POSA290103

Believe whatever you like. If I'm wrong I'll be stuck with gold and silver.

i'm not a believer but stick to logical conclusions based on facts, not fiction.

If you are looking for facts get a copy of Jim Rickards new book, "The Death of Money" or his first book, "Currency Wars"

I would say it is "all against the US$".

Why should anybody in the real world shoud be forced to buy greenbacks when he want to buy crude oil? Because..? Yes because crude is priced in US$. When Switzerland needs oil why can't they pay in francs or dinar????

Should the UN-real demand of US$ is gone some people in NY and Washington will be in hot water. Especially the Rothschild Bank. Some call it Federal Reserve.

crude is priced in USD but neither sellers nor buyers are forced to use USD. that the Dollar is still the preference currency of settlement is based on the fact that most big oil exporters have either their currency pegged or their debt is denominated in Dollars or both.

if Switzerland needs oil from Saudi Arabia and they Saudis accept Swiss chocolate, cheese or cowrie shells the Swiss can use these commodities as payment. as simple as that.

Henry Kissenger brokered a deal with the Saudis in the 1970's. In return for military protection all oil sales were to be in dollars. A country had to exchange their currency for dollars in order to purchase OPEC oil. It is only the past year or two that countries are going around the dollar. Until recently you had to use dollars to purchase oil on the open market.

nice tale but a fairy tale (from National Enquirer?)

-Saudi Arabia is only one of OPEC's members. OPEC's share of global exports (~30mbd = 46%).

-Saudi Arabia's share of total global exports is ~8mbd = 12.5%

Believe whatever you like. If I'm wrong I'll be stuck with gold and silver.

I would say it is "all against the US$".

Why should anybody in the real world shoud be forced to buy greenbacks when he want to buy crude oil? Because..? Yes because crude is priced in US$. When Switzerland needs oil why can't they pay in francs or dinar????

Should the UN-real demand of US$ is gone some people in NY and Washington will be in hot water. Especially the Rothschild Bank. Some call it Federal Reserve.

crude is priced in USD but neither sellers nor buyers are forced to use USD. that the Dollar is still the preference currency of settlement is based on the fact that most big oil exporters have either their currency pegged or their debt is denominated in Dollars or both.

if Switzerland needs oil from Saudi Arabia and they Saudis accept Swiss chocolate, cheese or cowrie shells the Swiss can use these commodities as payment. as simple as that.

Henry Kissenger brokered a deal with the Saudis in the 1970's. In return for military protection all oil sales were to be in dollars. A country had to exchange their currency for dollars in order to purchase OPEC oil. It is only the past year or two that countries are going around the dollar. Until recently you had to use dollars to purchase oil on the open market.

the dollar is now, and will always be in high demand worldwide, regardless of crude purchases as

the entire world puts is excess reserves in Treasury Bills, the most liquid and dependable safe haven market in the world

while all the experts have been screaming from the rooftops that the US dollar is collapsing,

it has been on a steady uptrend against all major currencies, all year

pundits can crow all they want,

the world wants the US Dollar, nothing is going to change that and,

god forbid the US ever truly raises rates,

the flood gates will open, and the demand will be so high, the rest of the world will stay in recession until its eversed

the US is the power house of the world,

thats the way it is

The US Dollar will go the way of all fiat currencies. The Fed will print the dollar until it is worthless. No one can say when the dollar will collapse but it will happen. All central banks are de-valuing thier currnecy. It's a race to the bottom. Just because the dollar will be the last man standing doesn't mean it will last forever. The dollar's value is based on trust. How much do you trust the Fed? I'm American and have been around a while, the US isn't the only powerhouse in the world. The US gov't just doesn't see that yet. The country is run by crooks and idiots. That's the way it is.

Gold and Silver are the best and have outperformed all other investments in the last 10 years. Gold is more popular in Thailand and SE Asia. Yes, gold was up to $1900/ounce and now down to $1308 or so and what better reason to buy it. You don't buy when it is at its peak, you buy when it has a drop. Look at a chart to see what it did from $200/ounce until now and know that once the manipulaiton ends which is coming near you will see Gold rise again! Buy Gold as it is the only real currency!

Golds real value now, after all the printing worldwide, is more likely $5,000 per ounce.

