Very professional chap, must be difficult to stay away from the politics of it all.

>> ^rougy:

@bcglorf,
You're right that it has to be looked at more closely. If you find anything concrete, please feel free to share the link with me if you feel like it.
Regarding the "social spending" angle, I'm curious to know how much of that had to do with investing in some of the more trashy gizmos that Goldman et al had to offer.
We know that here in the states, a number of pension funds took a major hit when Wall Street tanked. They had invested heavily in the CDO scam (AAA rated). Wall Street was bailed out, they weren't.
I'm curious to know how much of Greece's damage was caused by similar investments.
I'm betting it was substantial.

P.S. - G.S. has been behind a lot of really dirty financial shit and they always seem to get away with it. A number of municipalities in the USA have suffered gravely thanks to G.S. They were basically looted. Matt Taibi wrote a great article about it in Rolling Stone, but I can't find the link just now. Worth a read if you feel like Googling for it.
This is worth a read, but I don't think it's the same article I was thinking of.


No love of GS here .

I find the worst part of it though is the bailing out of massive corps like them, while their CEO's and top dogs pocket billions in profits while the companies were taking the massive risks that led to the companies collapse. In my opinion it's criminal to not demand that the ridiculous profits made taking the risks aren't the funds being used to payoff the debts from those very same risks turning out poorly later on.

For the record, in America a very big part of the wealth that was lost wasn't just pocketed by the ultra-wealthy. There were also all the middle class chaps refinancing homes they couldn't afford every two years and pocketing $30k-$60k a year for doing nothing but holding onto a home for two years. Some of those folks put that money away and came out fine. Most however bought RV's, electronics, multiple vehicles to fill their three car garages, and any other toys they wanted. After all, they were earning $30k a year for doing virtually nothing and had the money to burn. Of course after they had burnt that money, their backs were up against the wall when they bought that last fateful home before the market dropped out and found themselves with a $750k mortgage for home now worth $200k and payments they could only make in a world were they sold their home next year for $900k. Again, not everyone was doing this, but the numbers were very high. Over the 15 or so years this madness was going on, the guys really milking it had burnt through almost a half million dollars each buying stuff they really didn't need and with a method that had left them indebted for that same half mill with no way to pay it off. With 10s of thousands of people all having run after this, the value of the bad decisions of even the middle class was utterly massive. It wasn't only Goldman Sachs laughing all the way to the bank with free money, they were just doing it at a bigger scale, taking their 10% cut off the excess of thousands of similarly greedy middle class folk.

@NetRunner

"I'm always puzzled when people respond to a misunderstanding this way. When someone misunderstands me, I generally consider that a failure on my part to make myself understood.

For some reason, some people who debate me seem to think failing to make themselves understood means they've scored some sort of victory over me."

^Assine bullshit. I was pretty damn clear about my POV. When I fail to convey my message, I look back and admit it every single time--unless the person I am debating is an obvious troll. But when I am clear I don't need to feel like I made the mistake.

What chaps my ass is that you considered me so damned inept as to totally fuck up the whole premise of a simple-to-understand movie (American History X.) In fact, I would have had to get the whole concept backwards entirely--a truly magnificent feat of stupidity!

And the worst part? You did it unintentionally, which only makes things worse, because if you had done it on purpose at least I could have considered you just trolling. But accidentally? You honestly believed me that retarded, that monolithically brain damaged. Perhaps I am wrong, but have I ever interpreted your comments in such a manner? That even apparent concepts are lost on you?

You may think it overreacting but that isn't your choice to make. It's mine.

I am no longer mad--and I do understand where you were coming from, but know where I was coming from too.

*dead show chap

I was expecting consequences of stupidity, video delivered with style. Good show, chaps!

Ukulele's have recently become hugely popular in Australia, as the musical instrument of choice for young music students. I'll have to show this video to a young chap I know who has just started recently It certainly beats the recorder, which is what I had to study.

>> ^ponceleon:

Fun, but I feel like they should have kept going till they hit something the apple store wouldn't allow. Say, come in dressed in an S&M outfit, perhaps with ass-less chaps.


Or go in naked.

Fun, but I feel like they should have kept going till they hit something the apple store wouldn't allow. Say, come in dressed in an S&M outfit, perhaps with ass-less chaps.

>> ^oritteropo:

Boo! Hiss!
I thought the little chap was rather cute, actually.>> ^ant:
>> ^spaceman:
KILL IT!

I agree!



GET HIM!!!!!!! Don't let the cute critter distract you!

Boo! Hiss!

I thought the little chap was rather cute, actually.>> ^ant:

>> ^spaceman:
KILL IT!

I agree!

Nothing wrong with disagreeing with folks. That's what makes the world a fun place to live. However, when people start laughing at the misery of others it has become something else entirely. This is why so many modern comedians, commentators, journalists, and politicians just chap my hide. They openly practice hatred, but pretend it is OK because they wrap it up in a joke, or by targeting someone they don't like. Then all of a sudden you have entire audiences of clapping sheep LAUGHING racism, sexism, violence, and hatred. Disgusting.

That... was... AWESOME! Better than one of Jimmy Carr's because it just went on so long, and not really part of the act. Good show, chaps. Good show.

>> ^DrewNumberTwo:

"if his intention of openly carrying a firearm is explicitly "because he fucking can", he is an idiot."
But you don't have any idea of what his intention is, do you?
"What discernable purpose does it serve to open carry"
How is that relevant?
"Openly carrying around a gun is not wise, cautious, or courteous."
Bare assertion.


did you notice the giant if that preceded that entire sentence? jesus mary and joseph you are fucking dense arent you?

"what discernible purpose...." if i have to explain how that is relevant to the point that i am trying to make, then you are dumber than a bag of smashed assholes. fucking hell. are you being impossible on purpose just to chap my ass or are you really just so inept at following a line of thought in debate?

you can tell those are buttless chaps at 02:15

Sounds like fun. I'll get the assless chaps out to make it official.