"Quotes" worth quoting

The Lobby
478

You are right, the markets are not free. I was merely using it as a point of comparison. Socialistic propaganda? Come on man, you know you’re better than that. It is SHOWN, that with the right balance of mixed economy, you increase living standards, decrease poverty, education gets better, people are happier (Happiness Index), less crime, absolute as well as relative wealth increase, and higher social mobility (the american dream remains just that, a dream. The US has one of the lowest social mobility rates in the Western world, which means, if you are born poor, chances are, you will remain poor.) among other things. These are all facts, and while you still claim “socialism” (or any form thereof) has failed, you point to no evidence or statistics.

Markets regulate themselves? Oh yeah, great suggestion. Deregulation of banking system is what caused the 2008 crisis. Bankers knowingly trading CDS, bundling and rebundling crappy mortgages and selling them off as prime ones. Then riding the wave of innocence when the housing bubble burst like a crappy pinata. Markets need regulation, if they only act in self-interest, the rest of the people suffer. Now you’re gonna give me a spiel about the government role in all this (2008 crisis). Granted, they bailed out the banks, and allowed the housing bubble to happen in the first place by having a low interest rate. But didn’t start the cluster**** by selling securitized **** to many funds and institutions all over the world, corrupting the financial fiber of several countries other than the US as well… Again, balance is key, we need checks and balances that are NOT internal.

I consider myself fairly open minded, do you have any links or reading material about Austrian school of thought (economics), or any arguments? Because as far as I can tell, the free market doesn’t work, and if it works, it is not fair. Keynesian school works, because it shortens the natural economic cycles of the market, stabilizing GDP, inflation, and growth. However, politics is a large hinder in doing monetary and fiscal actions. How does the (Austrian) free market work with regards to this? Don’t give me a spiel of insults etc, just help me out.

Have a great weekend guys.

479

Guys, I think this debate is very interesting, but again I’d like to point out that this thread is not the proper place for it.

Let me suggest that you create a separate thread in the off topic section. If you do I’ll be happy to join the debate over there and we can keep the quotes coming here.

480

I have not seen one open minded keynesian yet, but that may be my fault. If you see any, call me!

Quote of Buckscoder, 2011! :56:

481

From a [I][B]Futures[/B][/I] magazine interview with Larry McDonald:

FUTURES MAGAZINE: In less than 100 words tell us why Lehman Brothers failed.

LARRY MCDONALD: Three words: leverage, leverage, leverage.

This interview is the cover story in the October 2011 issue of [I]Futures[/I] magazine.
Larry McDonald was a Lehman Brothers bond trader at the time of that firm’s collapse.
He is the author of the book [I]A Colossal Failure of Common Sense: The Inside Story of the Collapse of Lehman Brothers.[/I]

483

“In today’s regulatory environment, it’s virtually impossible to violate rules.”

Bernie Madoff, October 20, 2007

as quoted by David Wiedemer, Robert Wiedemer and Cindy Spitzer in their book
[I][B]Aftershock: Protect Yourself and Profit in the Next Global Financial Meltdown[/B][/I]
2nd edition, p. 16, John Wiley and Sons, 2011

Well, Bernie, in your [B]present[/B] environment, it’s going to be virtually impossible.

484

At least until Raj moves in next door.

They’ll drive the price of cigarettes through the roof in there…

485

I think this is worth quoting:

[I]“I put my pants on one leg at a time just like everybody else. Only diffrence is once my pants are on…I make a fortune. HAHA, just kidding…sometimes I don’t wear pants.”[/I] -Petefader

Just messin round. :wink:

486

“As you can imagine, I am quite the celebrity, and am treated like a Mafia don.”

"They call me either Uncle Bernie or Mr. Madoff. I can’t walk anywhere without someone
shouting their greetings and encouragement, to keep my spirit up.

“It’s really quite sweet, how concerned everyone is about my well being, including the staff …
It’s much safer here than walking the streets of New York.”

[B]Bernie Madoff, in a written reply, from prison, to his daughter-in-law, Stephanie.[/B]

Stephanie’s husband, Mark Madoff, committed suicide 2 years after his father’s arrest.

Stephanie blamed Bernie for Mark’s suicide, and wrote him a letter in prison,
taunting him about all the family events he was missing.

The snarky quote, above, was his reply to her.

Bottom Line - Madoff says feels safer in prison than in NY

487

“God forbid, If ever there is a war between Pakistan and America,
Afghanistan will side with Pakistan.”

“If Pakistan is attacked and if the people of Pakistan needs Afghanistan’s help,
Afghanistan will be there with you.”

[B]Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in an interview with Geo television.[/B]

Reuters article

With “allies” like Pakistan and Afghanistan, who the hell needs enemies?

Here’s a NEWS FLASH for Pakistan and Afghanistan:

If ever there is a war between India and Pakistan, America will side with India.

