Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

The majority of Americans are moving backwards economically in terms of
earnings, and many have lost or are losing good employment, insurance,
even their houses.


Household income has been growing slower than credit card
debt. What does that tell you about the U.S. standard of living?


Eisboch wrote:
I don't know if the "majority" are or are not, but don't you see the
difference in thinking?
The average "Joe Swede" looks at an American moving backwards and can't, for
the life of him, understand why and may even long for the opportunity that
he thinks the American has.


Agreed... but the problem is that opportunity being
outsourced to China and you probably know more than most
about how difficult it is to make any innovation pay off.

The fact that the biggest U.S. growth industry for the last
8 years has been lobbying, should say a lot about the US
system and opportunity. The fact the so-called conservatives
have been in charge most of that time is one reason why I am
PO'd at the current gang of "conservatives" in politics.

The U.S. is not a fair marketplace and those who shout the
loudest about opportunity & free markets are the ones who
work the hardest to subvert the rules in their own favor.

All that aside, I had a close partner in college who was a
Swedish engineering student. Very smart and also had quite a
few observations about similarities and differences between
the U.S. and America. You'd probably enjoy his perspective
on Swedish socialized medicine... almost everything is free,
but if you need specialized treatment then you go back after
5pm and be prepared to pay cash.

Regards
Doug King

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

JimH wrote:
basskisser wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
Don White wrote:
Harry Krause wrote:
Jack Goff wrote:

The separation between yourself and Jack Goff (childish
namecalling
and all...) is immense. I'm superior in every way. I even live
in a
superior country. I'm sorry for you, Don. :-)
Don't know why you run from your nickname, Jackoff. It suits you
to a tee.
Jackoff should stick with what he does best.
The United Nations lists Canada as one of the best 3 or 4 places in
the
world to live year after year.
The US is down in the dumper on most serious places ratings surveys.
Such as?
Here's one. There are several about:

http://www.economist.com/theworldin/...3372495&d=2005
ROTF! The Economist? Nothing more than a European rag as obviously
reflected in their ratings.

Absurd. The Economist is one of the most respected publications in the
world. And as I said there are any number such surveys extant. The US no
longer leads the pack in such important areas as democracy, freedom of
the press, lowest infant mortality rates, availability of health care,
et cetera.

Finland, usually, leads the pack of quality nations.


Finland? A socialistic country? This is funny. Tell me more.

Jim, the measurements are concerned with the quality of life for the
majority of people in a country, not the ability of a tiny number of those
people to become multimillionaires. In terms of democracy, freedom of the
press, those others I mentioned and several more criteria, the USA is
nowhere near the top.

I think I mentioned here I have a Norwegian friend, a fellow who was
trained to work as a technician on offshore rigs. He sustained an injury
and was no longer able to work that job. The taxpayers of his country paid
completely for his hospitalization and rehabilitation AND his complete
reeducation at the college level in another field, and while he was
attending college, he and his family received a stipend that covered
expenses. He finished up a couple of years ago, got re-employed at a
professional level, his kids are in college, cost-free to him, the entire
family has medical care AND he has a secure decent retirement.

Now, his take-home is a lot lower than it might be in the United States,
BUT...his out of pocket expenses to maintain a high standard of living for
his family, NO MATTER WHAT, are much lower than they are in this country.

Earlier this week, the US secretary of the treasury said the "economic
recovery in this country is not working for the middle class."

Next.


I do not believe in socialism. I do not believe that people should rely on
the government for their existence or quality of life. The less control the
government has over my life the happier I am.

That's odd, the Bush administration has enacted more laws of control
over you than anyone!


The President and his staff (Executive Branch) do not enact laws Kevin.
Don't you know that?

I see you're still blindly ignorant of any fact. Care to take the $5000
challenge? Put up, or shut up.
If you'd act like a man and try to carry on a conversation without
acting like a child, I could then inform you that I said the Bush
ADMINISTRATION. I didn't say he and his staff. Ooops........I'm
killfiled.....but, how did you answer me? Besides, just last week, you
were ****ing in everybody's cereal for posting off topic here......

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:50:56 -0400, Eisboch wrote:


I don't know if the "majority" are or are not, but don't you see the
difference in thinking?
The average "Joe Swede" looks at an American moving backwards and can't,
for the life of him, understand why and may even long for the opportunity
that he thinks the American has.

It might be the human condition. The grass is always greener . . .

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Eisboch wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..

The average Norwegian has a much higher quality standard of living than
the average American. I was astonished when I visited my friends there.

