It's just 1 & 1/3rds Enron Units, it's no big deal.

China May Choose Wages Over Yuan Gains to Cut Surplus (Update1) - Bloomberg.com

Feb. 10 (Bloomberg) -- China, under international pressure to reduce its trade surplus, may choose to shrink it through raising workers’ wages rather than letting the yuan appreciate, Credit Suisse Group AG said.

Higher labor costs would cut Chinese export competitiveness while boosting domestic spending power and sustaining economic growth, according to the bank. Premier Wen Jiabao’s government has been pressed by U.S. and European officials to end a 19- month yuan peg to the dollar to help diminish trade and investment imbalances that contributed to the credit crisis.

....

no I didn't shill, I'm catching up...thanks.

shill wrote:

N-N did you see KD's comments on China last night....good stuff check it out

Speaking of KD, here's his latest:
Is That A Bailout Or A Lit Fuse? - The Market Ticker

The lesson here? We have not only fixed nothing the so-called "coordinated actions" of so-called "world leaders" have set up a potential catastrophe originating in Europe.

Good; at least the catastrophe will originate there.........

I know that China 'needs' us, but at some point the diminishing return on their money has to play out. Why sell to us when all it does is increase our debt to them?

The Andy Xie article from last night on China was very good. Don't have the link handy, it was posted by EHP.

The trade deficit allows foreign sovereigns to accumulate dollar reserves, but to what end? When do those trillions come home?

Cinco no disrespect on the Palin post, I just think we are all set with another made for TV political type, and sorry but that is the way I see Palin.

We need more Scott Brown types, you know the nobody's of the political field to rein in, and hopefully clean up the mess in Washington.

Now its up to Brown to stay true to his campaign promises, unlike the mess we have now.

Anonymous Bosch wrote:

And spread like a pebble in a pond?

or spread like a fungus

The only way I can see Palin winning is if she's in a dead heat with Henry Paulson.

Aside from that, this is much ado about nothing.

or spread like herpes, and all that implies.

Oh great, JD - Now I'll have this tune stuck in my brain all day.

YouTube - Neil Young - Needle and the Damage Done 

shill wrote:

Cinco no disrespect on the Palin post, I just think we are all set with another made for TV political type, and sorry but that is the way I see Palin.

None taken; I guess what I was trying to say is that she's not smart enough to be a Neo-Con. She's at best a puppet. I do find her hot though; quite a package.......and if she didn't talk ......

Shill, when you throw the toddler in the deep end of the pool...only two outcomes...

and for the record, I still haven't watched a single episode of American Idol...I am a stranger in a strange land. I wonder if this is how the parents of the boomers felt?

scott brown is a differenet flavor obama,they'll sit him down and tell him just how things are going to work.and thats that.imo

Puh-lease. Not gonna happen.

Surely the repubs can do better.

Okay, off to the hamster wheel.

Good day, all.

I do find her hot though; quite a package....

Not bad for a cougar, it's her voice Cinco.....it like a dagger to my ears.

shill wrote:

Not bad for a cougar, it's her voice Cinco.....it like a dagger to my ears.

Agreed! It's heinous-

OT

China Southern cut economy-class tickets to 140 yuan ($21) from 700 yuan on flights between Guangzhou and Changsha after a high-speed train started on the route in December. The trip now takes 2 1/2 hours by train instead of 9.

“The high-speed train is invincible on this route,” said Tom Lin, 30, a civil servant in Guangzhou, who opted to travel by rail. “There’s no doubt it’s more convenient for trips to the cities along the line. Airlines can’t compete with trains for the spacious seats.”

‘Invincible’ High-Speed Trains Steal China Southern’s Customers - Bloomberg.com

Maybe Americans will get too fat to fly. I'm annoyed that I pay $25 rather than stuff the overhead and take extra time to board when my fellow passengers are carrying an extra 80 pounds of blubber.

Of course, time saved and airline prices slashed doesn't show up in the almighty GDP, so high-speed rail must be "inefficient".

Lobbyist Ben Dover wrote:

What is different with Palin made for TV and the one we have now?

Plain has actually had a real job before now...

