Y2HH

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 12:02 PM) That's a little simplistic view of things. Perot did get a lot of disaffected folks out to the polls in 92, but its also likely that many of those voters would have stayed home. Some of that 18% (likely 3 or 4 points of that) also peeled off of Clinton's total. Looking at the results, its possible that Perot not being on the ballot might have flipped as many of nine states from blue to red, but that still would have only amounted to 75 Electoral Votes, giving Clinton something in the neighborhood of 295 votes - not the landslide he got electorally, but still enough to eek out a victory. Doubtful. Perot got a LOT of votes from republican voters, not just people who weren't going to vote. To highlight this, Bush almost lost Texas. That says it all. There are undoubtedly some voters that wouldn't have voted, but looking over that electoral map, Bush lost a LOT of states by just a few percentage points, where Perot had 10-20% of the state. Perot was basically a republican candidate running as an Indy. I find it highly unlikely that 3 or 4% of his votes came from democratic voters.

QUOTE (bmags @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:57 AM) http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2012/0...irrelevant.html I'm not really sure how that's related...it's a poorly written opinion piece...of course, IMO.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:53 AM) I think you misunderstood my use of the word "Should". I was using it in the sense that we should actually want inflation to be higher, not that we should fear it. I.e. the federal reserve should be targeting a higher inflation rate (greater than 4%) until unemployment drops to a reasonable amount. Ah, I see. But I think that number would be higher if not for outside circumstances. People that had invested in the Euro are afraid right now...and where else can they put their money? Communist Chinese money? Can't do it...not that they'd really want too. It's no secret China is a currency fixer. So they're fleeing back to the US, our 16 trillion debt be damned...it's a safer bet than anywhere else. These outside factors driving up the cost of US currency are holding inflation back big time.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:47 AM) (actually, thanks for elaborating, couldn't tell if you were making a serious argument about the possibility of deflation or attempting to reference when it actually was a possibility in 2009). If you're really going to note things that could push a deflationary threat, you should include the "Fiscal cliff" as well. Oh, no, it's a serious concern. Because like you pointed out, inflation should be way higher than it is...so the only logical explanation is deflationary pressure is holding that number down, which is why it's only 1-3%.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:45 AM) (It was a joke about what this thread was until a few pages ago) I knew it was a joke, but I figured I'd use the opportunity to make it look like I was taking you seriously with a serious reply.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:40 AM) Probably because of over-expenditures on chicken sandwiches. Well, honestly there are number of factors...one of them being the sudden rising worth of the USD...since the EZ is crumbling, no matter how long they try to kick that can down the road, the glory era of the Euro is coming to an end...and people are starting to buy up American bills again. I believe at the height of the Euros strength, 1 american dollar was worth about .61 cents of a Euro. Just a year later (or so), it's .81.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:34 AM) Please tell me where. I've denied that high inflation was a problem, yes, because it isn't. The inflation rate is running at 1-3%. This is actually a serious problem, with unemployment over 8% it should be much higher. That's because deflation may be coming, and it's holding the inflation number down...

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:33 AM) It's not in a 401k, and I've already checked into it and there is no withdrawal penalty for former employees. Oh, the no problem on that. At this point you have to judge whether there is a backside reward in this...and the chances of achieving it. If this will give you better future opportunities, it may be something to seriously consider...but if it's a permanent loss of money, I personally wouldn't do it. Does the job you have now have better future prospects? Is the new job perhaps a better future? Is the new job a stable company that won't be bankrupt in 2 months? You have to weigh all possible options.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:28 AM) I'd be leaving my employer, so there would not be a penalty for cashing out beyond the normal taxes. If you withdraw money from a traditional individual retirement account such as a 401(k) or other qualified retirement plan before you turn age 59 ½, you are subject to penalty of 10%. The taxable amount is also included in your taxable income. This 10% tax is in addition to regular income taxes.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 09:10 AM) Has anybody ever left a job for a lower-paying job due to location, more interesting work, etc? If so, did you regret it? I applied for a job at a place that I would absolutely love to work in a location that I really desire due to family reasons. The formal interview/selection process hasn't begun yet, but I have connections telling me that I am their top candidate. They are also telling me that the salary is about 20-28% less than what I'm making now. Within 3-4 years, my kids will be in school and my wife will be finished with school and adding a second income to the family, and if I cash out some/most of my retirement savings instead of rolling it all over we can probably maintain the same standard of living until then, but I just wanted to know if anybody else has gone through a similar experience. You may or may not like what I have to say here...but I will be honest about it. First, do not cash out your retirement savings...you will get penalized for doing so, and...it's retirement savings/emergency money. This is not an emergency, it's a choice. Second, 20-28%? Tell them no less than 20%, since they gave you a sizable window there...they shouldn't have told you that, so now your goal is to lose as little as possible if you make the move. Third, if it's closer to home, the gas or travel time savings can end up compensating your salary loss...that said, you have a family, which means having to sacrifice for the greater good of your family. This sounds more like a gamble to do something you'd "love" while mortgaging your future (cashing in retirement). If you think you can take this risk, without having to do something drastic such as cashing in retirement savings, I'd say go for it...otherwise it looks more like a shot in the dark for something you may get sick of doing after a few weeks. Keep in mind that while the grass may look greener, it may not be...so you have to weigh the risk of that happening versus what you have now.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 07:56 AM) Yes, but you have to do a pretty s***ty job as the incumbent President if that many people think Ross Perot is a better option. 1000 points of light.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Aug 8, 2012 -> 07:39 AM) Someone should tell that to Bill Clinton because he still tours the country claiming that he left the country without a deficit, even though he left Bush an nice little poo-present of a recession. In fairness, it's not like Clinton sent us into recession on purpose (the .com collapse did). Just as Bush didn't purposefully leave Obama with one. Such things are far out of a presidents control, that it gets annoying when presidents are blamed for them, or credited with our emergence from them.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 09:20 PM) I forgot all about that motherf***er. But like I said I was in 5th grade lol. I was a junior in HS (at Bogan High School), and was pretty indifferent to politics at the time...I had other pressing concerns. Like girls. But I'm glad Clinton won...and then won again. I like Clinton.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 08:05 PM) I was in the 5th grade and didn't know s*** about politics then compared to now but what I vaguely remember about the 1992 election was that Bush couldn't make a case against Clinton (who was pretty specific about what he wanted to do and people were receptive to what he was saying) and Bush kept just saying Clinton was going to be so awful but otherwise couldn't give a good reason why people should stick with the 12-year status quo that he was a part of. Romney is more or less doing that except he's so terrified of his own (actually not really that bad) political record that he won't run on it. It's actually funny to me. Bush lost to Clinton because of Ross Perot. Perot split the republican vote and Clinton won with something like 43% to HW's 37%, had Perot not run, HW would have won easily.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 07:11 PM) lol... I swore to myself back in the spring that I wouldn't do that. I am annoyed by others' political rants so I don't want to be that guy that I hate. I rather enjoy your rants...please do not stop. You aren't that guy, because you actually have something intelligent to say... Unlike this person:

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 07:10 PM) I hate election years in general and while 2012 isn't as bad as I thought it'd be for someone who's active on social networking it seems like there's quite a bit of meaningless bulls***. I do remember actually talking about public policy in 2008 even if some of it was about stuff that was never really going to happen (cap and trade, high speed rail, etc.) but what are we talking about now... basically nothing. But seriously, literally everything the Romney campaign says is stupid and/or a bold-faced lie. I know this is true of every elected official but Romney goes to new levels with it. Everything both campaigns say is stupid and/or a bold-faced lie. Didn't you realize that 4, 8 or 12 years ago? That's politics. Say whatever you want to get elected, do whatever you want after you get elected.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 07:07 PM) I is reedng buks an nowed things frm it Maybe you should post another soapbox rant on FB.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 06:49 PM) I'm getting a serious case of Romney blather fatigue What's giving me fatigue is Balta's f***ing avatar.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 07:03 PM) Europe keeps trying austerity and the constant contracting of those countries' GDP prolongs their recession to the point where they threaten to implode, or drag us back into a full-blown recession with them. Some, here, want to effectively contract our GDP as well, but we haven't done that (aside from massive layoffs of state employees) and while the economy is still s***ty at least it's actually growing. I mean, it's almost like there is an actual, recent, real-world example of a certain idea being bad... the irony to me is that generally the same people are mad that we are "going to end up like Europe." Well, yeah, but not for the reasons you think I wish lostfan would get ... lost. ;D Oh, and for the record, good points made.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 05:33 PM) Guy gets arrested at theater in Ohio with a bunch of knives, a loaded Glock handgun, and several loaded additional magazines. Will be charged with about all they can charge him with...carrying a concealed handgun without a permit and carrying a weapon while having a disability. Had a nice arsenal of a dozen or so guns, few thousand rounds, gas masks, and body armor left at home. I'm sure we can rehabilitate him in federal prison. Maybe release him in a year or two...all will be well. There is no need to worry about him getting out in relatively short order (which he will) and trying again, possibly successfully next time.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 06:43 PM) Yeah, I read it. I also know that if the liberal media wanted it to be viewed as something other than terrorism, like "workplace violence" they wouldn't have mentioned it. That's how it works, it's how opinion is inserted without actually outright saying it. Well, I won't argue that. That's the sort of thing that usually happens when a story is written, rewritten, etc...passed down, told and retold. Somewhere along the line, a lot of garbage get's added in. That said, he's being charged as a murderer, says nothing about being charged with acts of terrorism (or 'conspiracy to'), so whether the liberal/independent or conservative media says it or not, it doesn't even matter, since he wasn't officially charged with anything of the sort.

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 06:37 PM) He said it got called workplace violence, while right there it is called homegrown terrorism. It says nothing of the sort. Maybe you should read your own links...it says exactly what he's being charged with. And the story, as a whole, is about him following army regulations. Note, it doesn't say anything about being charged with a hate crime or terrorist acts...you know, the ACTUAL charges you'd be speaking of. It doesn't matter if an expert witness wants to talk about him being a "homegrown terrorist", when he wasn't charged with that in the case they're hearing...which is why the defense is asking that it be dismissed. He's charged with murder/attempted murder...and that's all that matters. "Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder in the November 2009 attack on the Texas Army post."

QUOTE (Quinarvy @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 06:26 PM) False. False what? That story has nothing to do with the point the poster you replied too even tried to make. And what he said holds some water, whether you like it or not, whether it should or not. Sometimes it may be hyperbole, but often, it's not far from the truth.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 02:11 PM) Twss. I don't know what that means. :/

QUOTE (danman31 @ Aug 7, 2012 -> 01:52 PM) How far apart are those things from each other? Looks like just a few inches.