I believe it gets there in the next 3 to 5 years and I have my bets placed with IAG, which has a new mine producing at $850 - $900 per ounce, as their last press release indicated,

there is $1,350 to overcome, and then $1,420

I see a sharp rise after those levels are breached, assuming I am still alive and solvent between then and now

When I said the Dow was going to 18,000, publicly in a press release, people laughed

When I said Ford at $9.00 was headed to $18.00 people scoffed.

Scoffers and laughers are usually not players

Most people listen to and believe the mainstream media's talking points without looking behind the curtain. New supply of precious metal has not kept up with demand for years. Central Banks have been depleting their reserves, when they run out ( and they will ) how much will gold and silver be worth when you can't get any at any price. The East has been buying while the West has been selling. When the general population of western countries realizes their money isn't worth the paper it's printed on, demand for PM's will overwhelm the available supply. How much will gold and silver be worth then? I believe 5,000 per ounce of gold is a conservative estimate. Silver is actually more rare than gold and has more uses. $200.00 per ounce of silver which is 10 times the spot price now may be a under estimate as well.

Gold and Silver are the best and have outperformed all other investments in the last 10 years. Gold is more popular in Thailand and SE Asia. Yes, gold was up to $1900/ounce and now down to $1308 or so and what better reason to buy it. You don't buy when it is at its peak, you buy when it has a drop. Look at a chart to see what it did from $200/ounce until now and know that once the manipulaiton ends which is coming near you will see Gold rise again! Buy Gold as it is the only real currency!

Right on Johnny!

Gold is certainly an answer, but bullion is difficult to leverage,

look at shares.

AEM

ABX

IAG

EXK

there is interest from China in NEM and ABX, and surely, with a rise over $1,350, the bull market will reignite

many pay dividends

IAG cut its dividend two years ago but with a rise over $1,400 per ounce, that will be reinstated.

shares are the way to go and are very close to their 10 yer lows

Gold and silver throughout history have always retained some value. They have never gone to zero like many other investments. Land, which also will always have some value no matter what happens with the markets it isn't easily portable or divisible. Gold and silver are money and protection against inflation which is happening with all fiat currencies. Precious metal prices have been manipulated down to protect the money printing by all central banks. Eventually, they will destroy the value of paper money since none of them are backed by anything real. Fiat relies on promises and trust. When confidence in paper is broken down it will be game over and precious metals along with other commodities will explode upward. Gold and silver are insurance not investments. Mining shares will go up when gold and silver rise in value but they will be valued and exchanged with paper money. 10 to 50% of your savings in physical precious metals will allow you to weather the storm that is coming. No one can say when this will happen but happen it must. Every fiat currency throughout history has failed (almost 600 to date) and dollars, pounds, euros, yen.... won't be spared. Mining Royalties may be more secure than mining shares and any fund not backed by physical metal will be wiped out when demand for metal explodes. GLD and SLV are leveraged by atleast 100 to 1 and won't deliver metal unless you have a minimum of 1,000,000 invested. When delivery of metal to a major buyer (China, India, Russia ) is delayed because of lack of supply the end of manipulation will be here. For info on the metals market, manipulation and currencies check out milesfranklin.com. It's free. Good Luck!

To give a bit more info and some more questions:

Im not going to there home, we have a 3 day vacation planned to the beach with me and the gf, the parents, one of her sisters and some cousins, we are taking a minivan there and I will be meeting the parents when they first arrive at our condo where the mini van will pick us up from so it will just be a quick hello and then into the van where we may chat further.

I suppose Im just looking for something to say after the usual 'Hell0 and nice to meet you both' in Thai, they will have travelled down from the north the night before so I supposed I could ask how the journey was?

Any suggestions of what else to say then would be welcome. Tbh even in English Im not sure, I guess I would comment on the weather or something...

One of my concerns is that if the old-boy takes me to one said and gives me the 'dont mess around with my daughter' speech, what should I say?

You are thinking waayyy to much into this. Just relax for <deleted> sake.

you're not dating donald trumps daughter, there won't be any 3rd degree, did your gf even tell you if they can speak English or not? Chances are NOT, even affluent families in the north/north-east that send their daughters to khon kaen university and the like, the parents cannot speak a word of English. You are putting on quite a show bringing the whole family down and they are the ones who are most likely nervous. You are probably going to be shelling out a fair few quid on meals and whatever else crops up as well for everyone every day so just keep your cool, as you were the one that set it up, don't expect anyone to put their hand into their pocket!