Sharp Fall in US Bank Lending Doesn't Bode Well for Economy

Mises Daily: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 by Frank Shostak

Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 5.7% in Q4 after rising by 2.2% in Q3 — the quickest pace in more than six years. This was above Wall Street economists' forecast for a 4.6% increase in Q4. The yearly rate of growth of real GDP climbed to 0.1% in Q4 from −2.6% in Q3. The yearly rate of growth of GDP at current prices, i.e., nominal GDP increased by 0.8% in Q4 from −2.1% in the prior quarter.

The bounce in the growth momentum of both real and nominal GDP is due to the Fed's massive money expansion. However, a sharp fall in the growth momentum of real AMS[1] poses a threat to the growth momentum of GDP in quarters ahead. (More)

Cinco, do you know how bad Palin grates on other women and we are the largest voting block, right?

Heard yesterday American is going to start charging for blankets.

Nanoo-Nanoo wrote:

Cinco, do you know how bad Palin grates on other women and we are the largest voting block, right?

Why do you ask?

Sarah is the ne plus ultra in shallow thinking combined with being reasonably attractive looking, we deserve her.

Palin is not my idea of the best choice but has much better experience then O. Sad thing is we have now entered the era where proven expedience is not going to get you elected.

because you said she was 'hot' and I think that was one cynical reason McCain choose her. Makes me wanna

Cinco-X wrote:

But at least we'll know who to blame while we're huddling in our cold dark huts.

or........

"Thank goodness THAT'S over - this warm desert weather sure is nice!"

Juvenal Delinquent wrote:

... we deserve her.

I for one welcome the coming idiocracy.

and for the record, I still haven't watched a single episode of American Idol

I've never seen a reality show or a football halftime show. Been muting the commercials since remote control. Never seen a daytime talk show or morning news show, or a soap night or day. But I'm sure there are plenty of "TV hating mutants" (Chief Wiggum) with better records here at HCN.

shill wrote:
...Sara Palin penetrating the Tea party movement, am I the only one that sees Palin as a Neocon wrapped up in Tea bag paraphernalia?
I'd pay to see that.

Video games are like books... there were different levels of players. But this episode of News Radio hit to close too home

Stargate Defender

Sarah Palin would've gotten the GOP nomination if elections were this year. That still makes her the GOP front-runner. She's politically shrewd; I'd like to know who suggested her as McCain's running mate. Just because she is politically shrewd doesn't make her smarter than a brick.... because if she really was politically shrewd she wouldn't have came off as dumb as a brick.

Comments on Palin's speech last weekend:
- Scott Brown has basically admitted he's going to have a record more on the side of a RINO, yet she praised him before he even took a vote.
- Since when has it been correct that the Constitution doesn't apply to those who are not American? Since when is it a crime to "lawyer up"? - Why do we have to treat terrorism like an "act of war"? That would involve invading every country harboring al qeada... we haven't even invaded Saudi Arabia.
- She dishes on TARP. She dishes on stimulus. Federal government going to take control of the people in the states? Hello, you're like 20 years too late (see use of Federal funds to push things on states).
- I don't get why GOP attacks the unemployment number. So if we didn't have a stimulus plan it would be less?
- Federal deficit (let's pretend Bush had nothing to do with it) / Drill baby drill
- WTF, the tea party movement is going to attract "conservative democrats" and "conservative libertarians"? Hello! You guys are all conservative Republicans and your speech is going to turn off democrats and libertarians!

Palin on her "plan"
When it comes to the economy, it is free market principles that reward hard work and personal responsibility. And when it comes to national security, as I ratchet down the message on national security, it's easy to just kind of sum it up by repeating Ronald Reagan when he talked about the Cold War. And we can apply this now to our war on terrorism, you know. Bottom line, we win, they lose. We do all that we can to win.

Nanoo-Nanoo wrote:

because you said she was 'hot' and I think that was one cynical reason McCain choose her. Makes me wanna

You resent her because she's hot? I'm sorry about that, but it sounds kind of catty. You should note that I can't stand to hear her talk as does shill. Someone was saying something about Tina Fey. She's 10-15 years younger than Palin, and Palin still looks better; sorry 'bout that too....

They say you have to reach the bottom before you realize just how far you've fallen, and she's an intellectual nadir, so what's not to like?

shill wrote:
Ok that will cost you 1 million jobs please.
Damn, no, it's not worth that. I was figuring a fiver or so, just for the amusement. Like paying the fat kid in 2nd grade to eat a fly...

