Balta1701

So, you're a major league pitcher. You've loaded the bases. In a 1 run game. Walking to the plate is... 1. Robin Ventura 2. Alexei Ramirez Death is not an option. Pick one.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 07:08 PM) IMO the key is to getting alternative energy, or more efficient energy use, to become in the economic interest of developing countries. If it's cheaper to use something other than fossil fuels, they'll do it. And THE only way that is going to happen is if the nations that are wealthy enough to pay for the R&D spend the money to develop those systems for themselves...and then start using their trading power to "encourage" other nations to join in.

Link

QUOTE (kyyle23 @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 05:38 PM) someone needs to screenprint the homepage from ESPN right now and post the picture. Someone who is much smarter than me and has the right programs Here's it posted here.

Bring your A game John.

There's a couple guys on this team who just decided to say "That's ok guys, we got it" the last 2 days.

Wow.

I'm reading that these 2 sentences came out of Senator McCain's mouth back to back a moment ago. Yup. Just saw the video. Back to back.

OK G!

Although the header is wrong, I think this is the full roll call vote if you want to know how your congressman voted. I'm probably going to call mine's office later today to say "Thanks".

Your political compass Economic Left/Right: -6.12 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.87 You know what I never like about these sorts of things? I gather it was fairly important whether i chose to agree or strongly agree. How do you know that those 4 divisions are the appropriate ones, and that I wouldn't turn out totally different if you offered up a "neutral" option or instead offered 3 levels of agreement/disagreement.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 01:19 PM) But that 1/3 of the Dem party are running for cover. Come on, there's blame all over the place for this one. Honestly...there's a reason for that. The public still hates this bill, although it's not nearly at the level at which they hate the President, it still polls very, very poorly. There's an election in 1 month. The reality is...anyone who votes for this bill runs the chance of having their opponent go after them harshly on it, or even runs the risk of a primary challenge starting up a year from now. This is the kind of vote that could easily cost people seats, and there's no way that some of them are going to do it.

I didn't want to stick this in the bailout thread, but honestly, from the perspective of a person who does not want to see that thing pass, this is spectacular. They spend the whole morning claiming credit for the wonderful bill that's going to help the banking industry, credit which they almost certainly don't deserve...and then it completely blows up in their faces.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 01:12 PM) Sure, and some Dems are screaming that its big business stomping on the little guys. All to be expected. The amazing thing is...I agree with both the Repubs and the Dems on this one. It is too much like socialized risks for my taste, and it's also big business dumping on the little guys.

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 01:05 PM) So if I have this correct, my choices here are: 1. Hope for a bailout, which basically would be a case of socialism to ease economic crisis, or 2. Hope for no bailout, which would cause Wall Street Armageddon. Is death an option here? There are more than a few very intelligent people who think that the bailout could do more damage than the no-bailout plan.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 01:03 PM) Anybody got a couple extra grand laying around want to go half with me on a bank? I've got about $30 in my pocket right now, I'm totally game.

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 12:44 PM) so, how much damage does everyone think the markets will take if the government came out and said "no bailout. sorry guys. we're done debating it. " ? I think the current market correction would continue for a while, and the Fed would likely have to continue doing just as it's been doing, lending out capital. It's possible that at some point, the credit market would freeze up more than it has and people genuinely would stop lending, at which point the Fed would step in as it did in the 80's, seize a couple of the banks, and take over as the lender of last resort until the capital markets relaxed. It will be messy, a lot of banks will lose a lot of money, but eventually the bad loans that these banks wrote will be dealt with.

QUOTE (kapkomet @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 11:20 AM) Where is RSO? He should be able to fix this mess. Well, FWIW, the Dems were able to turn out more than 50% of their membership to vote for this debacle, while the Republicans weren't able to do so. So if anyone is going to be fixing the mess...it's the guy who can deliver votes on that side What will probably happen now is the leadership will go back to work, go talk to some of the people in safe seats who voted against it, and try to trade a few carrots or find a couple of people in safe districts that they can turn.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 11:32 AM) Looks like the Dow may turn its worst full day point loss ever. (Still not even top 15 in percentage loss) And Bernie Williams has the most home runs in postseason history.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 10:45 AM) Well...I ain't gettin into Russia, that's for sure. Well...the potentially positive way of looking at that situation is that their markets have been highly depressed after money was pulled out due to the Georgian conflict. So that might actually be a reasonable buying opportunity now...their markets have moved lower, but they still have the same oil wealth they had before the Georgian operation. (Edit: If you assume they won't be invading anyone else in the near future, that is)

Hard to blame him for the bullpen, this year at least.

QUOTE (bmags @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 11:37 AM) Should I be looking at German markets? Some parts of the German banking industry got involved with the same stupidity the U.S. banks got themselves in.

QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 11:33 AM) I suppose you MAY want to consider looking at your allocations. I personally think that foreign-investing funds may be a good place to increase a bit, depending on your situation. But overall, this really is a good buying opportunity. Be careful though...there are going to be a few foreign funds that really, really get pounded in the next couple months. Some European banks are being driven out the same way as American ones are so if there's not a bailout of them they're going to hurt, and on the other hand if there ever is a bailout passed these countries holding so many dollars in Asia are just going to be devastated.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 29, 2008 -> 11:28 AM) I'm assuming I should just leave my 401K alone and continue to contribute? I'd say this is one of those times where if you're a stockholder you should assess what you're holding, it's pretty obvious at this point which banks/investment firms got themselves in over their heads and which didn't. In the short term, there's going to be some continuing losses, and I'd still expect your average real estate value to drop another 10-20% before things stabilize, but if you're not looking at retiring in the next 5 years this is a great buying opportunity.

QUOTE (DukeNukeEm @ Sep 28, 2008 -> 04:37 PM) It shouldn't doom him to what could turn out to be a loveless marriage into a bats*** nuts family. The lesson there is going to then be..."If you're going to sleep with the 17 year old daughter of a bat-s*** crazy set of parents....don't get the girl pregnant."