is made of high quality.” But, why should the government enact a tariff on foreign goods if you’ve (and presumably others) have made a free market-based decision to only buy locally produced products? Tariffs generally seem to have a very negative unintended consequences on the businesses and individuals.

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