You are right, he's thinking way too much. Smile be polite and soft spoken. Saying less is probably better. Too much conversation may be looked at as being too familar. Let them get to know you at their pace, slowly. If you are paying for all the accomodations and transportation it appears they aren't HiSo. From my experience with the in-laws and relatives who are from a small village in Roi-et they will probably sit around most of the time doing nothing. I saw this on vacation as well. Mealtime and SHOPPING are the highlights of the day and you will pay for EVERYTHING! Have plenty of baht on hand but it may be a lot cheaper than you think. They probably won't go near getting into the water whether it be ocean or pool. If there are young ones along that's a plus for you. Once the children get used to you they will be all over you. That is a easy card to play don't miss that opportunity. Let them SEE how much you love their daughter and you will be fine. On the odd chance they have no intention of accepting you, so what. While it would be nice to have the family on board you really don't need them to be happy. Give them plenty of space and accept whatever comes with courtesy and a smile. In conclusion, I do believe you don't have anything to worry about and you are over thinking this, be yourself.

Consider it work.

Prepare an agenda of points for discussion in advance. Rehearse the meeting in advance (I am sure your local moto-taxi guys would play along for some banknotes). Wear a shirt and tie. Plan your key goals. Have strategies on hand to avoid foreseeable problems.

Don't wear a shirt or tie, wear shorts, a wifebeater, and flip flops, grow some facial hair, and show your tattoos, that way they will know you are a real Farang.

Perfect! I wish I knew that 5 yrs ago.

Don't do the dishes,,,, my FIL came in and saw me doing the dishes on one of the rate occasions I do and gave the wife a good tongue lashing,,,

keep smiling, be polite and show an interest in their activities

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yeah it would make them feel greng jai if you do the dishes, or they'll sorta lose face, since you're a visitor so should be relaxing and putting your feet up.

Remember that when you visit, you're not just trying to impress them, but they're also trying to impress you with their hospitality. So they might even organise a special dinner just because you've come to visit, and they'll almost definitely cook more food than what you can possibly eat.

@OP Your best guide on what to do/say, would be to ask your gf and follow her lead in regards to the personal pronouns she uses etc. Since she would know what her family is like.

Also I'm sure you already know the different in Thai vs Western culture in regards to food, but I'll say it just in case. In western culture (Or at least NZ culture) we should try to eat everything if possible, to show that we really enjoyed the food, but in Thai culture you should leave a little bit on your plate at the end of the meal to show that you're really full. This will then show the hosts that they've catered well for you.

or, they may just sit there after the introduction and wonder where you are taking them and any nearby relatives to eat/drink. In my village they go for Jack Daniels in a big way. It may be worth your while to bring Scotch and Burbon to cover all bases. Beer can be purchased locally. A couple of bottles of Coke wouldn't hurt. In our village, men are the primary alcohol consumers. The women like clothes. Bring plenty of Baht and even more smiles. Try not to say too much and when you do speak do it calmly. Try not to be a loud mouth farang. That will come later. Good Luck.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=92943

http://www.ggweather.com/heat/

http://7online.com/news/child-dies-after-being-left-in-hot-car-in-connecticut/168867/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/father-of-georgia-hot-car-death-toddler-sexting-while-baby-left-to-die-9584358.html

please don't judge anyone base on what they have or have not done...
this can happen to any of us
your country may not be as good as where u are living now ... after all

leave this alone .. he will be grieving for the rest of his life... thats the price he is paying ....


I believe.. in life, things happen for a reason <3

Are you saying people shouldn't be held accountable for their actions or lack of action? Feeling bad about it is enough. Personally, I think it is terrible that this kind of thing happens anywhere. My family lives in Thailand. Therefore, my opinions and statements reflect what I see in Thailand. If I was in the US, Europe or any other place I would make a case relevent to my location and not say that it happens someplace else. What is the reasoning for that? Many of the people posting reply's here are angry at the system and expressing their feelings. Why should they be silenced or better yet since it happens in other places, their arguments aren't valid? Is it possible that the reason this keeps happening is because not enough is said or done to prevent it from happening again. Wouldn't it be great to report in 2 years that Thailand has a record of no child being injured in a school bus. If people aren't held accountable this will happen over and over. I don't know if it could ever be wiped out completely but if one child's life can be saved by bringing attention to this problem is it not worth it?
 

Children take a chit when they get on the bus, put it back when they get off.  Missing chit, kid is still on the bus.... not real hard to organize is it??  Go, down your local school now, buy them a few hundred plastic tags.  It really is a no brainer!!