True statement due to the socialistic structure of their government,
however it does not tell the whole story.
I have relatives in both Norway and Sweden. Both countries consist of
the "haves" and "have nots". Those whose families owned land and/or
farms and held them within the family for generations control most of the
wealth of the respective country and have the most political influence.
The "have-nots" are well provided for by our standards, but have limited
opportunity to change their status. One of the admired qualities of the
US in both Norway and Sweden is the greater opportunity by all to change
or improve their status. My Swedish relatives are multi-generation land
owners. My Norwegian relatives are not, but both have similar views of
the US.

Eisboch


The majority of Americans are moving backwards economically in terms of
earnings, and many have lost or are losing good employment, insurance,
even their houses.

Another statistic to ponder, from NPR a few months ago. You can probably
find more online if you try:

The difference in income (adjusted for inflation) between fathers & sons
since the 1950s is getting smaller & smaller. You could pick this apart
without knowing more, but the news report contained all the necessary
information to understand it better.

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

Harry Krause wrote:
As opposed to the US system, where, if you are one of the nearly 50
million without health insurance or the means to pay cash, you're likely
to get little or no care at all for serious medical problems, and if you
do get help, you sit and wait and wait and wait while you lose time from
work and then you lose your crummy job.


A crummy job is not much loss, is it?

Waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for FREE health
care is not that big a problem, is it?

If there was such a thing as free gasoline, imagine how long
you'd have to wait in line at the pump.

DSK

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
DSK wrote:
The majority of Americans are moving backwards economically in terms of
earnings, and many have lost or are losing good employment, insurance,
even their houses.

Household income has been growing slower than credit card debt. What does
that tell you about the U.S. standard of living?


Eisboch wrote:
I don't know if the "majority" are or are not, but don't you see the
difference in thinking?
The average "Joe Swede" looks at an American moving backwards and can't,
for the life of him, understand why and may even long for the
opportunity that he thinks the American has.


Agreed... but the problem is that opportunity being outsourced to China
and you probably know more than most about how difficult it is to make
any innovation pay off.

The fact that the biggest U.S. growth industry for the last 8 years has
been lobbying, should say a lot about the US system and opportunity. The
fact the so-called conservatives have been in charge most of that time is
one reason why I am PO'd at the current gang of "conservatives" in
politics.

The U.S. is not a fair marketplace and those who shout the loudest about
opportunity & free markets are the ones who work the hardest to subvert
the rules in their own favor.

All that aside, I had a close partner in college who was a Swedish
engineering student. Very smart and also had quite a few observations
about similarities and differences between the U.S. and America. You'd
probably enjoy his perspective on Swedish socialized medicine... almost
everything is free, but if you need specialized treatment then you go
back after 5pm and be prepared to pay cash.

Regards
Doug King



As opposed to the US system, where, if you are one of the nearly 50
million without health insurance ........snip

That is a misleading statement. How many of those without health insurance
are in that category based on *their* decision not to carry it even though
they can afford it? How many because they cannot afford it?

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 12:07:16 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Jack Goff" wrote in message
.. .

Only thing is, Joe doesn't want to stop futures trading for oil. He
supports handing it over to the oil companies.

First of all, the phrase "handing it over" is a silly idea. They *already*
participate in the exact same futures markets as the gamblers who are just
there for the thrill. I taught you earlier that the gamblers needed to be
eliminated. The gamblers often have no knowledge of what factors *really*
affect oil production, which is one of the reasons the price is where it is
today.

You seem to like the idea of keeping the gamblers in the oil futures game,
right? But, what if those same players were able to do the same thing with
everything you buy in the supermarket? Would you be interested in seeing the
price of vegetables double or triple because a bunch yahoos thinks the
presidential election in Mexico is a major threat? That's *exactly* what
you're seeing now with oil.

There are industries in this country which, for many years, have had their
own informal hedging methods, kept within each industry without any
participation (aka "static") from the type of investor who belongs at a race
track. Chemicals & groceries are two such industries. I'm in the latter
industry, and my job is to help buyers cost-average their purchases based on
*real* information about weather, past buying habits of the public (for
which they have unbelievably accurate data), and knowledge of the corporate
condition of the raw material producers. If my customers "buy wrong", it
rarely hurts the retail customer because temporary price jumps are absorbed
into the larger universe of past purchases. Grocery chains know they can't
take a 75 cent can of beans and crank it up to $1.25 just because *they*
screwed up. The product will just sit on the shelves.

The difference is this: The buyers I deal with know which factors *really*
affect their business, and which ones are nonsense. Want an example? You can
probably come up with one. Think back to hurricane Katrina. One big thing
affected almost every supermarket chain & wholesaler in the country,
regardless of location. What do you think it was?


Bull hockey. Safeway did it with tomatoes.

