|
Post by christopher on Oct 4, 2008 15:22:48 GMT -8
I missed a good one. Maybe Chris (from Nevada) can explain this one: Senate - Agriculture -$1,000,000 Mormon Cricket & Grasshopper Activities in Utah Can't help you. Mormon Crickets are these HUGE bugs that seasonally devastate crops in Utah. Maybe it has something to do with that. Though, giving $1M to "mormon cricket & grasshopper activities in utah" sounds like the Senate has decided to fund the bugs. They've probably funded worse
|
|
|
Post by christopher on Oct 4, 2008 15:23:50 GMT -8
I'm sure I just missed a great opportunity for some joke involving mormons and crickets...
|
|
|
Post by Jon Broxton on Oct 4, 2008 16:30:56 GMT -8
I didn't know Mormons even *played* cricket!
|
|
MikeP
Orchestrator
Posts: 537
|
Post by MikeP on Oct 4, 2008 17:06:55 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by christopher on Oct 4, 2008 20:35:40 GMT -8
I didn't know Mormons even *played* cricket! ;D
|
|
cheno
Conductor
Posts: 1,012
|
Post by cheno on Oct 4, 2008 21:55:14 GMT -8
Glad we're helping these guys!
|
|
|
Post by natedogg23 on Oct 7, 2008 15:33:15 GMT -8
I found a good youtube video as well for those that are interested in how the government plans to pay for the bailout, how money is created, central banking, etc. Might be a good thing for Jens to take 10 minutes to watch to gain a better understanding... www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dpJL6ANnV0
|
|
MikeP
Orchestrator
Posts: 537
|
Post by MikeP on Oct 8, 2008 16:55:38 GMT -8
|
|
|
Post by Jangles on Oct 8, 2008 18:51:21 GMT -8
I honestly don't see the big deal with AIG executives taking a vacation like this. Do people stop and think that maybe they have been under a LOT of stress lately, not to mention constant stress even before the collapse, or are they just eager to paint them all as evil "fatcats" who want to take all our money and destroy our economy? Give these guys a break - they probably need the vacation. Seriously, who fucking cares?
|
|
MikeP
Orchestrator
Posts: 537
|
Post by MikeP on Oct 8, 2008 19:22:34 GMT -8
Are you just playing devil's advocate? Surely you must be...
They are using company bailout money to take a $440,000 1 week vacation. If it was their personal money, that would be one thing, but it appears they took the money the govt. gave them and treated themselves to a VERY nice 1 week vacation.
|
|
|
Post by Jangles on Oct 8, 2008 19:54:15 GMT -8
No, I'm not. Do you think 440k is much money compared to billions? Do you think they would be able to still employ executives to rebuild their company from complete ruin without treating them to a nice vacation (among other things)?
I guess you are suggesting maybe to fire all the executives, blame everything on them, and hire one of the many people on the internet who thinks he/she knows to solve this crisis?
Also, where do you think that 440k is going to? It's going right back into the economy.
Seriously - what is your point? Without considering anything else, the small percentage that 440k of 700 billion is enough to dismiss your reason as "wasting money" as completely irrelevant.
|
|
MikeP
Orchestrator
Posts: 537
|
Post by MikeP on Oct 9, 2008 3:41:17 GMT -8
My point? First, it's 8 people's salary for an entire year. Second, it's foolish to think this will be the only, or worse, example. We've just begun handing out money and it's already being wasted. Third, I happen to care where my tax dollars are going.
Straw man fallacy.
|
|
|
Post by indy2003 on Oct 9, 2008 12:35:17 GMT -8
Yikes. The stock market took another giant plunge today, nearly 700 points.
"Hey, we don't need to worry. We've still got thousands of points left. That should last us until Christmas, at least." - Stephen Colbert
Back at ya later
|
|
|
Post by Chris Tilton on Oct 9, 2008 12:54:23 GMT -8
Also, where do you think that 440k is going to? It's going right back into the economy. Spending the Government's bailout money (and my eventual tax money) to go to a swanky resort that only rich people go to anyways is hardly going "right back into the economy." I can't believe you're even contesting the amount. "But it's only 440K compared to billions!" So fucking what. If they spent $10 of the bailout money on some Celene Dion CD because they were feeling "stressed" I'd still be pissed. And like Mike said, they have already started wasting the money, just days after the bailout. This is not going to be the last time they waste our money.
|
|
|
Post by natedogg23 on Oct 9, 2008 13:38:01 GMT -8
I think the larger issue is the poor decision making. Obviously everyone should be pissed that we basically financed a lavish vacation (not sure why Jangles isn't angered by it, guess I should check with him next time before I go on vacation to see if I can get a hand out), but the bigger concern is that the decision was made in the first place. It just goes to show that even with an infusion of cash, questionable decisions are being made which doesn't bode well for the bailout of the company.
As MikeP stated, that money could have been spent to employ 8 people or it could have been used to shore up the balance sheet which is the whole premise of this horrible bailout. And if they are stressed, well they got themselves into this situation and frankly it is just tough luck for them. Additionally, I can think of several other methods of stress reduction that cost little to no money at all. This is exactly why a bailout shouldn't have been approved and businesses that make bad decisions should be allowed to fail.
|
|