 

Oz

Great idea! Compliance is another hurdle to get over not to mention that it was recommended by a farang. I can feel the push back as I'm writing this.
 

That poor child and his poor family. How awful. Yes, the driver was stupid and negligent for not checking the entire van before leaving the school and parking the bus. We have had several instances in the States of parents leaving their kids in the car in the hot sun and the children dying. Some leave them there willingly and some just forget they have a kid in the car. Was watching CNN the other day and there was some expert on the show advising parents to leave their shoes of their wallet or purse in the backseat of the car so they won't forget that their children are back there. In the US where car seats are the law, and the seats face backwards very often, the parent apparently can forget there is a kid in the car when they are doing their errands believe it or not.

Even idiots can have children! Now we need an expert to tell us to leave something we feel more valuable or important than our children in the back seat so we don't FORGET them

UNFRACKIN BELIEVEBLE!!!!!!! I can't for the life of me see how a person could unintentionally forget their child was with them. No punnishment is too severe for anyone who does this to a child. IMO
 

There's something wrong here. Members have touched on aspects, but there is more to it.

 

1. " Anusorn Joengrungruang, later admitted to the police that he did not notice that the victim had fallen asleep in the back seat...."

 

2, "At about noon, Anusorn said he started wondering whether he had already let the 4-year old kid out of his van."

 

3. " Police said the kid died 3-4 hours ago."

 

point 1 and 2 together.....He "started wondering" and "LET"......I infer from this that he knew he had locked the child in.

Point 3....The child died only an hour after being left in a van (not a small car) in the morning sun, not midday heat? That sounds a bit quick to me.

 

Things don't add up.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. The story doesn't add up and raises more questions than it answers. Does he normally park his van at the Police Station? I wonder what the autopsy results will be. Something just isn't right.

My son is celebrating his 4th birthday today and this really hits home. During the time I'm here between jobs my wife and I put my son on the van in the am and receive him in the afternoon. Somehow my wife got my son the front passenger seat last year and he is sitting there again this year. I've read the stories in the past about children being left in a school van and dying from the heat. While I am somewhat relieved that my boy can't be forgotten in the front seat (also, there is a attendant on board)  but I am concerned about the seatbelt issue. I've never seen him buckled in or unbuckled to get out of the van. Safety and being conscienscious about your work is something that needs to addressed in all areas and occupations. Unfortunately, all the regulations in the World won't prevent tragedies like this from happening again but you have to try (do) something different. The system isn't working!

So sad for this little boy that society has failed him. My condolences to the Family, they must be heartbroken.
 

I was at Mukdahan Immigration last Fri. for a 30 day extension on my TR visa. I used our house address for the location of my stay because my wife was with me. My wife had to give her ID card to the Officer so he could photocopy it and had her sign it. No mention of any form, I learned something here. You might want to get a photocopy with a statement and signature for just in case they ask for some proof of address and you don't have the proper form. Good Luck.

Here's on article on the topic that I think has a lot of good points:

http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=10490

I rarely post here, so in case the URL gets blocked, it's by Bruce Bawer and titled "Hating America" and the link is to FrontPage magazine.

Great article! Thanks

Not sure if this is the right forum, but...

Always bewildered at anti-American sentiment I often get from other westerners such as Canadians, western Europeans, Aussies and Kiwis. Last year I was guiding a lost French couple I met in Bangkok to their desired destination (a ferry stop on the river) and when I mentioned I was American they calmly explained that Europe was made up of a bunch of different countries and that the country they came from, France, was one of these. (like the fact that I was American stomped the fact that I was guiding them through a back alley in SE Asia in determining whether I knew basics of world geography!).

Plenty of other examples of this like the other day I confronted some Arab man who was drinking on the street and harassing passersby, ended up getting a lecture from a Kiwi about how Americans had no business doing this and I should return home.

Very bewildering to me, so I'm curious if anyone has a good explanation for how this came about, certainly almost never hear it from locals. Did it exist at the end of WWII? Start during Vietnam War? A lefty response to US foreign policy or some deeper rooted kind of bias?

The Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese no doubt do as well but you just can't understand them.

OB

*i work with a lot of Americans and like most of them. It's your government most people don't like and that perhaps reflects back on you.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

The approval rating of the US Congress is less than 10%.

90% of Americans don't like their Govt. and Obama got 51% of the vote. 49% of Americans(at least) don't like the President.