Who is Obama girl? Judging Palin as a woman is different?

Hardly Cinco. I'm just old-fashioned and think candidates should be chosen for reasons other than appearances. There were plenty of qualified female candidates in the field with vastly more experience and service. She plays it all to the hilt, too and appeals to men as a woman battling against those who appear to be 'attacking' her and their innate desire to 'defend' and support a woman. Its SAD and its wrong.

SNAFU wrote:
Who knows, may be we will see a mentally 'challenged' in the WH again. Bad karma is a bi**ch!
He gonna make the plants grow, he's gonna fix the `Comony...

YLSP wrote:

• Since when has it been correct that the Constitution doesn't apply to those who are not American?

Preamble | LII / Legal Information Institute

We the people of the United States......

Extending it to the entire population of the world was a stupid idea.

Bubblisimo Gerkinov wrote:
I for one welcome the coming idiocracy.

"Some had high hopes that genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution. But sadly, the greatest minds and resources were focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections."

Perhaps they meant prolonging elections?

There is an Alaskan accent... I can't really describe it, I was too young when I was up at Ft. Wainwright. What is interesting though is when you have a state with such a small population and you bring in lots of military...Alaska is still young in the scheme of things and is not quite set in its ways so to speak, though they will disagree.

YLSP wrote:

I don't get why GOP attacks the unemployment number. So if we didn't have a stimulus plan it would be less?

Would it be more? Would there have been less overall damage to the economy without it?

Vonbek777 wrote:

But everyone around here thinks she walks on water and gets it....

I wonder if listening to her interviews would disabuse them of that false belief?

Quite possibly one of the most incoherent people I have ever heard in a public-facing role.

Here's the thing about politicians. Their rhetoric follows the voters.
It would appear that the War's in Iraq and Afghanistan would be diametrically opposite to those who complain about deficit spending. However when they have to choose one, most voters (apparently) will choose the war over deficits, but still complain about the deficit. Not many voters are pissed off about TARP either. Yet they will rail "in general" against the deficit. You would think a $700B (okay $450B) program aimed at benefitting a small sliver of the economy, sold as something for main street (sold hard by Bush) would also be something that gets these people upset, it doesn't. You would think medicare would be another government program these people hate... but they have basically killed health care reform because the don't want to give up any medicare benefits.

Loco, loco, loco!

Vonbek777 wrote:
The most popular girls in high school weren't the smart ones.
Mostly the attractive ones that put out. And most of adult life is just high school with money.

People have been living in Alaska for ten thousand years.

Palin is a The GOP already saw what she can do for a Presidential ticket. McCain should have won easily had he picked just about anyone other than the dimwit. Seriously, he lost to a black guy with a Muslim name...Sarah is being groomed by the Neo Cons...

As for Scott Brown...Independent? Uhm no. Check his campaign contributions. He's got stamped all over him.

Palin, shrewd enough to get the GOP nomination, but then after that what was her plan? Numerous times she looked foolish; in fact if she came off as smart it would've been harder to paint her as someone you were afraid of being 1 heart-beat away from the Presidency.

I wonder if listening to her interviews would disabuse them of that false belief?

You think so?

"Keep your government hands off my Medicare."

You still think so?

cinco-x
i mention tina fay not because shes "cute" but because of what she did and she was very good at it.but she was doing a comedy take-off on palin. Palin was/and is serious about everything she says.
i hope that we really dont deserve her. but if the line-up is palin/mccain 12 we just might. but in time we can blame everything on her!

I was referring to the white man yogi... good point. Their language and culture is well established.

Vonbek777 wrote:

Cinco, its not hard to understand. The most popular girls in high school weren't the smart ones.

Part of that is cultural. Girls sometimes play dumb in order not to intimidate guys; seriously! My daughter is gorgeous, at the top of her class, is a state wide officer in one of the academic clubs here in MA, and so forth. Good looks don't imply dumbness; in fact, a good appearance often implies good genetics; that's why we, as human beings find people like that to be attractive.

ResistanceIsFeudal wrote:

The most popular girls in high school weren't the smart ones.
Mostly the attractive ones that put out. And most of adult life is just high school with money.

You liberals are so chauvinistic; it's pathetic.

