[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by canucklion

you buy gold seedlings and plant them in your backyard, in about 1 yr they grow into gold trees and you can harvest the leaves

Maybe in Canada.
Here, Chaney comes over night and cuts the tree as soon as it grows...

[67bmer]

we're preoccupied with the wars, oil and some illusional terrorist threats...

I went to NY and saw the World Trade center site for the first time in Sept.

Terrorism is NO illusion!!!

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by 67bmer

we're preoccupied with the wars, oil and some illusional terrorist threats...

I went to NY and saw the World Trade center site for the first time in Sept.

Terrorism is NO illusion!!!

And I saw them walking on the moon...
That does not prove anything...

We caused them to revolt against us because we tried to play the world's policeman... Again -- the history repeats itself -- whoever tried to control the whole world collapsed pretty quickly...

[///Matt]

Oh politics.

As for this being "...the craziest little blip in history..." I don't think so.
How would you like to have been in World War II, and watch just about every male you know either go to war or get called a pussy for being in school instead of war?

How about in the Crusades? or maybe Fuedal Japan...

We've got it pretty made, my friends.

Sure, life is crazy, but it's ALWAYS going to be crazy. It's human nature.

Just go with the flow, and do you small part for humanity. Try to recycle, and be fuel conscious. Treat others how you want to be treated (unless you're masochistic). Don't actively pollute (littering, etc). You get the point. These are not hard to do. They're not even really an effort to do.

I'm a firm believer in a sort of fate. I beleive that the end is decided, and the road is up to you. It's an "all roads lead to Rome" sort of belief in fate.

So live a life that it's moral, and just, however you define those things, and go out when it's your time.

Right? fuck politics.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by ///Matt

fuck politics.

I have to agree with that!

[txusa03]

Originally Posted by dr325i

Maybe in Canada.
Here, Chaney comes over night and cuts the tree as soon as it grows...

And he shoots you in the buttock if you interfere

Sorry, but I am "unable to express an opinion" from the article.

[///Matt]

Not the buttock! the FACE!

[obLu]

However, I do hold the Gov't accountable a lot -- they are supposed to regulate these things ,and enforce them!

Nope! This comment cracks me up. Why do you expect the US govt to regulate things to protect you?

[e46rocket]

that article is full of politically motivated crap and false assumptions

For fact, the US national debt is at $8.5 Trillion, US GDP is $12.3 Trillion. That's no where near the 400% of GDP that the author is proclaiming.

To get his number he added in future commitments (like social security), and made wild assumptions on future income. Okay granted, we all know social security is facing a shortfall in the next 20 years. But that will hardly make the US bankrupt. The worse case scenario if the politicians don't find a solution soon is a cut in SS benefits. I believe the last official report from GAO is that if nothing changes, after 2020 SS account will only be able to pay out benefits at 60 something percent of current benefit rate. So we are looking at a 40% cut in benefits. Again, assuming nothing changes (there are already a lot of proposed legislature trying to address this problem, such as delay the retirement age to 69, increase taxes, or partially privatize SS, etc).

Frankly as a person in his 20's, I've already discounted my SS contribution as an extra tax and don't expect a return. I've invested in other retirement plans which make much greater returns.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by e46rocket

that article is full of politically motivated crap and false assumptions

For fact, the US national debt is at $8.5 Trillion, US GDP is $12.3 Trillion. That's no where near the 400% of GDP that the author is proclaiming.

To get his number he added in future commitments (like social security), and made wild assumptions on future income. Okay granted, we all know social security is facing a shortfall in the next 20 years. But that will hardly make the US bankrupt. The worse case scenario if the politicians don't find a solution soon is a cut in SS benefits. I believe the last official report from GAO is that if nothing changes, after 2020 SS account will only be able to pay out benefits at 60 something percent of current benefit rate. So we are looking at a 40% cut in benefits. Again, assuming nothing changes (there are already a lot of proposed legislature trying to address this problem, such as delay the retirement age to 69, increase taxes, or partially privatize SS, etc).

Frankly as a person in his 20's, I've already discounted my SS contribution as an extra tax and don't expect a return. I've invested in other retirement plans which make much greater returns.

When you turn 30, you become much smarter...

[///Matt]

WTF does THAT mean? /\

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by ///Matt

WTF does THAT mean? /\

Sorry Matt, I forgot to mention you're exceptionally smart in your 20's
JK, we all have our opinions here, and some of them are easy to prove, some of them are pure speculation. All in all, as Matt said, I believe in fate and what comes out of it, I will have to follow it...

Cheers

[NaTuReB0Y]

put a Democrat in office.....and we'll be surplus again.

[DFW_M]

Originally Posted by NaTuReB0Y

put a Democrat in office.....and we'll be surplus again.

We need a surplus for 30 years to get out from the debt...
And Jeb (Bush) is still young...if you know what I mean