I have met people from all around the world and by far most I like; some, not so much. For me it has nothing to do with politics or nationality. That may be because I was born and lived in NYC for over 55 years. As a New Yorker you are are used to being with people from many different countries. I didn't have a passport until I was 56 but meeting people during my travels was second nature because of my life experience with other cultures. I believe many people who haven't traveled much or met many individuals from different countries form their opinions about those foreign to them by what they see and read in the news. When you look at how many Americans that don't like what is happening with America it's easy to understand (for me) why some have us guilty by association even though we agree with them about the US Govt. It's just a matter of getting past that sterotype. Some never will and don't care, oh well, next. Life is too short to waste time with things out of your control and their opinion is only as important to you as you allow it to be.

As far a correcting someone is concerned, for me, that's not my job unless I'm willing to go all in and there aren't many things I go all in for. Walking away solves so many problems before they get started. It took a while to learn this and that may have someting to do with someone's perception of Americans. Being young and foolish is exactly that and wisdom comes with age(if you are willing to learn).

IMO Most people will accept you as you are and I personally don't see or feel the anti-American sentiment in my travels. Quite the opposite.

I'm loving some of the problems that seem to be popping up all of a sudden - and I suspect they are going to get worse and worser (sic) - I wonder how many of those affected are still such BIG supporters of the sudden regime change now????? Back then when everyone was so happy to see the back of the lady PM - a few of us did warn that things might change for the worst.

Stick around guys (and gals) it's gonna get even tougher.

Yes, as I said in a different thread, a lot of people were applauding the implementation & application of stricter rules and regulations under martial law when it affected Thai people (taxi drivers, jet ski operators, buildings erected on public land, etc), but when it means farang also have to get with the new & improved scheme of things, the applause dropped off.

If you are for less corruption and better law enforcement, it needs to be applied to everyone.

Exactly

I went to Mukdahan Immigration yesterday for a 30 day extension on the first half of my Double Entry TR visa. It was very quiet, only one other person the whole time I was there. When I first arrived, I went to the application table for the required document. Before I could do anything my passport was looked at by three agents. They all smiled and said OK. I was three days before my first 60 days was up. It appeared that they were looking for overstay. Being there before the last day was for my piece of mind but I believe it showed I was trying to be compliant with the rules. They really were very courteous and helpful since I wasn't familiar with the routine. I have a Thai wife and son(US/Thai) and my wife was with me. That definitely helped. Using our house address as my location instead of a hotel required my wife to show her ID card and sign a photo copy of it. I explained that I only need 19 days since I will be returning to the States on Aug 5th and will be going to Oslo for work for at least a year. I don't know if they were listening or understood what I was saying but they told me in English and repeated to my wife in Thai that I have to return before Aug 20th to use the second half of my TR visa. I have 3 in/out border runs in my passport from over two years ago(I misunderstood the date stamp on the double entry visa). I came here from Iraq in March, stayed 30 days, returned to the US for two weeks and flew back to Thailand. I received another 30 days and went to Savannahket for my TR double entry at the end of that 30 days. This was in mid/late May and the start of all the visa issues. Everything went smoothly and I came back through Mukdahan without any problem. I do not live here full time and only stay as long as it takes to find another contract or for a project to start. I can meet the requirements for marriage/dependent/retirement visa's but the TR is just easier and I really am on vacation. From any dealings I have had with Immigration I've found a smile and politeness to the officer no matter how they act is at the very least helpful. They really have you at their mercy and it doesn't matter if you are 100% legit. They can make it difficut for you. As I stated above, it was mentioned three different times for me to return before the 20th of Aug to use the second half of my visa. I understand that it is up to the border agent when arriving but the officials I dealt with at Immigration didn't in any way imply there would be a problem at the border in my case. I believe there are many here in a situation similar to mine and many are nervous(I know I was). All I can say is, be polite, LISTEN to them(they like that), state your case calmly and you should be just fine. Unfortunately, I can only report you should be fine. Good Luck to All!!

There have been no report that I can recall of a extension being denied. Everything is about entries and most exempt entries.

You can also get 60 day extensions to visit your child for any type of entry.

Thanks Ubonjoe, you are a wealth of information!

What is the point of talking to Jomtien Dongtan police. My crash helmet was stolen one day and I reported it to a policeman sitting there, hands behind his head, leaning back nearly asleep. He told me to drive home without it and buy another one.

Now they have painted very wide red and white no stopping or parking marks all the way from their police box up to the beach gate.