Let's boycott 'em.
--
******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

John

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

" JimH" jimhUNDERSCOREosudad@yahooDOTcom wrote in message
...

As opposed to the US system, where, if you are one of the nearly 50
million without health insurance ........snip

That is a misleading statement. How many of those without health
insurance are in that category based on *their* decision not to carry it
even though they can afford it? How many because they cannot afford it?


Considering the cost of hospital care, I think that if you CHOSE not to have
health insurance, and you could afford it, then "can afford it" has to mean
you're fabulously wealthy, or have a terminal disease and figure insurance
is pointless anyway.

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

basskisser wrote:
JimH wrote:
basskisser wrote:
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
JimH wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
. ..
Don White wrote:
Harry Krause wrote:
Jack Goff wrote:

The separation between yourself and Jack Goff (childish
namecalling
and all...) is immense. I'm superior in every way. I even live
in a
superior country. I'm sorry for you, Don. :-)
Don't know why you run from your nickname, Jackoff. It suits you
to a tee.
Jackoff should stick with what he does best.
The United Nations lists Canada as one of the best 3 or 4 places in
the
world to live year after year.
The US is down in the dumper on most serious places ratings surveys.
Such as?
Here's one. There are several about:

http://www.economist.com/theworldin/...3372495&d=2005
ROTF! The Economist? Nothing more than a European rag as obviously
reflected in their ratings.

Absurd. The Economist is one of the most respected publications in the
world. And as I said there are any number such surveys extant. The US no
longer leads the pack in such important areas as democracy, freedom of
the press, lowest infant mortality rates, availability of health care,
et cetera.

Finland, usually, leads the pack of quality nations.


Finland? A socialistic country? This is funny. Tell me more.

Jim, the measurements are concerned with the quality of life for the
majority of people in a country, not the ability of a tiny number of those
people to become multimillionaires. In terms of democracy, freedom of the
press, those others I mentioned and several more criteria, the USA is
nowhere near the top.

I think I mentioned here I have a Norwegian friend, a fellow who was
trained to work as a technician on offshore rigs. He sustained an injury
and was no longer able to work that job. The taxpayers of his country paid
completely for his hospitalization and rehabilitation AND his complete
reeducation at the college level in another field, and while he was
attending college, he and his family received a stipend that covered
expenses. He finished up a couple of years ago, got re-employed at a
professional level, his kids are in college, cost-free to him, the entire
family has medical care AND he has a secure decent retirement.

Now, his take-home is a lot lower than it might be in the United States,
BUT...his out of pocket expenses to maintain a high standard of living for
his family, NO MATTER WHAT, are much lower than they are in this country.

Earlier this week, the US secretary of the treasury said the "economic
recovery in this country is not working for the middle class."

Next.


I do not believe in socialism. I do not believe that people should rely on
the government for their existence or quality of life. The less control the
government has over my life the happier I am.

That's odd, the Bush administration has enacted more laws of control
over you than anyone!


The President and his staff (Executive Branch) do not enact laws Kevin.
Don't you know that?

I see you're still blindly ignorant of any fact. Care to take the $5000
challenge? Put up, or shut up.
If you'd act like a man and try to carry on a conversation without
acting like a child, I could then inform you that I said the Bush
ADMINISTRATION. I didn't say he and his staff. Ooops........I'm
killfiled.....but, how did you answer me? Besides, just last week, you
were ****ing in everybody's cereal for posting off topic here......

You really are an idiot Kevin. Really. Your post does not deserve any
more of a response then that.

Have a nice day.

Gasoline prices - another record high/ supply and demand
 

On Thu, 03 Aug 2006 11:49:56 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Eisboch wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...

JimH wrote:
The US is down in the dumper on most serious places ratings surveys.
Such as?

Here's one. There are several about:

http://www.economist.com/theworldin/...3372495&d=2005


LOL. I have to give you an "A" for effort, Harry.

The US is far from being in the "dumper" and your claim is a bit misleading.
According to the UN Human Development Index (HDI), the US hasn't led or come
close to leading the list since at least 1980 but it's ranking is still up
there with little mathematical score difference between it and the top of
the list. It is interesting that the countries that have led the list over
the years tend to be more socialistic in their government.

Nice try, though. :-)

Eisboch




Last time I looked, the US ranked 10th or 12th on that particular index.
For a country with folks who thinks the US ranks #1, that's pretty low
on that particular index.

The US is in the top 12%, below the top scorer by a little over half a
point. If one were to listen to you and yours, which most don't, you'd
think the US was #110 out of 111.

We're actually doing pretty well in this country, according to your survey.
Of course, Canada is too, although it's behind the USA.
--
******************************************
***** Have a Spectacular Day! *****
******************************************

John