JD, the polls don't bear that theory out. The Independents ran for the hills after her "interviews". She is already frothing at the mouth and wants to attack Iran. As my Mom used to say "She's got nothing behind the eyes"...

gabyjan wrote:

but if the line-up is palin/mccain 12 we just might.

McCain is too old. Don't sweat it. A lot can change to 2 years, and the dems have had their wake up call.

Cinco-X,
Regarding the stimulus plan; how does it makes sense to attack the predictive abilities of the Democrats? "You guys said if we passed this stimulus bill that unemployment would be at 9%... well look at it now?". Comon! I'll say its gone a long way to shore up state deficits and there's a shitload of construction going on everywhere.

I don't know if its a complement you think I'm a Demo... I guess you've never seen me comment on Krugman? I'm a registered Republican but more independent, voted for Romney in the GOP primary and Paul in the general election. Republicans can't criticize Palin?

For every mainstream independent or traditional republican that she turned off, she got just as many or more evangs all hot and bothered about her.

Cinco-X wrote:
You liberals are so chauvinistic; it's pathetic.
Sounds like your daughter is an exception to the rule... be glad for that.

So the fact they installed him to block meaningful financial reform is a good thing? Okaaaayyyyyy. I forgot we didn't need no steeenking regulations...

Well the fact is, we had 2 evils Brown or Coakley....

Coakley would have been a disaster. I have faith in Brown, beside that if he screws up he will be gone in less than 2 years.

Cinco-X wrote:

Girls sometimes play dumb in order not to intimidate guys; seriously! My daughter is gorgeous, at the top of her class, is a state wide officer in one of the academic clubs here in MA, and so forth.

I'll back you up on that, Cinco. My sister is beautiful, has taught herself 4 languages, is a teacher, and if you can get her to put aside the facade is an incredibly intelligent and witty girl. But put her in a group, or in front of a stranger, and this facade of idiocy is instantly erected. Nothing I can do can get her to put aside that crutch and trade on her smarts.

Vonbek777 wrote:
I spent my time in my various schools as an observer....there are usually three main groups led by an alpha female that the others revolve around. This doesn't include the sub groups of nerds and losers... Seriously, IQ doesn't play a role here. It's like the raptors from Jurassic Park
High school is the largely the development of the mammalian cortex and the further refinement of the political behavioral conditioning we received from early childhood. The emotionality and vulnerability imprints strongly on us and follows us for the rest of our lives. Psychologically a lot of us never really go any further in personality or character development, hence a great deal of reality can be likened to a continuation of high school with the addition of money.

...and so it begins

a few border incursions later into estados unidos rather than estado unidos de Mexico, and big brother will be doing his thing, looking for trouble on high.

On a different note, check out this kid:

- NY Times

I'm not even sure its worth distincting between the different politicians in the colored cloths. The parties pretty much dictate what the candidates/leaders are going to do, especially on the national stage. Hillary Clinton would be doing the exact same policy as Obama, perhaps with different style. It's obvious the Republicans are going to block financial reform; and sad because I at least thing the CFPA might do some good... being Elizabeth Warren's brainchild.

SNAFU wrote:
Is that instinctive and mother nature doing her thing?
Adaptive behavior. Always makes you a little sad for the human race, but that's nature's game.

It's not strictly a female phenomenon, FDR got started in politics mainly because he wasn't good at a lot of things but was good-looking.

Vonbek777 wrote:

Cinco, I don't think your daughter playing dumb means she is leading one of the various packs in high school.

My daughter doesn't; however, many girls do. It's a technique to assuage egotistical teenage boy's egos. I told my daughter a long time ago that if she ever played dumb to please a guy I was going to kick her @$$-

That former first dude behind her is also scary. More obviously hitlerisch.

Vonbek777 wrote:

Seriously, IQ doesn't play a role here. It's like the raptors from Jurassic Park

LMAO! That might be the single best high school clique analogy I've ever read.

ResistanceIsFeudal wrote:

Sounds like your daughter is an exception to the rule... be glad for that.

She's a great kid, and we've very happy about her, for her, and proud of her.

Uh huh, I almost spit coffee all over my keyboard on that one.

Of course, time saved and airline prices slashed doesn't show up in the almighty GDP, so high-speed rail must be "inefficient".

The difference between high speed rail in Southern China and in the U.S. is that China doesn't already have a massive highway infrastructure across its more rural areas.