Good job for all the traffic and people. No way...... The cars park on the red and white marks every day all along the road.

What do these police do and why does it go on right outside their police box?

Ths police probably put the markings there so they coud park their cars. That's who the cars most likely belong to. See it all the time in NYC(ex-NYPD retired FDNY)

I'm going to Mukdahan Immigration on Fri to get a 30 day extension on my TR 60day double entry visa. I won't be using the second half of the visa since I have to return to work and only need a couple of weeks longer than the first two months. I hope this isn't going to be a problem. I only have a couple of pages left in my passport and will get a new one after returning to the US. My passport still is legible but went through the wash while working in Baghdad. Laos immigration said not to come back with that passport, get a new one, when I was getting my Thai visa two months ago. At the time I wasn't sure but thought I'd be working by now. I figured at the time that I could just get the extension and all would be fine. I have a copy of my offer letter stating the project will start on or about Aug 10th and I 'm waiting for my employer to send my Airline tickets. It would be good to have them also. All this new enforcement and changes in policy have me concerned. I'm not a frequent border crosser and don't have any back to back stamps in almost 3 years. I am here on vacation between jobs and won't return for atleast another year. I have a Thai wife and son but haven't gone the marriage visa route because I don't live here yet. My stays are as I said, "on vacation between jobs" didn't see the need for a long term marriage visa.I was out of Thailand for over two years on my last contract and it would have been impossible to renew every year. I'll post my observations and outcome from this visit to Mukdahan on Friday night. Wish me luck!

12 x 12kg bars = 4629 troy ounces, @ US$1300/ounce and THB30/dollar = THB180.5 million.

And he probably won't get a refund on his excess luggage charges.

Usually it's some tourist who claims he/she was out for a stroll at 3:00 am on Beach Road in Pattaya and had his/her bag stolen by a jet ski lady boy flashing a plastic AK47 and that the bag contained 5 mobile phones, several million in various foreign currencies as well as 12 x 12 kilo of gold.

From their appearance the bars would be one kilo each at a maximum.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webmobile/national/South-Korean-held-over-smuggling-charges-30237622.html

So 12 gold bars were seized ..... but there's only 9 in the photo. "Commission" for the BIB?

Looks like 10 bars in the picture. 4 being held and 6 on the table. I'd check the pockets of the two guys standing in the background looking like they are fighting a ear to ear grin.

 

Wow, three responses and all completely wrong. No one made an imperial decree to let hundreds of thousands of people cross the border. That is complete BS. The fact of the matter is that Republicans were working with Democrats on a immigration bill to fix long standing problems in our immigration policy before Obama was elected. This isn't some problem that just popped up when Obama was elected. This is decades old.Despite the fact that there was bipartisan support for reform, that faded when not only a Democrat won the presidency, but a black Democrat won. This has affected not only immigration reform but our entire economy which is recovering not because of what Obama has done to improve the economy but despite what the Republicans have done to undermine the economy of their own country. The Democrats aren't even near perfect but the Republicans are traitors to their own country.

 

Actually you are the one who is incorrect.Obama's executive order creating Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is what started the rumors that kids could come into the US and not be deported. That they are not being deported as they come in is supporting that rumor of course. 

 

Any immigration bill has to have border enforcement before it actually means anything. 

 

And you are correct in that the biggest issue is the US elected a black president, not that he is black of course, but that was simply the only reason he was elected, it sure wasn't on experience or leadership skills. The man is spending on average $1 trillion more each year than Bush and the Fed pumps in another trillion. So basically a $2 trillion a year Keynesian wet dream with a 2.9% negative growth rate in the 1st quarter to show for it. Oh boy. Should we spend some more? 

 

Right on XDB. Amnesty for people who broke the law by illegal entry is a sticking point also. None of this would be a issue if  the laws already in the books would have been enforced for the last 20yrs. Placing blame on one party or the other is nonsense. There is enough guilt to go around for both Dems and Republicans.

  If you want to see the real state of the economy check out John Williams of Shadowstats. It has gotten so bad that even with the DC spin which is used to get the result they want the economic numbers are horrible. The US is screwed and the 99% for the most part don't see it.
 

So today I see the Gardner riding his motorbike AGAIN with the kid in the same spot in the side car!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!

So, would the conclusion be that, even if you did pay for the repairs to the Benz, the attitudes and perceived responsibilities of the Gardiner would not change?

To some it would.