bills_fan

Despite the fact that I disagree with him vehemently about this, I think he set his threshold too low for what he is trying to do. Make the threshold $1 million and you may get less opposition. I still think its wrong to penalize any success, but treating Warren Buffet and the plumber making $275k the same is blatantly unfair.

Wow! Hopefully this is not TG just trying to CYA. If this is true and Peterson nixed the Bills offer of a 3rd (and maybe a 6th, depending on reports), shame on Peterson. KC's loss.

Anyone who does not understand what "too big to fail" means should read these articles. Falls into the be careful what you wish for phase. No way LEH should have been allowed to fail, a brokered Bear-style sale to Barclays...fine. Derivatives http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/conte...04000160047.htm Reserve Fund http://www.usnews.com/blogs/new-money/2008...s-may-lose.html http://www.financialweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll...8/REG/809189988 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=home CDS (Anyone wondering why the equity/commodity/credit (partially) markets were so f*cked last week). http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2008/10/09...man-cds-unwind/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business...yed-960345.html

Yep, I'm thinking Gonzalez sandwich in the secondary....pow!

You can't. And this is a nicely nuanced question, given that consumer spending acounts for 70% of GDP. And, to deal with this problem, I would ensure every person in America pays taxes (has a skin in the game). I'd cut government spending and run a surplus. Use the surplus to pay off the debt. Yes, I would put us into a technical recession (defined as negative GDP growth). Better recession than what would occur down the line. Once the debt is repaid (and a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution is passed, ensuring it did not happen ever again), then we can look at tax cuts vs. government spending, using the surplus that had paid our debt. But the immediate problem will not be an easy fix.

Everyone must have a skin in the game, or else there is no incentive for voters to control and restrain spending.

From the comments section of the Yahoo Rumor link...not sure if true or not?

When the entire US Federal budget goes to servicing the interest on the national debt, at the expense of Medicare/Social Security/military spending/etc., you will have one of two options... 1- US citizens living in abject poverty due to excessive spending of prior generations (Note, I'm talking about within the next 20 years) 2- The US defaults on its debt and declares bankruptcy leading to a global revolution I really don't want to contemplate either scenario. Gov't spending MUST be reduced. There is no possible way the economy can expand enough to cover the ineterest on this level of debt. If anyone knows how, I'd be glad to listen.

Take a look at this graph... http://www.cedarcomm.com/~stevelm1/usdebt.htm Just awful. This is unsustainable and will break the US as a nation if it is not reigned in. Obama is proposing massive new government spending programs. McCain forgot what he proposed, but knows its expensive. Where is Ross Perot when you need him? If he ran today...he just might win. Prediction...within 25 years, there will be a new viable 3rd party, dedicated to fiscal conservatism/social libertarianism that will elect a President. The Republicans will be marginalized to the South, the Democrats to the left coast and certain Northeast/Midwest industrial areas. This is ridiculous.

My email to Tony... Hey Tony Big time Bills fan here. Please accept the trade to the Bills. We are the 2nd youngest team in the league, sit at 4-1 right now, with a pretty easy schedule to get to 11-5. We're building a dominant team, with huge fan support. Check out this link from when we beat the Raiders...remember this is one of three Bills bars in New York City. Our fans are loud, proud and ready to roll out the red carpet for you. Lets go win that Super Bowl together!!!

Back in 1988, a young Bills team reached out to KC for a veteran player and multiple Pro Bowler who helped stabilize a young D-Line. Is TG this team's version of Art Still? History repeats itself?

Not a timer...all in on the 401(k). Just thinking about putting some cash to work in a few weeks.

I'd still be on the sidelines, until the WaMu CDS settled on 10/23. Today is bull. Setting up for the big one later this week? Hope not. I'd rather not be the first one in...be careful here. The second mouse usually gets the cheese, cause the first is caught by the trap.

Very true.

John...they have. Its called fractional reserve banking. Basically, it works like this... A bank has $1.00 (from where does matter, but not for these purposes). The Fed mandates that the bank must keep 10%. So the bank loans out $0.90 to another bank. That bank, with the same 10% requirement, can loan out $0.81. The next bank $0.725. And so on. I realize my example is simplified, and there are many otehr factors affecting this notion, but the basic concept is there.

Simple. If he made 280k, my guess is his base salary was about 100k, with 180k in bonus. 100k base is not much to live on in NYC, think 50k in Buffalo, it really is comparable. That bonus splits out to, my guess, 130k-150k in cash and 30k - 50k in restricted stock options (Bear was notorious for giving these out). The restricted stock options he got last year would have been virtually worthless. Bonuses are taxed at 43% in NYC, you see 57%. He would have seen about 75k on the bonus. Now, the question is...did he make any big ticket purchases (NYC apt, engagement ring etc.)? Not defending him, but just saying...it could happen quickly.

Dude...seriously....

Not sure how long he is signed for...if only 2-3 more years, that could be awesome for this offense. Of course, it will never happen, but hey nice to dream right?

They used the starting lineup of the Cowboys as voters Obama should tell these azzholes to stop (and yes, they are his people), he's already got the election won, no reason to taint it. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_...ter_fraud_probe

I'm really not planning to at this point, just used it as an example. Although with the ever expanding family/possible Mom moving in, a little more room would not be a bad thing.

East Brady...that was a very interesting article. Can you post some links to others discussing this...preferably sites that do not advocate the direct purchase of gold/silver? Of course, that will be the preferred route, but you can certainly see the inherent conflict of interest.

Thanks Jay, appreciate the review. I may be looking at that L Poz.

Depends on the bar...seriously. I got a lot of good advice way back when (market and otherwise) at two bars...Le Cirque 2000 and Wollensky Grill. Sadly, only one still exists (the new Le Cirque is not the same, no matter what anyone says). Wollensky Grill...still my favorite spot.

Problem is that no one, absent extreme circumstances, will sell a house if they lose their entire down payment and have to dig into their pockets at closing to pay off a mortgage. You will continue to have a frozen market, expecially for anyone who bought a house (prime, 30 year-fixed included) after 2003. Right now, if I sold my house (which has a 30 year fixed mortgage, with 21% down payment), I'd lose most of my down payment, and if I had to pay a broker to sell, would have to dig into my pocket at closing. So, you can forget selling and then buying another house. And this is not in California/Florida/Nevada, but NY, a more stable market. A home being one's largest asset (in most cases), until you stabilize housing prices, you will not see a healthy market of buyers and sellers. Sellers won't sell and take that kind of personal loss (which incidentally cannot even be written off your taxes, as a primary residence is excluded from long term capital loss calculations).