Think about how many roads, bridges, ramps, medians, signs, etc. there are in the U.S., even if pretty remote places. All of them have to be maintained, so we need massive amounts of cars burning gas and paying tolls to pay for them. That means we need to motivate consumers to buy cars, whether or not they have the cash to afford them. Once consumers are in hock for cars, they have to drive them.

Chinese peasants don't have these problems. They can ride high speed rail across the plains economically and in comfort. It beats walking or riding on donkeys.

For high speed rail to work in the U.S., the nation would need to abandon the highway infrastructure.

Vonbek777 wrote:

Good for you, but have you observed in public with her friends?

Yup- she's a dominant force in public; she's been lectering [SP?] in church since she was 11yo. Very confident, very smart and with lot's of poise. She may be your President someday.

How about that Trade Deficit? We're definitely having a deficit of on-topic discussion

I agree my daughters are also good girls, and very attractive, too attractive, hell my 12 year old has the body of an 18 year old....scare the shit out of me, but what is funny, when she has one of her girl friends over she still to this day plays with her dolls.

My 16 year old, same thing good girl good in school and the body of a 21 year old ( must be the water in Massachusetts ). Oh and a great shooter at the range, both leaders ( like their dad ) no followers......they think, and I am very happy for that. They speak their minds....none of this do-gooder liberal crap. Spade is a spade....

Cinco-X, she sounds most promising. Did you put her in a carefully orchestrated environment so you could determine whether she'd steal from you?

The Columbo act is standard poker strategy. Usually you want to let the really good players know you can play, but fool the fools who think they can bully you.

It's the steroids in the food supply. All 12 year olds have the bodies of 18 year olds now.

CK you are so right......scary for sure....but I keep a tight leash if you will.

Someone explain to me why we didn't have a Stimulus Congressional Oversight Panel? The TARP COP is the single best Congressional hearing out there.... Geithner is Liz Warren's bitch...

noob goldberg wrote:

'm a big dumb idiot idiot, I give him (it's usually a him)

We have few of the 'her's' at work, know it all, young , attractive and have the big daddy decision makers wrapped around their fingers; big daddy always takes them to the important meetings, makes them look good I suppose. By the time mistakes are detected they are usually gone to other companies and/or depts. The old 'oaf' types pick up the pieces. Again mother nature working her magic, I suppose!

Bernanke says economy still needs low rate policy

Timing of exit will be data-dependent: Bernanke - MarketWatch

This should be good for

It's sad that our president is going with the financial precedent, but there you have it.

Comrade Kristina wrote:
It's the steroids in the food supply. All 12 year olds have the bodies of 18 year olds now.
Yep... and there is something about weight (biologically giving a signal of adequate nutrition, even though in our case we're largely fooling it thanks to our love for fat, carbohydrates and sugar) that is starting puberty earlier and earlier. I'm sure it's controversial but I don't remember making it up.

A lid in every is my campaign motto.

Oh snap... forgot that Bernanke is up on the hill...
they are going to be talking about removing the Federal reserve liquidyt...

Comrade Kristina wrote:
A lid in every is my campaign motto.
I'd run on "A in every garage!"

This is true...but from a survival standpoint, you do want your tribe to have more meat on their bones than the other tribe. True story, when my dad was over in Korea, one of the senior South Korean officers had a martial arts demo. He invited my father (and by this time my father had two bad knees and a barely working shoulder) for a spar. Guy was tiny, but in great shape and really knew his stuff. Anyway, my dad did a Clint Eastwood, he knew he couldn't win in a sparring contest, so they bowed and my dad just head butted him and knocked him out.

That's a Paul Newman, as Butch Cassidy.

Thanks, sometimes I get my movies mixed up.

( Cough ) SRS

Vonbek777 wrote:
This is true...but from a survival standpoint, you do want your tribe to have more meat on their bones than the other tribe.
Arguably why our 'sweet tooth' evolved -- sugar is/was a very economical source of energy, fat and carbohydrates too. This worked well when we were out foraging, running around, and hunting mastodons 18 hours a day, but now the reward mechanism in our brain is more of a detriment than a useful guide to healthy behavior, and fully exploited by our food industry.

Lobbyist Ben Dover wrote:

Palin is not my idea of the best choice but has much better experience then O.
Glad to see you have something to hang your (self) hat on.....