488

Somehow, “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer” comes to mind…

489

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Chinese Proverb

“i took on this number crunching project in order that i might demonstrate my problem solving skills as a software and hardware engineer.” zero

my work is now complete.

490

Search online for Arthur Shopenhauer. You’ll be blown. I’ve enjoyed few of his short books, that contain lots of good quotes.

491

Great. How about posting your favorite Arthur Schopenhauer quote?

492

SOCIALISM
You have 2 cows.
You give one to your neighbor.

COMMUNISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and gives you some milk.

FASCISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and sells you some milk.

NAZISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both and shoots you.

BUREAUCRATISM
You have 2 cows.
The State takes both, shoots one, milks the other, and then throws the milk away…

TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell one and buy a bull.
Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows.
You sell them and retire on the income.

SURREALISM
You have two giraffes.
The government requires you to take harmonica lessons

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows.
Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the cow has dropped dead.

ENRON VENTURE CAPITALISM
You have two cows.
You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt/equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows.
The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company.
The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more.
You sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States , leaving you with nine cows.
No balance sheet provided with the release.
The public then buys your bull.

A FRENCH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You go on strike, organize a riot, and block the roads, because you want three cows.

A JAPANESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk.
You then create a clever cow cartoon image called ‘Cowkimon’ and market it worldwide.

A GERMAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows, but you don’t know where they are.
You decide to have lunch.

A RUSSIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You count them and learn you have five cows.
You count them again and learn you have 42 cows.
You count them again and learn you have 2 cows.
You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.

A SWISS CORPORATION
You have 5000 cows. None of them belong to you.
You charge the owners for storing them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You have 300 people milking them.
You claim that you have full employment, and high bovine productivity.
You arrest the newsman who reported the real situation.

AN INDIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You worship them.

A BRITISH CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Both are mad.

AN IRAQI CORPORATION
Everyone thinks you have lots of cows.
You tell them that you have none.
No-one believes you, so they bomb the **** out of you and invade your country.
You still have no cows, but at least now you are part of Democracy…

AN AUSTRALIAN CORPORATION
You have two cows.
Business seems pretty good.
You close the office and go to the pub for a few beers to celebrate.

A NEW ZEALAND CORPORATION
You have two cows.
The one on the left looks very attractive.

A GREEK CORPORATION
You have two cows.
You borrow against the cows from the Germans
You kill the cows and make souvlaki
You can’t pay the interest so the Germans lend you more money
You can’t pay the interest so the Germans lend you more money
You can’t pay the interest so the Germans lend you more money
You can’t pay the interest so the Germans lend you more money …

494

I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can’t go alone.
You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I’ve also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there.
I have made a few trips there, thanks to friends, family and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I’m not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I’ve been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes I’m in Capable, and I go there more often as I’m getting older.

One of my favorite places to be is in Suspense! It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps
up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get!

And, sometimes I think I am in Vincible but life shows me I am not!

I have been in Deepsh…t many times; the older I get, the easier it is to get there.

I often find myself in Trouble, but most roads lead you there eventually.

Have you ever been to (two) Fold? I get that feeling that I’m being creased when I’m there.

I spent last weekend in Candescent… it was very enlightening.

Ahh… have you ever been in Decent? That’s a fun place

Last winter I spent a week in Communicado. The people were friendly, but didn’t have much to say.

I started out this morning in Disposed, it was too chilly there. So this evening I ended up in Ebriated, it was a happy hour.

Last weekend I was in destructible, the place was a wreck! But this weekend I am in separable and I can’t seem to get away from there.

Have you ever taken a road trip through Intercourse, PA? If you don’t get out early, you end up getting screwed.

Today I find myself in Overmyhead. I’m not quite sure what to do next. :33:

495

Thank you Sweet Pip for your two last posts, they’re just great. Brought a big smile to my face! :smiley:

496

“We can’t change the cards we are dealt only how we play the hand.” ~ Randy Pausch

“Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everybody I’ve ever known.” ~ Chuck Palahniuk

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” ~ Pablo Picasso

497

Actually he had forgotten that there are no stars anywhere near moon :wink:

499

You can have the right analisis 100 times but the market can do the wrong action twice that number but you can choose to cry just once or keep cool 600 times.

500

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him,
“Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don’t know where I am.”

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You’re in a hot air balloon, approximat ely 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.

She rolled her eyes and said, “You must be an Obama Democrat.”

“I am,” replied the man. “How did you know?”

“Well,” answered the balloonist, “everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I’m still lost. Frankly, you’ve not been much help to me.”

The man smiled and responded, “You must be a Republican.”

“I am,” replied the balloonist. “How did you know?”

“Well,” said the man, “you don’t know where you are – or where you are going. You’ve risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You’re in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it’s my fault.”